~ Dr Bryan D Menezes
I had the privilege of attending KE’s Founder’s Fiesta program featuring Neil Rodrigues, an entrepreneur behind the beloved coastal cuisine restaurant, The Konkan. The morning wasn’t just about delicious food; it was a masterclass in entrepreneurship, resilience and the importance of embracing the present moment.
We met at the Konkan restaurant in Church Street at 8.15am for an open networking session which was followed by a delicious breakfast. KE’s past president Clarence Pereira started the program with the prayer and soon after Neil captivated the audience with his story.
The story wasn’t a fairytale. He spoke candidly about the challenges he faced. His education, leaving a high paying job, navigating the competitive market, the setback of Covid, relentless hustle of running a business and moments of doubt. Yet his narrative wasn’t defined by these hurdles, it was about overcoming them. Probably the maximum applause he got was when he spoke about how he had to literally smuggle his chef to his restaurant during covid and the role his wife Chitra played in his entrepreneurial journey. Neil and Chaitra emphasized the importance of resilience of picking yourself up after a setback and adapting to a challenging landscape. He introduced each staff member of his restaurant, some of them are with him from the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. We ended the program with a short memory quiz session on the food delicacies around the world and the winners were more than happy to receive the restaurant coupons in return.
The most important takeaway! His unwavering belief in living for the present. He emphasized the importance of savoring each day, facing challenges head-on, keeping an emergency fund for the rainy days and celebrating every victory, big or small. This philosophy, he explained, is reflected in the heart and soul of his restaurant.
The morning left me with a renewed appreciation for the grit and creativity it takes to build a successful business, as well as a yearning to return to KONKAN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT for another taste of their culinary legacy.