The Daily Struggle – an Emotional Rollercoaster

In a “corporate” job where you always answer to somebody more senior then you (and, more importantly, where responsibility can be passed off).  As a struggling entrepreneur, I am always, and only, answerable to myself.  This makes for a very bipolar emotional rollercoaster because all of my successes and failures are magnified . . . .

 

In the morning I may “sit around” and answer a few emails, but I will still feel unproductive because no “progress” is being made, no money is coming in, or no milestone is being reached.  Furthermore, some new risk or potential barrier usually emerges.  I’ll feel lazy, apathetic, and generally horrendous.  Then, BAM!, all of a sudden a new tangent, a new opportunity, or an improvement to an idea – generally progress – emerges.  Over the course of the last couple weeks this “BAM” comes during a “networking” meeting where one of my ideas is disected and some solution or new approach is suggested.  The excitement of new opportunity or a light at the end of the tunnel is heavenly! 

 

Is there prozac for entrepreneurs?  Well, at least I have Yoga!

Dr. Strange(looking)Jew or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Indian Entrepreneur

Although I have just "Left the Corporate” so to speak, it is interesting to speak with friends of mine who are still in the business of investing.  I can already see a difference in perspectives on how to approach "investing” (both in terms of time and money) . . . . Financial hilarity ensues (for those of you who do not get it, don’t worry, you are probably not financially savvy!):

 

Azeem: So here are the 8 ideas I have, 3 of them I am more serious about; think service businesses focusing on a transfer of knowledge . . . you know, consulting.  I need cash dude!

 

Joe: Ummm, none of those ideas are scalable . . . i would never invest

 

Azeem: I need cash!  I don’t care if they are scalable, I can figure out how to expand the business model later.  Baby steps!

 

Joe: Look, just build me a scalable idea and then spend all your savings and max out your credit card debt for the next two years until you hit it big . . . that’s how the Americans do it!

 

Azeem: Worst advice ever. I don’t want to gamble away my ENTIRE savings (which, incidentally is small anyways)

 

Joe: You’re so Indian

 

And finally . . . . do you get the title now?  The title is a parody of Dr. Strangelove??? Come on people!

Scared, Frustrated, Lazy – Focus on the SMALL Picture

I am scared, frustrated, lazy. I have no job, no cash flow, and no confidence in my ability to build my own business. While I have no dearth of ideas, achieving / building my own company to the place where it would match my idea / conception would take years!

 

What I need to do, I think, is focus on the SMALL picture, i.e. the first step, the first cashflow, the first client / customer. I have never built a business completely on my own and I need the confidence of some cash in the door before I can scale up and build the big businesses I want to.

Don’t worry though, just because I feel like *$%@ it doesn’t mean I’ll go back to the corporate!

5 Weeks Later – Summer Camp was a Success!

As a quick refresher, after I left NSR I spent a month in Mumbai doing my own version of a summer camp and then spent 5 weeks running around the US visiting everyone I know and attending some important life-events (weddings, reunions, etc) . . . . . you can catch up here and here

 

During my five week – and I hesitate to say this – vacation, I made pretty good use of 3 out of the 5 “lessons” from my Summer Camp.  To clarify, “using” a lesson means not only practicing or playing, but also talking about – is in cocktail party faire.  Leaving India directly after Summer Camp made it tough to actually execute on all the lessons.

 

Yoga was by far the skill that I used the most – both by practicing and in discussion.  I used Yoga routines in the place of a regular aerobic / weight lifting gym routine.  Since you can do Yoga almost anywhere, it is much easier to workout “on the road.”  It also makes a great topic of conversation! 

 

I unfortunately did not have a chance to go sailing or play a game of bridge during my travels but knowledge of both were great conversation topics and helped make a connection with some great people.

As for cooking and Hindi, both were utterly unused during my foray.  I had no opportunity (nor did I want to) cook a meal and obviously it would be tough to speak Hindi with people who do not understand it.

 

So it seems that I have some traction with at least 4 of the skills I tried to learn (Hindi is a given) even during a 5 week hiatus.  I would say that Summer Camp was a resounding success. 

Welcome Back (to the grind?)!

For those of you who did not know, I have been on a whirlwind tour of in the U.S. for the past five weeks visiting friends, relatives and former colleagues as well as attending a wedding and my 5th year college reunion.  I’m back in Bombay (finally!) and will post on a regular basis from now on . . . . .

I have to say that while I was looking forward to a relaxing vacation, I came back far more exhausted then when I left.  Spending three days per city over the course of five weeks is tiring!  In each city I had scheduled up to five meetings a day to catch up with friends.  Additionally, I was able to meet some new friends along the way – people who have done interesting things with their lives (both inside and outside “the corporate”). 

So I’m back!  Look forward to more posts from me soon . . . .