Confidence is the key, you see, To set the table and let it be. No need to chase, no need to beg, When your worth shines like a golden egg.  With every stride and every feat, You beckon others to t...

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

Confidence is the key, you see,
To set the table and let it be.
No need to chase, no need to beg,
When your worth shines like a golden egg.

With every stride and every feat,
You beckon others to take a seat.
For when you know what you bring,
You're the feast, the song to sing.

So stand tall, don't hesitate,
Let your confidence radiate.
For those who hunger will surely find,
A banquet of greatness in your mind.


If this felt relatable and made you feel happy, consider sharing it with peers too.

For all the startup employees, here's a Post for You

Founder

For all the startup employees, here's a Post for You- Grapevine

Not just about a fancy Startup

Business Analyst

I've been observing a concerning trend lately on this platform, and I believe it's high time we rethink the way we treat startup founders. Take a moment to consider the dedication and courage it takes to leave a secure job and venture into the world of entrepreneurship. 

I feel Companies like Dukaan, AppX etc were unnecessarily mocked here based on one side of opinion,
I've had the privilege of working closely with a startup's CTO for the past two years, and it's been an eye-opening experience. Startups are like fragile ecosystems where every member plays a crucial role. However, what I've noticed is that sometimes employees who find it challenging to keep up with the dynamic startup environment tend to cast blame on the founders and the company culture.

Let's remember, every startup is a journey of learning, growth, and innovation. Founders make mistakes, learn from them, and strive to create something meaningful. They invest their time, energy, and resources into building something from scratch. Instead of mocking them, we should applaud their courage and determination.
But, what's even more disheartening is the toxic behavior exhibited by some employees here on Grapevine. It's disheartening to see individuals intentionally targeting someone's reputation due to personal grudges. Instead of resorting to negativity, let's try to understand the challenges startup founders face. Put yourself in their shoes; empathize with the pressure, uncertainty, and sleepless nights they endure to bring their visions to life.

We should strive to be a community that supports and uplifts one another, especially those who are trying to make a difference in the business world. Let's promote constructive criticism and empathy, recognizing that we all have our unique journeys, struggles, and successes.

#SupportStartups #EmpathyMatters #GrapevineCommunity 🌟

Embracing Empathy and Entrepreneurship on Grapevine 🌱

Backend Engineer

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

Women of grapevine, if you had to share one advice with your younger self what would it be?

Human Resources

I think I'm losing my mind. I'm a 32-year-old guy in tech, graduated from IIIT Delhi, earning 78L annually, but I feel like I'm fooling everyone, including myself. It's as if I'm constantly waiting for someone to burst into the office and shout, "Hey, fraud! We've finally figured out you're actually useless!"

I know it sounds like I'm humble-bragging, but trust me, I'm not. This feeling is eating me alive.

Seven years ago, I started as a regular software engineer. Somehow, I kept getting promoted. Now I'm leading a team of 15 people, handling critical projects, and sitting in meetings with the higher-ups. But every time I'm in those meetings, I feel like a kid wearing his dad's oversized suit, pretending to be an adult.

I work my ass off - late nights, weekends, you name it. But I always feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water. When my team comes to me with problems, I'm secretly panicking, thinking, "Why are you asking me? I'm as clueless as you!"

The worst part? Everyone around me seems to think I'm some kind of wunderkind. My boss is always praising me in front of others. My team looks up to me. Even my parents are bragging about me to all our relatives. But inside, I'm constantly terrified that I'll make one tiny mistake and everyone will realize I'm a fraud.

I see my college batchmates on LinkedIn, and they all seem so confident and successful. Meanwhile, I'm here, earning more than I ever thought I would, but feeling like I don't deserve any of it.

I can't even enjoy my success. I bought a nice house last year, but instead of feeling proud, I keep thinking, "What if they fire me tomorrow? How will I pay for this?" It's like I'm waiting for everything to come crashing down.

