My startups before I started up
A thread...
A thread...
1992; 12 yrs; Summer holidays
3 of us start a comic rental biz.
We gather all our comic books, lay them out on a chatai, set it up in front of our house from 10am to 5pm.
33 comics in all.
Usual suspects - Chacha Chowdhary, Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv.
We make Rs.11 first day
3 of us start a comic rental biz.
We gather all our comic books, lay them out on a chatai, set it up in front of our house from 10am to 5pm.
33 comics in all.
Usual suspects - Chacha Chowdhary, Nagraj, Super Commando Dhruv.
We make Rs.11 first day
Excited, we go to the store and buy another comic for Rs.10
In 3 days, we have 3 new comics added to the inventory.
4th day, boy comes, pays Rs.10 and takes 10 comics.
We are elated at the bulk deal.
He never comes back!
Biz shuts down after 11 days.
>10% pilferage killed it
In 3 days, we have 3 new comics added to the inventory.
4th day, boy comes, pays Rs.10 and takes 10 comics.
We are elated at the bulk deal.
He never comes back!
Biz shuts down after 11 days.
>10% pilferage killed it
1994; 14 yrs
Peak WWF
I am in an all-boys school
Undertaker, Hulk Hogan rule all conversations
Friend shows me set of 10 Wrestler stickers
"How much?", I ask
"Rs.5 for all"
"I'll take it"
In the bus, I show them off
Kid asks, "How much?"
"Rs.5"
He hands me Rs50
"I'll take all"
Peak WWF
I am in an all-boys school
Undertaker, Hulk Hogan rule all conversations
Friend shows me set of 10 Wrestler stickers
"How much?", I ask
"Rs.5 for all"
"I'll take it"
In the bus, I show them off
Kid asks, "How much?"
"Rs.5"
He hands me Rs50
"I'll take all"
Interesting!
I run the arbitrage for 3 days.
Making Rs.230 (that's 5 months of pocket money!)
4th day, kid says"I saw these same stickers being sold for Rs.5 in my market. How come?"
Biz shuts down.
Price arbitrage with no value added, killed it.
I run the arbitrage for 3 days.
Making Rs.230 (that's 5 months of pocket money!)
4th day, kid says"I saw these same stickers being sold for Rs.5 in my market. How come?"
Biz shuts down.
Price arbitrage with no value added, killed it.
1997; 17yrs
Sports day
Every kid gets a snack box
Current canteen manager isn't going to supply
Class teacher announces, if anyone knows of vendors
There is a fancy bakery opened near my house
I spend Rs.150 and make 3 super delicious boxes
Patties, Pastry, Frooti. The works!
Sports day
Every kid gets a snack box
Current canteen manager isn't going to supply
Class teacher announces, if anyone knows of vendors
There is a fancy bakery opened near my house
I spend Rs.150 and make 3 super delicious boxes
Patties, Pastry, Frooti. The works!
And take it to the staff room during lunch the other day
"How much per box?"
"Rs. 55"
Deal is done
I make Rs. 2,200
Buy my 1st ever jeans with that money
Till date, I wear only Levi's
Don't say what you can do.
Show what you can do.
"How much per box?"
"Rs. 55"
Deal is done
I make Rs. 2,200
Buy my 1st ever jeans with that money
Till date, I wear only Levi's
Don't say what you can do.
Show what you can do.
1997; 17yrs
I get interested in Handwriting analysis
And over time, get good at it
For pocket money, I take tuition classes.
Dad of student is VP HR of a large pharma company
"Sir, would you want to undertake a handwriting analysis of your team. To know what they are good at?"
I get interested in Handwriting analysis
And over time, get good at it
For pocket money, I take tuition classes.
Dad of student is VP HR of a large pharma company
"Sir, would you want to undertake a handwriting analysis of your team. To know what they are good at?"
I get an order of 100 analysis, for Rs.25 per analysis.
I commit a week to complete.
I take a month!
And by the end of it, it has sucked my time, my energy, my enthusiasm.
I get another 500 people.
I refuse.
The only way to grow, while selling your time, is to spend more time.
I commit a week to complete.
I take a month!
And by the end of it, it has sucked my time, my energy, my enthusiasm.
I get another 500 people.
I refuse.
The only way to grow, while selling your time, is to spend more time.
2001; 21yrs
Everyone's favorite drink in North Campus is Banta (also called Nimbu Soda or Kancha bottle)
The current setup is
Dirty Hands of the seller
Glasses used again
I thought there had to be a hygienic way of executing the biz.
Enter "warikoo Banta"
Everyone's favorite drink in North Campus is Banta (also called Nimbu Soda or Kancha bottle)
The current setup is
Dirty Hands of the seller
Glasses used again
I thought there had to be a hygienic way of executing the biz.
