Not long back, I was at a friend’s place who works for a typical Indian Corporate since 2005. The guy is in his late thirties and appreciates his fate for having such a nice job.
However, after a couple of hours of normal chitchat, when he actually opened up to me; it seemed like he was not happy with his job as he described it more like “politically accurate yet an imbibing wage cage”.
In fact, in a country like ours where Small Business Administration reports that more than 60% of all new jobs have been created only smaller enterprises; people with a corporate job, might actually want to start with their own ventures.
I was really surprised when my friend confessed to me that he was saving up for his new business for long; although he is quite confused about what will happen if his idea didn’t work well.
While I was listening to his plans, a quote from President Dwight Eisenhower popped up into my mind; which I later shared with him also.
It said:
If you are looking for complete security, go to some prison. There you will be fed, clothed and given medical care. The only thing missing will be your freedom
By the passing hours, I started feeling that fire of desire in my friend. He couldn’t even explain to his family what he did for a living as his work was not meaningful for anybody.
He talk in details about the perks he use to get like family insurance, retirement benefits, even the free meals he got in office; but he was sad as his contributions towards the success of the firm went unnoticed.
In contrast, I explained to him, that I have been self-employed since the age of 22 and that every day I wake up with the odd feeling that I am being madly chased by a predator called “competition”.
Still, I feel happy when I see my staff working in a healthy environment and over the discussion with the friend of mine; I could actually identify some reasons why one must build (or at least work for) some startup.
You are direct in touch with your boss
When you join a startup, you ought to build a cordial work environment where you get to have a healthy relationship:
- With your boss and supervisors
- With the investors of your business
- With the key members of your team
Startups work more like families: you see the good side, the bad side and sometimes the ugly side of relationships however; at the end, you’ve got each other’s back.
Keep in mind, just because everyone in startup is so close to each other, you must also try to escape dramatic situations. The best way to avoid and conflicts; is by ensuring they get addressed quickly and people don’t dwell on previous issues.
You are the one who creates the company culture
Big successful businesses might have established their culture much before you came into picture; and so, the chances of changing their overall culture will be as high as you have of convincing the Indian Army to wear Yellow Uniforms.
While on the contrary; the startup culture encourages laughter, discussions and a zealous non-political concentration on getting the things done. And this is what any entrepreneur struggles to sustain, as the business grows.
It is advisable to all startups to make sure that such kind of environment continues in their work premises, in order to develop a strong foundation and ensure everyone is equally involved.
Whatever you do, matters for the startup
Usually startups begin as bony and fragmentary businesses that consist of limited number of people and maintained by an even smaller number of resources; so they cannot afford to have any freeloaders in the team.
And that means when you fail, you can cause an epic failure and when you succeed, everyone knows about it immediately. Either way, you will be making a difference by your work and learning rapidly from your mistakes.
You gradually feel like an In-trepreneur
It is believed that most of the entrepreneurs are crazy people who work religiously and do whatever it takes to convince the world that it needs their solution however; when you start working at a startup, you get to be an “in-trepreneur”.
Basically, it’s the entrepreneurial feeling in your office that inspires you. If you’ve some great idea to pull up the business, you will be heard. Plus, you gradually gain experience in multiple areas as you work for various profiles simultaneously.
You witness quick implementation of ideas
Rather than asking your boss something that could result in the formation of a committee and then tabling the idea until next board meeting; startups decisions are quite instant.
The fast pace results in rapid growth of the startup and individuals both; and cheers you for being part of a company where your input can make a huge difference.
The Bottom Line
Life doesn’t give you retakes; so you must aim to thrive, not just survive. Startup culture brings out the best from you and nurtures your capabilities to eventually develop you as a successful individual.
