The mobME Story
This was part of a presentation I did at Start-Up Saturday Delhi April Edition. Its very hard to put all the excitement & fun we had founding the company onto a bunch of slides but it kind of captures the timelines & some of the milestones we passed. I always say this to smart youngsters that starting up while in college was one of the best decisions we took. And it applies to all, because that’s the phase in life when you don’t have any obligations/burdens/distractions. I won’t recommend dropping out, but if you have some brains, you will always be able to manage the studies parallely. Doing some business, no matter the nature or size of it, gives you more insights & learning experience than any MBA degree can give you. Many wannabe entrepreneurs ask me, shouldn’t they do an MBA before taking the plunge. I won’t say no but its not mandatory. The biggest advantage of going to a B-school is the amazing network you will be able to build over time. That applies only if you go to the best of institutions. Maybe couple of years after you pass out, you will be able to spot your peers in some good decision making roles in companies that matter to you & that should help get you inroads way faster than a random guy out there. And business always happens on the relationships you build. But having said that, there is the alternate option of hiring good MBA guys to work for you! 
When you are just out of college, you think out of the box. You don’t know the limitations, barriers or boundaries. You tend to think big & on that perspective i would say ignorance is bliss! But the mandatory trait in your mindset, is the ‘never say die’ attitude that is totally essential to keep you going when you face challenges. The joy of breaking a barrier is beyond words. It gives you a different kind of high that makes you feel you are capable of conquering bigger heights. And its all in that feeling. What you think is what you are, and if you think you can’t change the world around you, starting up is not your cup of tea!
Things to take away from the presentation is that >>
a) You need a great team with complementing skills. (I’m not for the idea of starting up all alone)
b) If you have a good idea & a feasible financial model built around it, funds will never ba an issue.
c) You need some sensible people to guide you & advise you but finally the decision has to be yours.
d) Clients rule! They decide if you will grow or decay. So keep them happy always.