ABOUT THE BOOK
In a world obsessed with instant wins and viral unicorns, Failing Before Flying strips away the gloss to spotlight what truly builds a startup: failure, grit, and relentless resilience. This book takes readers behind the scenes of 11 Indian startups that nearly didn’t make it—brands now valued in billions, once standing inches away from exit.
These are not tales of easy victories. Founders made wrong hires, launched the wrong products, chased bad markets, and burned through cash. Investors backed out. Yet, through every setback, they chose to learn, adapt, and build again—not by blindly pivoting, but by deliberately evolving.
Failing Before Flying reframes failure not as defeat, but as a vital cost of meaningful growth. For struggling founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, or curious students, this book offers something real: not romanticised success, but hard-earned wisdom.
This is not inspiration meant for the shelf. It is a survival guide for anyone daring to build something bold. Failing Before Flying is a mirror, a mentor, and a reminder that success grows not despite failure, but because of it.
EXCERPTS
FROM BROKE AT 17 TO BREAKING BARRIERS-THE MAKING OF A RELENTLESS TRADER
I started the conversation with my first question–“Nithin, let’s rewind the clock to a time when most teenagers were worrying about college admissions and weekend plans.
You, at just 17, were already immersed in the world of trading- handling your father’s account and watching your portfolio grow while still in college.
It sounds like a dream.
But then came the crash, from 2001 to 2002.
The markets nosedived, and just like that, you lost 25 lakh. For someone that young, that’s not just money-it’s a gut-punch. And while most would have walked away, you doubled down- working nights at a call center and trading during the day.
No excuses.
Just relentless hustle.
Imagine this: sleep-deprived, emotionally drained, financially hit–but still chasing your passion with everything you had.
You have said, ‘Persistence through challenges is what turns dreams into reality.’
That line hits differently when people understand the grind behind it.
Can you take us into that chapter of your life? What did your days look like back then?
What were the most challenging moments when no one was watching?
How did you deal with the mental fatigue, the constant pressure, the fear of another failure?
You have also said, ‘Every failure is a lesson disguised in pain.’ What did that Rs 5 lakh loss teach you, not just about trading, but about life, resilience, and building something bigger?
Let’s talk about that fire, that pain, and how it became fuel for your journey.”
Nithin Kamath:
“You know, there is a razor-thin line between passion and foolishness.
If things go well, people clap and call you passionate.
If they don’t, they just shake their heads and call you a fool. Back when I started trading at 17, I was definitely on the edge of
that line.
I was not driven by some grand vision or long-term strategy-it was pure greed.
The markets were booming in 1999 and 2000. Everyone was making money.
There was a crazy euphoria in the air, and I got pulled right into it.
And then came the crash.
I lost Rs 5 lakh–an amount that felt like the end of the world at the time.
And like any gambler, I convinced myself I could win it back.
But I had borrowed money from the wrong kind of people, and I was staring at a hole too deep to climb out of easily.
So, I did what I had to do–I took up a night shift at a call center. Worked through the night.
Traded during the day.
Slept whenever I could.
Was it hard? Of course.
But strangely, it didn’t feel like a burden. Trading was something I genuinely loved.
I liked selling over the phone, especially since I could do it through a pseudo account.
Selling over the phone at work, selling ideas in the market-it all blended into one giant learning ground.
Looking back, I realize those years were the real beginning of
Zerodha.
Everyone says we started the company in 2010.
But honestly, it began over 25 years ago on the floor of my tiny apartment, juggling calls and trades, as I learned how the
game works.
Those long nights taught me more than any MBA ever could. I learned about broking, sub-broking, sales, risk, failure- everything.
And those lessons still drive how we run Zerodha today. We have never spent a rupee on advertising.
Not one.
And yet, here we are-India’s biggest brokerage.
All because those early, painful, blurry years drilled a few hard truths into me: sell with sincerity, love the grind, and never forget your why.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jatinder Singh is a personal optimisation advisor with a powerful mission: to help people and businesses turn setbacks into breakthroughs. Currently serving as Deputy Secretary General at the PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, he is deeply passionate about new-age businesses and entrepreneurship. He strives to empower entrepreneurs and organisations that are not only successful, but also meaningful and sustainable.
With a law degree and a PhD in Business Management, Jatinder blends academic rigour with real-world insight. His profound conviction that entrepreneurship is the driving force behind economic growth fuels everything he does.
His work is a call to action for innovators and dreamers who are ready to rise from failure and build the next generation of unicorns.
