‘Perseverance is the key to success’: Shivjeet Ghatge, CEO, StepSetGo
The Proust Questionnaire is a questionnaire about one’s personality. It has its origins in a parlour game popularised by Marcel Proust, the French essayist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.
With close to 10 years of experience in advertising, Shivjeet Ghatge always knew he wanted to be his own boss, and build his brand, from the ground up. While working on a few projects, consulting for various different medium sized family businesses on their branding and advertising needs, he collaborated with Misaal Turakhia and Abhay Pai to develop an app.
Together, they went through a dozen ideas, and made five full-fledged business models, before stumbling onto . As Co-Founder, Shivjeet looks after finances, marketing, and business development, areas of his core competence, and expertise. He believes that to be successful, you must be passionate. This passion, he says, stems from a burning desire to know and learn more, and makes you a more confident, and decisive entrepreneur.
Here are his responses to our Proust questionnaire...
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Doing something you love for a living. You spend a majority of your life working. So, you might as well spend it doing something you love.
What is your greatest fear?
Being stuck in a 9-5 job that doesn’t require any creative, and out-of-the-box thinking.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I spend a lot more time playing games, than I should. This usually comes at the expense of sleep, as work takes up more than 14-15 hours a day anyway.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Undermining someone.
Which living person do you most admire?
My mother. She is the most selfless human I have met.
What is your greatest extravagance?
PS4 games.
What is your current state of mind?
Happy, content and eager to see what new challenges life has in store for me.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Prudence. Everyone needs to take chances.
On what occasion do you lie?
I don’t usually lie, but white lies are not lies, right?
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
The inability to grow a full beard!
What is the quality you most like in a man?
There are two actually - accountability and passion.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
The same as the qualities I like in a man - accountability and passion. I don’t see why these are two different questions.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
‘I understand what you’re saying but you seem to be missing the point here!’
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My girlfriend.
Which talent would you most like to have?
The ability to focus for long without getting distracted.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
The length of my concentration span.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Building StepSetGo from the ground up to where it is today. There is a long road ahead of us though.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A house cat. I feel cats have the best life. They seem so content doing absolutely nothing! It would be an interesting feeling to experience.
Where would you most like to live?
A less crowded and less polluted Mumbai.
What is your most treasured possession?
My PS4. It’s my escape into a different life (no matter how brief).
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Not knowing what to do next. Not being wanted by anyone.
What is your favourite occupation?
I am living it as a business owner.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Friendly.
What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.
Who are your favourite writers?
Ramachandra Guha and George R R Martin.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Hawkeye. I mean he is not even a hero but he seems to be ok with being amongst The Avengers.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Shivaji Maharaj.
Who are your heroes in real life?
Everyone who pledges their lives to serve others, selflessly.
What is your favourite name?
Keanu.
What is it that you most dislike?
Those things that look like potatoes but are not actually potatoes. I know you know what I’m talking about. You have also been fooled before.
What is your greatest regret?
Don’t have a greatest one yet but I sure hope I don’t start piling them up now.
How would you like to die?
Knowing I have given back as much as I possibly could.
What is your favourite journey?
I am living it right now and everyday till the end
What is your motto?
Perseverance is the key to success.