‘Failure is a friend, philosopher and guide’ – 40 quotes from Indian startup journeys

Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our articles of this past week (see the previous post here). Share these 40 gems and insights from the week of September 14-20 with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights. See also our special compilation of quotes related to India’s coronavirus responses here.

As long as we are learning we are living. - Nitin Arora, ‘Dangerous’

If you do not dream big, you are not going to get there. - Shruti Gandhi, Array Ventures

Focus on the process and results will follow. It is the journey that gives us the joy. - Inderveer Singh, EVage

Embrace the fear and explore the future – you will be amazed by what it holds. - Andrew Vorster, 'The Art of Inspiring Innovation and Transformation'

Upskilling is all about one's aspiration to get better every day and willingness to work really hard for it. - Virat Kohli

Put your blinders on and go after your passion. - Raveena Mehta, ‘Jab Tu Hai Wahi’

Some people teach you what to do and others - what not to do. Both are heroes in their own place. - Abhijit Sonagara, Adosphere

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Spot changes in consumer consumption early and put your money behind it. - Sumit Keshan, Wipro Consumer Care Ventures

If you are really designing for people, design inside the box because that is where they are. Outside the box is not accessible to them. - Prachi Bhatia, Chokhatd

When every member is excellent, performance spirals upward as employees learn from and motivate one another. - Reed Hastings and Erin Meyers, ‘No Rules Rule’

It’s very easy for us to sit and say ‘hey this person fits the culture.’ It's also important to objectively measure performance. - Rajinder Balaraman, Matrix Partners India

Two factors determine the quality of the product — using appropriate raw materials and quality checks at each level. - Atul Garg, Oddy

Products are made in a company, but brands are made in mind. - Shaily Grover, Paramount Surgimed

Concentrate on your product, concentrate on your experience with your customers right now and everything else will follow. - Manish Chowdhary, WOW Skin Science

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In India, less than four percent individuals file their tax returns. - Saakar Yadav, myITreturn

The first electric vehicles entered in India back in 2009, and since then, every company entering the space has imported and rebranded the vehicles. - Rahul Gonsalves, Darwyn Motors IP

According to a study done by the Government of India, the rural population spends 50 percent of their income on FMCG products. - Amit Tyagi, Neuherbs India

Kerala’s startup ecosystem is truly thriving, thanks to the efforts of Kerala Startup Mission in the state. - Padmaja Ruparel, IAN Fund

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and startup ecosystems, and this is due in no small part to the region’s extraordinary entrepreneurial talent. - Akshay Bhushan, Lightspeed Venture Partners

The time has come for us in India to make a huge leap in investing in startups, using globally successful models that will lend depth and scale to the VC industry. - Sanjay Mehta, 100X.VC

Practical corporate knowledge is the missing flavour in our educational system. - Sonya Hooja, Imarticus Learning

Education cannot be moulded on the concept of one-size-fits-all; it needs to be personalised. - Vamsi Krishna, Vedantu

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Women need to believe in their ability as creators and not let anything or anyone deter them from their paths. - Anamika Sengupta, Almitra Sustainables

Pursue your dreams, don’t let daily life detract you from living life. Believe in yourself and the power inside you to change the world. - Madhurima Agarwal, NetApp

If you are a woman and individually handling things, sometimes people don’t take you seriously. - Geeta Singh, TYC Communication

Workplace should not only recognise but celebrate differences. - Anjali Bansal, Avaani Capital

Why does women’s cricket have to be compared to men’s cricket? Let’s compare it to the growth of other women’s sports like tennis. - Smriti Mandhana

The more important mission is to bring a positive change around us. - Oshank Soni, Trekmunk

Art is a reflection of your inner universe. - Sonia Sareen

Art can help bring peace of mind during this stressful time, for both makers and admirers. - Viva Motwani, 'Unbound'

Fermented foods are one of the best ways to include more diversity in gut health. - Salonii Hamirwasia, Zoh

Indigenous produce that is unique, healthy, delicious, and naturally grown is undervalued and underutilised. - Elizabeth Yambem, Dweller Teas

Modern agriculture and a rapidly growing food market, especially to support the processed food industry, have resulted in a rather large reduction in the nutrient quality of the soil. - Deepa Kannan, PFNR

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Stories about failures are kept under the wraps. Startup founders do not talk about it except to their close friends. - Dhruv Nath, ‘Funding Your Start-Up’

Success is a lousy teacher, but failure is a friend, philosopher and guide. - Ayushmann Khurrana

Not all mistakes will take all your time. Learn to prioritise which ones are severe and communicate to your early adopters. - Sathya Nellore Sampat, WeKan

The journeys of SMBs and startups fall into five key areas - banking, lending, compliance, networking, and cross-border business. - Pankaj Gadgil, ICICI Bank

A majority of startups require a 'second act' during their growth stage. - Dayakar Puskoor, DVP

If you enter into something with an exit in mind, then it is not a good business strategy. - Jay Vijayan, Tekion

ESOPs are a great retention tool once both the employee and the firm have realised that they are a good fit. - Subramanya S V, Fisdom

In a crisis-hit world, effectively managing working capital needs is not just challenging but also a dire necessity as the very survival of a business could rest on it. - Sandeep Arinaya Sandeep, Merican Consultants

YourStory has also published the pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups’ as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).