In part two of this series, I continue to share my learnings from my early entrepreneurship days.
Read part one of this series here.
Don’t dwell on failures: It is 100% true that ‘nothing succeeds like success’ and if you are lucky to get early success, you may not be able to relate to this one. However, success usually comes from a lot of learnings from small and big failures. The important thing to try and learn from what is not working and fixing it rather than getting depressed over failures and losing track.
Avoid short cuts / quick fixes: If you don’t get quick results, it is easy to get disheartened. There will be temptations to dilute your positioning and compromise on certain values. Avoid those temptations of taking short cuts.
Learn new things: When you are in a job, especially working for an established firm, a number of things like accounts, office administration, etc., are taken care of. When you become an entrepreneur, it gives you an opportunity to learn about areas you may not have focused on, so if possible grab it. Any if you want to start as frugally as I have, you actually don’t have any option but to DIY.
Have a big heart: Investing in people and relationships is very important. However, if you only interact with people with the intention of using them for your benefit, you will not forge long lasting relationships. Hence, have a big heart and inculcate a habit of helping people without any expectation of a quid pro quo. This is how you will develop lasting relationships.
The buck stops with you: When you become an entrepreneur, you have no one left to blame. If things are not moving, you cannot blame someone else for it. Hence it is imperative that you don’t get into the habit of fooling yourself. Take charge and fix what’s not working.
These are early days and I am not yet over the hump of being an early stage start-up. However, it’s been a great learning experience for me, which I value immensely. I get motivated watching so many youngsters take the plunge and start their own business. The start of the journey has helped me discover my range of emotions and helped me realise that I don’t have the emotional range of a teaspoon but rather of a Kilolitre (200,000 teaspoons). To help guide all new entrepreneurs, I end this article with another quote from Harry Potter.
I’ve got to go back, haven’t I?”
“That is up to you.”
“I’ve got a choice?”
“Oh yes.” Dumbledore smiled at him. “We are in King’s Cross, you say? I think that if you decided not to go back, you would be able to . . . let’s say . . . board a train.”
“And where would it take me?”
“On,” said Dumbledore simply.
Fortunate to be part of building and protecting reputation of leading organisations and brands across a variety of industry verticals, he has recently founded his unique C-Suite Consulting firm, Kritical Edge.
Previously he has worked in leadership roles with ReNew Power and PepsiCo India among other roles.
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