Two Sides of a Day

?? Long Post Alert!

After our beta version was ready for the demo, nowadays my routine is to showcase the demo to potential prospects for funding, partnerships, and distributions, as well as to professional traders to get their thoughts.

In this routine, one day I was scheduled for two meetings with different perspectives. The first one was scheduled post-lunch, and the second one at 5:30 PM.

1st Meeting: I reached the venue 30 minutes before the meeting, and I was warmly welcomed by the respective person. He came out to the reception from his cabin, brought me in, and we spoke about many topics, including Zoonest roadmap. He saw the demo and clarified some of his queries. Before the meeting ended, he showcased his interest in Zoonest and expressed his willingness to associate with our journey, something I had dreamed of but didn’t expect before initiating that topic. It was a great feeling, and the meeting went perfectly ??

From there, I texted the second meeting person to update the venue, as our calendar was blocked but the venue hadn’t been finalized. He replied with a location name, and I realized it wasn’t an office premise but a spot 15 km from my place.

2nd Meeting: Luckily, I reached this venue 30 minutes early as well and texted the respective person about my arrival. He replied that he was already there. When I got to the place, it turned out to be a restobar, which is a usual spot for meetings in that city.

But the real surprise came when I saw his attire. He was already boozed and not stable enough for any meeting or demo even for a friendly catch-up. This was something I didn’t expect, especially as he was representing a BIG-name venture. It was also a scheduled meeting planned a week in advance.

Though we started to speak, his attention was elsewhere, and I was unable to continue the demo or convey my intentions. He was busy bragging to the hotel staff, ordering items, and enquiring about other things. The meeting ended quickly, and the real shock came when he casually mentioned that he was heading to another important meeting at 5:30 PM. This surprised me, as I was the one who had blocked his calendar for the same time slot ??

Honestly, I don’t know whose mistake this was. I had blocked the calendar, sent reminders, confirmed the venue, and traveled a fair distance, but I didn’t even receive basic courtesy. It felt a bit unlucky and unfair.

If this had happened to me personally, then:

• His number would have been blocked at that very moment.
• I would have expressed my frustration in my style, maybe like an iconic scene from the movie Annamalai (mark your calendar ??).

But things are different since I am representing a company, a team effort built by many. So, I chose to move on. It’s a small world, and who knows? We may get a chance to meet again, and that meeting may turn out to be productive for both ventures ?? ????

As 2024 gave and taught me a lot, both personally and professionally, I chose to share this memory to remind you that this too happens, and this too passes. If you decide to expose yourself, be prepared for similar experiences as well. Whether it’s a product demo, pitch deck, resume, project proposal, or loan application, these moments are all part of making your dreams come to life.

If we fail, it's not our first failure. If we succeed, It's always a GRAND success??? ??

Let’s get ready for 2025! Happy New Year ??