I have a lot of respect for young people who are enterprising. Who go out into the world and create opportunities for themselves and others. Who are quick to spot emerging trends, and smart enough to turn them into money-making ventures. In a country where a majority of youngsters are wasting away their best years preparing for over-hyped government jobs, these individuals are a breath of fresh air.
But if you work for one, please tread with caution. You need a certain kind of mental fortitude to survive in the world they create. You may feel working for a start-up would be more exciting than working for a large corporate entity. Having worked in both settings in my decade-long career in the media and communications space, I can tell you, an established entity is far better in honouring your rights as an employee than a start-up. But you can feel incredibly lost in the former. Both have their pros and cons.
The first and foremost thing to watch out for is the story your employer is telling you. Entrepreneurs are good storytellers. They will like you to believe that there is real value in the idea they have and that it serves a larger purpose . Just like religious evangelists and colonialists needed a moral framework to expand their empire, the new-age entrepreneurs would like to convince you that you have a moral obligation to honour their idea, for it makes the world better. Beware of the moral strand of the bargain.
You have no moral obligation to buy into their story, or make their vision your life's mission. Make it clear from the beginning that what you are exchanging are your skills and not your ability to think as an individual. And if there are moral clashes with the world-view of the organisation and your own personal philosophy, try and create a wider range of opportunities for yourself over a period of time, so that you can move on to a place that is a better moral/values-based fit for you.
Entrepreneurs like to project that they are democratic in their decision-making process. Having worked with a few, I can tell you for certain, most of them harbour dictatorial tendencies and are adept at couching it in language of care and opportunity. They pretend to have a collaborative spirit. But collaboration is the last thing on their mind. Do not dream about ideas-jam. Be prepared to make loads of productivity charts. When it comes to responsibility, you will be given an illusion of power, but when it comes to real executive powers you will always find your hands tied.
Most entrepreneurs are not looking for amazing ideas. They already are in love with the one they have built their enterprise on. Keep your ideas and feedback to yourself. They are looking for good managers. Up your management skills to survive in these places. These places are good training grounds for you to handle multiple verticals. I did it when I was 25 and that training helps me even today.
It keeps you relevant in the job market and expands your ability to do more in less time. If you can write a project report, cold call people, have excellent excel skills and at the same time can handle deadlines and train newcomers, you will survive any slump. But in the process, don't lose sight of who you are and where you really want your career to head. These ventures can exhaust you and make you lose sight of your goals in life. Keep coming back to who you are by signing up for relevant workshops, networking with the right people, meditating, and putting at least a few hours into things that fulfill you.
Since most of these entrepreneurs are pretty young themselves, it is unlikely that they have had exposure to working as an employee in big organisations for long periods of time. They are usually loath to the idea of building strong working relationships with their employees. Their main concern is productivity. So, be prepared to be fiercely judged for your competence. Don't expect handholding or mentoring. You are pretty much on your own. Again, it provides fertile ground to pick up new skills and learn to solve problems all by yourself. Also, you will be missing a coherent work-culture and an organisational value-system. If you are a team leader, try and craft one for your juniors. Protect them against the chaos of a structure-less place.
Initially, I had thought I would frame the column as an open letter to young entrepreneurs who are running their small ventures with a ragtag team. But that you see wouldn't be fruitful. Young smart people with the right connections will always create opportunities for themselves. They probably know what they are doing. They are quick at spotting trends and moving on to the next big thing. They are highly driven, and extremely hardworking. So, there is no beating them in their game. They wrap things up with the same enthusiasm of starting one. If today it is a fitness app they are interested in or an ed-tech company they want to invest in, next they would be doing something around cryptocurrency. We, the employees, in the meantime need to be correctly oriented to work with them and protect ourselves from feeling cheated or burnt out. Bargain hard, hold your own without hostility. Know they need you as much as you need them. Your professional experience and skills are invaluable for them.
