All that you do day in the 12 active hours of a day is justified if you have gotten up in the morning to do it and go to bed at night to dream about how it will shape up tomorrow.
Every startup is a startup not because it is not big, but because the motivation behind its working is what is stated in above two lines. Before elaborating on startups generally and web based startups specifically let me recommend you a good read, ‘Long Tail’ by Chris Anderson. Check out shanivari, or Luckys book shop or try to get into our college library but don’t miss out on it.
While only a few months ago I was among you there, reading the last issue of Renesa, now I am part of team LootStreet. Check us out at www.lootstreet.com. This transformation has been very smooth and easy. So leaving generalization for all startups part, to you, readers, I’ll give you an account of how we work as a startup. As I talked of an easy transformation let me tell you what I meant. Few but very important things which have changed for me from the college, is that my ‘studies-classroom-exams-assignments’ part has changed to ‘research-office-deadlines-presentations’, which indeed is good and even if you don’t think so, it is inevitable. I make sure that I learn these new parts well, execute it, and at the same time keep learning more. And the best part of learning process here being it’s not ‘teach and learn’ model which is followed instead it is ‘discuss and learn’ model. You have to assume roles by yourself and live upto it. There are not set of instructions which you will be fed and if you think, having it will help, then you create it for yourself and if suitable for your company as well. There lies the pleasure, every single move of yours shows up as a noticeable result in a startup. Like in my case, how after a 40 mail long thread run to find a suitable name for our new product, the name unanimously zeroed in on, was given by me. Tomorrow insha-allah, if that product becomes any bigger than Google(here, you can dream big too) then I’m sure you would want to preserve this issue of Renesa with you. If you are working for a startup, though for your clients you will hold a very well sounding designation, it falls to floor when it comes down to work. Like how all of us here, though called CEOs and CTOs and VPs etc, still double up as delivery boys (though on a nice shining Karizma). When such is the case and everyone knows that every small contribution they make, accounts in a considerable way to how the whole company works, he or she is automatically motivated to better themselves. So half our work is actually what happens before even starting execution. The discussions, the role assignments, projections, assumptions etc which are decided through inputs from one and all, is what is the crux of any work here. Every one of us has to think on the same platform here and show the same zeal and more often than not, it clicks and we reach consensus regarding key issues.
If these were the things which I and you don’t get in college, there are certain things which a startup only can give you freedom to carry forward from college. And especially so if you are someone who thinks things like writing/reading this column here or reading up something on Uncyclopedia is indeed not something that can be called ‘waste of time’ . Like how all that googling tricks I picked up while working on my project is being put to its best use here for market research. And my ppt making skills (let me satisfy my ego) which even while in college had brought me many a shabhaash’s has got bettered and is being put into company’s presentations. Or even smaller things like introducing SOD and DOD (Song/Discovery Of Day) and making it a part of company’s DNA. (Indeed many of SODs are from apna DC network). Though DC and its amazing advantage is one thing you and everyone will miss once out of gates, I still get to name my comp Funster(my former DC name) and not some random alphanumeric code.
If that was about startups, 3 months here has taught me a tip or two on starting up as well which I would like to share here. If ever there has been the best time to turn entrepreneurial till now, it is now. With www sprawling wide and far, it’s becoming difficult to dream impossible things. But starting up is just one of the stages in the process. And this particular stage has been simplified a lot thanks to circumstances around like already successful startups, VC money flowing in, ease in reaching out on internet etc. Though the success of the next stages depend very much on your idea/product. Even here it is a very fair game, if I analyze the start ups around most successful ones are those who have made the most number of correct market decisions without letting it affect the quality of their idea/product. As it goes, ‘Goodness always sells’ the ROI(Return On Investment) on good product is also much higher than its not-so-good counterparts. You don’t have to forcibly market it to your consumers if it is so compelling, like how nobody asked you to join any of these networking hubs which you already have. Indeed it gets mileage out of every new customer marketing it by themselves. But that’s only because we all love only orkut and facebook and not its competitors. And in name of our profiles, facebook has earned a valuation of 250X on its earnings, which by itself are high enough. So with nobody to dictate, what you need to be good at, make a product and release it to people and the money will automatically follow if people like it.
Trying not to be judgmental, if you don’t have a strong flair for above things then definitely you will see some shortcomings in startups too. Most importantly the moolah factor, especially with a bootstrapped startup like ours, to start off initially you may not be able to expect to heavy pockets at the end of the month. But if you believe in the idea and its ability to succeed even cash flow is possible and has happened in many cases. So my suggestion would be if you are someone who works just for the love of it and things associated with it, then go join a start up, and if you also want to be rich at the same time then go start up yourself.
I myself am kicked by the whole starting up process and am working towards developing a new project about which I will get back to you guys there at college once it takes some initial shape. At the same time, while reading this, if your brain clouds thundered, producing a lightning inside which you want to spit out somehow then maybe I can help you, get in touch through any of the Renesa editors or directly on mail. sandeep.p@gmail.com.
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