Mihir has written “The untold Flipkart story”. It seems like a plot of some Hollywood/Bollywood movies. It has every element from perseverance, treachery, power struggle to drama. Founders struggle to stay relevant, board the urge to hit all the numbers, and investors urge to get an exit.
Running a startup is no different than running a country. It has many faces and personas. Each of these comes with their expertise, ego, and expectations. What plays is the incentive, the power dynamics.
Sachin had a dream of building 100 billion company but execution at scale was not his forte. But does this make him less important? I don’t think so.
Every stage a company is a different beast and requires a different set of execution.
The positive side of what Sachin/Binny created has left a long-lasting effect on our country.
- The belief that any middle class Indian can build a fortune for himself and the country.
- The attitude of Think Big
- Perseverance, patience, and persistence
Flipkart paved the way for creating a startup ecosystem that will have a lasting effect for centuries to come to India. The Flipkart mafia is no less than the PayPal mafia of the valley.