Today we interview Forbes Under 30 Nominee, Author, Speaker and Entrepreneur Bittu Kumar about why he chose not to go the traditional route of being an employee and how he defines success.
Hi Bittu! Thank you for taking the time to share your story with our readers today. What made you try your hand at entrepreneurship rather than a traditional job?
Honestly, I like challenges. I was always afraid of being another average employee. I didn’t want to slave away from paycheck to paycheck.
Additionally, I was genuinely interested in solving real problems. That’s why I decided to take a leap of faith and try my hands at entrepreneurship. And I am enjoying it. Now after almost three years of struggle, results are showing, and I love how much progress I have made each day.
That’s great that you decided to go all in and become a business owner. It has its ups and downs, but the rewards are worth it. How do you personally define success? What does it mean to you?
Success is an ongoing phenomenon. It’s not about achieving a few milestones. Instead the meaning of success changes at every stage of your life. But if you talk about it in a broader sense, then if I have done a better job today as compared to yesterday, that’s success to me. Monetary aspects are secondary. They don’t define success.
Very true Bittu. As one of my former mentors would say, “Progress is success”. What wisdom would you give to someone asking for advice about becoming an entrepreneur?
Don’t become an entrepreneur because it sounds cool. Learn all the essential tools of the trade of your industry before you set up your own business.
There are a few rules I have always followed:
- Ideas Never get funded. People do. Honestly, no one will give you funds unless you have traction, so try generating some real revenue first before wasting time with venture capitalists. People want to invest in companies which already have a robust business model and only need funds for scaling. So, approach them only when you have achieved that stage.
- The journey will be challenging. Overnight success is just a myth. It doesn’t happen in real life. So, don’t lose hope if things are taking time. Patience is important. The man sitting at the top didn’t just fall there!
- And most importantly be wise, don’t’ burn yourself out doing tasks that others can do for you.
What was the biggest business mistake you made and what did you do to learn from it?
Like I mentioned before, research everything before you dedicate your precious time to it. I have made few mistakes in past by taking decisions without budgeting in mind. Make sure your decisions are data-driven.
Now I make all decisions based on facts and figures. Not solely on assumptions.
What 3 books would you recommend every entrepreneur read?
My favorite three have to be:
-
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries for Modern Entrepreneurs. This book tells you how to build an MVP fast and test the market before devoting full time to it. Vital for you when you are just starting out.
-
Think and Grow Rich: This one is the most recommended book on the internet. Napoleon Hill has put together great insights on the power of positive thinking.
-
Choose Yourself: A very recent read. The author James Altucher has given a great perspective on his life and why we need to live in “Choose yourself “ era. This book will give you strength when going through adverse situations.
Thank you for taking the time to interview and share your powerful story and wisdom with our readers Bittu. Best wishes to you on your Forbes Under 30 Nomination and all future endeavors.
If you’d like to learn more about Bittu Kumar’s products and services, please visit his website at https://bittukr.com.
