“Don’t let others convince you that the idea is bad when your gut tells you that it will work.”
Years ago when the thought of establishing my start-up, today, known as Ergode, came into my mind, it could have passed like the numerous other thoughts that go ignored in the human brain. However, it stood back in my mind till the time that I thought of taking action upon it. Maybe, the law of attraction worked for me. But yes, the entrepreneurial journey was not a smooth sail at all and it was neither supposed to be an easy one, right? I was warned by many about this big decision that I was taking for myself, was selflessly given the benefit of their experience and wisdom, and respecting it all, I silently followed what my gut feeling told.
“Only the paranoid survive.”
Yes, entrepreneurship is all about confronting the brutal realities of life where you have to take the risk on a daily basis and I was preparing myself for it every single day. If you were to glance at my Facebook account today, you’d see a successful entrepreneur with multiple exits, a father of three amazing children, a man with a close circle of friends, and a nature lover who loves to go on an outing once in few weeks. However, what many fail to see is the series of challenges and failures that pushed me to self-doubt most of the times but the strong wave of passion kept me going through the darkest times. The series of years where I struggled balancing time with my family, friends, and my springing Ergode family went unnoticed in the light of growing success.
“As a founder, lay all the possible scenarios — from best to worst — in front of you, so you don’t get surprised when something happens.”
In my case, I thrived on startup chaos — the ups and the downs made me feel complete as my wife, Ami and I, discussed all the possibilities coming out on our way. With so much uncertainty and so much risk around practically everything that I was doing to bring Ergode into a reality, I kept a sure shot hundred percent determination and consistent focus. Though the idea of giving shape to Ergode came in just a flash of a moment, it wasn’t like any other dream that I could compromise on so easily coz I had already begun visualizing my full-fledged Ergode. Ergode didn’t just become a project to try my hands on but rather it became a way of life for me. Step by step, we started expanding it into different roots and verticals and Ergode turned into a grown-up child which needed nurturing on an everyday basis.
“Remember, with every failure you are adding layers to your mental strength.”
The only way I survive the dark periods is by the constant support of my wife, Ami, the innocent smiles of my kids and of course, the unwavering support pillars that I got in the form of my Apex Team and beautiful Ergode family. Through all the struggles, Ergode came up in flying colors and became a way of life for all those who became a part of it.
Cloverbites By Rupesh Sanghavi 
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