Epiphany and Confession Time!!!

TODAY is the game changer. TODAY is the day that has changed the way I’ll lead the “rest of my life”.

And all it took was this one post by Steve Blank.

I quit the supposed “rat race” to follow my dreams but I never realized that the rat race never quit me. And this post is about an entrepreneur’s confession.

The long hours at my previous work places always left me feeling extremely empty - a void that I could never explain. Entrepreneurship shouldn’t have been such a natural choice that it eventually turned out to be. After all, there isn’t a drop of business in my blood - in fact, a secure, well paying job should’ve been my priority no. 1. It wasn’t.

And boy, was I glad that my family supported my decision to throw away a fast track career and jump into unchartered waters. The day I quit my globe-trotting, offensively well paying job, I had absolutely no money in my bank accounts. I never cared too much about saving - I wanted and had it all - new cars, a small penthouse apartment, fine dining on weekends. My decision to quit meant quite a few sacrifices. I thought it would be heart-breaking to let it all go. And once again, it wasn’t. If I remember right, I even agreed to forgo one month’s salary in exchange for being relieved without having to serve out my notice period.

The first few months are always magical, sometimes completely unbelievable. It is a high that one cannot explain but only experience. Every day brings new ideas - days turn into nights and the conversations continue well into the next day. The adrenalin rush is completely overpowering. Like every good fairy tale, life has its mandatory twists - one needs to be able to take the punches without being knocked down. In the life of an entrepreneur, the tough days heavily outnumber good ones. However, the good days more than make up for the struggle. So we do what we should - work harder, work smarter, work longer.

All was well till I read the afore mentioned post. One more thing that all aspiring entrepreneurs should know before I continue is that one tends to lose the ability to tolerate criticism, esp. from people who really care. That combined with ever-changing goal posts and deadlines can overwhelm the best of us.

Armed with the power of my latest epiphany, I did some some honest soul searching. Sacrifices were made not just by me but by every single person who loves and cares about me.

The long hours are no different from the times before my startup. The constant stretch was not only pushing my limits but of the people around me as well. In the last few years, I’ve never found time for family, friends and even my loving wife. All I had was a ready list of excuses for not being there. I was so consumed by my drive that I was completely oblivious to the fact that time was fast running out. Earlier I could blame it all on my employer, boss and sometimes even clients. But today …? All my claims of making up for the lost time sound so hollow now.

It is also very easy to take everything and everyone around you for granted while chasing that pot of gold. Families are not just your source of support but also an easy target of your anger and frustration. Most of us (including yours truly) wrongly interpret patience - patience does not mean tolerance - its just a rope, a very long one. Never try to push your luck too hard. I did - thankfully my rope was long enough.

Justifying the toll your ambition takes on the family is something that every single entrepreneur I’ve known in my life does. Its almost natural to fool yourself into believing that this grunt is for the greater good of your family and the generations ahead. Not for a moment did I realize before today that my family would rather have 1 hour of my daily life than a year of “quality time” on an exotic island.

So, my friends, stop making excuses for not spending enough time with your loved ones. If it means sacrificing an hour’s sleep to wake up early to go for that morning walk, do it. If it means turning off the laptop to chat about the day, do it. Do everything possible to enjoy life in the moment - you never know, tomorrow may just be too late.

I promise to turn my life around - DO YOU?

UPDATE: I’m still an entrepreneur (some people were concerned). I just need to find some balance. And the quest for the holy grail continues…

Startup 101: Go, get some love!

In the last 2 years that I’ve been running a startup - though I’m not sure if we can be called a startup anymore, there have been very valuable life lessons. Apart from the usual perks and pitfalls, one thing that has really stood apart for us is the sheer range of people interactions that we’ve had - family, friends, customers, investors, ex-colleagues, business partners, vendors, bankers, lawyers… you get to see people in a whole new light - people who stand behind you like a rock to those who abandon ship at the slightest hint of trouble. From the heady days of 2006-2007 to the dismal lows of 2008-2009, we’ve seen and survived it all.

The secret to this is not money, not luck - but love. Love of your family and love of your friends - probably the most underrated input for survival and success.

Money can be substituted - offer your employees stocks - pay rent using credit card - make your landlord an equity partner - and voila, money does not look all that important. But when you’re down and desperately groping around for motivation, all you need is an arm around your shoulder, a smiling face (and maybe someone to buy you a cold mug of beer) - and that, my friends, is where the game is won. The will to keep going in the face of insurmountable odds cannot be bought with money - the strength to get up, dust off and run again after being repeatedly knocked down requires just on thing - unwavering support - that of your family and your friends. When every single conversation leads to nowhere alley, your family and friends provide the light.

So I have absolutely no doubt in declaring that the single factor that has gotten us thus far is the love of our families and friends. Pleasantly enough, I’ve found new friends along the way - from ex-bosses and ex-colleagues to people I had lost touch over the years. I can narrate extraordinary acts of kindness - but I’ll leave that for another day.

So all you wannabe entrepreneurs out there - speak to family, speak to friends, connect/reconnect with people - go, get some love.