Living Room CEO to Rediscovering Real Ambition

On this laid-back Sunday evening, as I'm lounging and letting my mind wander a bit, I'm drawn to the memories of last Sunday – a day that seems to have made itself quite at home in my heart. Just this Tuesday, I hit the big 4-0, and it's got me strolling down memory lane, right back to my days as a pint-sized CEO in the making.

As a little girl, I was the star of our family's weekend productions, playing the role of a whimsical, yet determined businesswoman. My dad, always game for a bit of fun, would act as my 'secretary,' humorously dealing with all sorts of silly tasks like fixing a 'flight's tire puncture', 'rerouting flights to banjara hills for doorstep pickup' etc.

My sister and mom joined in too, playing various characters in my make-believe business empire, where I'd pretend to sign huge deals (200 Cr seemed like my favourite number) and take over the business world, all from the comfort of our living room. It was a time of pure joy and unbridled ambition, a child's playful interpretation of the grown-up world, inspired by watching my dad, a hardworking CA and company secretary. I was probably 9-10 years.

Those Sunday afternoons were golden, a precious break in our busy lives when my dad, usually so absorbed in his work, would be completely there with us. He had this amazing way of making us feel seen and heard, always encouraging us and turning our weaknesses into challenges we could overcome. This wasn't just true for my sister and me, but for my mom as well.

My dad, bless his heart, always saw me as 'WinTheGreat,' his own little Indra Nooyi in the making. He'd compare me, a mere 9th grader, to the then-senior executive at PepsiCo, with a seriousness that was both hilarious and heartwarming. The Economic Times became my unlikely storybook, which I'd read without understanding a single word, probably making up more fictional businesses in my head than learning about real ones.

Dad had this unwavering belief that every stumble, every 'oops' moment I had, was just a stepping stone to something amazing. In his eyes, I wasn't just messing up; I was gathering valuable experience for my future empire. And let me tell you, the number of 'valuable experiences' I collected could rival many billionaire's biography!

But as I grew older, the path to my dreams seemed to get a bit fuzzy. Meeting people who had actually made it big, who were living the life I'd only played at as a child, I started to doubt whether that sort of success was meant for me. For a while, the spark to reach for the stars faded, overshadowed by the hard reality of what it takes to be 'great.'

Despite being a natural optimist, my inclination to see the best in people, even when they wronged me, has been a double-edged sword. My friends and family often marvel at how I can recount someone's misdeeds and still conclude with, "But really, they're not such a bad person." This tendency to love and accept others unconditionally, which I once considered a virtue, occasionally backfired.

It opened the door for some to underestimate or overlook my feelings, leaving behind a trail of subtle, yet lingering, hurts. These were the little nicks and scrapes on my optimism that I'd try to ignore, believing that understanding and forgiving were always the right paths. However, I've come to lately realize that this approach, while well-intentioned, sometimes allowed my kindness to be mistaken for weakness. There ..there i veered away!!!

Fast forward to last Sunday, a day that breathed new life into those childhood dreams. For the first time, I felt the real weight of belief – not in a title or a brand, but in me, Vinutha Rallapalli, the one who could maybe, just maybe, be a business wizard someday. It was heartwarming to see my well wishers show up just to cheer me on, reigniting the spark in me that had slightly dimmed over the years.

It dawned on me then that greatness might not be about clinching those imaginary 200-crore deals or making executive decisions in a boardroom. Perhaps my 'great' lies in the ideas and conversations I'm having now, in shaping a startup that could change the game.

Many close to me, always with the best intentions at heart, have pointed out the numerous roles and job shifts I've navigated through in the professional ecosystem. Indeed, I've traversed a diverse path, embracing various roles, each one instrumental in shaping my journey to this point. These experiences weren't just stops along the way; they were essential chapters in building the confidence and trust in myself necessary to embark on this solo venture. So now, as I stand at this pivotal crossroads, I hope for your trust more than ever before. Like you've said, "This is it" – a phrase that now resonates with the gravity of my next big leap.

And so here I am, steering my ship, 'The Funding Office,' through the choppy waters of the startup world. Inspired by Steve Blank's concept of a startup – a quest for a scalable and repeatable business model – I'm on a mission. A mission to rewrite the rules, to plug the holes in the funding ecosystem. This journey is my tribute to those Sunday afternoons, to my dad's belief in 'WinTheGreat,' and to the curious kid who read the Economic Times like a fairy tale.

If you're nodding along, feeling that spark of excitement, come on over. Let's join forces and shake up the system. Because sometimes, the most extraordinary stories begin with a simple belief in the power of 'what if' and a dash of childhood?wonder.

The Funding Office The Funding office