Once only for the bold, entrepreneurship is now becoming mainstream. More and more millennials are choosing to build a company instead of taking that first job. We’ve moved into an era of massive investments—with more funds available than ever before—and increasingly higher valuations. The speed at which companies can scale has never been faster. And we’re seeing new businesses every day that solve problems we never could imagine.
So, what is the future of entrepreneurship? From my personal experience, both in growing Freshworks and being part of independent angel investments, I see several trends pointing towards a bright future.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A CAREER
Entrepreneurship used to be taboo—it was only for the bravest among us; those willing to take the risk. We were encouraged to get an education, find a job, build a family, and lead a safe and assured life. When balancing the risk of failure with the relative ease and safety of the traditional path, what would you choose?
When I started Freshworks over 10 years ago, being an entrepreneur was definitely not considered the safe path. But I looked at my decision as a no-loss scenario. I could try out my idea and if it worked... win. If I failed, I knew I would learn a lot along the way— training that would be invaluable for my next ‘real’ job... also a win.
Now perceptions have changed. Over the last decade, we’ve seen entrepreneurship become a viable career path. There are university programmes—business schools, engineering schools, master’s programmes and more—focussed entirely on entrepreneurship education. In the future, I expect it to be completely ‘normal’ for a fresher (new college graduate) to eschew the comfortable job and embark on a path of entrepreneurship.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
