Part 2 – A Decade in Indian Startups: What Hustle Culture Took from Me
Hey folks,
As promised, I'm back with Part 2.
In Part 1, I shared everything that worked — the lessons from building products, leading teams, joining early, getting fired, building again, and finally co-founding a startup.
But this post is different.
This is about what I lost along the way. It’s a cautionary tale — especially for those glamorizing the grind, or just starting their journey in Indian startups.
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My Backstory (2015–2025)
- 2015 – Fresh out of college, joined a healthcare startup as a fresher.
- 2015–2019 – Learned everything from product engineering to business. Leaders noticed I was giving my 100% for nothing but learning.
- 2019–2020 – Moved to a fintech startup, built an SME product from scratch. The product didn’t click. Got let go. I blamed myself, but it became a moment of deep introspection.
- 2020–2022 – Joined ex-leaders from Org 1 as the 1st employee in their new healthcare startup. Wore every hat — Infra, DevSecOps, Sales, Design. We reached Series B, but a personal tragedy forced me to leave, letting go of significant ESOPs.
- 2022–2023 – Joined a Q-commerce startup to build the SRE team. Org collapsed. They still owe me ₹20 lakhs.
- 2023–Present – Co-founded a fintech startup in passive investing with a close friend. Learning everything from fundraising to GTM and hiring.
The story sounds like a typical startup journey on paper. But behind the titles, growth, and LinkedIn highlights — here’s what got lost...
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What Hustle Culture Took From Me
- My Health – Gone by 34
You can work 14-hour days in your 20s, living on Maggi and midnight Chai. But your body will present the bill in your 30s.
- Chronic back pain from sitting for 16 hours/day.
- Slip disc. Daily pain since 7 years.
- Spondylitis – physio didn't help.
- Heart palpitations, anxiety attacks.
- Insomnia and sleep cycles destroyed.
- 20 kg weight gain, acid reflux, caffeine dependency.
- Developed allergies and greyed before 30.
None of it was “life-threatening,” but it aged me inside out. I look in the mirror today, and it feels like I fast-forwarded 10 years — for what? I started looking 45.
- My Sleep – Broken Beyond Repair
I used to sleep at 4 AM, wake by 10:30 AM — every day for 6 years.
In 2024, I developed chronic insomnia. One night, I couldn’t sleep at all — anxiety spiraled, and I ended up in the ER with tachycardia.
Sleep is not optional.
You think you’re being productive at night — you’re not.
You’re just burning your own fuse.
3. My Brain – It Gave Up Too
One night, working late, I stood up to grab water — and blanked out.
My body froze. Eyes went dark.
I regained consciousness 10–15 seconds later — alone at 2 AM, in a silent apartment.
That was my brain begging for rest.
Still, I brushed it off and kept going.
Looking back, it was a warning — one I wish I had listened to.
4. My Father – Time I’ll Never Get Back
In 2022, I lost my father.
We were extremely close. He made me who I am.
I lived in Bangalore. My parents were in Delhi.
COVID in 2021 scared me — I promised myself I’d spend more time with them.
But... startup. Deadlines. Team. Fundraising.
So I postponed, thinking, "I'll go next month."
4th July 2022, 7:10 PM – He called. Told me he was getting a stent procedure done. Asked me to come take care of Mom.
When I reached home, it was for his funeral.
I would trade every rupee I’ve earned to hear his voice one more time.
Don’t delay moments with your loved ones. There are no replays in life.
- Relationships – The Ones I Let Slip Away
I had relationships.
But weekends? Those were for catching up on work.
Dinners? Meetings ran late.
Vacations? No time — sprint mode.
Work made me self-centered, even arrogant.
I thought the hustle justified everything. It didn’t.
I lost people who loved me.
Now I’m 34, emotionally distant, and unsure what “love” really feels like anymore.
If you care for someone, give them your time. That’s the real currency.
- Loyalty to Companies – It Doesn’t Go Both Ways
I once worked through Diwali, pulling back-to-back all-nighters.
Later, when I was struggling personally, this is what a founder told me:
“Life doesn’t owe you anything. You made your choices. Move on.”
He wasn’t wrong.
No one forced me to hustle.
But if you think companies will stand by you — they won’t.
You're a line item. When it stops making sense, they’ll cut it.
Take your leaves. Protect your health. Don’t skip life for work.
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Closing Thoughts – Please Don’t Be Me
I loved what I did. I genuinely did.
It felt like getting paid to play video games. I built cool things, learned a lot, and met brilliant minds.
But I ran a marathon like a sprint — and burned out long before the finish line.
Here’s what I want you to remember:
- Hustle smart, not endlessly. Build, but take breaks.
- Love requires time. Don't let work eat your relationships.
- Sleep 8 hours. Your brain needs it more than deadlines.
- Visit your parents. Call them today. Hug them if you can, I can't.
- Make it count. If you’re giving 110%, make sure you're compensated with salary and meaningful ESOPs/Equity.
- Detach from ego. Life humbles everyone, eventually.
- Life owes us nothing — but it gives us moments. Cherish them.
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PS:
Attaching my GitHub contribution graph — not as proof of effort, but as a quiet reminder of the years I gave to the grind.
AMA – Happy to answer anything that might help someone avoid the mistakes I made.
If this helped you, please share with someone who might need it.
Let's build, without burning out. 🔥➡️🕯️
PPS: Originally written by me, edited using ChatGPT.
Posted Jul 8, 2025, 4:51 PM UTC