Zoho Developer

Netflix's IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack Review: Vijay Varma’s Performance Shines in a Gripping Series

- Netflix’s ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ series is a chilling portrayal of the longest hijack in Indian aviation history, directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, and Pankaj Kapur. - The series delves into the unanswered questions surrounding the hijack, including why Kathmandu was chosen and the role of Rupin Katyal, making it a must-watch for its engaging storytelling. - With a stellar cast, the series stands out for its responsible and well-researched narrative, avoiding unnecessary dramatization and focusing on the real events of December 24, 1999. - Vijay Varma’s portrayal of Captain Devi Sharan, who saved 187 out of 188 passengers, is particularly noteworthy, showcasing his ability to connect with the audience without resorting to typical heroics. - The series also highlights the diplomatic challenges and the psychological impact on the hostages, including instances of Stockholm syndrome, making it a comprehensive and thought-provoking watch. Source: [Firstpost](https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/anubhav-sinhas-directorial-netflixs-ic-814-the-kandahar-hijack-review-engaging-informative-series-on-the-longest-hijack-in-indian-aviation-history-13809374.html)

Raised $5M+ for web3 startup, shut it down. Notes on conviction vs hype 🧵

Alright folks, time for some real talk. I fucked up. Big time. And I'm here to share my story so you don't make the same mistakes I did. Back in 2021, I co-founded a web3 startup. Yeah, you know where this is going. I was caught up in the hype, the FOMO, the promise of changing the world through DAOs. Spoiler alert: We raised more than $5M in seed funding, burned through half of it, never hit product-market fit, and ended up shutting down and returning the remaining capital to our investors. Here's how it went down: It all started when I fell down the web3 rabbit hole. I read a few whitepapers, watched some YouTube videos, and suddenly thought I was the next Vitalik Buterin. I had this "revolutionary" idea for a DAO that would democratize venture capital. Sounds cool, right? I thought so too. Now, here's the thing - I'm a great pitcher. Give me a deck and 30 minutes, and I can make almost anything sound like the next unicorn. So, armed with buzzwords and a slick presentation, I hit the VC circuit. And holy shit, did it work. We were a great team, stellar credentials so were able to close the fundraise pretty quick. I still remember the day we closed the round. Popping champagne, dreaming of TechCrunch headlines once we did our Series A, all the jazz. But here's what I didn't realize at the time: I had zero conviction in what we were building. I was so caught up in the excitement of raising money and being part of the "next big thing" that I never stopped to ask myself if I truly believed in what we were doing. Reality hit hard and fast. As we started building, I realized I didn't really understand the problem we were solving. Our target users weren't as excited about the product as we were. We pivoted, then pivoted again. But nothing stuck. Eighteen months in, we had burned through $3M, had no clear path to revenue, and my co-founder and I were at each other's throats. That's when it hit me - we needed to shut this down before we wasted any more of our investors' money. Making that call was the hardest thing I've ever done. Telling our team, our investors, our families - it sucked. But it was the right thing to do. Here's what I learned from this expensive and humbling experience: 1.⁠ ⁠Hype is not a business model: Just because something is trending doesn't mean it's a good business opportunity. Do your own research, understand the market deeply. 2.⁠ ⁠Raising money ≠ Success: It's easy to get caught up in the vanity of a big round. But money just buys you runway, not success. 3.⁠ ⁠If you can't explain it to your grandma, you don't understand it well enough: I couldn't clearly explain our value proposition without resorting to buzzwords. Red flag. 4.⁠ ⁠Team alignment is everything: Make sure you and your co-founders are on the same page about the vision, not just the potential payout. 5.⁠ ⁠Listen to the market, not your ego: We ignored early signs that users weren't as excited about our product as we were. But the biggest lesson? You need 100% conviction to run a startup. Not 90%, not 99%. 100%. Building a company is hard. Really fucking hard. There will be days when everything seems to be falling apart. If you don't have absolute conviction in what you're building, you won't have the resilience to push through those times. Looking back, I realize I was more in love with the idea of being a founder than with the problem we were solving. I was chasing clout, not impact. To anyone out there thinking of starting a company: Please, please, please make sure you have unwavering conviction in your idea. Make sure you're solving a real problem that you deeply understand and care about. Don't do it for the hype, the money, or the status. Do it because you can't imagine doing anything else. As for me? I'm taking some time off to reflect. Next time (if there is a next time), I'll make damn sure I believe in what I'm building with every fiber of my being. I sort of see this happening now with AI, please take a pause. Let's learn from each other. Because trust me, learning this lesson the hard way? It ain't fun. Keep building!

Advice from someone who went from 8LPA to 84LPA in a decade

I saw the IBM post on Grapevine, and seeing the positive response felt the urge to share my story as well. I tried finding my old offer letters, but I couldn't because I lost that email account. For the first 4 years of my career, I worked in IT companies. **My roles were less than stellar.** I had a nasty smoking addiction, and honestly, I was probably wasting my life away. **This changed when I joined Deloitte.** While going through some old files, I finally found my offer letter from Deloitte. It was from 6 years ago, **16LPA (with a 1L signing bonus** I was so thrilled about back then). Looking back, I never imagined I’d be where I am now, working at Google, with **84LPA CTC.** When I first joined Deloitte, the excitement of a signing bonus and the thrill of joining a Big 4 firm were more than enough. I had no grand plan, just a desire to learn and improve. Over the years, my journey took me through moments of doubt, endless learning, and unexpected growth. A few pieces of advice I’d like to share for anyone building their career: 1. **Growth is Never Linear. If it Is, You’re at the Wrong Place** Early in my career, I felt behind. Friends who jumped into startups, management consulting, or fast-growing roles like Product Management would talk about their rapid raises and big titles. I didn’t feel like I was falling behind, but I’d sometimes wonder if my slower path would pay off. In the end, eventually, **your intrinsic value catches up with your market value.** If you have a high-paying job but don’t provide value that matches it, then sooner or later you will have to concede to a lower job offer. Similarly, if you are underpaid right now but bring real skills and value to an organization, then **you are bound to achieve a great offer down the line.** So focus on adding value, money will follow. 2. **Specialize, but More Broadly** In each role, I focused on understanding the business deeply, working on projects that pushed my skills, and staying updated with industry trends. Moving to different companies at key points helped me **diversify my expertise without losing depth.** **Know when to stay and when to go.** It's hard, but you get better with age. 3. **Networking is Underrated** I realized this very late, honestly, **it took me 6 years to figure this out.** I made it a point to connect with mentors, those who had navigated similar paths or who excelled in areas I admired. Those conversations don’t have to be formal; sometimes it was just a chat near the watercooler, sometimes a quick Slack message. But those relationships brought **insights and encouragement I couldn’t have found alone.** 4. **Negotiate, but also out-deliver anyone** I’m a **BIGGG believer in fair negotiation**; if you bring value, know your worth. However, each pay raise or promotion felt meaningful only when I felt my contribution matched it. The most satisfying moments weren’t just about the LPA numbers but the **challenges I’d overcome and the projects I was proud of.** This is something I feel goes wrong when people glorify salary numbers but not impact on platforms like Quora, Reddit, and even Grapevine. **Don’t seek validation; make your own path.** So here I am, ten years later, looking at this piece of paper from Deloitte that marked my start. It’s a reminder of the journey, **one filled with doubt, hard work, and quiet growth.** To anyone who’s just starting or feels behind in their career, know that there’s no “one right way.” **Every career path has its own twists.** All I can hope is that this was helpful to you.