‘Stories are a user manual for life’ – 55 quotes from Indian startup journeys

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our articles of this past week (see the previous post here). Share these 55 gems and insights from the week of March 18-24 with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights. See also our compilation of Top 50 Quotes from 2018 here.

You have so much energy inside you. If you really exercise that energy, you can shake the three worlds: the heavens, the earth, and lower realms. - Nivruti Rai, Intel India

The best side of being part of a startup is the constant opportunity to learn, the flexibility, and the speed to create a project from the bottom up. - Paz Gonzalez Anta, AdPone

One needs to be really passionate, nothing can stop at 50 percent, the goal is to take it all the way to 100 percent. - Divya Gokulnath, Byju’s

To ensure diversity, you need to think with empathy and with your heart. - Esha Ganguly Ahuja, Servify

It’s very important that people on board are a cultural match. They should understand the voice of the brand and blend accordingly. - Masaba Gupta, House of Masaba

The divide between "product people" and "developers" is closing quickly as teams realise that even developers need to have an understanding of the customer's needs. - Valerio Zanini, 'The Guide to Product Management'

India will be run by small business entrepreneurs for a long time. - Kumar Vembu, GoFrugal

With over 8.4 lakh MSMEs, Chhattisgarh is fast emerging as an important centre for manufacturing enterprises in the country. - R Narayan, Power2SME

KYC cannot be automated and we need people on the ground for it. Reaching out to all MSME and getting the documentation done under KYC guidelines is a major challenge. - Kalyan Basu, A. TReDS Ltd

The domestic market for apparel and lifestyle products, currently estimated at $85 billion, is expected to reach $160 billion by 2025. - Rishabh Oswal, Monte Carlo

India is the centre piece of Hyundai Motor Group’s strategy to gain leadership in the global mobility market. - Euisun Chung, Hyundai Motor Group

If we want Make in India to be successful, then 80 percent of value addition should be the norm. - Sanjay Kirloskar, KBL

The government has already formed a national committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary to reduce the logistics cost from 14 percent currently to 10 percent by 2022. - Abhishek Chakraborty, DTDC Express

The market is playing a wait-and-watch game, and energy startups are dependent on government incentives for growth. - Jubin Varghese, Gegadyne Energy

Over the next decade, as the presence of solar electricity increases, every house can become a charging station, which means anyone can provide power to owners of electric vehicles. - Maxson Lewis, Magenta Power

In this era of ecommerce and tough competition, the authentic handloom fabric has lost its glory. - Pulkit Gogna, Bharatsthali.com

People here are more willing to pay for education compared to most other markets; the highest spends from parents’ salaries often go into their children’s education. - Michal Borkowski, Brainly

WhatsApp Pay will change the digital lending landscape in India. - Saurabh Tripathi, BCG

Fantasy sports has been on the rise, with the market being estimated to be $1 billion currently and is expected to go up to $5 billion in the next two years. - Swapnil Saurav, HalaPlay

In India, estimates say that in the technology industry, over 70 percent of candidates are rejected after the first round of interview. - Arun Satyan, Hyreo

Voice is the future. People in rural India will be more comfortable using voice to discover content. - Aprameya Radhakrishna, Vokal

Transformational forces all happening together can take decades to produce real and meaningful change in a country’s economy. India does not need to start from scratch. - Shahela Sajanlal, RubiconMD

Well-defined and secure property rights are fundamental to the economic progress of a society. India's second-generation economic reforms will critically rest on our achievements in this regard. - Shamika Ravi, Brookings India

You can see global brands in every nook and corner of India. But, can you see Indian brands in the lanes of cities in the Middle East, South East Asia, or Europe? - Aditya Ghosh, OYO

Increasing the profitability of smallholder farmers is the most important priority in rural India. - Jinesh Shah, Omnivore

It is not enough to tell farmers to grow clean food, but they need basic facilities. Education, healthcare, sanitation, and other conveniences must be made available. - Aparna Rajagopal, Beejom

Many rural areas in the country are choked because of irrational dumping and burning of waste. - Kinjal Shethia, Need Box Foundation

Plastic is literally present everywhere. One food order brings a whole lot of plastic with it. Not just food delivery, at various local food outlets, you are served in single-use plastic plates and bowls. - Roli Bhat, Adaaya Farm

People have become more eco-friendly and are starting to be aware of the positive effects of plants. - Sharad Kabra, myBageecha.com

People with disability often feel less confident and it becomes difficult to help them become independent. Confidence is required to accept the changes in the body. - Anita Sharma, ‘On My Own’

If hearing loss can be detected early on, the right precautions and treatment can be given, especially with today’s advancement in medical science and technology. - T Uday Raga Kiran, Nautilus Hearing

The ancient practice of mindfulness is not just supported by the wisdom of the ages, but also by a growing body of scientifically validated studies. - Bhavna Toor, Shenomics

Technological intervention not only serves the purpose of training students, it also ensures that they remain engaged throughout. - Jaheer Abbas, Limelight Network

The biggest difference of being an army entrepreneur is that they understand commitment better than anybody else. - Ulhas Kamat, I Create India

There is no better time than now to be in STEM. - Aparna Gupta, Microsoft

Given the risk, it is imperative for businesses to implement a well-defined BYOD policy. - Sanjay Katkar, Quick Heal Technologies Limited

Consumers deserve to receive food that’s as good as it was when it was prepared in the kitchen. - Deepinder Goyal, Zomato

Camel milk can be consumed by lactose intolerant people and due to its low fat content, it is high in demand by the fitness enthusiasts. - Shrey Kumar, Aadvik Foods

We need to create more awareness among clinicians, investors, and public about emerging deep-biotech driven technologies in cancer management. - Aman Sharma, Exocan

We do have new technology and developments, but it is people who make the change. We need to inspire more people to come and work for our children. - Shaheen Mistri, Teach for India

People are not shy to speak their mind online these days, and as a business, you should strive to listen to what they are saying about your brand. - Sachin Karweer, HGS Interactive

Customer reviews directly increase the overall credibility and reliability of your product. - Saahil Goel, Shiprocket

Delivering good content for brands is the future and tech can help reach and influence the target audience. - Govind Mahadevan, Look Who’s Talking

Innovation is contagious, and it often feeds other innovations. - Clayton Christensen, 'The Prosperity Paradox'

It’s your confidence that helps you shine. - Sonam K Ahuja, Rheson

Patience, perseverance, and mental strength - they are your biggest armour against all odds. - Sujata Chatterjee, Twirl

Everyone deserves to live a life without starvation and illness. Providing nourishing meals is one of the best ways to give them a chance to live that life. - Harshil Mittal, Let’s Feed Bengaluru

Who would have thought that chaat, the chatpata street food would be stealing hearts from Manila to Manhattan? - Ajit Saldanha

Cinema has the power to make positive social transformations. - Dia Mirza

Success for an artist comes from the happiness of making a connect with the audience. - Manisha Gera Baswani, 'Postcards from Home'

Art connects things like history, culture and religion together. But sadly, it's not given much importance or is exploited. - Samarth Chaturvedi, Maitreya Inc

Experience is the most overrated virtue. - Rahul Garg, Moglix

Simple truths spoken from the heart can help us change our lives for the better. - Rini Dutta, Centric Brand Advisors

Stories are a user manual for life. - Shawn Callahan, 'Putting Stories to Work'

YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).