Lessons from a Seasoned Entrepreneur The fire driving a start-up founder never truly dies; it evolves. Long-term success demands the same hunger for knowledge and growth that fueled your early days
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From as early age, I've wanted to start something from scratch. Entrepreneurship is like a bug that bites you once, and the side effects stay forever. Despite the failures, naysayers, and selfdoubt, you can't help but give in to the voice that says, "do it."
There is no greater feeling than to hustle for everything you believe in. You become a jack of all trades—abundantly curious and working with the awareness that "I know nothing." You see every unanswered question as an opportunity to learn and grow. Surrounded by folks with a similar passion and belief in a dream that's bigger than all of us, that became a comfort zone. What I had underestimated was what it would take to sustain success and prepare for hyper-growth.
You hope and aim for it, but when it happens, you suddenly find yourself sharing a portion of the responsibility and accountability pie with a slew of leaders. From knowing everything, making tough decisions and finding answers, your own vigor for finding answers and tracking data is replaced by assumptions based on "I've seen this 100 times before" and relying on the opinions.
RETAINING THE FIRE
Many years into InMobi, I found myself asking the questions: How do I retain my fire as a start-up founder 17 years into running the company? How do I stay curious and keep learning when we has grown so large? I believe the answer lies in embracing the beginner's mindset. No matter how much experience you accumulate, approaching each day with the same curiosity and hunger for knowledge as when you first started is crucial. The moment you stop questioning, you stop growing.
THE POWER OF CURIOSITY
Essentially, my curiosity is my lack of understanding. If I don't tend to my curiosity, I am not educating myself. What a huge disservice that would be to myself and my people. But how do you stay curious when you are no longer the one who knows everything? It starts with recognizing that there is always more to learn. It starts with embracing the unknown and being willing to ask questions. It starts with recognizing that you don't have all the answers and being willing to seek them out. Actively seek out new challenges and perspectives. Stay close to the ground, understand the minutiae of operations, and do not get detached from the business core. Another is surrounding yourself with people who challenge you. By hiring individuals who are smarter and knowledgeable in their domains, you create an environment of continuous learning.
EMBEDDING CURIOSITY
We've fostered a culture where curiosity is celebrated, and experimentation is encouraged. We believe in the power of asking "why" and "what if." We've started circulating some of our toughest challenges and crossroads in newer innovations in the organization, inviting anyone with a solid understanding and opinion to educate the rest. This has worked like pure magic. We have the most unlikely people with the most diverse backgrounds solving problems that seemed unsolvable.
The fire driving a start-up founder never truly dies; it evolves. Long-term success demands the same hunger for knowledge and growth that fueled your early days.
