Ekla Chalo Re

Gurudev famously advised:

Jodi Tor Daak Shune Keu Na Aase

Tabe Ekla Cholo Re

These words ring truest in the ears of an entrepreneur, as one truly walks alone. Starting up isn't just about setting up a business, drawing up business plans, researching, building a team, infusing capital and getting a product out. The battle begins a lot earlier. Every entrepreneur has to deal with "advisors" and naysayers who are just waiting for him to fail so that they can say "we told you so" because they know that they will be right in about 90% cases. Safe bet. For them, of course. 

Entrepreneurship is about having a strong conviction and an almost manic self belief. At every stage the conviction will be severely tested, every other week you will want to cut losses and fold. You desperately will want to talk to someone, seek advice, but most times you will end up getting the finger. You have no choice but to condition yourself to wake up every morning, go to work and face near death experiences in the hope that one day it will all turn around. You will have to challenge yourself to find ways to make your business work, nobody shows you the way, you will need to make your own. Your confidence will be at its lowest, the night will be darkest, you won't have any comfort and all you will have are insurmountable responsibilities and a clock that is fast ticking away. You will need to dig deep into the recesses of your heart to find motivation even as your mind tells you to quit.

You need to be your own your own "unstoppable force" as you move from one "immovable object" to the other. Every entrepreneur is a Joker and Jokers don't get Robins. It is critical for every entrepreneur to have an open mindset of nurturing business relations, making partners of team members, agencies and others who provide services. Make sure that you invest in the right ones, don't allow your budget to get you to cut corners here. Businesses are built along with others chipping in as partners. An entrepreneur cannot make the mistake of treating them merely as employees, service providers or vendors.

As an entrepreneur, you need to define your First Principles. You can pivot on the business model or any other aspect, but never on the First Principles. Read, research, listen to your partners, listen to the market. Learn to reject your own ideas only to emerge with better ones. You are that phoenix who gets burnt down and then rises from the ashes. You will have to do it every day.

Learn to celebrate small wins and achievements. This is Universe telling you that you are doing something right. Capitalise on it and then do it better. Ask questions, throw ideas, disagree with your partners, even at the cost of coming across as ignorant. Kill your ego. Persevere, hack for some day it will work out.

So entrepreneurship is nothing if it isn't a mindset. Consider it only if you have the right mindset and steel in your veins. 

Remember the fabulous song from Anand....Zindagi kasi hai peheli?

There is a line in it that says "jinhone sajaye yahan mele, sukh dukh sang sang jhele." It is the line of inevitability.