Book Cover 1

Author’s Words

The book My Journey Through Lala Land opens in a very interesting note wherein the author askes this direct question to his readers: “If you were to imagine a lala, would you see an unruly looking man looking over his accounts or a well-groomed man in a three-piece suit”?

Later, himself answers his question saying, “if you saw the former, it is likely because in a country where most of the small and medium businesses are family owned, lala is seen a derogatory term for an unprofessional leader or owner of a busines.

This sets the tone and tenor of what a reader could expect in the book – a journey together in the memory lane of the author – B D Nathani.

In My Journey Through Lala Land, a memoir of a humble salesman and a marketing genius, B D Nathani dispels the myths associated with traditional family owns businesses.

Through his anecdotes of working with different kinds of ‘lalas’ – a Gujju lala , then a baniya lala, the author describes how most traditional family business owners found and relentlessly build successful businesses.

Interspersed among these ‘lala’ stories, one can also read about Nathani’s business and marketing acumen and his contributions in launching one of the most well-known international footwear and lifestyle brands in India, including Lotto, New Balance and HiTech.

The book also tells the true tale of how the author built and grew Woodland from a small footwear company based in Karol Bagh to an international brand with the help of a visionary family business owner.

While delving into his memory lane, the author who always dreamt of traveling the world, does not shy away from telling the story of his modest beginning – entering the corporate world by selling a cough syrup!

The book is an interesting read both for the management connoisseurs as well as Young Management Turks as it helps in getting to know the family-owned business houses in India have evolved over the years.