‘Wealth has to be shared with the people who created it’ – 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 September 20-26 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.

Hire people who have visions, who do not simply walk into rooms to follow your idea. - Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, theBoardlist

If you are empathic, you are driven to solve the challenge for your client, as you do for yourselves. - Aashirwad Gupta, Aarts

With kindness and empathy — to the self and to each other — we can all get through without being burnt out. - Neerja Birla, MPower

Striving for all-around excellence leads directly to mediocrity. - Srikanth Iyer, HomeLane

Compromise is vital, as with any cross-cultural communication, whether it be linguistic or musical. Something will always be lost in translation but, most importantly, new colours will be gained. - Sarah-Jane Summers, Forde Festival

While coworking spaces have gained traction over the years and are suitable for early-stage startups, the demand for managed offices has also gone up as companies look for flexible leasing options. - Vinay Karnad, BHIVE Workspace

The unique framework of education franchise model brings in transparency and value in the school’s operations. - Harsh Podar, Podar Education Network

Unlike investing in public markets, angel investing is not a momentum play where you blindly back popular companies or sectors. - Shanti Mohan, LetsVenture

No matter how many advertising slots you pick or storytelling you do, close to 40 percent of the purchase happens with personal experience. - Swagat Sarangi, Smytten

Ideally, what should you outsource? Jobs that are well defined, repetitive, and you know that can’t really go too wrong. Or expertise that you don’t have. - Gaurav Gurbaxani, DigitalMarket.com

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Out of 10,000+ angel investors in India, only one percent are women. This is not due to lack of intent but due to lack of awareness. - Deeksha Ahuja, Encubay Angel Network

Women are often dumped on at work too. They are asked to organise for certain parties or meetings and take notes. Why is it women and not men? - D Sangeeta, Gotara

I think to be successful, there needs to be a constancy of purpose, and I think women can do that if we don’t compromise or let go of our dreams. - Shruthi Cauvery Iyer, CaHa Capital

There is a huge, unaddressed gap in women’s healthcare in India. - Vaishnavi Raju, Hera

Talent is not gender-biased. We are starting to see talented women as game artists, technical artists, game designers, game developers, game testers, and marketing leads. - Christelle D’cruz, SuperGaming

Entrepreneurs, policymakers, and community leaders in Asia have been working hard to build inclusive innovation ecosystems that are engines of economic growth and job creation for all. - JF Gauthier, Startup Genome

As democracies around the world are under threat, it is imperative that we defend democratic principles and institutions within our respective countries and around the world. – US Vice President Kamala Harris

Indian companies have raised over $20B in the first eight months of 2021 with 24 startups reaching unicorns status. This is a historical high for startup investments in India. - Srinivas Katta, RuleZero

What we need today is change the mindset on how do we see markets, not only global markets but domestic markets as well. - Ajai Garg, MeitY

The arduous task of stitching blouses and looking for matching ethnic wear for the family often complicates the purchase, causing delays and customer dissatisfaction for the global Indian diaspora. - Aparna Thyagrajan, Shobitam

Tamil Nadu is home to one of the largest number of MSMEs in the country that are renowned all over the world for their product quality and craftsmanship. - Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin

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Home improvement and design is a $20 billion industry in India, which is completely fragmented and unorganised. - Nikhil Vora, Sixth Sense Ventures

Music education in India is so different from the US. Americans are encouraged to learn and play a lot of music in their formative years. - Satya Hinduja, Alchemic Sonic Environments

India's rural and semi-urban markets are under-served in credit extension. They present sustainable long-term growth opportunities for the Indian banking system. - Rahul Shukla, HDFC Bank

In India, owning a car comes with a lot of problems. Customers would either have to make a down payment or worry about the residual value of the car, maintenance, and insurance, among other things. - Sakshi Vij, Myles Automotive Technology

Two-wheelers form over 80 percent of India’s vehicle base, and there are seven times as many used two-wheelers sold every year as used cars. - Hemir Doshi, BeepKart

The IC engine, automobiles and the related ecosystem is a remnant of the past. - Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola

Indian street food is known for its unique flavours, diversity, and most importantly, its versatility. Every city has its own signature street food culture. - Suraj Mahant, Chaat & Chai Co

If you want to taste coffee in its true form, you should taste it black. - Poojya Prasad, The Caffeine Baar

When it comes to losing weight, the leafy greens are truly a game changer, as they are filling, rich in fibre and nutrients, great for detoxification, and wonderful for mood. - Deepa Kannan, PFNR

Food should give you pleasure, not guilt. - Kirti Yadav, KuKClean

The only way to move forward is to change our lifestyle and be advocates of sustainability. - Pragya Kapoor, Brown Living

Sustainability is a big thing now. People want products in which animals are not harmed, and are plant-based. - Raghav Gupta, Kanchan Metals

When our collective minds and hearts are in-sync we can experience a change in our collective consciousness. - Kamlesh Patel (Daaji)

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The initial squad is as important as the idea itself. - Anil Rachakonda, co-pace

Have an idea that you believe in and work towards it. Do all the work and the research needed, and nothing can stop you. - Juveca Panda, MisFit Panda

Build a business with strong fundamentals. Everything else will take care of itself. - Harsh Tyagi, Stamurai

Wealth has to be shared with the people who created it. It’s not just for the founders to get rich or the investors to get rich. - Girish Mathrubootham, Freshworks

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).

YourStory’s flagship startup-tech and leadership conference will return virtually for its 13th edition on October 25-30, 2021. Sign up for updates on TechSparks or to express your interest in partnerships and speaker opportunities here.

For more on TechSparks 2021, click here.