Deep Thoughts On Uber Travis

Travis aged 40, is outspoken, notorious for being politically incorrect but above all, a master entrepreneur.

Kalra, who himself is an angel investor in other mobility startups said of Kalanick, “This was the second time that I was in a discussion with Travis Kalanick. The first time was the Startup India Action Plan launch event. In my opinion, there are a couple of key takeaways from the discussion that I had with him this time around.

Be pragmatic rather than emotional when it comes to taking important business decisions

For every entrepreneur, the company is akin to your own child and thus sometimes and understandably so, it becomes quite difficult to take decisions pragmatically and not emotionally. As Travis mentioned, deciding to merge Uber’s China business with Didi Chuxing was an emotionally tough decision for him but the right one for the company. As an entrepreneur, we must always remember to take decisions objectively, with only one consideration in mind – the wellbeing of the company and your team members.

Don’t give up too soon

Before taking the decision to start out on your own and turning an entrepreneur, remember that you are in it for the long haul. Often times, people turn to entrepreneurship with great zeal but decide to give it up once they meet with a few failures. When Travis was working on his second venture, during a period of severe cash crunch, he decided to move back to his parents’ house. It was perhaps a difficult decision. He did have the option to shut it all down and take up a regular job but he decided to stick it out! Entrepreneurs must remember that more than anything else, it is the conviction and belief in one self that matters! You have to have faith in your idea and yourself.”

MakeMyTrip is an undisputed leader and innovator in the online travel industry. “Entrepreneurship has truly taken off in India. TiE through its efforts is helping build a wide network comprising of entrepreneurs, future entrepreneurs, investors and relevant leaders from the industry and government at large. The energy and atmosphere during the course of TiE Global Summit saw a record attendance of 3000 delegates, was electric and infectious. Mentoring and getting the right advice is as crucial as raising funds for a startup and TiE is doing a great job on this front,” said Deep on the importance of mentoring to fostering innovation.

And the NASDAQ-listed group CEO’s one big piece of advice to entrepreneurs? “Be perseverant. Be Agile. Cultivate resilience and don’t give up!”