My Entrepreneur Journey: How It All Started
Creating a blog has never been easy for me. There’s always something that gets in the way: procrastination, overthinking, or just plain laziness. But lately, this memory has been on my mind, especially with Tihar just passing by. It felt like the right time to share it.
It takes me back to my school days, during Tihar, the festival of lights. I was just a kid back then, full of curiosity and big dreams, although I didn’t have the words to describe them.
The Spark: The Beginning of My Entrepreneurial Journey
Back in 2005 or 2006, I had no idea what being an entrepreneur or doing business meant. I might have mixed up the terms “entrepreneur” and “businessman” at that age, without fully understanding the nuances of both. But what I did know was that I was fascinated by the vendors I saw during the festivals. They set up little stalls selling everything from candles and decorative diyos (clay lamps) to colorful masks, balloons, and firecrackers. There was something magical about that hustle, setting up a stall, neatly arranging items, and interacting with customers. It caught my attention and sparked a desire in me. I wanted to experience it. I wanted to be one of them.
But my parents weren’t too excited about the idea. Maybe they were worried about what the neighbors would think, or perhaps they didn’t want me dealing with money and goods. Whatever the reason, they told me no.
But the urge didn’t disappear.
The First Attempt: A Step Toward My Entrepreneurial Journey
Every Tihar, one of my neighbors, who ran a small shop, sold festival items like masks, candles, flower garlands, and those tiny electric lights that blinked in patterns. I would sit with him for hours, quietly observing, learning how he greeted customers, handled money, and restocked when items ran out.
One year, I decided, “I’m going to do this.”
I borrowed 100 or 200 rupees from my parents, just enough to buy a small stock from the wholesale market. I picked up candles, incense sticks, diyos, and a few firecrackers (which, to be honest, weren’t entirely legal to sell).
Not daring to set up close to home, I found a quiet corner a little farther away, a spot where my parents wouldn’t find out. My stall wasn’t anything fancy, just a cardboard box acting as a makeshift table. But to me, it was a shop. It was my first business. And in that spot, there wasn’t much competition, so people who lived around there definitely benefited.
The First Sale: A Defining Moment in My Entrepreneurial Journey
The first day was slow. Nothing sold. Not a single item. I remember sitting there, watching people pass by, feeling both hopeful and disappointed.
Then came Day 2. People started stopping by, curious, asking about prices, smiling as they picked up items. Slowly, sales began to happen. That first sale, I’ll never forget the feeling. It was pure joy.
I’d set up around 8 in the morning and stay until 7 or 8 in the evening since school was out for the holidays. Whenever I ran out of stock, I’d rush to the wholesale market to restock. The margins were small, except for the firecrackers. I sold them at a 200-300% profit, thanks to high demand and limited supply. It felt like I had cracked the code.
I felt like a real businessman.
More Than Just Money: The Growth of My Entrepreneurial Journey
By the end of the festival, I had made a decent amount of money. It wasn’t much by adult standards, but for a school kid, it was everything. I proudly gave the money back to my parents.
That moment, standing there with a small handful of cash that I had earned myself, was priceless.
Looking back, I realize that was probably the moment the entrepreneurial spark was born in me. I didn’t even know the word entrepreneur back then, but I felt it.
I did it just that one time. I’m not sure why I didn’t continue it in later years. Maybe I just wanted to taste what it was like, or maybe I got distracted by other things. But that first experience stayed with me, and in some ways, it’s shaped how I see business today.
Where I Am Now: The Ongoing Entrepreneurial Journey
I haven’t started my own venture yet. In fact, I did have a business in the past, but life had other plans, and I had to shut it down. Life has its way of throwing challenges, and for me, those challenges often revolve around family matters and responsibilities. The entrepreneurial spirit can’t always take the front seat when there are immediate needs to address, like putting food on the table. Sometimes, entrepreneurship doesn’t offer that instant reward. It requires patience and resilience, and that’s something I’m still learning.
Though I haven’t jumped into my own business yet, I’m still growing. I’m still learning, not through my own venture but through working for someone else. There’s still value in that. The journey isn’t over, and I’m hopeful that one day, I’ll pick it up again, putting the lessons I’ve learned into action.
For now, I continue to learn and grow, wherever I am on the path.
Thanks for reading about my journey. If you enjoyed this, check out my last blog for more insights. Stay tuned for more stories and lessons ahead!
