‘The customer’s money is more important than the investor’s money’ – 30 quotes of the week 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 30 gems and insights from the week of December 28 – January 4 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.

It is not just the end of a year, but the end of a decade too. - Ratan Tata

Nothing changes because it’s a new year. - Nithin Kamath, Zerodha

Resolutions don’t always have to start with a new year. If we believe in something, we can make a resolution right now. - Raghav Joshi, Rebel Foods

More than being accountable to anyone else, be accountable to yourself. - Asheesh Grewal, MyHealthBuddy

This growth trajectory will see India become the world's third-largest economy by 2030, overtaking the UK in 2025, Germany in 2027, and Japan in 2030. - Centre for Economics and Business Research

We believe India will be shaped more by its entrepreneurs than its politicians. - Gopal Jain, Gaja Capital

India has the potential to become the largest EV (electric vehicle) producer in the world in the next five years. - Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

India is no longer defined by its top eight cities, there is a world beyond the metros. - Sushil Sharma, Marwari Catalysts

The workplace of the future is set to disrupt the commercial real estate segment, which will provide an experience that is safe and smart. - Amit Ramani, Awfis

Every 50 kilometres in the country we are introduced to newer delicacies. - Chef Sanjyot Keer

Animal husbandry and aquaculture have a huge growth potential in the coming years. - Prasanna Manogaran, Aqgromalin

We believe that we have an immense opportunity in enabling our MSMEs sector to grow a lot more and to create a larger pipeline of healthy enterprises that create many jobs. - Mekin Maheshwari, GAME

India’s employers have worked hard in recent years towards building more diverse and inclusive workplaces but clearly, they need to do far more for their efforts to show any meaningful impact. - Anuranjita Kumar, WIT India

When a woman works from home, she is considered a housewife only. - Lalita Patil, Gharachi Aathvan

It is important for us to listen to what children feel and want for their world. - Rippan Kapur, CRY

The earth is a very complex system. If you take one thing and put it out of balance, then that will have an impact on things beyond our comprehension. - Greta Thunberg

If you don't learn from ground level, you may have problems in the future. - Sidhant Pruthi

When you are known by most of the people in your city and those that are nearby, that is when you have attained success. - Akash Deep Goel

Word-of-mouth does the best kind of marketing and discounting is the worst thing you can do to your brand. - Akshay Sharma, WoodFeather

When people see the good work that you’ve been doing, the challenges melt away. - Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj, Sophie Memorial Animal Relief Trust

Be open to the opportunities your life brings you. They may come disguised as challenges, but take them on even if you are not prepared. - Dimple Verma, Whizrobo

Only say ‘yes’ to those things that are truly important to you and your professional and personal goals. - Gajendra Jangid, CARS24

Your culture is how your company makes decisions when you’re not there. - Ben Horowitz, ‘What You Do Is Who You Are’

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Fundraising is really an orchestration of many factors – the stars have to align on multiple factors. - Rahul Garg, Moglix

Very few platforms or angels invest in young and passionate student startups. - Ankur Jain, HostelFund

To reach a vast section of people in a small period of time, we need to apply a lens of scalability to everything. - Rahul Chari, PhonePe

One of the changes in the outlook of founders is the desire to solve the large and endemic problems of India. - Karan Mohla, Chiratae Ventures

Business books are able to capture the romance of entrepreneurship because building a company is not the solving of a sum but the painting of a picture. - Manish Sabharwal, TeamLease

Good stories are always beautifully empathetic. - Akshat Srivastava, ‘Warm Loving Medication’

There is no ‘right time’ to start something you’re passionate about. There are many more people out there who are willing to help, mentor and collaborate- more than you would imagine. - Nehan Sethi, Her Forum

Success is no longer about what we know, but what we can create. - Chris Griffiths and Melina Costi, 'The Creative Thinking Handbook'

Today's startups can become tomorrow's MNCs. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Get the customer’s money, the investor’s money will come. The customer’s money is more important than the investor’s money. - Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Info Edge

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).