An Entrepreneur's Hardships

This post is dedicated to the people who are neither pursuing their Degress from any Top notch B schools/Technical schools nor they have any plans to do so but still they want to be an Entrepreneur.

Most of the time we come across people, who are either successfull Entrepreneur or in the line to become one. But most of them have one thing in common. they are from renowned B schools or top notch institutes like IIMs/IITs.

Even Club Jam fame Rashmi Bansal have written a book about the stories of 25 successful enterprenuers who all are alumni's of IIM A named Stay Hungry Stay Foolish.

Does this mean a person without a degree from any of these schools can't dream to become an Entrepreneur?

Answer is a Big NO!!!

This world is full of people who are successful business man/woman or Entrepreneurs who don't hold any such degrees. Even some of them could not complete their Education properly but still they are Rocking.

Who doesn't know about the success story of Lat. Mr. DhiruBhai Ambani or Karsan Bhai Patel of Nirma fame, Sabir bhatia, Subhash chandra, Rahul Bajaj. We have plenty of those. I won't be able to name here everybody. They all have one thing in common, they had a dream, they followed it.

There is one ground rule, one should be confident about the Idea on which he/she works and follow your dream and protect it.

Entrepreneurship is not an easy journey. One has to sacrifice everything(yes everything) for the initial years, you can say this is the time which decides whether you have it in you or not?

First and foremost, you need to stretch your working hrs may be without holidays. On monetary prespectives also you have to compromise. Like they say Rome was not built in a single day.

Reliance was built on the hardwork and sacrifices done by DhiruBhai. Even though he faced a lot of hurdles but due to his determination and dream for making a company of a common man, he kept on going and Today its one of the most valuable company of India.

Karsan Bhai Patel, started selling detregent powder on bycycle and today Nirma is a synonym of Detergent powder in India. He achieved this milestone due to hard work and detremination.

Even if you take example of Subhash Chandra, he is the founder of Cable Tv network in India in his own way. He was the first to launch ZEE Tv through Cable network. Even he gave a hard time to Star Tv in the initial days.

All these legendry people learnt it on the job which these top institutes try to teach in the classrooms. On the job knowledge is the best one to have as you have faced the problem practically.

I am not pointing any fingures for these great Institutions, I am just trying to boost up the spirits of would be Entrepreneurs who are not part of these institutions.

Most important thing is to prepare yourself for the tediuous job of an Enterprenure. Many people take this intiative but Many of them give up in the middle. Bcoz Reality is always different from the dreams.

When we start something we don't know about the hardships which will come in our way. We think we'll satart generating Revenues from very first day. Always make sure you should have some motivation behind your dream other than money.

If money is the only factor for which you want to try a stint for Entrepreneurship then I would recommend either to drop the idea or change the motivation factor. Initial years of Entrepreneurship is not to make the fast bucks, you can do that for the rest of your life.

There are some questions you need to ask yourself before you decide to be an Enterprenuer.

You won't be able to spend much time with your family?
No Holidays?
Working on with low/without salary?
Ready to take Risks?
Never Say Die Attitude?

If you trust your dreams and you are sure that your idea can work then just start it and don't give up in the middle. It might take time, some time even you'll think to drop it and go back o your previous job but once you have started keep going and you'll find your Dreams come true.

If you are a Would be Entrepreneur then start preparing for that from now onwards. It's a kind of self learning class which will help you to pass the Entrepreneurship test in the future :).

All The Best!!!

Love,
Mayank Kinger