Tag: loyalty

Living Among Traitors


Life has a way of introducing us to people we never thought we’d meet — and sometimes, the hardest lessons come wrapped in familiar faces.

Over the years, I’ve crossed paths with many I once called friend, partner, confidant. They didn’t just disappoint me — they betrayed me. And the deeper the trust, the sharper the cut.

  • I’ve been cheated by a business partner I built dreams with.
  • I’ve been betrayed by someone I loved and trusted with my heart.
  • I’ve been exploited by an advocate friend, who saw my crisis not as a moment to help, but as an opportunity to take.
  • I’ve been let down by a close friend and core team member — someone I trusted blindly, only to find my trust was the rope they used to walk away.
  • I’ve watched an ex-employee, who was once a friend, vanish when we hit the toughest stretch — a stretch they had a hand in creating.
  • I’ve seen friends wear the mask of loyalty, only to disappear when I needed them most.
  • And I’ve known those who stayed only while the money flowed — vanishing the moment it stopped.


The cruel truth is this: traitors don’t announce themselves. They don’t come with warning signs or red flags. They blend in, laugh with you, celebrate with you, and then… when you’re least prepared, they reveal who they truly are.

It took me years to accept that filtering them out completely is almost impossible. Some will only show their colours when the stakes are high, when your back is against the wall, when you have no energy left to defend yourself.

So, here’s what I’ve learned — not from books or quotes, but from life cutting me open and teaching me to heal:

You can’t stop traitors from existing, but you can stop them from destroying you.


Don’t waste your days wishing they hadn’t done what they did. Don’t burn your life trying to expose them all. Instead, learn to walk among them — eyes open, heart guarded, spirit unbroken.

Because in a world full of masks, survival isn’t about finding only the good. It’s about knowing the bad, and still moving forward with strength, wisdom, and the quiet power of someone who cannot be broken twice the same way.

Startups Then & Now: From Empty Streets to Crowded Highways


Two eras, one spirit: the unstoppable heart of an entrepreneur.

I started my entrepreneurial ride back in 2000.

Those days, we didn’t even call it a “startup.” We called it “business,” “consultancy,” or just “trying something on my own.”

There was no Shark Tank. No glossy LinkedIn posts with #hustle. No college workshops on “How to pitch to VCs.”

In 2000, entrepreneurship wasn’t a cool badge. It was something you did if you couldn’t find a job or if you were just stubborn enough to believe you could create something from nothing.

2000: Wild, open roads

  • No references for success. The word “startup” was so rare, only one in a lakh even dared to dream it.
  • Loyalty was real. Your first hire stayed not just for salary but for the dream, even if the office was a one-room setup with plastic chairs and Maaza bottles in the fridge.
  • Markets were raw. Everything was new and waiting. A simple website could make you look like a global player.
  • Corporates & tech were immature. Big companies were still figuring out email, and many had no clue how to use the internet beyond sending scanned copies of invoices.
  • Open source was magic. You could build a product for the price of a few nights of filter coffee.
  • Ecosystem? Nil. No accelerators, no pitch fests, no “startup India” subsidies. Just you, your idea, and sheer guts.
  • Limited resources, big possibilities. Everything felt like a blank canvas.

2025: Crowded highways

  • Startup became a fashion statement. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to “launch something” — sometimes just to add “Founder” to their Instagram bio.
  • Expensive game. Startups today mean burn rates, seed funding rounds, CAC vs LTV debates — even before you have your first paying customer.
  • No loyalty. Employees switch for a ₹2,000 raise or a fancier “Head of Vibe” title.
  • Tech consolidation. The top 5 tech giants dictate tools, languages, and frameworks. Your “freedom to build” has a Terms & Conditions page.
  • Market consolidation. Big sharks have gobbled up fragmented small players. Niches get crushed before you even announce your beta.
  • Ecosystem overload. Events, podcasts, awards, startup conferences. Everyone is “networking,” but very few are really building.
  • Too many eyes, less patience. Today, if your product doesn’t go viral in 2 weeks, you’re labeled a flop.

Then vs Now: What’s the real deal?

In 2000, the road was empty and scary.
In 2025, the road is crowded and noisy.

Then, the challenge was survival in the unknown.
Now, the challenge is standing out in the overcrowded known.

Then, it was about creating a market.
Now, it’s about finding your slot in a saturated market.

Then, you worried about paying your first employee on time.
Now, you worry if your pitch deck slides have enough “impact words.”

But here’s the one thing that hasn’t changed:

The thrill of chasing a vision that only you can see.

Whether you’re hustling on a dusty internet café PC in 2000 or pitching on a Zoom call in 2025 — the soul of entrepreneurship remains the same:
A quiet voice inside that whispers, “Let’s try anyway.“

“Markets change. Tech evolves. But courage? That stays timeless.”