365 Days of Stories – Day 53: The Invisible Math of Entrepreneurship
For the last two years, I’ve been trying to build a business.
I started with a vision — to offer top-quality tech services, like ThoughtWorks. But it didn’t take long to realize: we’re not ThoughtWorks. Not yet. That credibility is earned, not assumed.
So I navigated. Pivoted. Adapted. Tried a different customer segment. Then another. Then another. Across domains, across business models — constantly moving, constantly learning.
And throughout this journey, one question keeps coming up.
From family, friends, well-wishers, even strangers: “How long will you keep doing this?”
It’s a fair question. Because from the outside, it looks like I’m drifting. Because there are no big wins to show. Because I’m not making much money right now.
But here’s what I told my sister recently:
Let’s look at life as a balance sheet — not of profit and loss, but of happiness and fulfillment.
In the last 10 years, working in corporate, I made money. A good amount. But was I happy? Honestly, no. I had more moments of internal restlessness than joy.
In the last two years, I’ve made almost no money. But am I happy?
Surprisingly, yes.
Despite the emotional lows, the unknowns, the self-doubt… I’ve had more fulfilling moments — moments of clarity, excitement, and creative joy — than I had in the previous decade.
Because every day I get to think freely. Every day a new idea visits me. Every day, I get to explore it — no approvals, no bureaucracy, no “deck reviews.” Just me and the raw possibility of creation.
In a job, even if you have a great idea, it needs to pass through ten filters. And most ideas die quietly. But in entrepreneurship, you get to test your idea fast. You pitch. You chase. You fail or succeed quickly. You learn fast. You move fast. You evolve fast.
And that freedom, that speed, that space to explore — it’s priceless.
Yesterday, I met a businessman doing over ₹100 crores in revenue. And I shared this feeling: “Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey. There’s no formal education for it. No standard playbook. You just figure it out in the trenches.”
He smiled and said, “You’re right. I’m still figuring it out too. The struggle never ends. But if you keep showing up, something will eventually click.”
That stayed with me.
So yes, I’m still trying. And maybe tomorrow I’ll pivot again. Maybe I’ll fail again. But I know one thing for sure: I’m finally living a life with no boundaries.
And for me, that’s already a win.