Over the last few days, you must have noticed few posts on shutting down of few Indian startups – while it disturbs some of you, the reality is that it’s a representation of market dynamics.
“It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.” – Edward De Bono
We used to call them deadpool of startups, but Sameer corrected us
Perhaps there’s a case for a “triedpool” rather than a “deadpool” to emphasize this thought that I know you believe in yourself.
So here is celebrating failures and instead of calling it deadpool, we will call them TriedPool - after all, you don’t skid in a rut! You skid only when you have tried.
Over the next few days, expect more action from the tried-ers: we will catch up with them and will have them share their nuggets of experience.
Having said that, here is a humble request to startups – fail graciously.
What’er has happened, you are still answerable to your users and other stakeholders – do not let them down.
Once an entrepreneur was too pissed off with us over their triedpool story (decision to move on) and he said ‘I have moved on because I want to be a serial entrepreneur (and not because the startup wasn’t doing well).’ – Now, that’s a shady statement that just affects your credibility in the market.
The current economic downturn will see some failures- but I believe, that’s how an industry evolves. That’s how India 2.0 will evolve.
So, here is to the Tried-ers:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly,
who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that
his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. “- Roosevelt.
We are aware of few very well known names hitting the ‘shutdown’ button, but we do respect the founders (and their investors/customers) and hence, we will share their stories as only when the founders are perfectly fine with that.
wow, you will not talk about failed/shutdown ventures by “very well known names” in your deadpool or triedpool till they are “perfectly fine with that”
But will have no such qualm for hapless startups launched by lesser known ones… interesting, very interesting!
mr. guest:
who said that? just to keep things in perspectives, many of these ventures are trying to sell-off – and we do get a request from them to hold on to the story till ‘something’ happens (deal or no deal)
I am fine with in-your-lingo ‘hapless’ startups telling me to not announce the news, but if they are announcing publicly (to users/others) – be it via their linkedin profile (i can guess who you are!) or other means – we will profile them here.
And let me say that – if a founder leaves the site w/o informing its users, we will talk about them here (and won’t give a damn to their investors).
Period.
I agree.
“The media” is meant to distribute unbiased information and not act as an hoarding agent and be mercy at the will of the (powerful) affected (parties) for distribution of information.
Yes, that’s the way to look at it.
I appreciate your sense of respect for the enterpreneurs who have fought and lost. The only thing that matters is how much do we learn from the failures. And what do we do to avoid such failures.
Good Post Ashish,
There is this common shayari heard in many movies, cliche but powerful
“Girte hain shay-sawar maidane jung main. Woh tifl hi kya gire jo ghutne ke bal chala ho” Wah Wah
By trying you only build up a reputation for your self than destroy one.
Vivek
Ashish,
“Tried Pool” is “Electropositive”!!
Keep it up.
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http://www.venturewoods.org/index.php/2008/03/06/ever-dream-about-managing-failures/
Yes thats true … not every website can be called as Deadpool….
For instance .. My first venture .. http://www.worlditday.com …. can be counted one among such.
It has not failed, but my attempt was very bad and i have realized a lot many faults to make amends in the next venture.
I appreciate the term tried pool, but for venture who have taken outside funding to grow, i think deadpool is ok. As it suggests they were not about to succeed even with available funds.
you didnt cover ordermonger? they shut down too
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