FOUNDER who failed,
learned, and got back up on feet
7. VINOD
SHANKAR
'I didn't want to drag a dying company'
Former software engineer at Aricent, Vinod Shankar started Simply Cook in October 2015 as a meal-kit platform that provided traditional food recipes with authentic ingredients. It sold around 50 meal kits but was unable to increase customer numbers as people did not see the kits as a daily cooking option. Shankar is currently working with Bhive workspace as a consultant and looking for other opportunities.
"A lot of people saw the product as a one-time experience. By April-May 2016, we knew the market was not ready for it. I didn't want to drag a dying company, although we could have waited another six months. You are extremely focussed during your time at the startup but it is completely different at the time of shutting down. I travelled to Kashmir, trekked, visited places, and recovered. It doesn't matter if you have had multiple startups before, you can still fail. It is about how you execute your current idea. Entrepreneurs shouldn't get swayed by the glamour. What goes on in between doesn't get captured in the media. You have to get into it full time."
Former software engineer at Aricent, Vinod Shankar started Simply Cook in October 2015 as a meal-kit platform that provided traditional food recipes with authentic ingredients. It sold around 50 meal kits but was unable to increase customer numbers as people did not see the kits as a daily cooking option. Shankar is currently working with Bhive workspace as a consultant and looking for other opportunities.
"A lot of people saw the product as a one-time experience. By April-May 2016, we knew the market was not ready for it. I didn't want to drag a dying company, although we could have waited another six months. You are extremely focussed during your time at the startup but it is completely different at the time of shutting down. I travelled to Kashmir, trekked, visited places, and recovered. It doesn't matter if you have had multiple startups before, you can still fail. It is about how you execute your current idea. Entrepreneurs shouldn't get swayed by the glamour. What goes on in between doesn't get captured in the media. You have to get into it full time."
Shalina Pillai, Anand J & Ranjani Ayyar | TNN |
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