I sell software for a living to the venture capital sector. I meet many people regularly. Many of the successful firms seeking alpha returns have kept relationships above all. A few founder friends reach out for background checks about the organization from which they are seeking funding. My advice: go to the ones who will …
Author Archives: Atul
devil
Some people in our lives are meant to be left alone. They are not bad people, but they are full of pessimism and jealousy. They can also be self-centered. They live in a bubble where they are judge and jury. Their worldview and actions will never come wrong to them. That constant itch of finding …
Maturity
A founder’s life juggles between insanity. What can save is having a responsible team. For that to happen, culture should embed maturity as a virtue. As a leader, if you do not ask questions and make people take responsibility, you will get nothing in output. A founder cannot run around like a headless chicken in …
root
A successful organization is built on a set of values. In founder life, these values get tested quite often. It can be for revenue, hiring, or customers. While they can be beneficial in the short term, they can come to haunt us in the long run. A founder needs to have a clear understanding of …
Independence
We don’t value our independence enough—the autonomy to think and live with our conditions. We have become slaves to the system. It encourages us to horde by participating in discount shopping or prefrontal programming to buy and buy. I see many riches around me who are very poor within. They have assets for the public, …
Understand
We get lost in work and forget ourselves. One of the perils of modernization is that we are turning into robots. We are so obsessed with material wealth that our relationships with loved ones take a toll. We forget to take self-care. Our impulsive eating habits, all-nighters, and Netflix will all come back to bite …
Stand
You have to hold your ground and stand tall. Look at the trees: they have withstood all the weather. A founder’s persona comes with chaos, and multitasking is the default. Things will fall apart, employees will leave, competitors will creep in, and customers will leave. In these times, one has to follow the mantra of …
communicate
As a founder, you have to sell. It is not to your customer but to every stakeholder including your team. You cannot expect them to understand everything from inception, nor will they read your mission, and vision statements stuck on the company’s wall. You have to act, show, and lead it all from the front. …
creative
You can’t make someone a musician overnight. The same goes for anything that requires creativity. One has to be devoted enough to master the art. We are living in the era of quick commerce, with everything we want now in an instant. As a result, we are forgetting creativity for instant delivery. The supply chain …
cause
It becomes critical to hire a team that aligns with the cause.The first ten members shape the organization. Hire a mercenary who can go at any length for organizational success. The team has to have the hunger and belief to win. You can’t get a dozen dead souls to compete in a high-energy execution battle. …