Most companies start by accident. Mine did.
The story of Indus Net Technologies, told in order, from a single desk in Kolkata in 1997 to a global company of 1,100+ people.
My first business failed even before booking a single penny in revenue.
I entered college in 1996, and someone told me that it is cheaper to use email over ISD (international calling) to stay in touch with friends who went to the USA.
How I got my angel/seed capital without pitching to any angel investor?
After my first business attempt failed, even before taking off, in the first year of my college (~1996), I was left with nothing but a modem.
The “Accidental” Company – How INT. Started (Part 1)
Most companies start in very unexpected ways and trust me it is not “inspiration”. It is generally a series of events that play out, and starting the company seems to be the most logical step at that point in time. And hence, many companies are born “accidentally”. Here is the story of Indus Net.
The gatekeeper at the expo
I walked in and told the gatekeeper I wanted to exhibit. He was confused, thought I had gone mad, and asked me to leave. I asked whether I could at least look around.
Discovering My First Product-Market Fit: A Journey of Serendipity
It was an accident, a lucky break, or maybe just being in the right place at the right time. And when I spoke to many successful businesses, the journey was very similar.
The Mirage of Market Size: Lessons from 1997 to Today
In 1997, when I started INT., I was a wide-eyed entrepreneur trying to figure out how big my web design business could grow in a city like Kolkata. To be honest, it wasn’t for some grand business plan—I just wanted to know where I stood and, maybe, indulge in some daydreaming.
Simple is difficult
Abbreviating Indus Net Technologies to INT. was straightforward. After reviewing hundreds of logo styles we chose a very plain one, because it summed up what INT. stands for — trust, commitment, and doing the unglamorous thing well.