I know it's ridiculous to complain about a high-paying job when so many people are struggling. But this constant fear of being "found out" is driving me insane. I can't even talk to my friends about it because they'll probably think I'm just showing off.

Has anyone else felt like this? How do you deal with feeling like a fraud when everyone thinks you're successful? Is this just part of adult life that no one talks about?

This is what eats me alive during weekends, realised it's Friday and panic typed this here

Making 78L at 32, but I feel like an imposter. Is this normal? (Self-reflection + seeking advice)

Socrates: “I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.”

Consultant

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

I graduated last year with no job offer from college. And started job hunting, I had 3 internship experiences, still not getting any job. But last December 2022 i got a call from the founder of the early stage startup( bootstrapped), gave a live coding round, and got selected within a day, even in this horrible job market with 7 lpa. 
Now the amazing part is that the technical co-founder was working as a consultant themself for a company and paying me and 2 other peeps from his own salary and still no expectations of overtime and good flexibility, unlimited paid leave,and then after working there for 9 months, finally the founders got funding but now they decided to move to wfo from wfh(with a considerate increment to employees), with which I was not comfortable because I have to relocate (and I have a medication going on from a very specialized doctor from my city), so decided to part ways. And from the past 3 months, i am job hunting, but not even getting an equal opportunity, those 7 lpa feels like 24 lpa coming from a founder who was working a day job to give me and other that opportunity.

This post is an appreciation for all those founders who are working a job or hustling and running a startup in their spare time. Best wishes to you peeps, you may succeed in all pursuits of life.

P.s- The founder gave me 6 days salary also which was equal to my first internship stipend.

Being grateful to my first employer

Software Developer

If you were the CEO of a company, what would be your number one priority?

Corporate Strategist

Software Engineer

We evolved to live in small tribes and now live outside of our natural habitat, in an advanced civilization. One effect of this mismatch is that there are a bunch of things that feel dangerous to us that aren't actually dangerous, leading us to be way too risk averse. Like:

- Asking someone out on a date
- Trying something new even though you'll suck at it at first
- Quitting your job to start a company or try a career in the arts
- Putting your real voice out there on controversial topics

For primates living in a small tribe, rejection, embarrassment, failure, and criticism posed actual material dangers. These things are not dangerous today, but our software hasn't been updated. So we miss out on living our best life, hiding in the 1-4 zone of the danger scale. In a world of overly risk averse people, the epiphany that the 4-7 zone is actually a safe place to play is a superpower.

Perception's paradox: Danger or Delusion

Welcome to Confessions's Private Community

So basically I don't hesitate in challenging the interviewer if I feel like they don't know how to interview a senior candidate

so during many interviews, this is how I have caught them off guard:

1. The interviewer was asking me technical questions and expecting to explain properly throughout. So at the end i asked him about the tech stack they use, he said Azure. I asked him why they use Azure and not AWS, to which he said "it's cheaper", i didn't let it go, i asked him for a proper technical explanation, his red face was worth seeing.

2. The interview asked me a hard DSA question, and I wasn't able to solve it properly, he didn't even give me enough hints, just expected me to solve it. So halfway I asked him, would you like to solve a DSA if I ask you right now, he said no because it's not his interview. To which I asked, are you afraid that you won't be able to solve? If you are going to reject me for not solving this question, would you resign if you aren't able to solve the question. He ended the call.

3. One interviewer was asking me absurd technical detailed questions. I asked him why are you asking such questions, he said he needs to know my thought process because he will work with me. I started asking him similar questions, he said he won't answer because it's not his interview. I said I also need to know your thought process because we'll work together, so you should also answer these questions, he had no reply.

4. The interviewer asked me about a challenging project that I had done recently. I don't like this question at all. So I said there wasn't any challenging project because I'm good at what I do so it's always easy for me. He moved on to the next question.

5. HR asked me why I resigned without an offer? I asked if it's mandatory? No reply.

Having some fun with the interviewers

Not sure whether this is something to tom-tom about. Talks more about the quality of interviewer & the approach taken by the person.   
  
