Entrepreneurs need an ecosystem, beyond just VCs. Lessons from Kamathipura

"Kamathipura is Mumbai's oldest and Asia's largest red-light district.Today, it is said that there are so many brothels in the area, that there is no space for the sex workers to sit in. They hang around in the streets, solicit customers and then rent an available bed." ~ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamathipura)

Looking at the current startup hero’s and wannabe's ecosystem in India, as a startup founder,i share with you a few insights on what’s on my mind each day i wake up. This is a small bird eye view on about my so called entrepreneur life for the past 500 fruitful startup days.

I started off young, way back from the college -with the fire in the belly-reading the kickass notes from Google Story,inspiring TED talks of Bill,Steve...

My god's are obv. billgates, zuckenberg ,ev and zappos.

I find my entrepreneur life as an evolutionary process.

I started with a dream,just a dream,to dream big.I found a team,fair enough to give me wings to fly.I found angels who seems god sent coz they were only the one willing to help me when i started off.

My life seems to evolve,from the mistakes i make,the lessons i learn and the curves that i pass through.I am a small startup hero,who is struggling each day to meet my meals.

I too was looking to raise more funds for survival. I too had met a lot of investors.

Bechtolsheim reportedly wrote the check to "Google Inc" prior to the company even being founded. I bet, this can never happen in India.

But unfortunately, I felt that Indian investement scenario are far different from the silicon valley's.

Nobody give money unless we have a strong clear cut business plan, cashflow and lot more.

I found money on FFF's(Friends,Fools & Family).

I bet you do the same-Beg,borrow or steal.This is the only liquid cash you can depend on.

We cant blame VC's in India,

Each day they find themselves on the redstreet to get them treated.

Tons of business plans ,cashflows,business cards,meetings and more flooding on their inbox.

They may look at each, they may say hi, but they can bed only with the best.

Some VC's says this- Entrepreneurs lifestyle = Whore (bootstrap) > Slut (post-angel) > Prostitute (post VC) > Socialite (post IPO).

I couldn’t agree more!

These days, I have a small prayer in my mind each time i woke up from dream.

“Ohh god,please give me more customers on track.

Ohh god,please get me some cashflow.

Ohh god,im ditching the vc's.

Ohh god,im bootstrapping.

Ohh god,please make me strong.”

Im a man with many important titles-a bluffmaster in front of media, a prostitute in front of vc's, a father in front of my team.

My God is only the customer, whom i worship each day.

"I am a dreamer, a fool who dares to dream the dream and foolish to make em come true!"

I never use to write blogs/articles. But this is my 2 cents which i thought of sharing with all the entrepreneurs in India.

DISCLAIMER: Whatever appears here in this blog except comments are my own views/reflections. My Employer have got nothing to do with them. I am in no way representing my Employer here.

Intoxicated by possibility,

Deepak Ravindran