You are either an entrepreneur or you are not!

You are either an entrepreneur or you are not!

When I started up, I thought that the appetite for risk was what set an entrepreneur apart – and I found plenty of appetite in me. But along the way, I realized that an entrepreneur needs much more – financial prowess, the thirst to scale up and an unwavering commitment to the company.

When you work for someone else, you can tune out at the end of the day and on weekends, and have your own life. But when you work for yourself, the work becomes your life! I loved my work, but in the end, it wasn’t the freedom I had hoped to find. Go in knowing that a start-up is 24×7 of your time.

I decided to take the plunge deciding to leave my cosy job at a reputed Financial Services company. I was having the liberty to decide my own working hours, had an amazing boss and a wonderful team. But there was something which I felt was not happening – I was not following my dream. I was just doing the comfortable job because this is what I have been preached throughout my life. A 9-5 job, a 5 day working with happy weekends and checking the bank accounts every month end for the most adorable thing - MONEY, following the daily family routine was all that I was to do, rather I was expected to do.

Then the most unexpected thing happened, I took a big hit on my spinal cord and was advised complete rest for 3-4 months and avoid travelling train/bikes completely. I thought this was the indication to let go of the 9-5 thing and do what I wanted to do. It was in the year 2009 and its almost the end of 2015, yet I am nowhere as I had expected. Rather I had messed up my life to the core, losing everything in the process, ruffling my family altogether. But they have stood by me like a solid rock refusing to budge. I have lost a lot of people in the transition, including my loved once – the gap which I will never be able to fill in. As Steve Jobs said “Sometimes life will is going to hit you in the head with a brick, don’t lose faith”

At one point I thought it was all over, destroyed, and had no option but to get back to a job. Joined a call center as I thought I was better for nothing else. Thinking and trying to work on various concepts day in day out. Left the call center job to join an exciting startup – HAPTIK. But had some other things in mind. So let go of the job and gave 100% to the vision I had been dreaming of.

Scouted a lot to have the team I have now at Think StartUp (My own company). This team has the passion; the commitment to succeed, to scale up.This is what we loved to do.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t start your own company without an MBA, years of corporate experience and a ton of cash. If you have an idea you are convinced about, know your market well and have the skills to execute it, go experiment. Starting a business is like skydiving; if you never jump, you’ll never know if the parachute will open!