Juicy Slice - INTERESTING READS

• Blog,Entrepreneur
• Jul 10, 2020

Being an entrepreneur is just like being married.

I’m indeed eligible to write this one article. I’m an entrepreneur as much as I’m married. In other words, I’m a married woman as much as an entrepreneur. Ha ha, I caught you unaware. Exactly what happens when you read all the inspirational, captivating, energizing stories extolling virtues of being an entrepreneur; become one and then realize the truth.

1. Disclaimer: First thing first, its not bad.

Will I give away being an entrepreneur – NO never. Similarly, do I regret being married – NO not at all. Its worth all the gains and pains. This article is an easy-on-nerves take on both; actually an exaggerated version of pains than anything else and if you are planning a plunge in either, do so by all means, with all sincerity and happiness. The world is going to be at your feet.

2. Now, you didn’t believe that world at your feet line? Did you?

All your well-wishers told you that its better to start on your own than take one, just one more humiliation at the hands of your irritating boss. (I assume, all entrepreneurs have had some work experience)

Little did you know, the irritating boss will be soon replaced with cheating associate who would take the advance & vanish, demanding client who would want more for less money now that your overheads are lesser, clumsy fresher trainee who would feel he knows more than you anyways and many more such people.

So much like your mom telling you, “beta kab tak bahar ka khana khayega? Ab toh shaadi kar le aur aaram se ghar beth ke khana kha.”

And soon the outside ready-to-eat food will be replaced by weekly trips to sabji-wala, fruit-wala, kirane wala, mausi ke ghar pe dinner wala, mausi ki mausi ke ghar pe dinner wala etc. etc.

3. Your time will be yours alone

Every pitch on entrepreneurship has this line and after you begin on your own, you would want to sue each one of those pitch makers.

Logic won’t be time consuming to understand – when you begin, you would end up playing so many roles- from C to C (Chaprasi to CEO), and everything in between. Roll up your sleeve and get your hands dirty will be the inspiring line. So then, where would be the time, when you will be multi-tasking for multi-roles.

Reminds me again of a married life – while you juggle between home, work, in-laws, kids, kids’ homework, grocery shopping, electricity bills, plumbers and carpenters and what not, no time is left for time.

4.  You will be your own Boss

Whosoever said it first, to either an entrepreneur or married man/woman was obviously being sarcastic. What he meant was, everyone around will be your boss.

Be it the client or associate or employee, you would have to consider and reconsider their POV till the time you give in.

So much like, once you are married, your spouse would have a say in what to eat, where to go, whom to be friends with blah blah

And all the while, you would pretend, many a times successfully that you are indeed your own boss.

5. Are you happy being one? Depends.

There would be days when you will close a new business/deal and you will feel so proud. There would also be days when your friendship will go awry just because you chose to work with each other and you will wonder if the corporate job was better indeed.

Same is the case with married life. There would be good days and not-so-good days and you would always be left wondering.

6.  With power, comes great responsibility

The line is borrowed from Spiderman comics. The writer however clearly borrowed it from an entrepreneur’s (read married) life.

Did you pay the service tax? Oh, you have indeed hired a CA. Then, has he paid it? Suddenly all the worries will be on your tiny shoulders and there would be no escape. The credit would belong to the team if you succeed and if you failed- of course the blame is all yours, darling.

Need I draw parallels from married life on this one?

Net net, it would neither be a bed of roses nor just thorns, whatever you choose – entrepreneurship or marriage. I just thought of breaking the myths and prepare you to whatever extent possible for the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship.

Author :Tina Jain Mehta, Principal, Branding & Strategy