Entering the teens...

As someone who had OD’ed on Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys and suchlike through middle school, my thirteenth birthday had taken on mythical proportions long before its actual arrival. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect on becoming a teenager. But, even the rationale part of my brain anticipated that I will at least wake up on that day with well-formed wings and set flight. It was quite a let-down, therefore, when all I got was a bicycle instead. It is another matter that it did take flight a few times when I tried to ride it with my arms spread wide. Needless to say, the pride and the fall came in quick succession on those occasions.

Why, you may wonder, am I narrating this now. I can almost hear the “This is Not Facebook” screams from across my computer screen. But, worry not. I have a reason. Lexplosion – that wild ill-conceived piped dream of a few failed lawyers – turns 13 today. And I can assure you, there have been innumerable falls that we have collectively experienced before the feeling of pride that surrounds us today. What wasn’t supposed to survive 13 months (and wouldn’t have, had it been left to the whims of its founders), has come this far predominantly because of the love, nurturing, care and passion that generations of Lexplosians have showered upon it. And to each one of you, we would like to express our deepest sense of gratitude. Many of you have moved on to greener and (perhaps) stabler pastures. You will always remain Lexplosion alumni and we will continue to revel in each of your successes. Some of you have gone on to become clients, epitomising what life coming a full cycle really means. Your contributions and your support, your unwavering belief in our dreams and your ability to bear with the madness – which is the cornerstone of every start up journey – are the pillars on which Lexplosion stands today. The spring in its steps, the twinkle in it eyes and the smile on its face stand testimony to the sacrifices that each one of our colleagues and their families have made.

And I cannot even begin to thank the hundreds of clients who have stood by us through the years. Most of you are many times larger than us. But, it is the largeness of your hearts that we have repeatedly experienced. You have trusted us when you had bigger and more famous options; you have criticised us when we needed to be criticised. Above all, you have egged us on to be better than the best we thought we can be. For all this and more, we are ever thankful to you.

And never more than now. No note this year can end without a mention of the pandemic and the kind of emotional, psychological – apart from the obvious physical – transformation that it has brought in its wake. This is a time when companies like ours were the most likely victims. The ones who could easily go down if their clients jumped ship. Not a single Lexplosion client did. Instead they stood by us like rocks. Through this difficult period, your criticism has kept us honest. Your pats on the back have kept us going. Thank you for being there.

Happy 13th to everyone associated with Lexplosion!