365 Days of Stories – Day 49: “This is not our service, sir.”
My wife is trying to organise a Jagannath Yatra in our apartment. She’s figured out the logistics, got the society’s approval, and even roped in a Pandit.
Only one thing is missing: A Rath (chariot). Without it, there’s no Yatra.
So I started searching online and stumbled upon a startup that helps organize pujas and rituals across India.
I called them.
“Are you a startup?” “Yes.” “Are you operational?” “Yes.” “What services do you offer?” “We organize pujas, homams, rituals, etc.” “Great! Can you help us arrange a Rath for a Jagannath Yatra?” “That we don’t do.”
I tried to persuade him: We live in a 1,500+ unit apartment in Electronic City — a massive crowd, perfect visibility. I even said, “You can brand the Rath. This will give your startup great marketing”
He replied, “We are already doing marketing, sir. Thank you. But this is not our service.”
I requested - bhai try to kar
His tone turned firm. “No sir, this is not something we offer. If we come across anything, we’ll let you know. Thank you.”
Call ended.
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I kept thinking about it afterward.
He wasn’t rude. Just very rigid.
But here’s the thing: If you’re a startup founder, you don’t always know what business you’re in — until a customer shows you.
This wasn’t someone asking for a pizza at a pharmacy. It was deeply adjacent to their core offering.
And it was a moment to create a unique experience for a family and community — and build real-world brand trust in the process.
It reminded me of a hard truth:
The biggest breakthroughs often come from adjacent needs — not core offerings.
The world doesn’t reward startups for saying, “This is not our service.” It rewards those who say, “Let me figure that out for you.”
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Sometimes the real business isn’t what you think you offer — it’s what your customer actually needs.
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