 To be honest, they're well within their right to ask you a tough question and/or to test your thought process, that's their job. If you get so easily offended, you're probably not going to fit in, in the long term.  
  
 I'm sure there are better ways to communicate that the interviewer is asking you a lame question or there's insufficient information.  
  
 Honestly, I take tons of interviews, an hour spent interviewing is an hour spent not doing actual work and drop in productivity. Doubt if senior people would ever do this to waste 'their' time... (Forget yours). Sensible people wouldn't.  
  
 No offense, but with so many interviews going this way, maybe time to point the mirror the other way...

Senior Software Engineer

Being anonymous gives me a safe space. But life is getting tougher than ever each day.  
I wish I had a better paying job. I wish I had time to have slow mornings. 
I wish I could provide for my family and give them the things they much deserve. 

I wish I had a chance to rewire rewind and restart. 

I wish I could do more than I wish to do. 

It's all wishes guys . It's all hopes. .
Nothing seems fulfilling. Nothing seems to make me happy. 

I have forgotten what carefree days were like. 

Adulting is kinda hitting hard. I am not able to cope up. 
Can someone relate?

It's hard to manage work and life

My life has been fucked up from last 10 months. Too much work pressure and workload with daily grilling by seniors. 

Recently I interviewed with a research advisory, was hopeful that i have a chance to change my life by leaving this place. 

But after 3 rounds, I got rejected by the partner. Feeling disheartened and depressed. 

My confidence is at the bottom right now. Don't know now where to go and apply. It seems that I am helpless now.

Rant

God give me confidence like this 😭

Hey guys, 

With a heavy heart and after 10-11 months of constant work I am shutting my startup down. Thanks for all the love and support.

What happened was I was able to build the product but couldn't raise enough funds to get the required gov. licenses to go live. I did build a demo mode to let people test out what the app was supposed to be and got more than 250+ sign ups.

For everyone who signed up and where asking me for the invite code sorry but please do test out what it was supposed to be. Use invite code- QWERTYUIOP to access the demo mode. All data will be deleted with in the end of this month so no worries.

Thanks again for all the love and support and let's see what I can build tomorrow.

Invite Code - QWERTYUIOP

Manage all your finances in one place, from tracking spends, budgeting & checking your bank balances all in one.

Pocket - Do More With your money

Shutting it down

- Remember from you came from and treat all the ones below your level as good as what you have been expecting from above your roles. 
- Don't play with anyones career like few did with someone of us. 
- There might be people with higher experience/expertise than you.. Give them a lift if you have the power. 
- There might be low performers give them good guidance. They too have/will have a family to see them succeed Or atleast sustain.

Let's make the work place better together and let's grow together..!!

Congrats to the new promotees and All the best to the rest 👍

Sincere request to all the to be promoted ones

Quality Assurance

A few colleagues of mine who got promoted in the mid year cycle had ordered a few snacks yesterday. But I didn't go there due to the fact that I wasn't promoted in this cycle.

I know that this attitude of mine is going to hurt me but I don't know how to handle this.

Any suggestions because frankly speaking this feeling is killing me from inside and I can't stop thinking about this even after my office is over.

Jealousy is killing me

Research Specialist

I've been in startups for the last 8 years. From Series B/C onwards to even a unicorn, over time worked at 3. 
One of them was an outright scam, raised many millions of $s from top investors, and then ultimately died. 
Also close with CXOs at decent sized startups, and there is a pattern out there. 

A few thoughts:
1. Being a startup founder is tough. There's pain. Some people thrive in pain. AKA Masochists. Know how to spot a founder who works 15 hours a day because they love their vision vs. somebody who works 15 hours a day because they're masochists. These people thrive in pain, and hence love to see you miserable as you slog away the hours under their leadership. 

There is absolutely no vision for the future that they have. They do it for the fame, money, and cause a lot of pain in the process. Nothing good comes out of it. Investors love this breed.
   
