The founders of most start-ups have often heard that “they are doing the right thing”, or “they are not tamed by the corporate world” and the like. But are the founders really so amazing and satisfying? A safe answer would be a YES. But that’s not it. The gratifying life comes with a lot of sacrifices, brain game, and hard work.
The entrepreneurs face doubts and challenges on a daily basis. At a masterclass ahead of the Edex 40 Under 40 start-up summit, the entrepreneurs shared their doubts with Santanu Paul, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of TalentSprint, who not only addressed their issues but also drew examples from his own experiences to answer their questions.
Here are a few questions that our start-up heroes had:
How do you handle burn-outs?
It is very important to know that it is not just you who is going through this problem. To understand this, one needs to read many books. Reading is really important. These stories tell you that you are not alone in facing such problems.
How does one handle failure?
I have had failures. I have been in a situation where I had to decide whether I should shut my start-up today or tomorrow. That’s it! That is the decision I had to make. Of course, I had people to talk me out of it. At that time, I picked up a habit — practising yoga. So, that helped me. In times of failure, pick up something parallel and constructive that will help you sail through the problem.
How do we know when to give up?
Perspective is the most important thing here. You need to look at it and analyse what is going on. You need to tell yourself that you can get better at it and know that if you continue, there is a way out.
What are the qualities we need to possess as entrepreneurs?
Humility and gratitude! Humility makes you a better person and you need to have gratitude for what you get. There will be a lot of things that will help you run your start-up and you need to notice them and be thankful. Also, you need to be smart while hiring people. If you have ‘x’ quality, don’t hire anybody with the same quality. Look for another quality that can complement it.
What according to you is the most important quality of a CEO?
The most important quality is leadership. If things are going good, the CEO should be able to give credit to the team. But if something bad happens, the CEO should be able to take the blame. That builds loyalty among the people.
