‘99 percent of startups will fail. But 100 percent of entrepreneurs will succeed’ – 40 quotes from Indian startup journeys
From setbacks to springboards, witness the memorable journey of Indian entrepreneurship in these quotes, excerpts, and stories!
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 40 gems and insights from the week of July 29 – August 4 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.
Startups require velocity, not speed. - Gaurav Shrivastava, Pensieve
The future rewards those who press on. - Barack Obama
Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey and what's better than doing it with a friend! - Nikita Chhaparia and Priya Gandhi, Prink Crafts
I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light. - Helen Keller
It is the competition that drives you towards excellence. - Lisa Mohapatra, Hofeto
The more customers you talk to, the more feedback you get. The more iterations you do, the more successful your product will be. - Vikraman Venu, IKP Science Park
When you have too many features, it is important to prioritise them. Do one thing well and that is enough. - Prabuddha Vyas, UniKwan
Customisation is the future of every consumer business and online is the channel's future. - Harminder Sahni, Wazir Advisors
You'll start seeing B2B companies now getting their due, especially with software as a service being offered to businesses. - Sharad Sanghi, Netmagic
The travel industry is growing at a fast pace and places are being visited and revisited. Travellers now need a different outlook and interesting journeys and experiences. - Maria Victor, Make It Happen
Millennials’ interest in sustainability issues is giving CSR a fillip. - Dr Nina Jacob, IFIM Business School
It takes time to identify micro-entrepreneurs. You need to go deep into the villages and meet the right people. - Namrata Telisara, Deshpande Foundation
Entrepreneurs and investors need to work together to understand and create value for a startup. - Samir Kumar, Inventus (India) Advisors
The day you bring in your first investor is like the day you bring in your first in-law. Never underestimate the power of an investor. - Kishore Chand, Gilda.vc
Globally there are about 15 billion statements/documents/notifications such as bank statements, health records, pay slips, and invoices, among others, delivered to consumers and enterprises on a monthly basis. - Prakash Baskaran, SecurelyShare
Last-mile connectivity is going to be a game changer in addressing urban traffic issues and enable smooth transition to public transportation. - N Murali Krishna, DULT
Moving from slow to high-speed internet access will increase user engagement and benefit millions of internet users throughout the economic spectrum. - Sameer Garde, Cisco
Everyone uses a mobile phone these days, yet they have very little knowledge about how secure their phone is. - Dwaraka Prasath, Kalam’s Dream
Everything is getting digital now, even films are being released in the digital space. - Sagarika Ghatge, BOSS
As we connect more into online portals, we’re disconnecting from the world around us. - Akshay Bhushan, Lightspeed India Partners
Our eyes these days are pretty much fixed to screens. This is debilitating and that’s why people are getting curious about effective communication. - Pamela ‘Puja’ Kirpalani, Inner High Living
Identity is a key underlying infrastructure that drives digital transactions globally. - Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures
Indian data should be secured and should be protected, as clearly data is the future of this digital economy. - Payal Arora, ‘The Next Billion Users’
India does not have enough capital and manufacturing progress, especially when it comes to digital equipments. - TV Mohandas Pai, Aarin Capital
In just June 2019, three tech unicorns in the US – Lyft, Uber, and Pinterest – have gone public. The Indian startup landscape, on the other hand, is awaiting a similar turnaround in fortunes. - Geetika Dayal, TiE Delhi-NCR
The Indian market has provided a good exit system with Flipkart and FreeCharge, and Oyo’s buyback is shaping exit opportunities. - Navin Honagudi, Kae Capital
If we wait for too long, there is a probability that we may become laggards and every technology from outside may not be suitable for Indian conditions. - Sanjeev Malhotra, Nasscom
The interior designing industry of India is expected to grow at a CAGR of around eight percent from $837 million in 2017 to $1,138 million in 2021. - Aniket Ghosh Choudhury, Art Brute
Only 14 percent of all enterprises are owned or led by women in India. A lot of them are in the micro sector. But women-led startups are the fastest growing. - Sucharita Eashwar, CWE
A very crucial part of understanding how gender interferes with filmmaking is to understand the challenges that women face. - Nandita Dutta, ‘F-Rated’
The disjointed Southeast Asian wealth management landscape offers great potential to low-cost digital investment managers. - Raj Dugar, Eight Roads Ventures
Whichever part of the world you are in, don’t miss the breakfasts of the region. Nutritionists tell us that breakfast should be our most important meal of the day. - Ajit Saldanha
A coffee can offer one of the most complex sensory experiences of all the foods and beverages known to mankind. - Aharnish Mishra, BiziBean
Once woven, paper has immense potential; it’s a very strong and versatile material. - Neerja Palisetty, Sutrakaar Creations
We have one life to do all the things we can and we have to constantly discover different aspects of our personality. - Roopa George, Baby Marine International
Be constantly hungry for knowledge. - Hiren Shah, Vertoz
Educate yourself at every stage. It is a lifelong process. - Sheetal Talati, Pushpa Industries
Experience isn’t just about having the necessary knowledge. Experience is about how we use our knowledge to tune our attention. - Gary Klein, ‘Seeing What Others Don't’
Failure is a feeling long before it becomes an actual result. It’s vulnerability that breeds with self-doubt and then is escalated, often deliberately, by fear. - Michelle Obama
Ninety-nine percent of startups will fail. But 100 percent of entrepreneurs will succeed. - K Vaitheeswaran, Again Drinks
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).
