“An entrepreneur is all different from the normal world so I am” Love starts from mother's womb and the warmth too. If a child might know that life is so fast outside, she might have been never came out of the comfort.
I am from a small village Tangra in Punjab, where my father still runs a small flour mill and earning handful money daily and the culture in home is like earn and spend every day without any saving as there was no scope of saving. Where life is tough as limited scope of doing much work. He is still into lifting all heavy stuffs in his work as I am watching him from my childhood , however he enjoys his work. My home never changed since I saw it from childhood. A classic example of those old village roofs can be seen at my place. He is my inspiration to work harder every day. A small village and few shops left and right to my house and yes a beautiful scene all around from the top of my home. Its all Green or Golden fields till the end my eyes can see.
A wet cute kiss and my cheek is all wet many times, A tiny hand in my hair and baby steps showering love all over and spreading smiles in my teenage days , Yes my brother almost 11 years younger than me has been part of my struggling phases always.
School days were precious as always for everyone. My family managed to make me study in ICSE board 10kms from my village. Started higher secondary in a college with my old hairstyle two knots on both sides, which is actually a kid’s hair style. Loads of comments on my hairstyle led to change it to one knot soon – that was funny I know :-)
My friend circle was very religious and always used to visit Golden temple when free. The lemonade with banana was the famous beverage in my college and mine too during those early times. With all money I save, I had only one wish to buy traditional Punjabi footwear costing Rs.60- Rs.90 , almost 10 years back. Graduated and Post graduated in University writing all applications for just one reason , for the whole 5 years to the director, to delay date of my fee, I assure you to maintain my position to be first in class. With all my requests and bagging top position too , they never waived off even rupee 1. Otherwise universities can give scholarships worth rupees lacs to new admissions. It was extreme painful for me to read the scholarship amounts for new admissions in all advertisements of the university.
Travelled 150kms daily by bus for 5 years for my BBA-MBA without a single leave, with a dream to top the degree. Thanks to my parents and teachers, I could do it. When I used to see my father working so hard, doing so much of labor work just for me, I never ever thought to be at second position. Yes its true, I did all for him. He believed in me and my spirit that yes she can do it.
I worked in two organisations before I started with my own venture. I am blessed to work with Hypercity – the classy process oriented organisation. I worked with Pranda – The Bangkok based jewelry brand – gave me glimpse of luxurious world. But yes they had no suitable position to offer me after I moved to other city after my marriage. I was very sad inside , I have to resign. I was paid very well as per my experience and the location in both of my organisations. Life became bit easier, when I could buy all the things I sacrificed when I was in college. I could afford to buy all clothing I would like to buy, any mobile I thought of and bought brand new car – All from my savings. I learnt driving even before my father and brother at home.
I chose to be happy always, because I chose to work hard and being honest in all what I do. I could recall my college days, when me and my brother used to have a particular set of T shirts and we were always in those T shirts, I could recall my
classmates coming by cars and affording all luxury, soon after I were into jobs, I was very proud of my hard work at college, because later I could afford all with my own money and my classmates were calling me to look for some job options for them. I am among those whose fare to go home, if its 20 rupees, the money I had was Rs.20 only not more than that. I learned simplicity from my father. We are equally happy with chapatti with salt and chapatti with mutton. I learnt all hard traits of entrepreneurship from my past – The hard work, Being honest, Being consistent. The only motive to share such long story was, I could relate things with my entrepreneurial journey now. An entrepreneur needs environment or people to believe in him or her like my father. The honest belief of my father who lost everything for my studies and my comfort – believing that yes She will be the topper for sure – turned true with time in spite of all the hardships , all the low times , all the tears and the real smiles.
Since I started Simbacart, I experienced much negativity all around being a women, being a start-up. My answer to all negative people is that I carry the same spirit and for me history is repeating. In spite of all hardships I am a stubborn entrepreneur – build to succeed for sure. It never gives me pain when: Banker says “You are a start-up, you are not 2 year old company, and you need to arrange collateral” – Dear Banker - To hell with your money and to hell with the articles in newspapers favoring budding talent! An investor asks – How you are different from Flipkart – The general question!! Because I am Simbacart, I invested 20 hours every day in it. I invested all I had in it – each single penny and all my sweat! Please know my business , how I started , where I am and then put up the general questions.
I agree, people have limited time for others. They measure others with a general opinion, with general questions that are right as per them. But being an entrepreneur, we need to be very consistent, we need to keep on moving and moving and never quit because at the end “The Truth Wins” with time. "Struggle is a never ending matter , for people who chose to keep moving"