2. I wish I'd done more than just leave the scammy startup. At the point, I decided against whistleblowing. Because I thought there's so many people employed here, they would all be impacted. Over time, 200-300 people more joined after I left. Once the scam was caught, all of them lost their jobs.
   
3. I'm not a coder. I'm a generalist. Over time, my pay grew but not in line with my peers who went into consulting/VC and then came back to big tech/startups. Over time, you disadvantage yourself if you stick around as a generalist in startups for too long. The next team pays you at some premium over the last one, there's no step jump. 
You need to somehow find a successful startup early, and genuinely, that is impossible to game - even VCs have to bet on 20 to get it right.

These are a few disjointed thoughts. I hope they give some insight.
My only takeaways:
- If you work at a scammy startup, don't stand it. At least, don't stick around. 
- I earn lesser than my peers (tier 1 undergrad), but I regret nothing. I love my work, and I'll never get over the kick. I cannot imagine working at a larger company ever again.
- Ultimately, you have to be optimistic. Believe that India will grow, good founders will come around, magic will happen ❤️

PSA: What 8 years in startups have taught me

A startup with experienced folks and a well defined set of roles and responsibilities >>> one where we're all "a family"

If you're guilty of this, please stop. It helps no one.

Iykyk

Generalist

@Entreprenuers - You could have achieved the goals of freedom, working on a mission, and creating wealth even at an early age start up. Why start your own venture then?

Why start up

1. Novel/new business idea 
2. Degrees/MBAs
3. Experience/reputation
4. Money (hardly 20-30k to register company)
5. CTO
6. Employees/Co-founders
7. External investment
8. Website/app
9. Social media accounts
10. Office location (register home as office)

Far too many people focus on needing xyz before starting up. Most of them are excuses and self-imposed roadblocks from what I've seen in my conversations with people.

I'm currently working on 2 ventures that still have many items missing from this list. Doesn't really stop me from making revenue and profit.

Sure, there may be some things required from this list for specific businesses and at diff stages. But they are mostly an extra, good to have but not required.

What is required in copious amounts is courage and will power, willingness to face rejections and ability to withstand multiple failures only to get back up and try again. Also, a healthy enough risk appetite.

I hope to see more young and talented folks (especially MBA grads) start their own thing some day. Best time is in your twenties and early thirties, when you have little to lose. 

If you have any business ideas you want help with, I'd be happy to discuss and share contacts and resources if required.

Good luck soldiers, see you in the arena 🪖

What you DON'T NEED to run a business/startup/side hustle

Product Owner

(PS - Apologies for sharing a post from LinkedIn) First and last tym

This is really amazing if it's true. To have that kind of motivation alive after all of it!

Product Manager

I am a 6 yrs experienced Software developer and part of a mid-stage startup. This is my third job; I have been working here for 3 years. I was involved here as one of the core engineers at the start in developing the overall platform, After that, my growth as an engineer stagnated for 2 years . 

Constant importance and priority are given to business requirements and hacky work getting pushed to production in the name of fast iterations and business impact every week. 

My engineering manager lacks proper engineering skills and doesn't respect engineers even after their impact on the company and constantly keeps saying the engineering team doesn't contribute to the revenue of the company despite us pushing work that improves business positively. 

Last year around November, around 80% of the engineering team was subtly suggested to start looking out for work (basically a soft layoff) because management was too scared of a social media backlash

Due to all this,2 years' worth of technical debt has accumulated on the overall codebase and apart from giving justification for every code improvement that we try to make there, we still have to work on business/product requirements. 

My growth as an engineer has stopped and I am worried about missing out on the latest developments in the tech industry, especially with AI in the picture, and want to make my skillset somewhat AI-proof. I have come back to hands-on coding this year , so that's a positive start. I am considering taking a 3-4 month break after resigning from my company to study, develop side projects, develop a portfolio etc

Has anyone else been in this boat ? How did you come out strong?

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