When we started out in 2009, we had only one single client and we two (the co-founders) were the only guys working for him.
With time, client counts increased. We shifted from one room office (you can stick to calling it a room) to a two room set-up. But within few months, the two room appeared unaffordable and a bad decision. We shifted back to a single room (with a heavy heart).
We used to get freelancers working for us, as no one was ready to work for start-ups that don’t even have a proper set-up. Fair enough. We had our share of ups and downs. Everyone around us was watching us. Checking out our patience, our abilities, our madness. We prevailed.
We got some really great tips and advises like ‘go back to a salaried job’. We smiled and thought they just don’t know what it feels like to be an entrepreneur.
From having a Plumber’s number to a company’s President’s contact, an entrepreneur is a chalta-phirta ‘Just Dial’.
Everything from our office space (We now have a decent office in Delhi at a decent location), our creative team to our bill sizes, it showed expansion. Though office space and our team was a visible thing, we always wondered – where actually the cheque amount gets vanished every month.
Sometimes it’s the new computer, new hard disk, bean bags, crockery, furniture or even a new desk space. Our money had million reasons to simply disappear. But eventually, we feel happy.
Happy to keep our team and our clients smiling.
The point is to never fall for the charming designation that we entrepreneurs own.
We are in the end broke. But it never pulls us down. Because after months of chasing and incessant following, when we finally get the cheque, we quickly put all our negative or down-pulling thoughts to an end – to start fresh with more enthu and more passion.
The ‘entrepreneur’ tag, believe me is highly motivating in itself.
Keep striving, keep rocking, and keep exceeding your own limits.
Happy Entrepreneurship!
Sanchita Dutta
VV Well written and to the point
For entrepreneurs, i feel its not about the money at the end of that rainbow but the recognition of the people around us when they say “these guys were right” or “hats off to them” more than money its the appreciation and the recognition of being proven right that drives most of the clan…
having said that, for every one success story there are hundreds, may be thousands untold stories of failures, of stories when the brightest and the most enthusiastic minds failed and went back to their jobs and are satisfied with their thousands while earning millions for someone like whom they themselves wanted to become…
random thoughts….but not giving up, not trying, not being ashamed, will eventually pay off in some form.. even its not in terms of money, but may be in terms of sheer happiness and satisfaction on being proven right!!!
Sanchita Dutta
And, …….
i like the printer at right most corner of the pic. its HP 1007 model i guess, it takes 88A toner cartridge, but a much better option is HP 1020 or 1020plus
many may find the above remarks absurd or out of place, but not to those entrepreneurs who actually try to save that extra penny while still trying out presenting the best quality prints… 😉
Nishant Agrawal
A brilliant thought, Anamika.
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal
🙂
Karan Ahuja
quite motivating .
it is important to keep going .
At the same time – each project / idea/ Line of Business needs to have a fixed finite amount of time that should be allocated to it .
This self created endpoint helps you to focus a lot and fail fast , learn the right reasons , methods to pivot .
failing fast is super important , learning to pivot at right times is most important .
not criticizing your post – just adding this comment so that we all get 360 degree view on survival , failing gracefully when required
cheers ,
Karan
Tausif Mulla
very well written
Daksh Sharma
very well articulated. something with which one can correlate as a fellow entrepreneur
Milan Bavishi
i love this line
“when we finally get the cheque, we quickly put all our negative or down-pulling thoughts to an end – to start fresh with more enthu and more passion”.
And yes…we love Mondays. because it gives us a new week to move ahead.
Never had monday-blues after i left my job. 🙂
Hiranand Chawla
🙂
Jitendra Chaturvedi
An entrepreneur may die penny-less, but never hope-less 🙂
Anamika Joshi
Thanks a lot Sanchita….Definitely there are many failure stories too, and those are the stories from which you learn more than from success ones… They tell you what not to do…And yes, your printer wala point is right!! 🙂 i guess i should think on getting HP 1020 😉
Anamika Joshi
:))) Alok ji, you are one person who don’t think twice to motivate someone for better… 🙂
Anamika Joshi
Thanks a lot Mr. Nishant!
Anamika Joshi
NIce point Mr. Karan…I totally agree… For Entrepreneurs, criticism means – someone is noticing you 🙂
Anamika Joshi
Thanks Mr. Tausif!
Anamika Joshi
That’s a great compliment Mr. Daksh. !
Anamika Joshi
HI Mr. Milan…. Thanks…. Regarding your point on Monday Blues, I always say this to my friends…. Its teh best thing that happen to you 🙂
Anamika Joshi
:))!!
Anamika Joshi
Exactly! It’s hope that keeps the entrepreneur going…. eve after continued failures…hope gets him back on his feet. Also, Entrepreneur is a hope-creator, he doesn’t wait for someone else to give him that. He creates hope for himself!
Vijay Khubchandani
Super Anamika.. You have the true Entrepreneurial DNA.. 🙂
Abhishek Chhibber
Well written Article Anamika. Your story is no different from life that most of us entrepreneurs live…. good luck 🙂
Anamika Joshi
Thanks Abhishek … !
Rahul Ramchandani
Very nicely written!! Almost feel like this is mu attitude with money 😀
Karan Pandhi
Thank you Anamika,
A wonderful post, a lot of great points to be kept in mind for all the start ups.
Ashish Parik
One of the best read of the recent times for me…. Thanks Anamika, Sanchita and of course Asha Tai (as you don’t like calling you madam) 🙂
Totally agree with you Sanchita, what matters is recognition and timely appreciation. Even sometimes from the co-founders too. Even if there are two people working on an idea, one is the initiator and the second person believes in it.
I shifted from a VV big office to a very small office and now most of the times, i work from home or on street. Even if i am executing a cake delivery I carry my bag. It is a Chalta Firta Office for 2 start ups of ours. There is everything from stapler pins to vendor agreement in the bag.
When my colleagues at last job asks “Kitana Kama Lete Ho ?”, the only reply I have is “I am living my life and do let me know when is your anniversary. I can give you the best cake you have thought of”
Keep Sharing…….Ashish S Parik, the cakeman who delivers feelings @ cakehunt.com
asha chaudhry
anamika…. nailbites and both of you co-founders have come a long long way since this post.
pls update it – it will make all of us proud and will inspire young startups to grow like you 🙂
Anamika Joshi
🙂 Thanks Asha ji for reminding me of this. Yes we have come a long long way and it could have never been possible without many rodinhooders.. It looks like we were meant to meet each other! We have worked for many rodinhooders on and off and still we get work from out of the blue when i least expect it.. it all starts from a random facebook chat and we end working on exciting projects with them! I have so many stories to share.. but writing has lately become a rare thing for me as I am stuck with little few things at my end.. Also when you have so much to say and write, you often get stuck at from where to start and how to go about it. I have missed writing many such articles lately.. one on that autowallah, Mr. Sahay (the CP puppet man), and ofcourse many other such..
Would definitely write one though… soon… very soon 🙂