Are you really a startup? Introspect!
If you have been working in the modern world that is abuzz with words like ‘disruption,’ ‘unicorn,’ ‘marketing strategy,’ and obviously ‘startup,’ you must have some confusion about the real meaning of these terms.
Almost all the youngsters graduating from various professional courses are excited about starting a ‘startup’ and calling themselves ‘entrepreneurs’ instead of engineers, doctor, advocates, or even financial analysts. I see a lot of people who even take up their father’s place in a grocery shop and start editing their social media profiles and declaring their occupation as ‘running a startup’. There is nothing wrong in that, but it often becomes misleading, because the industry wants to focus on businesses or ideas that could bring change and actual disruption. You could become a successful small business or a company, but till you do something impactful that could bring change to the lives of the people, you are not a ‘startup.’
Being a ‘startup,’ you will need guidance, mentorship, and financial support so that VCs, Angels, and even the whole community could offer their expertise, lend their help, and also support you in your journey. If any ‘startup’ becomes successful, more often than not, it will help many people and eventually changes the way the world works or even bring a new habit that is adopted by many people. Consider the way we connect with each other, and how social media startups have changed our way of sharing our moments with each other. Consider how we are now less prone to buy cars and to think of hiring on-call taxis. Consider how home-stays are becoming popular instead of luxurious hotels.
Entrepreneurship involves a lot of hustle and taking the world head-on because eventually, you want to change the way the world works, but it has to be meaningful and impactful—simply calling yourself a ‘startup’ would not mean anything, and you won’t gain anything by declaring your occupation as ‘running a startup’.