Yes, you read that right. We are barely getting started despite being around for a decade! I know it sounds scripted and cheesy to hear such words, but it’s all too real to an entrepreneur who has spent the past decade (and more) nurturing a dream. It’s all too real to an entrepreneur who still wakes up dreamy eyes each morning. It’s a big part of him that defines who he is and how he sees his future. Yes, that entrepreneur is me, and I’m living the dream. Sure, it’s not all rosy, and there are many-a-thorns that I must walk upon daily to live the dream. Sorry if you found that a little over-the-top and poetic, but you get the drift, right? I have vivid memories of days leading up to March 23, 2013, when I was to decide whether or not my dream of many years was to remain a fiction or become a living reality. One thing led to another, and here I am ten years later, reminiscing it all.
While by most definitions, many would say we are yet to make it big. But for me, it was never about making big money. It was never about being number one. It has always been about making a big impact through our work. It has always been about one testimonial at a time – https://bit.ly/3McF7R0.
I know that a mad passion for making an impact through work sounds idealistic, but it does have its upsides. In December 2014 (in less than two years of us being in business), Greyhound Research was ranked second best Analyst Firm in Asia Pacific, 7th among global market leaders for Software Research, and 8th globally on the impact on Decision Makers. Greyhound Research was also the only analyst firm headquartered in Asia Pacific to rank amongst the top 10 firms globally – https://ghound.co/Ranking.
In an era of valuations and exits, I’m sure the premise of not making big money sounds silly. After all, what’s a business that doesn’t produce returns in multiples for its shareholders? But for me, it’s never been about shareholders. It’s never been about returns. For me, it’s always been about doing something that I genuinely enjoy and am passionate about. It’s always been about building a lifestyle business that allows me the room to do more with my life. An avenue that ensures that I’m not part of the rat race of designation and compensation. Essentially, a bootstrapped business that allows me the freedom to have a lifestyle – https://bit.ly/3nP4sWO.
Of course, we have had our share of hits and misses over the past decade. The misses hurt and compounded far more than the hits stacked up. But then, that’s how we all learn and grow, right? What we have also faced enough and more are many questioning our value in the ecosystem. And honestly, I understand where the cynism comes from. I truly do. In a space dominated by big brands, questioning newbies is all too expected. After all, we were a startup when the word was not even remotely sexy. But even then, I believed that we must let our actions do the talking, and in the meantime, we must keep walking – https://bit.ly/416s4Vv.
As we at Greyhound Research start building toward the new decade, what I’m sure about is our commitment and focus on our core values and ethos. These values have never been compromised in the past decade, and it’s my assurance that our commitment to our values and ethos won’t ever change – https://ghound.co/Ethos.
Speaking of commitment to our core values and ethos, here’s a little insight about us to help offer context. In terms of revenue split, Greyhound Research currently makes 80% of its revenue from Buy-Side advisory and consulting. The remainder 20% comes from research, advisory and consulting engagements sold to Sell-Side Vendors, Venture Capital, Private Equity & Fund Managers, Startups & Growth Companies, and Government & Industry Bodies. We remain committed to limiting the number of Sell-Side Vendor engagements per year. Depending on the contract term and size, we will continue to work with only 3-7 Sell-Side Vendors per financial year. The selection of the vendors we engage with is on a first-come, first-served basis and not biased in any manner.
But then, as they say, change is the only constant, and we as a company have embraced change many times in the past decade. For starters, we were one of the first ones to use the power of social media, newer outreach channels, and new content formats. As of date, we are the trusted source of insights and advise for 200,000+ professionals from over 100+ countries and have helped 300+ companies with their Enterprise IT decisions. Our newsletter, Greyhound Digital Digest, is subscribed by over 55,000 CxOs from over 100+ countries (https://ghound.co/Newsletter), and our YouTube channel, Greyhound Studios, has garnered over 400,000 views and 11,000 subscribers (https://www.youtube.com/@GreyhoundStudios). Of course, we have a lot more lined up for the coming quarters, and we will share it all with you whenever we are ready to go public.
As the famous African saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and we are no different. The last decade wouldn’t have been possible if each of you hadn’t stood by us. This includes all of you from the community of IT decision-makers, friends from the technology vendor world, the media fraternity, and most of all, our clients who believe in the work we do at Greyhound Research. Once again, I would like to thank each of you for your support and trust in Greyhound Research.
Cheers,
SVG