Does attitude trump experience?

I recently completed an unforgettable bike trip to Spiti Valley, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend it! Here's a quick trailer of the trip—big thanks to Keerthan for putting it together: YouTube link.

Trips like these aren’t just about adventure—they offer a fresh perspective on life and help reinforce lessons and beliefs that are often lost in the hustle of everyday routines. One moment that stood out to me and the other riders was encountering a woman in her 50s riding a Honda Activa alongside us on the rough, off-road stretch from Chandratal to Manali. While we were on Royal Enfield Himalayans, bikes built for such treacherous roads, she tackled the same terrain, including some tricky water crossings.

Now, a Honda Activa isn’t made for off-roading, and she wasn’t an experienced rider, but she crossed those challenging sections like a pro, keeping up with us the entire time. Watching her do this brought back memories of my startup days. Many startups, just like her, defy expectations and challenge established companies with more resources and experience. It made me wonder: what’s the secret sauce that drives these founders?

After riding with this woman—whom we dubbed the “Iron Lady”—I started to think that attitude and courage might be the real differentiators when it comes to taking on seemingly impossible challenges, especially ones that seasoned professionals might shy away from. How can we identify that hunger and drive in individuals, rather than just focusing on their hard skills?

When we talked to her, she shared that her family had traveled elsewhere, so she decided to ride from Chandigarh to Spiti Valley on her Activa to prove to herself and her family that she could conquer the journey.

Our Iron Lady didn’t have a 21-inch off-road bike, protective gear, or prior experience on such tough terrain. What she did have was the right attitude and the courage to finish the ride.

So, here’s a thought: Will companies be willing to bet on an "Activa rider" for their toughest challenges? Someone who can inspire others, remove self-doubt, and show that difficult problems don’t always require state-of-the-art tools or extensive experience—sometimes, all it takes is grit and the will to succeed.