Startups are not tech sexy. It’s all bloody consuming.
The first time I met Jay Parmar was at Startup Studio, one of UBC eProjects’ events. He was the opening keynote speaker and boy, did he ever set the tone for the whole day. I was blown away by his passion, warmth and humility. I found myself furiously scribbling down notes because he had so much to share.
I was lucky enough to personally interview him and learn about his entrepreneurial story. Ever since creating his first company in 1998, he has had his own share of failures and successes. He is armed with a wealth of wise advice and thoughtful insights.
If you’re doing your job correctly and well, then tomorrow’s challenges are going to be bigger than today. You’re always fighting to go out there and make bigger headaches and bigger challenges.— Jayesh Parmar
JAYESH PARMAR: CEO & CO-FOUNDER OF PICATIC
Jayesh Parmar is the CEO of Picatic, a free online ticketing and event registration platform with no service fees. He is also an alumni of Launch Academy. What I love about Jay is his genuine willingness to help young entrepreneurs. So take a listen for yourself to see what he has to share!
Honestly, there were so many great tidbits from our conversation. It was hard to choose the best moments for the final video, let alone three key takeaways.
1. As entrepreneurs you have to jump. You have to go out there and lean into it.
That’s the best approach when facing the unknown. Simple to say, but much harder to execute. Jay shares that as an entrepreneur, the unknown is all encompassing. There is no road map or playbook for your idea. You have to be able to answer questions you don’t even know you should be asking. Just jump into it, don’t make excuses about why you can’t take action.
How to make this process easier? Partner up with good mentors and advisors, follow talented people, and learn all you can about your industry.
2. Go work for a startup to learn if this world is for you.
Being an entrepreneur is incredibly challenging and it’s not for everyone. Startups are not tech sexy. It’s all bloody consuming. Working for a tiny startup will limited resources forces you to pick up new skills and make the best of what you have. With minimal risk, this method gives you a taste of the rollercoaster journey of an entrepreneur.
3. The life of an entrepreneur is a consistent challenge; it’s a game.
Every day is different. There’s a new problem to solve, a new milestone to conquer, or a sweet success to celebrate. You become a life long learner, creating goals and trying to beat them. It’s the art of building something from nothing and hoping that the world will take it and love it. Learn fast, fail fast.
Hey I’m Celine, Content Creator for Launch Academy and a 3rd year marketing student at the Sauder School of Business of the University of British Columbia. Follow me as I share my conversations with local entrepreneurs.
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