You are always one decision away from a totally different life.
I read it somewhere last year — “You are always one decision away from a totally different life.” This statement has changed everything for me.
I had started off my venture — University Express Media, while I was in the first year of my under-graduation. It took a lot of labor, hard-work, emotional imbalances and sacrifices to build a community and do things that had my heart and my brain together. However, for those who don’t know, I never took this hustle full-time. It was always a side game for me, which I was playing with no intentions to compete. Well, did my masters, landed up at the best place to work at, met many like-minded people in the journey but there was something that had to be completed. I realized entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Only those who choose to take that risk are supposedly the ones who end up either winning or losing but not just playing. I was perfectly placed at the other end of this ocean. I had a good job, was working under the kind of people who inspired me and still do so, had some kind of security and recognition at the place where I loved to be at, however, where I did not belong.
I’ve met people in corporate who are unhappy with their jobs and want to do something of their own — probably because they aren’t happy. I was very well instituted with my kind of people and was happy as well but it was a matter of one decision and it was indeed a difficult one — to choose to do something that’s meant for me and in real terms where I belong. Moving from things that makes you unhappy is easier than moving from things that keeps you happy but there are things with more purpose & risk attached to it.
In the month of December, I started facing some personal issues due to which I had to shift my focus. I realized over time that I would probably have to be decisive about my work and about the other responsibilities that I hold. I chose to sort my personal issues than half-heartedly giving it all to a place which just had a part of my existence. Probably, that break and that moment where I had put in my brain to be decisive about certain things, defined where I placed myself today.
I left my job with peace and at a good note on 6th April 2018 with my mentors & friends being there and supporting me with this decision, I came back, sorted my personal obligations and tried searching for jobs but at the same time, had this inclination towards re-building something that I owned for long. I happily brought myself to the game and revamped my existing venture, which is now in a phase of being India’s biggest students’ community. My purpose of building this is to empower world’s most powerful ammunition — youth. We are into content, influencer’s market, courses, training and recruitments.
It is also rightly said that when you want something with all your heart. The world conspires to help you out! My close friends came into help me and I won’t forget the kind of contribution that Yuvraj Singh’s Creator’s Gurukul had while helping me find a good place to work at. I had my team and lot of determination at the space before we got selected in the first batch of WeWork Labs’ startups in India. WeWork Labs provides the community, education, connections, and mentorship to help anyone take the startup path and grow with us. They partner with local incubators and accelerators to provide holistic, long-term support for startups throughout their journey. I’m thankful to Aniket who manages WeWork Labs here in India to give us a chance to grow.
Taking the confidence, blessings and trust of the entire team and people who were previously associated with University Express, we are up to create something that has never been created and we are always up to help this community grow and fuel our strongest ammunition.
Bening practical, I can win or lose but I will be competitive in this space and probably many of us out there have an eye about how I go about things from here. I promise, there won’t be any disappointments.
Update — University Express got acquired in Sep’2018. Currently, I am managing marketing for EarnKaro and I feel the same energy at this place. This is home.
