Entrepreneurship

Three startups. Zero exits. Plenty of stories.

I started three businesses in Germany. None worked. Here's what I learned — with humor, honesty, and no motivational poster quotes.

Failure isn't a badge of honor. It's just what happens when you try things without enough experience, capital, or market research. I'm not proud of losing money. I'm proud I kept showing up to work afterward.

2017

The Spice Route

Indian specialty imports for northern Germany.

The attempt

I thought Kiel needed authentic Indian spices delivered to doorsteps. Turns out Kiel needed exactly one Indian grocery store, and it already existed.

What went wrong

Margins thinner than a papad. Logistics more complex than German tax law. Customer base: me and three aunties.

The lesson

Market research is not asking your friends if they'd buy something. It's finding out if strangers will pay you twice.

I still have 40kg of turmeric in a storage unit somewhere. If you need some, I know a guy.

Read the post-mortem

2019

Byte Bridge Consulting

Helping German SMEs go digital.

The attempt

I had the skills. I had the LinkedIn profile. What I didn't have was a single client who trusted a 26-year-old with their entire IT infrastructure.

What went wrong

Turns out 'I can build websites' is not the same as 'I can run a consultancy.' Sales is a skill. I did not have it.

The lesson

Being good at the work and being good at selling the work are two completely different jobs. Pick one first.

My business card collection from networking events could wallpaper a small Bürgeramt.

Read the post-mortem

2021

Wanderware

Travel gear for the Indian diaspora.

The attempt

Curated travel accessories for people who pack like they're never coming back — because culturally, we kind of don't.

What went wrong

COVID killed travel. Amazon killed margins. My marketing budget killed itself.

The lesson

Timing matters. Capital matters. A clever brand name does not matter as much as I thought.

The domain is still active. It's a monument to optimism.

Read the post-mortem

Would I do it again?

Probably. But with a business plan this time. And maybe a co-founder who understands sales. And definitely without 40kg of turmeric in storage.

Read the essay →