The story of how we found the perfect partner to build ShotPitch
Building a startup is full of ups and downs, success and failures. It is very hard to go through all of it alone and build a game changing business.
Six months back when the idea of ShotPitch came to us, we were “I” with only the Founder driving each and every aspect of getting the product out in the market. It will be unfair to claim that there was no support, we probably have the best tech support anyone could ask for in the initial stages :)
But, this is not about what we have built and how far we have come in the journey. It is about welcoming our new superstar “Co-Founder and CTO”, Nagesh Bansal officially to team ShotPitch.
It is about how our experience went on finally zeroing in on being partners and if there is any lesson entrepreneurs around can take from it.
Here is how it happened:
- I have been the Bangalore lead for one of the well known initiatives in the startup ecosystem “Startup Saturday Bangalore” and hosted it continuously for 2 years from 2012–2014. It is in this process that I have had the opportunity to interact with 1000+ aspiring/existing entrepreneurs and 200+ investors
- It was Jan 2014, I was leaving for Silicon Valley to attend “DraperU” by Tim Draper when Nagesh came to attend Startup Saturday for the first time. I used to be crazy while hosting(because I love doing it) and that particular edition at Yahoo,Bangalore was special given I was leaving.
As Nagesh tells me, he was inspired by the overall personality and also the content of the initiative. He went back and became an entrepreneur for the second time - Between Jan 2014 to Oct 2015 we have been connected but never really knew each other as a person. In Oct 2015, he came back to attend once again. Although, I had given up on being involved in the ecosystem as ShotPitch is going to be the only focus for the next five years. But, here I was hosting again as the team wanted me to do it in the best interest. I took it up and fired up the house.
- It was then that he walked up to me and started a conversation. That conversation to this day, a lot has changed.
- The intention of his conversation was that he got intrigued by what I have been up to and not to explore being associated
- I showed him the whole product and explained the bigger picture behind it. It was the time, when I was sure that if I find the right person, then I will get him in the team no matter what.
- He expressed interest to know whether he can get associated not as a partner but just to explore if there is a possibility
- I called him for a meeting the next day. Things I was looking for in any person to become a part of the team goes in this order: Attitude-Passion-Hardworking-Skill
Given his background I knew that he is very good with his coding skills and is an entrepreneur at heart.Only thing I wanted to understand is he ready to for the long haul? Can he go through the never ending lows and ever so infrequent highs and still stay focused and committed to making it happen.
I asked him one single question that if not answered properly would have resulted in us never getting together. It was “What is your superhero power?”
What I got was “ I can get anything done irrespective of whether it is in my domain or outside of it” and then came the bomber “ While you were hosting you made references to Jeetu and Mandal from the famed series TVF Pitchers”. I am “ 70% Jeetu and 30% Mandal”
9. I took him in and communicated very clearly that we cannot afford to make you a partner until we know each other very- very well and can deliver outstanding results. So, he was under trial(If I can say so :) ) for two months from Oct 2015-Dec 2015.
10. How do we get to know each other? Well he gave up staying in his apartment and has been staying with us since the time that conversation happened. He has delivered and fired on all cylinders to make sure that ShotPitch stands where we are today.
As he moves out of his high paying job today.I take this opportunity to welcome him formally,officially and publicly to team ShotPitch.
In a startup, you can’t guarantee whether you will fail or succeed. But, one thing we do guarantee is a journey that is going to be worthwhile. A journey that you are going to remember for life. A journey that will make you learn and grow at a pace that no college/degree can provide. And most importantly, a journey to have the opportunity to build the most valuable product for startups and people interested in startups around the world.
The journey has just begun and there are mountains to move. Brace up yourself and get ready to fly without the seat belts, we are going to see a lot of turbulence. The chances of landing safely is not guaranteed but the flight to nowhere will be the most adventurous one you have ever taken!
