Tapas Sarkar, founder and MD of Mecgale Pneumatics puts employees ahead of customers. No wonder the attrition rate at the project engineering company Mecgale Pneumatics has always been around five per cent.

Who gives you the best advice?
Best advice more often than not comes from unexpected corners such as standing in a queue, in an informal meeting or travelling in a group with unknown people.

What part of your job would you gladly give up?
Following up to collect outstanding payments from customers whom I have known for many years.

Whom would you trade places with for a day?
Sachin Tendulkar for sure. I deeply admire how he keeps his feet grounded and head right on his shoulders irrespective of so much success and pressure.

What was the hardest lesson you learnt during your first year in business?
No matter how good your product is, it calls for huge patience before you really start getting orders.

What is the one thing your employees would be surprised to know about you?
That I used to write poems in my school days.

What have you sacrificed for success?
Free adda time with my friends.

What company do you not want to start but wish someone else would?
A wind energy plant. I would like to see a lot of green energy being produced in India. The scenic view of wind farms really gives me a high.

The biggest myth in business is:
Sometimes you question if being your own boss is really worth the effort. But, it is the best thing that can happen to someone.

What have you learnt about yourself while running your business?
I have more patience than I actually think I had.

Which TV or movie character you would like to go into business with?
Chhota Bheem. I am amazed to see how much he influences the present generation of kids in India.