Adaptability, perseverance, hard work, customer satisfaction were the topics being discussed every day which have been left out in the glamour of exponential growth, momentum, and exposure during summers of 13-15.
News of Companies getting shut down and employees released was no news at all in this startup winter.
A blessing in disguise it is.
When life gives you lemons you make lemonades, however, there were lemons but no water to make lemonade. π
The most chaotic situation a startup can face is imminent changes to the Indian economy, demonetization, and lack of external funds, resources or support.
however creativity is only born in chaos, it is only sustained in lack of stability, it is only valued in the absence of security.
Something unique can only come out of this chaos, as life came into existence through numerous chaotic possibilities.
Adaptability, perseverance, hard work, customer satisfaction were the topics being discussed every day which have been left out in the glamour of exponential growth, momentum, and exposure during summers of 13-15.
News of Companies getting shut down and employees released was no news at all in this startup winter.
Even unicorns felt its heat or lack of heat. π
And baby cockroaches were devoured and hunted by this winter even before they were able to grow.
Discussions on revenue rather than a 10x return based on user acquisition were what investors and startup pandits were looking for.
What it showed to young entrepreneurs was a lesson worth it,
That old saying of the customer is always right is in fact true.
That is treating your employees with respect and dignity is a must.
Treating people as people rather than machines is a must.
Excellence is something to thrive for rather than exposure and glamour.
That starting up is something more than a startup, something closer to running a business.
That early adopters of startup summers are as much flawed and imperfect as we are.
That an enterprise is for the people, by the people and its foundations are its building blocks.
That when life punches you hard on your face, you have to stay strong and pull your team up along with you.
That a leader is not someone who is invulnerable he/she can also be knocked off with one hard punch tooβ¦.
But a good leader is someone who keeps walking or even crawling to motivate his/her followers to do the same and together become a support system for each other.
That support is by your team rather than an enormous amount of funds you raise.
That is sometimes waiting to think about what should be the next steps is more critical than plunging into the first idea or opportunity one can see. π
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