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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 3:28:38 am

The Sugar Rush Founder

There is a particular intensity that defines the new wave of young entrepreneurs. They move fast, earn fast, and scale fast — and often believe that momentum itself is the marker of success. Money becomes more than income. It becomes reassurance. Proof. Power. A scoreboard. Recently, I met a founder in his early thirties who is doing exceptionally well financially. His ambition was undeniable. He spoke about growth the way athletes speak about winning — with hunger, focus, and a constant need...

The Sugar Rush Founder

There is a particular intensity that defines the new wave of young entrepreneurs. They move fast, earn fast, and scale fast — and often believe that momentum itself is the marker of success. Money becomes more than income. It becomes reassurance. Proof. Power. A scoreboard. Recently, I met a founder in his early thirties who is doing exceptionally well financially. His ambition was undeniable. He spoke about growth the way athletes speak about winning — with hunger, focus, and a constant need to push further. I admired it. That drive is what builds companies. But what stayed with me was something quieter. He mentioned that in a year when he earned less, he wasn’t in the best place mentally. The dip was not dramatic, but the emotional impact was. It made him feel as though he had slipped backwards — not just in revenue, but in identity. And that is the hidden pressure many founders carry today. For ambitious entrepreneurs, money can begin to feel like a sugar rush: a powerful high that fuels confidence and urgency. When numbers rise, everything feels possible. When they fall, even slightly, it creates unease. The chase becomes endless — not because wanting more is wrong, but because money alone is an unstable anchor. This is where personal branding becomes not a luxury, but a necessity. Many founders assume personal branding is about visibility—posting more, being active online, and becoming “known”. But at serious levels of business, personal branding is far more strategic. It is the reputation that holds when numbers fluctuate. It is the trust that remains even when the market shifts. It is the identity people associate with you beyond a financial year. Because here is what founders eventually learn: revenue is not the only currency in the room. Influence is. In boardrooms, partnerships, investor conversations, and premium client decisions, people don’t only buy the company. They buy the founder’s clarity, credibility, and presence. They buy what your name signals before you even speak. A founder with a strong personal brand does not become fragile when income dips. Their positioning remains steady. Their value is not reduced to quarterly performance. They are trusted for how they think, how they lead, and what they consistently represent. This is what separates short-term success from long-term authority. Without personal branding, founders often fall into an exhausting pattern: constantly proving, constantly chasing, constantly needing the next win to feel secure. With it, something shifts. Opportunities begin to come through reputation, not pursuit. Clients stay for trust, not just delivery. Partnerships form because of alignment, not convenience. Most importantly, personal branding gives founders emotional stability alongside ambition. It reminds them that their worth is not transactional. It is reputational. Money can rise and fall. Markets change. Industries evolve. But a personal brand — built with intention — creates continuity. It allows you to grow without feeling that every slower year is a personal failure. The founders who build lasting legacies are not always the ones who earn the fastest. They are the ones who become unforgettable for the right reasons. Not because they are loud, but because they are anchored. Not because they show everything, but because they signal something consistent: trust, excellence, leadership. In the years ahead, the market will reward founders who are not only wealthy but also respected. Not only successful, but credible. Not only ambitious but also deeply positioned. Because money can be made again. But reputation takes time. If you resonate with this — if you feel the pressure of constantly needing the next financial high. — It may be time to build something deeper: a personal brand that stabilises your success and scales your influence. You can book a free consultation call with me here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani. Not as a pitch, but as a conversation about building a brand that holds – even when the numbers fluctuate. (The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

Bad Roads, Ugly Politics


The pathetic state of roads in Mumbai city as well as its suburbs has made daily commute a dangerous affair. The residents are miffed with the BMC over its lackadaisical attitude. Mumbaikars tweet photos, post videos to grab attention, but everything is in vain. Who cares for the common people. Backbreaking journeys have become part and parcel of life. Political leaders are busy mud-slinging.


This year the monsoon took a break after almost four and half months. During this time some of the roads virtually became non commutable. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde first announced to make Mumbai roads pothole free.


Its almost two years now the BMC has concretised only 9 percent of roads it planned to concretise. This decision was taken when it came to light that due to the properties of bitumen in asphalt roads, potholes are a regular occurrence due to contact with water during monsoons.


Hence, to solve the problem of potholes, the corporation has adopted a policy of cement concreting of 6-meter-wide roads in phases. The decision was taken but the dilly-dallying affair made things more difficult.


Mumbai’s traffic does put a lot of strain on roads which is not the case in the other developed countries. Second most important aspect is concretisation of roads is done partly and in phases.


The worst problem which is faced is repeated digging for cables and drainage, which weakens the roads. Above all corruption in BMC makes matters worse as a result everything comes to grinding halt.


According to experts, repairing potholes is a reaction with symptomatic treatment. By and large we are dispensing superficial treatment without addressing the root cause. The long-term solution will be to have roads with no potholes but what we need is the means and technology to achieve this. But for this political will is necessary which we lack on every step.


Mumbaikar’s are convience that corruption in the municipal corporation is the main reason. Contractors have had a monopoly over the last 20 years and this is the reason why reputed companies never come ahead for these projects.


As a result, in the name of attendance and repair, the BMC does shoddy work. Crores are spent but the end result is nothing. The BMC is not paying attention to the crust. If the crust is weak, potholes will see an increase. Without any thought or technical know-how, potholes are filled with cold mix.


This is the reason why the city and suburbs continue to have craters on the roads.


Craters, a serious threat to the safety and security of people. Mumbaikars fade up from their repeated visits to orthopedic surgeons.


They are in a mood to teach a proper lesson to those who were at the helm of the affairs.

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