I have no claim to being a love expert, although I do hope my wife awards me atleast a ‘Certification of Participation’ if not ‘Distinction’. My engagement with entrepreneurship may be little better, having been a banker, entrepreneur, adviser to fintechs and having failed and risen a few times myself. Although, similarities between Love and Entrepreneurship are so conspicuous that you really need no expertise. Once you see this commonality, the line becomes blurry and makes you wonder if you are in love or just being an entrepreneur! Both seem to merge into a singularity. And here are 6 reasons..
1.The start is the toughest: If you take a poll of corporate executives, my guess is atleast 80% or more would want to be entrepreneurs. There is just one problem – Fear of failure. It needs some guts to get going. In love too, expressing it the first time is the hardest part. It seems you will never muster the courage to say it out to her/him for fear of rejection. And every time you firmly decide that today is the day, those butterflies in your stomach daze you out. ‘Definitely next time’, you console yourself. The silver-lining is, if you want it bad enough, you get your mojo back one fine day and with rush of adrenaline, you say it – ‘I quit the job’ or ‘I love you’, as the case may be.
2. The walls of the world can’t stop you: Even if the world’s against you, you wouldn’t stop. Would you? ‘She’ is all that you want in life. Everything else is just incidental. When the world builds barriers, you find new ways to reach ‘her’. You may be a loner but still befriend anyone who would carry your message (recall the numerous start-up events you attend for networking!). Long lost friends suddenly become your bouncing boards again. Love makes you headstrong and breaking the wall with your head is an idea you no longer find unrealistic. You just ‘have to’ find the way! In business, they would label it as ‘determination’. You can just call it ‘Power of love’.
3.Things have different meanings and colours: The sky is still blue but a shade brighter. The songs are same but have a new meaning. The birds are singing but with a bit more melody or melancholy. You read ‘Love Story’ by Erich Segal or Mills & Boon and are amazed by the similarity with your life and emotions. Same old things but all new inspirations. Similarly, if you are suddenly feeling close to Akio Morita, Sam Walton, Steve Jobs or Elon Musk after reading their biographies and if the otherwise ‘silly’ quotes posted on Linkedin are inspiring you, you are there already.
4.The ‘constant remembrance’: Long ago during a meditation class, I was told to practice ‘constant remembrance’ to achieve self realisation. For those in love, it comes naturally and effortlessly. Everything around reminds you of ‘her’. It slowly becomes a 24X7 engagement and you create a world where ‘she’ is present in all things and situations. The numerous apps on your mobile remind you of your UI; each business or start-up article you read simply makes you compare with your own venture; even the billboard on the street takes you into a distant future of your marketing strategy. ‘She’ is always on your mind. In love they would blame you for ‘imagining things’. In entrepreneurship, you can euphemistically call it ‘being focussed’.
5.The beloved have tantrums: They reciprocate but have mind of their own. And there are times, sometimes often, when they don’t mould to your wishes or advances. If it peeves you, better get a pet robot (or corporate job!). It takes time to understand each other and build a relationship. Sometimes your best of intentions won’t charm them and then, at times, a simple call would do the trick. There are episodes of ‘miscommunications’ and solving them out over night-long phone calls may just be your best shot. In your venture too, at times all your efforts for months wouldn’t yield results and then, suddenly, there is big traction or deal within a week. If you have ever had night long debugging sessions and ended up finding more bugs, you know what I mean. If you persist, chances are your App or product would run just fine the next day morning. You deal with the tantrums, not with ego but with love and persistence.
6.Journey is the ‘fun’: The climax of entrepreneurship is possibly having a profitable business (or a multi-million dollar valuation without profit!). For love, it may be marriage for some! But as you get settled with the profits, valuations and marital bliss, there is a realisation- the journey was so much more interesting. You reminisce the days of struggle and being on the edge and sometimes wish to relive those times. But those days never return. So make the most of it while you are on it. Cherish it. Noted singer Jagjit Singh sang this in two lines – Woh maza kahan vasl-e-yaar mein, lutf jo mila intezar mein (The pleasure in waiting for my beloved is much beyond the fun of meeting her)
If it aint love, it aint entrepreneurship…
Entrepreneurship is possibly just another manifestation of being in love. It has its highs and lows. The world says you have ‘fallen’ but you know that in reality you are ‘soaring’ high. However there is more to this beyond the romanticism. Both love and entrepreneurship require deeper commitment. Both require some guts. They transform you from within. There are moments when both make you feel like a mess. But you know that this pain is much sweeter than the morose joy of corporate life or arranged marriage which you may otherwise end up retiring with.
So if you have ever been in love, entrepreneurship shouldn’t be though. But you wouldn’t know either unless you have done it. Try a free fall into it and see if you can soar. It may surprise you that you always had wings.
-Love
Amit Balooni
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