Leaving a well-paying job to start a business is often seen as a bold step towards financial freedom. But for many first-time entrepreneurs, the journey is far less glamorous than it appears on social media.
An entrepreneur recently shared a candid post on X about the financial realities of building a business after walking away from a ₹15 lakh per annum job. The post resonated with many, with people discussing the risks, responsibilities and sacrifices that come with choosing entrepreneurship over a stable salary.
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The post was shared by X user Kiranjit Das, who reflected on the challenges of earning significantly less while trying to grow a business.
The caption read, “Earning ₹12,000 a month from a business after leaving a ₹15 LPA job may not hurt you as an individual. The challenges grow when you have a family to look after, fees to pay, medicines to buy and many other responsibilities. Saying, 'Become an entrepreneur, not an employee,' is easy. Doing it isn't.”
Internet shares mixed reactions
The post prompted a range of responses, with many agreeing that entrepreneurship is far more challenging than it is often portrayed.
{{/usCountry}}The post prompted a range of responses, with many agreeing that entrepreneurship is far more challenging than it is often portrayed.
{{/usCountry}}One user wrote, "Fully agreed, but someone has to take a risk to change the financial struggles their family has faced for generations."
Another commented, "Very valuable information."
Sharing practical advice, one person wrote, "Those who already have a well paying job should never quit just for the sake of day trading. Alongside the job, one can invest in positional trading and mutual funds on a small scale. Between 2017 and 2020, many people left permanent jobs after being influenced by a few famous traders and YouTubers."
Another user pointed out, "Unless someone has lost their job, it's unwise to leave a decent source of income. Forget earning ₹12,000 a month. The real struggle is reaching the point where the business starts making a profit. An entrepreneur has to go through everything before achieving anything, and even then, success is never guaranteed."
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Others, however, believed the difficulties are part of the journey. "But no one said it was easy in the first place. You chose the harder path to improve your life, so you cannot expect it to be easy," one comment read.
Another user related to the experience, writing, "Well said. This is exactly what I am going through."
A different comment summed up the sentiment shared by many: "It's all easy to say, but very difficult to do."
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)