Advice centre
Life
India: The Chaos That Taught Me About Systems
India looks like chaos from the outside. Spend time there and you realise it's running on rules — just not the ones you're used to.
By Jack Bannister · February 2025 · 5 min read
India is the loudest, fastest, most overwhelming place I've operated from. It's also one of the most resourceful.
People build businesses with what they have, fix problems in real time, and move at a pace that would break most UK teams. The systems exist — they're just informal, in someone's head, passed person to person.
It changed how I think about resilience. A good operator can run on duct tape for a while. A great one writes the duct tape down so anyone can repeat it.
I came back with a sharper eye for what's actually essential, and what's just comfortable.
What to do next
- Write down the outcome you need before choosing features.
- Ask for scope, ownership and ongoing costs in writing.
- Compare the smallest useful version, not an unlimited wish list.