By Chandran Iyer
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a high-stakes game where every decision can be a turning point, and while it’s possible to navigate the terrain without making major blunders, the real challenge lies in ensuring that mistakes don’t destabilize the very foundation of your venture. It is this tightrope walk—of ambition balanced against risk, vision tempered by reality—that forms the essence of 50 Dilemmas, a compelling and highly practical book by Vikrant Vartak.
Vikrant Vartak is a man of many talents—author, talk show host, entrepreneur, animal lover—and above all, a curious mind constantly exploring the nuanced world of business. As the Managing Director of The Senate, one of Pune’s leading workplace solution providers, and the host of the acclaimed Senate Talk Show, Vartak brings to the table real-world experience blended with rich insights gathered from his interactions with seasoned business leaders.
His first book, Guideposts, was an in-depth management handbook for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, offering learnings derived from 21 thought-provoking episodes of The Senate Talk Show. It was a substantial read, tailored for those looking for detailed frameworks and comprehensive understanding. With 50 Dilemmas, Vikrant pivots to a more accessible format—a crisp, quick-read guide that busy entrepreneurs can consume in short sittings, yet walk away with long-lasting insights.
The premise of 50 Dilemmas is simple yet profound: entrepreneurship is riddled with tough choices. These dilemmas aren’t just occasional curveballs—they are frequent, complex, and often come without clear answers. In this book, Vikrant identifies fifty such challenging scenarios that business owners routinely face, ranging from hiring decisions and pricing strategies to ethical questions and growth dilemmas.
What sets the book apart is its clarity and practicality. For each dilemma, Vikrant attempts to offer a ‘rule of thumb’ where possible, and where not, he provides a bouquet of possibilities and thought-provoking pointers. The book doesn’t pretend to have all the answers—but it helps the reader ask the right questions, which in itself is a valuable tool for decision-making.
The writing is enriched with real-life examples, relevant anecdotes, and conceptual clarity—making it a holistic read for entrepreneurs at any stage of their journey. It doesn’t overwhelm with jargon or unnecessary complexity. Instead, it equips readers with mental models and decision-making frameworks that can be applied immediately.
Whether you’re a startup founder navigating uncertain waters, a seasoned business owner facing crossroads, or an aspiring entrepreneur trying to anticipate future roadblocks, 50 Dilemmas is a highly recommended companion. It is not just a book, but a mirror that reflects the everyday decision-making landscape of an entrepreneur—and a compass that helps you find direction when faced with ambiguity.
In the dynamic world of entrepreneurship, where every decision carries weight, Vikrant Vartak’s 50 Dilemmas is both a wise mentor and a practical playbook. A must-read for anyone who believes that while dilemmas are inevitable, they don’t have to be insurmountable.
Vikrant Vartak’s 50 Dilemmas is a concise yet impactful 179-page read that delivers deep insights into the everyday decision-making landscape of an entrepreneur. The book is structured around thought-provoking chapters such as How Important is it to Get Our Business Model Right?, Should You Be a Generic Player or a Niche Player?, How Important is it to Differentiate?, and How Vulnerable is My Business?, among many others. These chapters are not just theoretical musings—they stem from real entrepreneurial struggles, and Vikrant does a commendable job of converting these into relatable scenarios that every business owner, startup founder, or intrapreneur will resonate with.
One of the standout aspects of the book is how it simplifies complex business concepts like innovation, growth, risk, branding, marketing, and sales. Instead of overwhelming the reader with dense frameworks or textbook language, Vikrant uses clear, conversational prose and engaging anecdotes to explain these themes. For instance, when discussing differentiation, he doesn’t just present it as a strategy but explores its emotional and financial implications on a business. Similarly, in chapters about growth or vulnerability, he balances optimism with realism, helping the reader assess where they stand and what trade-offs they may need to make.
The beauty of 50 Dilemmas lies in its ability to transform ambiguity into clarity. Whether you’re grappling with how to price your product, wondering whether to pivot your business model, or struggling with positioning in a competitive market, the book presents these challenges in a structured and reflective way. Each dilemma is approached not as a problem with a single answer, but as a scenario that demands context, self-awareness, and strategic thinking. This makes 50 Dilemmas an indispensable read for anyone looking to sharpen their business instincts, validate their thinking, and ultimately, make better decisions in their entrepreneurial journey.
