Indian Startup Founders Who are Fanning Their Musical Fires While music is a stimulating, creative and liberating passion, it does have qualities which can further help entrepreneurs become a better version and take their ventures a step ahead. What better than playing gigs with a band?

Ray Charles, an American singer, songwriter and pianist, once famously said "I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart, and my blood. It was a necessity for me - like food or water." And clearly, he isn't the only one. Our natural instincts are creative in nature. Ask a child what they wish to become. The replies will be in the form of a dancer, F1 racer, astronaut, or an actor. The harsh reality of life often pushes people to take up different professions.

However, not everybody gives up that 'creative' side of their lives. Several Indian startup founders, who have been fanning their musical fires, are testament to it.

THE MUSICAL TUNES

Hari Menon, founder of the online food and grocery company, BigBasket, has been into music since the age of 14 when he began taking guitar lessons. Later, he and his friends at BITS Pilani founded their rock band 'The Thunk." "I curse myself for not becoming a professional singer," he previously shared in the media. The group is said to be an active element in the reunions. Mayank Bhatnagar, Co-founder and COO, FinEdge has had music play an integral part in his life since childhood. Having found like-minded musicians who shared his love for rock 'n' roll music, the band 'Frontrow Bandits' came into being, "I felt that being a musician would always remain a journey much to be enjoyed."

Frontrow Bandits - (L-R) Dhruv Yadav, Arvind Joshi, Mayank Bhatnagar, Shubhendu, and Ayush Gupta

Vibhor Hasija, founder, Yours Eventfully, was inspired by his brother which sparked his interest in music. Being a keyboard player in his band "Tarkash" led to him establishing 'Yours Eventfully', an event and artist management company. "I was eager to grasp the business side of music since there was no one securing gigs for our band, and performing in front of an audience intrigued me. Taking initiative, I immersed myself in meeting people and understanding the workings of the industry," he shares.

Aditya Kumar of Niro does not have one but two bands to his name, "The first band, called Retrospect, was formed about seven years ago on Facebook. The current band I'm a part of is called Strange Brew. I've been singing with them for the last 4 years."

Strange Brews

A CREATIVE PROCESS

While music is a stimulating, creative and liberating passion, it does have qualities which can further help entrepreneurs become a better version and take their ventures a step ahead. "Music sparks creativity and is a valuable tool for an entrepreneur. Being a musician, you get this constant reminder that improvement is the name of the game," shares Bhatnagar. Hasija finds music to be a powerful communicator. "I think music cultivates a different part of your brain. It's proven to reduce stress levels, and it is very therapeutic, especially for me when it's a social activity," shares Kumar.

ACHIEVING BALANCE?

Being a part of a musical group and playing gigs requires commitment and dedication. "It's challenging when you are running an early-stage startup, as it's not easy to commit to it, because being in a band requires a certain amount of coordination and commitment, especially before shows," reflects Kumar. It's all about balancing between your profession and passion. Bhatnagar often resorts to music for lightening things up at work, " It keeps things lively and breaks the usual office routine."