‘Not all great ideas translate into great companies’ – 20 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 20 gems and insights from the week of October 26 – November 1 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.

"A key challenge at scale stage is to coalesce the vision and momentum into systems." - Karthik Kumar, Evam Entertainment

"With access to suitable opportunities, young minds can tackle problems like no generation before." - Rajan Sankar, Tata Trusts

"Customers don’t behave like your business plan." - Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, ‘The Startup Owner’s Manual’

"Always ask for help. The world is kinder and more accessible than you think. And with the right help, if you can create value for society, you are helping us all." - Prateek Raj, IIM Bangalore

"When people see a woman entrepreneur, they assume they are helping the man do his job. They can't imagine a woman having a concept and an idea and following the entrepreneurial path." - Natasha Tuli, Soulflower

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"Founders have managed to transmit their drive over a video call to employees. Some products are being built without the team EVER meeting each other." - Rahul Chandra, Arkam Ventures

"For knowledge work to flourish, the workplace must be one where people feel able to share their knowledge." - Amy C Edmondson, HBR report

"Human creativity is truly boundless, but it’s only unleashed when open participation and co-creation are encouraged." - Patrick Schwerdtfeger, 'Pandemic, Inc.'

"Non-alcoholic beverage is relatively an uncovered space in India which allows companies to create innovation opportunities." - Nandini Mansinghka, Mumbai Angels Network

"The current credit gap for MSMEs in India is estimated at $380 billion." - Ishaan Mittal, Sequoia Capital India

"When a farmer is in distress or ends his life, a current of dread runs through his family, especially their kids. The mounting debt and harassment meted out by moneylenders disrupt their educational goals." - Ashok Deshmane, Snehwan

"One of the reasons why people get sick after a festival is because of the consumption of too much refined sugar." - Deepa Kannan, PFNR

"Veganism is consciousness." – Kat Von D

"Exercising not only improves your health and fitness levels but also gives your personality an overall boost and makes you look and feel gorgeous." - Paras Gupta, Universe Health Club

"Not all people listen to Indian classical music. Listening and humming to other music with elements of a raga can help provide relief from pain like headaches." - Runki Goswami, SuRHeal

"Write, then rewrite and rewrite and rewrite still." - Alka Joshi, ‘The Henna Artist’

"There is extensive scope in the fertility tech space." - Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, 9Unicorns

"With a steady rise in temperature and electricity unit prices, the need for solar to power air conditioners is increasing." - Shreyas Gowda, Oorjan

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"If you allow each one to make their own decision, then it becomes very difficult to get a standardised output." - Thirukumaran (Thiru) Nagarajan, Ninjacart

"Organisations need to strike a balance between adherence to the formal and informal rules that provide the necessary structure and the freedom that helps employees do their best work." - Francesca Gino, HBR report

"Not all inventors are necessarily great entrepreneurs, which is why not all great ideas translate into great companies." - Harsh Mariwala, MIF

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).