When building Stories Worth Sharing, the first ₹₹ we made was ~25 weeks later. In the previous post, I mentioned how we hosted at least one session every weekend for 102 weeks in at least one Indian city starting from July 2017.
It was not until February 2018 that we put a small ticket price on our sessions. But in these 25 weeks, we were already present in ~35 Indian cities, and roughly ten national dailies had written about us.
All of this without spending a single rupee. How? Find out in this story! :D
In one of the previous posts, I shared 7 lessons that Stories Worth Sharing taught me. This is a story of the second lesson I mentioned there:
You do not need (a lot of) money to startup!
If you have not checked, I recommend you visit it once for the context 7 Things Stories Worth Sharing taught me!
Somewhere in late 2018, just before Delhi grips in the cold chills of winter, I picked up a job to sustain myself after college. It was also an attempt to buy time as I chart the future action course for Stories Worth Sharing.
My office was in Hauz Khas Village. When you exit the barrier of the market and turn right, you enter a pathway amidst the greens. Walking down this way, you reach the IIT Metro Station of the magenta line, on the opposite side. It is some 15-18 minute walk depending on your speed!
It was a good break for me to walk down this lush green courtyard that is relatively unknown in the hustle and bustle of Hauz Khas. One fine day, I left the office and found some rush in one of our core team groups.
We were having a session in some city in Madhya Pradesh in 2 days. It was a ticketed session, and for every ticket you buy, you can avail ₹50 off on the food bill at the venue. The venue partner had cancelled on us for an unknown reason!
Try to place yourself in my shoes:
The marketing campaign was in its peak run. We had already sold over 30 tickets, and suddenly, the venue partner decided to throw tantrums. Further, I had just left behind a draining day at work to find another mess to clean!
Pre note: As believers in free markets, we never paid our venue partners. In return, we never sought a profit share in their sales.
Now, I remember exiting the barrier of HKV to find some silence. I stood by the roadside after reading the entire chat of the conversation. Looking at what we had on hand, I immediately got on a call with my team and shared what to do to avert the crisis. Here's what I did:
1. I asked the state head of Madhya Pradesh to start scouting for other venues in the city. And for the sake of bruised ego, a bit better than the previous one!
2. I asked my other teammate to get in touch with the one who cancelled on us; to talk to them and explain how they profit from what we do!
Why call him back after he cancelled?
To understand what went wrong! Frankly, we both were hesitant to approach this guy in this tumultuous time. I hid my anxiety to urge the person on another side to ensure he dares not to cancel on us!
Two things happened here:
1. My courage proved contagious for entire team
2. Everyone in the team ascertained that the session stands its day!
Result?
The guy who cancelled on us did not just apologize but also offered to share profits with us in his sales. Secondly, one more cafe joined Stories Worth Sharing network in that city owing to the efforts of the MP state head.
Mind you, neither were we paid for this job, nor did we pay the venue in this entire transaction!
How did this happen?
Recognition of our leverages!
We built a network in 100+ cities where at least three natives of that place were in the core organizing team.
-We capitalized on our geography. We realized that Indian youth wants friends in the national capital (Obsession with Delhi is real!). We were their friends like family if we worked together.
- We partnered with students. Our initiative made them local heroes. They led a team, the face in media, hosting hundreds of people, taking queries and cracking deals in their cities. Neither could they buy this lesson, nor could any amount from our end justify their effort.
- We were clear on the modes of PR: Build an environment so good at our sessions that local people force local media to talk about us. Again, no transactions were done to journalists in the name of PR!
- We took ownership of our people. Their problems were our problems. By the end of 100+ weeks, our job was only to solve the problems coming their way while they focused on putting up a spectacular show.
- We made them own it by making partners in this initiative. Our city leader was called an Associate Partner. They were not employees, and 'volunteer' felt demeaning to me. So, you 'associate' with us as a 'partner'!
- Self-moderation: we ensured we were honest, and transparent and had each other's back through thick and thin.
After all this, if they do not want to work with us, we understand. However, what I am saying is that 96%+ people stayed back from week 1 to week 104!
Once we were courageous enough to take it to 100+ cities, everything fell in place. We later realized that it is not money that keeps people away from experimenting but courage.
We may think it is a lack of money while it is merely a lack of courage!
Next week, I will tell you another fun story about lesson number 2:
Success is about creating value
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