Moving out is a lot like starting up!

[First published on StartupCentral]

When you move out, you move out of your home.
When you start up, you jump outside your comfort zone.

The process of settling in, purchasing the required amenities, is quite like bootstrapping because of certain sacrifices that you make since you usually move out for the first time on a certain budget. There is always something better that you don’t buy, a better residence you don’t move into and the decisions you make are always keeping both the short term and the long term in perspective.

It starts with dealing with people — your landlord, a consultant and then your new neighbors. They don’t want to do business (rent/fees) with your wallet. They want to do business with you as a person. The neighbors gauge you, accept you as one of their own. You ‘pitch’ your human side, you ‘sell’ your empathy, your belief system. You convince them to accept you. Entrepreneurs cannot be rebels. They walk an alternate line to build something that has the potential to blend in with the society, or chart an entirely new direction. Entrepreneurs build bridges, they build relationships, just like you do while narrowing down on what neighbourhood to settle down in.

The rent/deposit discussions are like any other commercial bargain. You push, hold your ground and both the parties accept what works best for both. You deal with third parties (who might not necessarily speak in fluent English and reply to your emails) for fixing up certain utilities, the exposure is an essential part of the process.

It takes guts to move out. It takes patience to make your own place happen. It takes wise decisions to stay put comfortably. Cash needs to be managed, the ego needs to be shelved. The guerilla wins, Goliaths often fall (not good relationship builders, are they?) and Davids rise. Moving out requires those very essential skills as starting up.

Instead of reaching a conclusion that all of us have what it takes to build a company, I’ll suggest that the required competencies are so core to human nature that they may or may not result in a well defined personality trait. Entrepreneurs, when they perform, use their innate abilities to the fullest. They live a warrior’s life like a king.

It is not something that can be taught, but something that can be realized. And once it has been brought into your consciousness, quoting Chef Gusteau — “Anybody can cook!” 

Long live the chef err, King!