One of the most anticipated question for an entrepreneur is, “What’s the story of your start up?” I have been keeping this article for the perfect moment. Today I share with you the story which started with just a thought.
I lay on my bed with faint remnants of sunlight coming through the cracks in curtains. My mind was racing. It was back in March 2013. I knew I wanted to go beyond travel writing and blogging. I had done few travel writing assignments and knew that writing alone cannot fulfill my dreams of travelling this world. I also wanted to meet people and contribute back to the community via travel. I was clear that a corporate desk job is not what I want to do.
Days passed as I juggled with these thoughts. In the meantime, I decided to go on a solo trip to Darjeeling followed by a Bike trip to Bhutan. I chose to stay away from cities. I did not go to Thimphu. I rather spent time soaking my feet in a river in the middle of nowhere. I motorbiked around the countryside and indulged in conversations with locals. While hiking to the Tiger’s nest, I realized that I tend to stick to rural places, be with locals, eat local food. I realized that I would like to live with them.
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| Solo trip to Bhutan |
During the journey back to Delhi, a person sitting in front of me in train saw my backpack, tripod and the camera which was seldom inside my bag and mostly in my hand. With a little hesitation he asked me if I was a journalist. I said, “I am a travel writer“. His eyes had a sparkle upon listening to my answer. Our conversation is a long story, but, at the end of it he said “Gaurav, I see something different in you. I know that you are going to travel this world and fulfill your dreams. I know because I haven’t seen many people like you“. I was left humbled and with a question in my mind – “Is there really something special about me that people see and I do not?“
In the same train journey, I had another conversation with an old man who had recently lost his wife and was travelling alone. He said – “Now that my family responsibilities are complete, I can really follow my passion. I don’t know where I am going. I am just travelling. Before I die, I want to click my photographs in beautiful places so that I can show them to my family and say that I was here“. Then with a little sadness in his eyes, he said – “I wish I started early in my life“
By the time I was back, I was sure of three things –
1. There was something special about me that people see
2. I want to start my company, “In rural travel”
3. And, I wanted to start it soon
Roadblocks I had –
1. No experience of being an entrepreneur
2. Didn’t know where to start from
3. Had no contacts in the industry
4. I was alone with limited funds
However, I had an insatiable desire and clarity of thoughts. I did research on internet, met people, visited travel shows, emailed editors, spoke to entrepreneurs and by the end of all this I had a day by day plan chalked out for the next six months.
Next was to search for a co-founder. I knew I could do this alone but, expansion is possible only when teams work together. I started speaking to all the people I knew had passion for travelling but were looking for opportunities to make it their work. I received immediate interests from almost all of them. Some even said ‘Yes’ on the spot. Only one person said – “No, I do not want to do this. I love travelling but do not have enough time or money to do it”. Ironically, everyone who said yes did not turn up after that or silently disappeared somewhere along the journey. The only person who said no is now the co-founder. And so Padma Madipalli became a part of this journey.
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| Co-Founder: Padma Madipalli in Andaman |
Next big thing was the name. I wanted the name to be special. While on a trip to the North East, I met many people who kept on telling me their local stories. On a random bus ride, the name “The Folk Tales” clicked and I knew this was it. After all every journey creates a story.
Starting a company is not a cake walk. I was ready to work till late night, go beyond my fears and give up all luxuries and time wasters. Finding a web developer, speaking to them and giving the contract to the right person, sticking to the original timeline and travelling in search of destinations was too much as per some of my well wishers. They were concerned that I do not sleep. Still I was glowing, energetic and always on the move.
I got all varieties of responses from local people when I approached them with the idea of rural travel. Some welcomed me with whole heart while others saw me as an intruder in their village. Some welcomed me but once I was back in Delhi did not pick up my phone and stopped responding to my mails. They key was to never get stopped no matter what.
It was November 15, 2013 when we finally launched the website and celebrated like there was no tomorrow. We share with people and they get inspired by our passion. Some still do not but that is ok. The journey over last six months has made one thing clear – ‘You don’t have to know everything to start something. You may even know nothing to begin with. All that is required is belief’
Do you have any more questions? Feel free to ask in comments
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Visit our site here: www.thefolktales.com
Join us in this journey. Look at the current opportunities here: Join Us
We are open to new ideas, partnerships and innovations. Write to us here: gaurav@thefolktales.com
Just realized I've been stupidly smiling for the past 10 mins reading this article.
I see someone who's been a friend-cum-mama-cum-travelpartner-cum-mentor open his wings and soar high. And it's amazing.
People have natural affinity towards the successful, and so you'll receive many a good words every day, but this comment is made to acknowledge that hard work amidst dark clouds of impossibility that you have defeated and risen high and strong.
Celebrate. You deserve it. Cheers.
Thanks man for reading and for appreciating. I am soon going to call you because I need some advise from you. And I know you are best placed to give it to me 🙂
interesting startup story Gaurav
Thank you Mridula for stopping by and reading. Good to see people from education sector around 🙂
a bit of smile on my face while reading your article because of some resemblance in the context of traveling. I left my desk job last year in march for the quest of exploring life and doing lots of thing whatever sounds good to me. I always felt good while reading such kind of articles because in a way some how the kind of thought process writer was going through it was connected to me in some moment of time of life, prior or after reading it .
May be we will meet some where down the line in future as i am also traveling most of the time though my way is different.Best of luck gaurav for your future endeavor. 🙂 🙂
Thanks Gaurav for reading. I am glad another one in the crowd of millions chose to follow his passion. I would love to know what kind of travelling you do.
its related to adventure, mountain expeditions,trekking,biking, living in rural villages for a 360 degree knowledge of their issues apart from cuisine and culture, camping in himalayan range where no humans you can see, living in ashram in remote part of india for my self enlightenment !! i am not specific 4 any kind of traveling , whatever sounds good to me i am into it 🙂 🙂
Sure man !!