Get Down To Business

Entrepreneur Kanika Tekriwal recounts her own experiences and guides aspiring businesswomen through the tricky terrain of going solo.

- Kanika Tekriwal

We had just about settled for a late-night dinner at a new Korean restaurant when the first phone rang. A knowing look passed among us when my friend walked away to take the call, which would last for over an hour. This was followed by a call about an operations issue on my phone, and then, of course, the third friend got on a call with an angry, dissatisfied customer. Anyone who says an entrepreneur can find work-life balance is most likely wrong. Your business is your husband, wife, baby, mother, father and best friend.

The biggest motivation

To me, CEO is just a fancy designation. In my opinion, it actually stands for Chief Everything Officer. You will never be able to switch off work. It’s your job to make sure the internet in your office works and that every customer is happy, to figure out how to grow your market reach, and to work out how to quadruple your revenue and focus on entering new markets. You are your biggest support system and motivation.

The chase for funding