The Hidden Portfolio | Mayur Tekwani | TEDxSJCC

Quick Overview

The speaker recounts his entrepreneurial journey, detailing how early failures in cricket and a failed restaurant venture (Pronto Kitchen) led to the creation of a successful digital marketing agency (Think Tree Media House) and a sports tech startup (Athletiq), emphasizing that failure provides a return on investment through invisible learning and resilience.

Key Points: The speaker, Mayur Tekwani, recently became a father two weeks before the TEDxSJCC talk. He failed in his first entrepreneurial venture, Pronto Kitchen, which operated for only six months, despite initial success like hosting a weekly karaoke night. His background in cricket, specifically being an opening batsman, taught him resilience, discipline, and the value of continuous effort despite setbacks. He started his digital marketing agency, Think Tree Media House, which now serves brands across the country, leveraging the network effect from his college days. His second venture, Pronto Kitchen, failed because he relied on others (like his store manager) and didn't get his 'hands dirty' in operations. He launched a sports tech startup called Athletiq, aiming to provide data and insights to young athletes so they can go pro. The core lesson learned is that failure has a return on investment, and one must embrace the invisible stories/work that shape success.

Context: This video is a personal story shared at a TEDx event (TEDxSJCC), where the speaker, Mayur Tekwani, reflects on his journey from being a college student and cricketer to an entrepreneur who has experienced both success and failure in business ventures like a restaurant and a digital marketing agency. The talk centers on the importance of embracing failure and learning from the invisible effort that leads to eventual wins.

Detailed Analysis

The speaker begins by sharing a personal anecdote about recently becoming a father, establishing a relatable context. He then pivots to his past, referencing his college days (Batch of 2011) where he and his batchmates were highly involved in activities like sports and cultural teams, making a statement that they were 'making a statement.' He contrasts his early focus on skills like cricket, which taught him resilience and discipline, with his later business endeavors. He details the failure of his first venture, Pronto Kitchen, which collapsed in six months, attributing the failure to over-dependence on others and avoiding the operational 'dirty work.' This failure, he notes, taught him that failure itself yields a return on investment (ROI) if measured correctly. He then discusses his successful digital marketing agency, Think Tree Media House, which grew by leveraging college networks, and his current sports tech startup, Athletiq, which aims to provide data insights to aspiring athletes. The central theme, highlighted on a slide, is that 'Failure has a return on investment, you just have to know how to measure it,' and that the most formative work is often the invisible work that leads to success.