Struggle For Relevance!

After Class 12, I took two-years gap—one year to prepare for medicine🩺 and the next for engineering🛠️. I failed at both.

Though I joined an engineering college, but fell short of joining any premier institution I had aspired for like IIT/NIT. And today, neither of those events seem to have much relevance in my life.

In fact, just a week before applying to SUIIT for B.Tech in 2016, I didn’t even know that institution ever existed! I found out by randomly scrolling through a Facebook post📱.

Can you imagine? If I had missed that post, I might have missed out on so many things that followed. Life really can be that random, can't it?

I had fought with my family to pursue Computer Science and by the second year of B.Tech, I had accumulated 9 backlogs. I was at such a low point in life that I wasn’t sure if I’d even manage to graduate🎓. No exaggeration!

The smiles I gave anyone at the cafeteria or hostel corridor during that time were hiding a deep struggle for survival. It’s hard to put those feelings into words, even though quite some time has passed since then.

By the end of my third year, I considered pursuing higher studies in either Design🎨 or English 📚Literature. Well, Corporate life? That wasn’t even on my radar! Ironic, isn't it? In the end, none of those earlier plans came to be!

We’ll be moving away from the EdTech business model since it didn’t prove as 📉 profitable as we hoped.

But, I’d never blame business or the market for being stressful or difficult. We simply played it wrong and that’s why we faced those challenges.

With time, we’re becoming more mature and realistic. Honestly, I’ve experienced more failures in this period than I might have in ten years of working a regular job!!

As for our next domain, it’ll take us some time to figure that out. That’s exactly where the upcoming India Tour comes in—we want to explore different places to find fresh inspiration, new business ideas💡 and hope for a fresh start.

People often talk about 🔥passion, but honestly, I don’t have that right now. When tough times hit, passion doesn’t even come to mind. Business, at its core, is about seeking economic profit.

The game is tough, but I’ve grown comfortable discussing profit, even if it means quitting the stability of a monthly salary. The doors to exit are always open...

But, it's a choice. Ownership.🤝

Throughout this journey, I've faced many harsh questions, such as:

People have actually asked me whether any father would allow his daughter to marry💍 me if my business doesn’t succeed.

Here’s my point: What if someone gets married, and the next month they lose their job? The same can happen with a business. I’m not denying that possibility.

A recession won’t spare you just because you have a family👨‍👩‍👧 to support. Imagine if I had stayed in a job—what if I got married this year and lost my job in the same year? It’s the reality of the private sector, after all!

I’ve been ridiculed by some of our batchmates, who say what I’m doing is fine, but I should just get a job. Maybe they see it as just a hobby—which, honestly, hurts.💔

When you’re trying something different, something few around you are attempting, with no training available and plenty of challenges, the chances of failure are🚧 high. It makes the journey feel even lonelier.

I often point out this market reality to them:

"Google is considered a dream company to work for, right?" But then I show them this tweet—what one of Google’s investors wrote to Sundar Pichai, its CEO.

https://x.com/petergyang/status/1617334412148109312

This should open people’s 💭minds! The real risk lies in the job market, even though it seems like the business side is more uncertain.

It’s simple: “Yes, I’m struggling right now, and I fully accept that.” This acceptance, especially with my close circle, lifts some of the weight off 🎈my shoulders. It allows me to breathe easier, meet new people, and explore fresh opportunities.

I’m also drawn to the rapid advancements in Software,🤖 Generative AI, and the constant flow of new innovations. I’m doing my best to stay relevant in an era where the pace of change is so fast.

Unfortunately, these days I don’t find a common ground to talk to many old friends because everyone has their 🎶last dance, before they pack their bags and move on to the next destination!