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September 13, 2020

FOUR YEARS ON – PART 3 : THE IDEA OF NISHE

A reflection on our entrepreneurial journey as we are about to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Nishe.

“Everything Begins With An Idea.” – Earl Nightengale

 

In my later audit days, when my motivation began its downward path and I began looking forward to getting up from my bed to go for work less and less, I have thought quite a lot about what I would do if I were to leave this job. And believe me, accounting was the last thing in the list. Actually, it didn’t even figure in the list. After more than a decade of intense work in audit, I didn’t want to have anything to do with accounting or audit anymore if I were to leave.

And then I happened to visit a bookkeeping firm as part of my work. As I stepped out after having a half hour conversation with the founder of the firm, the idea momentarily flit past me- why should I say I don’t want to do accounting? I mean, I am really good at it. So why not set up a firm of my own?

That’s where it all began. The idea…and with it, of course the doubts…

What if the idea didn’t take off? I will be walking away from a prestigious position in a firm of high repute – a position that I have worked really hard to attain – for nothing.

Will I get bored? I have a habit of getting bored quickly with repetition.

How will I survive financially meanwhile? I was also walking away from a good pay which was a major contributor to the financial stability of my family.

Where will I find the clients from? I didn’t have much confidence in my marketing skills.

Do I have it in me to cope with the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship? Will it work well with my set of principles, my ideas, my thought process?

I have always wanted to do something which has a positive impact on society. But I also need money to survive and sustain my family. How will I combine this financial imperative with doing good? 

I spent weeks and months reading, researching, reflecting.

And eventually the name Nishe (pronounced similar to “niche”) was born. The reason there I assume is obvious.

And the idea of women-focus was born. That gave me the higher purpose to aspire for and I also hoped that it will help offset possible boredom. As a woman who has seen first-hand what conservative societies can do to kill the individuality of women, that choice too was fairly clear.

Still, the question remained throughout – should I do it?

What if?…..a 100 what ifs….

Should I do it?

 

What helped me decide to take the plunge?

The keen awareness that we have only one life to live on this beautiful earth. And I wouldn’t want to spend it whining, worrying.

I eventually decided I would give myself couple of years to experiment. If it works well, well and good. If it doesn’t, I would have surely learned a lot from the experience.

Which means whichever way it goes, it is going to be rewarding.

That thought, for me, was the clincher.

But the doubts remained even after it was done. For a long long time.

-Should I have done it? 

-Did I do the right thing? 

–Am I being stupid? 

 

[For Part 1, please click Four years on – Part 1]

[For Part 2, please click Four years on – Part 2 : Why did I walk away?]

 

 

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