When I Realised Startup is Not Easy, Here Were the Prime Reasons for It

“Isme Kya Rakha Hai (What’s there in it?)” – Have you heard this line before?

I bet; you must have.

Most recently when you heard this line from someone, you were probably communicating your decision of initiating a startup to your parents or one of your best friends.

A road to a startup or any other self-employed career is set with briars and thorns, where everyone pulls you back or at least tries doing it.

Grit and determination fuel confidence, as you begin your startup journey. However, soon you realise your foolishness in not agreeing to your friends and family members when they were stopping you from jumping into the fire.

It embarks a new battle – a battle to prove everyone wrong and succeed in building a sustainable profit-oriented business.

During this journey, you face several difficulties, gain uncountable pains and feel suffocated at times. However, you bear it all alone by keeping yourself motivated.

You remind yourself of the destination you want to reach, and how success will look once you achieve your goals.

A startup is a journey which connects you to your inner self, where you become the best companion to yourself.

To celebrate the pains, struggles and success-winning experiences, stories and opinions of the startup owners and entrepreneurs, I started a hashtag #StartupNotEasy on Opined.

The motive was sound and clear – Let’s prove that it isn’t easy as it seems to create a full-blood startup. Revenue doesn’t come on the first day. Sometimes, it takes years to get into a profitable position. Sometimes, investors don’t see any viability in an idea.

A co-founder creates chaos in the organisation, and it takes months or years to impair the loss.

Female startup owners bear a lot more struggles and pains as they have to encounter financial, social and cultural barriers while building and sustaining a business or a company.

However, none of them stops. They fight, get down, get up again, resume working, fail, learn, experiment, learn and emerge as the ultimate winners.

A startup is not easy, but startup owners achieve the uneasy goals to create path-breaking milestones. Here’s a snippet of the opinions I shared and some insightful comments received from the readers –

Hard work is a startup owner’s favourite time pass

A startup isn’t done how it is shown in movies or multi-billionaire books. In real life, the startup owners spend countless hours and sleepless nights to work on their idea or expand the business.

Sometimes, it comes at the expense of their health, family, relationship or comfort zone as well. But the passion keeps them awaken and inspires them to continue working.

Smart work is preferred over hard work, but startup owners often have to choose the latter one, even if it leads to repetitive, tedious and daunting tasks.

Females are proving – Nothing’s impossible

In a country which ranks 52nd among 57 countries listed in “Mastercard Index for Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE)”, commencing and growing a business is like nailing jelly to a wall.

Yet, women face, fight and ultimately defeat those barriers to build profitable businesses and craft award-winning success stories.

Ankiti bose, Shradha Sharma, Lisa Srao and uncountable female entrepreneurs are not only marching firmly with their male counterparts but sometimes even edging ahead of them.

They are managing the companies well, negotiating with the investors and stakeholders confidently, and contributing significantly to India’s growth.

These females are proving why doing startup might not be easy, but females are born to accomplish the most challenging goals.

Amrita Angappa, a Linkediner and a fellow writer, says, “Women entrepreneurs are bustling with energy, enthusiasm, intelligence and knowledge”.

Not all co-founders are alike Bansals – Startup owners should face this brutal truth

Two is better than one, three are better than two! – Right?

Not, every time, at least for a startup. It doesn’t always true hold. When two persons start working together, everything seems like the beginning of a romantic relationship. As time flies, misunderstandings and conflicts sneak in.

Some partners get apart, others who stay during difficult times go on to create Flipkart and alike companies.

Conflicts, misunderstandings and disputes are part and parcel of startup life, however, mutual trust and faith ensure a startup doesn’t fall out.

Co-founder isn't someone who only complements the strengths or fulfils the weakness of a founder; instead, he provides strength and similar dedication which can see the business grow from nowhere.

Determination (NOT Finance) converts an idea into a successful startup

Every new startup owner dreams of billion-dollar valuations and multiple rounds of funding, even before starting the venture. However, it isn’t a cakewalk.

Unless you are extremely lucky, investors won’t agree to fund without analysing the viability of the idea and initial revenue growth.

Even if you raise funds, it doesn’t make things any easy. Then, the real challenge arises in managing those funds, growing the business and meeting the expectations of investors.

Funds come and go, but hard work and determination lead a business to impeccable heights of success.

Startups succeed, not because of funding, but because of the passion that binds the team and founder(s) together.

Abhay Tulsian, A Chartered Accountant by profession, says, “Most people run behind getting the external funding but they fail to appreciate the fact that if they have sustainable business model, funding will follow easily.”

Dr Shraddha Bhange aptly quotes, “Sustainable model is a priority rather than just a workable short-term business model.”

Bottomline

Needless to say, it was an amazing experience for me to give a voice to my thoughts and opinions and supporting the startup owners.

Do you also have any thoughts or opinions to share on #StartupNotEasy? Register on Opined – an unbiased platform for writing on any topic or issue which bothers you.

“When you raise a voice, you inspire people.”