2019 has been a very interesting year for me.
Both my companies, Analyzen and Go Zayaan, faced turbulence but we came back strong on both occasions. I started believing in love again (as you see in SRK movies).
The year was very challenging and yet full of new learnings.
I don’t have regrets but there are certain things I would have done differently and would do differently in the coming years.
You are probably wondering why I am bringing my personal relationship in this article. Because unlike most others, I believe there are so many common points between them. Here 05 such resemblances, that I have come to observe, to reflect upon for 2020.
You don’t want to mess up your first date. You plan it thoroughly; you dress up nicely and you go for that extra mile to ensure that you create a good first impression.
Similarly, when you launch your first product; you have to be very careful. You need to plan vigorously, and you need to make sure that you create a solid first impression to your customers.
In a relationship, your primary goal is to become the comfort-zone, the reliable partner. You need to listen to her, care about her. You should be able to share everything without any filter and vice versa.
The same thing applies to your business. Your customer won’t care how good your platform is or how big a discount you are offering; rather how comfortable they are with your brand. You have to study them, listen to them, allow them to vent and adapt accordingly. You need to patient and persistent in business as well as in your relationship.
Do you want to break-up every time you had a fight? No, then why do you want to quit entrepreneurship when you have a setback.
Let me share a true story; Earlier this year, I had the worst possible setback in my 12 years entrepreneurial journey. I was in massive debt, didn’t have any good tech, most of the people left; everyone thought we should just quit. Guess what? We didn’t and now we are better than ever. Never lose faith in yourself. Never doubt in your partner or in your business even when the time is tough. As they say, when life gives you lemon; make lemonade.
Do you marry someone after like the 7th date? Only a fool would do that. Here, I am the fool in the story. But my partner taught me not to rush. Do trial & error, see how we deal with each other through thick and thin; manage your expectations, adapt your lifestyle – that’s what she said.
Ironically, business is just like that. You launch a product, you test the market, take your consumers’ feedback. If it works out, then expand your horizon; otherwise, just pivot. Don’t be adamant about anything. It’s ok to be wrong. You are not always ‘Best in the World’, but you can always be better.
Do you know when relationships start going south? When people start taking each other for granted. Very wrong move.
Make the 2,000th date as special your first one. Don’t just do one big thing once a year, but rather put your effort to do 100 small things every month. Make her feel special all throughout life.
Believe it or not, it also applies to business. Today you are doing good, generating a lot of revenues. But think about what’s next? How can you make the experience better? How can you do 100 small things that your customers feel special about your brand?
Constant effort & relentless innovation is the key to any healthy relationship as well as business.
These are some of the major lessons I have learned in 2019. If you love it, send your love to me. If you hate it, blame Ruhul from Future Startup. It’s his idea to give me the creative freedom to write whatever I want. ?
