‘The pitch deck is not main course, it is the side dish’ – 40 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 40 gems and insights from the week of August 31 – September 6 with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights. See also our special compilation of quotes related to India’s coronavirus responses here.

No one cares how much money you made, they only remember how you treated them. - Rajkummar Rao

We can sit and mope or fret and get into a panic, but neither of those are going to solve our problems. - Deep Kalra, MakeMyTrip

Challenges come and go for people who are brave. - Ashudeep Chadha, OnDemand Agility

Someone who is good at adapting and making changes will be a winner. - Aditi Amin, By Aditi Amin

ALSO READ

How The Souled Store survived and revived amidst the lockdown to touch one lakh orders a month

Compelling careers often have complex origins that rejects the simple idea that all you have to do is follow your passion. - Cal Newport, ‘So good that they can’t ignore you’

Facts answer the what. Stories help you see the so what? - Jean Storlie and Mimi Sherlock, ‘Once Upon an Innovation’

Artists are no longer sitting back and waiting for the ‘gallery moment.' - MG Doddamani, 'Unbound'

Live More, Do More, Give More. - Kamal Narayan Omer, IHW

ALSO READ

Lockdown learnings for an entrepreneur

The combined GDP of India and SEA is expected to cross $14 trillion and the number of mobile internet users will likely cross 1.5 billion by 2030. - Shailendra J Singh, Sequoia Capital

There are over 250 million blue and grey collar workers in India at present and providing meaningful employment opportunities to this segment is one of the biggest challenges. - Harshjit Sethi, Sequoia Capital India

There is a Bharat in every metro and an India in every small-town. - Vinay Singhal, STAGE

More than 300 million passengers get waitlisted on the railways each year. - TC Meenakshisundaram, Chiratae Ventures India Advisors

As a society we do not like to confront things that don’t fit our thinking- whether it is slut-shaming or mental depression. - Jyotsna Mohan Bhargava, 'Stoned, Shamed, Depressed'

About 40 percent of the world’s visually impaired live in India. - Peyush Bansal, Lenskart

People with disabilities exist in the world and we are ten percent of India's population. We are hardly seen and even less heard. - Shalini Saraswathi

Financial literacy is below par among most of the population, especially when it comes to the disabled. - Rahul Kelapure

ALSO READ

Future of digital transformation in post-COVID times

Juicing does nothing to stabilise your mood. When your blood sugar spikes, especially during challenging times, you can risk making your immune system weaker by drinking too many juices. - Deepa Kannan, PFNR

Eating mindfully not only helps your body but also your soul. It has to be good, not only for the person who is eating it but also sustainable for the planet. - Sanjeev Kapoor

The environment plays a major role in determining one’s wellbeing. - Nishant Gupta, Renaura Wellness

With evolving customer choices and the overall shift towards a healthier lifestyle, there is a growing demand for natural superfoods. - Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, Venture Catalysts

You are a culmination of what you eat, think, inhale, apply, and feel. - Pooja Bedi, Happy Soul

Nothing you wear is more important than your smile. – Connie Steven

Our teachers are the architects of tomorrow’s workforce and hence the country’s future. - Girish Singhania, Edubridge

Teachers are a child's first mentors and play a huge role in shaping young minds. - Malini Agarwal, MissMalini Entertainment

Very few players are concentrating on solving pain-points at the ground level for seamless movement of perishables across the value chain. - Takeshi Ebihara, Rebright Partners

We have seen significant advancements in the transportation and mobility industry globally, with an increased demand for personal mobility in recent times. - Narayan Subramaniam, Ultraviolette Automotive

With rapid urbanisation and smart cities, bike taxis will be the future of intra-city transport, thanks to the strong last-mile connectivity proposition. - Aravind Sanke, Rapido

Policing gives you the power over people's lives to help someone who is facing a problem. - Monika Bhardwaj, Delhi Crime Branch

ALSO READ

Here are 10 Mumbai-based startups that raised funding during the lockdown

Networking is an essential part of business since it helps in brand and social recognition. - Suravi Patnaik, Sponsa

Leverage every possible tool to build a strong network from Day 1. - Tanvi Singla, Supreme Incubator

A well-designed team structure taps into dormant sources of energy, so that the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. - John Mackey, Whole Foods

When you run into a leadership journey, it's like war, and everything is fair in love and war. - Anuranjita Kumar, Women in Technology (WiT) forum

In commercial matters which affect the cash flows, it is judicious to have an objective and professional perspective to enable balanced decision making. - Bharat Damani, FLAME University

ALSO READ

The Future of the Media and Communications Industry Post COVID-19

There is no better time to bet on Indian entrepreneurs than today. - Apoorva Rajan Sharma

A few years ago, analysis showed that by 2020, India will have 20 unicorns. But today, we have 30 unicorns. - Rajan Anandan, Sequoia Capital

The story of social entrepreneurship is one of inspired vision, determination, ingenuity, and survival. - Elisa Birnbaum, 'The Business of Change'

The best part of becoming an entrepreneur is you become an inspiration for homemakers and women around you. - Vijayeeni Sahoo, Shree Boutique

The biggest mistake venture capitalists make in guiding companies is preparing them for the next round rather than long term success. - Naren Gupta, Nexus Venture Partners

While investing, there needs to be a balance between the value you bring in as an investor and the money you put in. - Suniel Shetty

The pitch deck is not main course, it is the side dish. The main course is the founder. - Sanjay Nath, Blume Venture Partners

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).