Enter "warikoo Banta"
Plastic gloves
Disposable glasses
Charge a premium (Rs. 7 instead of Rs. 3 currently)
Make a biz plan for 300 stalls
Revenue of Rs. 1.2Cr/yr
Profit of Rs.30L/yr
Needs 15L investment upfront
Don't have the money, so drop the idea
Start with 1
If 1 works, 300 will happen!
Disposable glasses
Charge a premium (Rs. 7 instead of Rs. 3 currently)
Make a biz plan for 300 stalls
Revenue of Rs. 1.2Cr/yr
Profit of Rs.30L/yr
Needs 15L investment upfront
Don't have the money, so drop the idea
Start with 1
If 1 works, 300 will happen!
2003; 23yrs
Physics books are expensive in the US ($100+ MRP)
The Asian paperback editions are cheap (~$15)
1st summer I come back to India, I go to Nayi Sarak, Chandni Chowk and stock a suitcase with Asian Edition books worth $500
List them on eBay as used books for $45 each
Physics books are expensive in the US ($100+ MRP)
The Asian paperback editions are cheap (~$15)
1st summer I come back to India, I go to Nayi Sarak, Chandni Chowk and stock a suitcase with Asian Edition books worth $500
List them on eBay as used books for $45 each
Read an article about a lawsuit against a student by a large publisher, for doing the same.
Took down my listings.
Had made $1,200 in 15 days by then.
Bought my 1st laptop ever, with that money
Avoiding the law creates the highest arbitrage.
But it is never worth the risk.
Took down my listings.
Had made $1,200 in 15 days by then.
Bought my 1st laptop ever, with that money
Avoiding the law creates the highest arbitrage.
But it is never worth the risk.
2004; 24yrs
GMail launches
And is a rage
Getting your desired username is the only thing that matters.
I beg for an invite from my friend
He shares :)
I get warikoo@gmail.com
And after 15 days get 3 more invites
I give back 1 to my friend
And put the other 2 up on eBay
GMail launches
And is a rage
Getting your desired username is the only thing that matters.
I beg for an invite from my friend
He shares :)
I get warikoo@gmail.com
And after 15 days get 3 more invites
I give back 1 to my friend
And put the other 2 up on eBay
Sold them for $250 in 24 hrs
Everyone continues to get more invites, as they use
Somehow I never do!
Scarcity + social signalling = $$$
Everyone continues to get more invites, as they use
Somehow I never do!
Scarcity + social signalling = $$$
2005; 25yrs
The .in domain name is launched for India
I go and register 2 domain names
IndiaVotes
Rangoli
You would have guessed it by now.
I put this up on eBay
Takes 3 years to sell
Rangoli still goes for peanuts
IndiaVotes makes me a lot
Patience pays!
The .in domain name is launched for India
I go and register 2 domain names
IndiaVotes
Rangoli
You would have guessed it by now.
I put this up on eBay
Takes 3 years to sell
Rangoli still goes for peanuts
IndiaVotes makes me a lot
Patience pays!
I am so amazed that I got to even go through these experiences.
I never set out to discover them.
They came along.
But once they did, I didn't say no to them
Instead, I asked, "what could come out of this?"
I never set out to discover them.
They came along.
But once they did, I didn't say no to them
Instead, I asked, "what could come out of this?"
Curiosity has created more opportunities than hard work ever well.
Because here is the deal with great opportunities.
They do not come with the subject line "Great Opportunity"
Because here is the deal with great opportunities.
They do not come with the subject line "Great Opportunity"
I wish though that I had been more self aware when they happened.
It is only today that I can reflect upon these "startups" and draw upon the lessons I learnt from them.
Back then, every success was a result of my hard work and every failure was the someone else's fault.
It is only today that I can reflect upon these "startups" and draw upon the lessons I learnt from them.
Back then, every success was a result of my hard work and every failure was the someone else's fault.
When I did eventually startup in the real sense of it, these lessons did come handy
1. Even a 10% leak can kill a business
2. Buy low and sell high, with no value added, is not a business
3. Demo >>> Deck
4. Don't sell your time. Sell your skill
5. Dream big but start small
1. Even a 10% leak can kill a business
2. Buy low and sell high, with no value added, is not a business
3. Demo >>> Deck
4. Don't sell your time. Sell your skill
5. Dream big but start small
6. It isn't worth going against the law
7. People will always pay for looking good infront of others
8. Good things take time
9. Great opportunities do not come with the subject line "Great Opportunity"
10. Not all success is b/c of hard work. Not all failure is b/c of laziness
7. People will always pay for looking good infront of others
8. Good things take time
9. Great opportunities do not come with the subject line "Great Opportunity"
10. Not all success is b/c of hard work. Not all failure is b/c of laziness
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