An entrepreneur came to India. Tried to set up a business. Failed to even register it after a lot of effort. He put it out on twitter and left. And, that has divided the nation. I didn’t really wake up to the news until I saw a few successful entrepreneurs blame him for not having what it takes.
That felt personal.
Because not so long ago, I had joined a large and powerful organization. I did fairly well, set up a new initiative, got recognised by the leadership team and it was all good. Until my reporting changed and the new person in the very first meeting told me ‘I was in the right place at the right time’ and I was basically a ‘loser’. I was called to meetings where he won’t show up; being called names was a daily affair.
I was depressed. I was broken. I stopped showing up at work. I sought therapy and found it in friends who were professionals. Eventually, I filed a harassment complaint at work. Because I had made a decision. A very bold one for me. To take on my abuser. In the hearing, the group president and the HR basically laughed at me. I was being a child. Some abuse is to be expected in the corporate sector. Etc etc. I quit and walked out within 2 hours. A career on the rise shot in the head.
I know just like that entrepreneur; many will tell me I didn’t have it in me. I didn’t deserve to succeed. But does that make sense, at all? Here are a few thoughts:
1. If harassment is to be expected, why bother with Ease of doing business? Toss it to the bin and tell entrepreneurs to slog it out.
2. If as a successful entrepreneur, you have not contributed to making the ecosystem better for others, what is the extent of your success?
3. We love victim shaming. Women face that every day, don’t they? Go out late and be molested. Isn’t that what we are doing with the poor entrepreneur?
4. Mental health, guys? We are not cave people. It is not war all the time. Till date, I had not gathered the guts to talk about my harassment and failure. Do I have to bear the shame of being weak?
5. Let’s be less toxic. Be it entrepreneurship or job, if empathy doesn’t even enter your thoughts, what are you? A pirate?
My thoughts go out to the entrepreneur. May the ecosystem rise and not drag the entrepreneurs down.
