My First Entrepreneurial Lesson from a Decade Ago
My First Entrepreneurial Lesson from a Decade Ago
When curiosity wasn't just a trait, but a catalyst. One from the unpublished archives.
Hello and welcome back to the new-yet-the-same Building Startups Newsletter! :)
I spent last weekend scrolling down my little writing archive list. There weren’t many pieces because I was not a writer 10 years ago; only now is when I’ve gotten more disciplined with it.
There was one that stood out: a lengthy account I wrote 10 years ago, which I now realise was my very first lesson about entrepreneurship, and what I continue to believe in even today.
A lesson not learned in boardrooms or business schools, but through simple, yet impactful interactions with those took the plunge.
Key Takeaway:
The best kind of entrepreneurs are perpetually curious, and never selfish with help.
Following are some raw, unedited excerpts from what I wrote 10 years ago (if you want to read the full version you can find it here).
The shaping of Ajay before he was Building Startups :)
I never thought when I first moved to America that I’ll be ever writing or working on startups. I was a shy kid or can define myself as a socially awkward kid who couldn’t really interact with anyone…
….One day, I was killing some time on meetup.com and found this startup rooftop event. I actually haven’t been to a rooftop before…I somehow made it and the view was worth it.
I stood in a corner so that I don’t talk to anyone, but since entrepreneurs love asking “what you do”, they had to find and ask me too.
It started with one person and just went on and on for the next 2–3 hours. I started feeling lighter and more relaxed. I actually start to like it. It was so much fun to know all these amazing smart people. I knew that’s it’s just beginning of my learning.
Few months after I started working on an idea and with each day I had more and more questions to be answered. At the same time I was making a new habit of reading books. After my first book “The Dip” I was ready to move on to Steve Jobs biography and one of the things that he said really made me thinking:
All you have to do is pick up the phone and call.
I couldn’t wait any further to ask people and see if it really works. There were few things I asked and few amazing people who were generous to reply back.I learned, absorbed and met more people, and it’s just a never ending process.
I asked why all these people are doing this and why they wanna help me but since I didn’t know why, I made my own answer:
They are teaching me how to be generous to others, keep spreading the knowledge and value human connection.
All these things thought me a lesson to start sharing and be ready where there is someone out there looking to ask.
Those who know me know how much I continue to value conversations and meeting new people. I credit a lot of who I am today to the people I’ve crossed paths with, who’ve been so generous with their words and help.
Don’t think twice. Message. Pick up the phone and call.
Reach out. Engage. Learn. The growth is unparalleled⭐