The overused unorthodox path, “startup”

Reema Das
Reema Das
Aug 26, 2017 · 3 min read

There was a time when founding a startup or even being in one was rare, especially in India. 12 years ago, I didn’t even know what a startup was. A decade ago, it was still considered very risky and unorthodox to leave your job and start a new company hoping to create something big.

Entrepreneurs — To be or not to be!

Entrepreneurs — To be or not to be!

Things have changed and while risk factor is pretty much the same (less than 1% of startups survive first 1000 days), the perception has changed a lot.

Risk coverage: People tend to cover their risks, i.e. have enough saving to survive few years before going for the entrepreneur road.

Alternatives: Getting back has become significantly easier, with startup experience being considered as good as / better than other job experience. With this factor, there always is a way to go back to another job if things don’t turn the way one expected (and believe me they don’t in most cases).

Glamour: Publicity around startups has gone multi-fold in the last decades with so many startups doing well in India / globally. People find it more and more glamorous (read cool).


However, startups are not meant for everyone. Unless you have the right qualities you are doomed to fail. Types of Doomed entrepreneurs :

No-risk entrepreneurs: I would not risk anything. Read, I will close the startup down at the first sign of a problem.

No-experience entrepreneurs: I would not take any job nor I have any idea of the real world. Read, will make something my friends and extended family will appreciate. Will talk about it decades later, “this was originally my idea”.

Glamour seeking entrepreneurs: It’s so cool, “I am the CEO” of my own startup. Read, will start working on a job in few months to get the cash but will keep the LinkedIn profile reflect that I am still a CEO.

The unorthodox startup path is now been overused. It’s a wrong culture. The startups contribute to most of the innovation which happens, but those the <1% startups. More than 90% of the startups are doomed to fail since the founders are in the above categories.

Bruce Wayne: I do fear death. I fear to die in here, while my city burns, and there’s no one there to save it.
Blind Prisoner: Then make the climb.
Bruce Wayne: How?
Blind Prisoner: As the child did. Without the rope. Then fear will find you again.

I hope you don’t find yourself in the doomed entrepreneur category, but if you do, reconsider as soon as possible.


Qualities of a good and potentially successful entrepreneur

Preparation: Don’t jump in unplanned. Plan for at least one to two years of survival.

Leadership: One quality a good entrepreneur should definitely have is leadership. Forming the team to solve a problem, sticking through the problems which a startup face, keeping everybody motivated is more important than anything else.

Adaptability: The startup journey is a learning process. More often than not, the first idea and/or business model might now work. A good entrepreneur learns what works, what doesn’t and where the real opportunities are as we go and adapts.

Nerviness: As an entrepreneur, one would have to handle tough situations. A good entrepreneur needs to be able to get hold of the situation and take decisions under pressure to get out of tough situations.

Risk taking: With the above qualities, a good entrepreneur takes calculated risks while being prepared for the worst and keeping the team believing in the path.

Sharing the success: Like a true leader, a good entrepreneur shares his/her success with the other people involved to keep them motivated.

If you find yourself having the mentioned qualities and you think you can be the next world changer. Best of luck on the startup journey!

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