The most inspiring stories of SMBs: SMBStory presents 'The Unsung Heroes of 2021'

The only thing constant is change. And no matter what, to change is to keep moving forward, to keep growing.

As we come to the end of the second year of the pandemic, which has been a watershed moment in recent times, it is this one lesson that we need to carry over. Everything changes. And we need to be ready for any change.

It is times like these that truly test us. As a platform that has been at the forefront of championing the cause of the entrepreneurs, we at YourStory believe in walking beside the entrepreneurs with the sole purpose of cheering them on.

And one of the best ways we do that is through the stories we tell. Stories of grit and passion. Stories that inspire action. And stories that are a pick-me-up on the days when the sun does not shine.

We were writing about startups even before it became cool to do so. In the 13 years of our existence, we have told more than a lakh stories. You may well ask what is its purpose? My short response is, we tell stories to inspire action. And it is not just a buzzword for us here. Like faith, inspiration, too, can move mountains.

Why SMBStory?

We started SMBStory in 2018 because we believe every story of passion and grit needs to be told. And these don’t always have to be just tech startups. The 63 million-strong micro, small, and medium enterprises in India are referred to as the backbone of the economy. The sector contributes about 30 percent to India’s GDP and is one of the largest generators of employment after agriculture.

The aim of starting SMBStory four years ago was to document the digital transformation of MSMEs through stories. We told stories of successful transformations, focusing on the lessons that other similar businesses could take home with them. Those were the days of post demonetisation and GST. Small businesses were struggling to find a firm grasp of the digital infrastructure.

And then suddenly, COVID struck. There was nowhere to hide. Businesses that had leveraged digital infrastructure managed to weather the storm. Others perished. Since the March of 2020, we shifted our focus to telling stories of pivots in businesses, and how entrepreneurs were innovating in times of uncertainty.

Through these stories, we tried to open a small window that showed the opportunity in this adversity. Opportunity to restart and to innovate. These are the stories of our heroes — the entrepreneurs.

Download: The Unsung Heroes: Inspiring stories of small and medium businesses here

What does the book contain?

Through this compilation of The Unsung Heroes, we bring 25 stories not only of grit and passion but of ingenuity and resilience.

You will find stories of women and men who have braved odds to start their businesses, entrepreneurs who have innovated to stay on top of their game, business owners who have overcome challenges on their path and are better off for it.

You will meet heroes like these brothers who clocked Rs 15 Cr revenue in just a year by selling fruit juice packs for Rs 10.

Or this mother-daughter duo who launched an ethnic wear brand from home to touch nearly Rs 10Cr in revenue.

There’s this farmer’s son who went on to build an award-winning machine tools business from Aurangabad.

And I bet you would want to read about this engineer who quit his US job, returned to India, and bought 20 cows. Now his dairy brand earns Rs 44 Cr revenue.

There is all this and more. So grab your copy today.

Download: The Unsung Heroes: Inspiring stories of small and medium businesses here

I hope it will be your go-to book for inspiration as you get set to take the next leap.

Wishing you joy and success.