Milestone or Misstep?

Recap - In my last blog, I shared the chaos and grind of my first year in a startup. Six-day work weeks, impossible targets, and a team working out of fear taught me one thing—I thrive on impact. Despite the madness, it was a fun, educational ride that left me craving for more meaningful challenges.

I’m officially a Senior Manager now, and for the first time, my account sees over a lakh each month. Safe to call it a milestone, right? It’s a good feeling, no doubt. But, as always, with great milestones come great realizations—and sometimes, challenges.

I’ve set my sights on handling not just one but two teams, finally stepping outside the realm of support. But there’s a glaring issue staring me right in the face. Over the past year, I’ve done all the heavy lifting, building the team from scratch, pushing myself to the limit, and going above and beyond. And here’s the problem: the managers who were supposed to manage the team alongside me? They didn’t really learn much. Now, as I try to step back and delegate, everything feels like it’s breaking apart.

So, was I wrong in how I built this team? That’s the tough question I’ve been asking myself. I worked tirelessly, thought out of the box, and put in the kind of slogging that would make anyone proud. But looking back now, a lot of it feels like gadhamajduri. And apparently, that’s not enough. Hard work is important, but it isn’t the same as smart work.

Here’s the kicker: I am pretty smart, so why doesn’t it feel like I’ve been working smart? Maybe it’s time to rethink my approach, to find a balance between working hard and working smart. Because if there’s one thing this milestone has taught me, it’s that success isn’t just about effort—it’s about strategy too.

Stay tuned—there’s more learning ahead.