Please Do Not Startup, Please.

I have been investing now for 10 years+ at a $100mn Fund. If you have ever thought of starting up, do spend 5 mins reading this.

My younger brother who has been seeing me do investing has always been very excited about starting up. The idea is as good or better than 99% of the founders. And I still recommend otherwise. It’s not for everyone.

Not everyone should start a company. Startups are often romanticized, but the reality is that the journey is only suited for a small percentage of people. Truthfully, very few ideas have the potential to grow large enough to be VC-backable, and those ideas are rare. The rest—no matter how meaningful or well-executed—often fall into a challenging space where founders can feel trapped, especially after taking on venture capital.

There’s no glory in grinding 12 x 7 for 5-7 prime years of your life if chances of making it is 0.1%. VC funding means nothing more than you being invited for drinks and dinner 6x a year.

In India, the lack of breakthrough innovation in many startups makes this struggle even more real. It’s disappointing to see so many talented people starting companies, not because they’ve found a burning problem to solve, but because they’re drawn to the allure of the “startup life.” They end up pouring time, energy, and passion into ventures that may not align with their true potential or with what the market genuinely needs.

If you’re considering a startup, let this be a gentle reminder: don’t jump in just for the glory.

Unless you’re genuinely driven by a unique, compelling idea, one that fills a real need, think twice. Your work—done with focus, dedication, and care—can be just as meaningful and fulfilling. The value in doing your job well, in growing in your role, or even in leading from within an established organization is not less important. You don’t need a company to change the world; you need purpose, and that can be found in countless places beyond the startup path.