February 17: The birth of a dream
Is it better to swim against the tide or to follow a safe mundane path? A boy from a small but beautiful rural area in Ernakulum, Kerala, struggled with this dilemma from a tender age. Brought up in a big joint family that functioned in a bureaucratic manner.
Growing up in close proximity to the natural beauty of his surroundings programmed in him a default setting to respect and nurture the environment. The fields were his playground, the stories narrated by his grandparents were teachings in morals and integrity.
He was groomed to follow a career path as directed by the family. But the boy was a dreamer. His biggest thrill was to climb the tallest tree and gaze at the sky, lost in thought in a deep meditative trance. He loved the transitions in the sky, from tranquil blue with cotton white fluffy clouds to spectrums of orange, pink and purple of the on setting dusk.
“I wonder if the sky looks different from other places.”
The turning point
This gnawing curiosity infected him with a burning desire to travel. After passing out of degree college, he was unsure about his career path. It would be safe to simply take up a job. But his inner voice said otherwise. Destiny intervened in the form of his cousin, who introduced him to a prominent Travel Agency in Thiruvananthapuram. The boy was inspired. He found his calling.
He envisioned his own company in a business that could help millions of people realize their travel dreams. He would help them see what the sky looked like from different places.
The boy becomes the Man
Dr.P.B.Boss was that young boy who established Osaka Air Travels in 1993. He operated from a small rented room in Angamaly. The beginning was humble and full of struggles and difficulties. However, by his side was his pillar of strength Mrs. Bissy Boss, his spouse and partner. A teacher by profession, Bissy was soon to become an integral contributor to the business.
Kochi International Airport was soon to be inaugurated. Dr.Boss saw a gleaming opportunity and procured a loan from his father. He expanded his company and took on additional staff. His plan was bold and needed immediate action. He singled out areas inhabited primarily by NRIs. They literally knocked on doors, personally informing them about the services offered by Osaka Air Travels. This move was the key that determined the success of the Osaka Group of companies.
His main aim was to provide the best services available and establish a reliable and trustworthy relationship with the customer. Word-of-mouth did the rest, and soon, Osaka Group was recognized as the agency with the highest visa submissions in Southern India.
Osaka Group provides comprehensive services and holistic assistance like visa services, global air ticketing, insurance, passport services, tour packages and itinerary creation, foreign exchange, study abroad and other miscellaneous services. Its primary objective; making travel easy and stress-free for the customer.
“A person’s novelty is determined by their conduct.”
Getting to know Dr.P.B.Boss was inspirational and enlightening. A holistic personality, his integrity and character prominently surfaced in this interview. Here is what he had to say to some of the questions asked.
Whom do you consider as your inspiration/Idol?
Sri. Ratan Tata is one of the most prominent and responsible Indian leaders. He built a vision that is socially responsible and deals with people. This strong visionary still strives to improve the quality of the communities we live in.
Mr. Bill Gates used his intelligence and excellent business skills to improve the world.
Mr. Stephen Hawkins’ life has been highly motivational for me. He helped me understand that no matter how bad our situation is, there is always a way out.
Mr. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX. All the history of failure in rocket launches didn’t stop him from dreaming high. Falcon 9 first-stage booster that landed successfully is one of the greatest innovative contributions made by him.
What life lessons do you follow?
Being in the customer service sector has helped me to learn about myself and how humble our existence is. I have learnt not to dwell on mere ideas and thoughts. Instead, the right ideas need to be backed by prompt decisions and actions to manifest a great product or service in the market.
Also, I believe in smart work along with hard work. Dedication, desire and rational optimism are other values that I protect to the core.
What makes you unique as a person?
Business is a unique platform that offered me a sufficient level of freedom, autonomy and flexibility. This has pushed me to grow into an initiator rather than a procrastinator.
People skills and networking have been some of my strengths, essential in any business endeavour. Interactions in this cosmopolitan society have helped me to think out of the box and to be persuasive about my target goals.
I believe that new ideas, methods and solutions require smart and creative thinking. This is why I try to incorporate qualitative features from conventional methods and adopt innovative and transformational approaches from contemporary developments.
People first…I am a strong believer in developing a goodwill business model to improve people’s lives. My company is developed on the goodwill idea of helping people who require travel assistance and support. We will spare no effort to ensure you have a memorable and problem-free experience.
A person’s novelty is determined by their conduct. – Dr.P.B.Boss