3 Things I Learnt from Mr. Amit Ghosh, Founder of aAHARAN

A few days ago, I met Mr Amit Ghosh, the founder of aAHARAN, an edtech platform built in Tripura for students in the Northeast. I have known him as a senior founder for some time now, but this meeting stayed with me longer than I expected.

I see Amit as a mentor because he understands how things actually work. He understands the market, the people, and most importantly, the ground reality. When you speak to him, you realise how different real entrepreneurship is from what we often see on the internet.

As a founder building Fueler, a portfolio platform that helps companies hire through assignments and proof of work, I strongly believe learning never stops. Every conversation with the right people adds a new layer to your thinking. This meeting was one of those moments for me.

Here are three core learnings I took away from my conversation with Mr Amit Ghosh.

1. Distribution Is Not Just Online, It Is Deeply Offline

Most startup advice today talks about online distribution. Social media, ads, SEO, content, growth hacks. All of these are important, but they are not the full picture, especially in regions like Tripura and the Northeast.

From Amit, I learned how powerful offline distribution really is. Building distribution on the ground is about relationships. It is about trust. It is about showing up again and again.

Offline distribution means meeting people, talking to parents, teachers, local communities, and institutions. It means understanding what they care about and how they make decisions. You cannot copy and paste a strategy from the internet and expect it to work everywhere.

What stood out to me was how intentional he is about building connections. He focuses on long-term relationships instead of short-term results. This approach has helped aAHARAN create real impact in Agartala and nearby regions.

For founders, especially those building in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities, or smaller towns, this lesson is crucial. Growth is not always about speed. Sometimes, it is about depth.

2. Funding Is Harder and Slower Than It Looks Online

If you spend enough time on startup Twitter or LinkedIn, funding can look glamorous. Headlines, announcements, big numbers, and smiling founders. But the reality is very different.

Amit gave me a very honest view of how funding actually works. It is not easy. It takes time. It takes patience. And most importantly, it takes clarity.

Investors do not just fund ideas. They fund understanding. They want to see how deeply you know your problem, your users, and your market. They want to know why you are the right person to build this company.

What I appreciated was how openly he spoke about the challenges. Rejections are common. Conversations take months. Many things happen behind the scenes that never make it to social media.

As someone bootstrapping Fueler, this conversation helped me ground my expectations. It reminded me that funding is just one tool, not the goal. Building a real product that creates value should always come first.

For founders reading this, especially first time founders, it is important to understand that there is no shortcut here. The process is long, and that is okay.

3. EQ Matters More Than We Talk About

We often hear about IQ. Skills, intelligence, strategy, execution. But one of the most underrated qualities in entrepreneurship is EQ, emotional intelligence.

Amit spoke about how important it is to understand people. When you are building a startup, you are constantly dealing with humans. Team members, customers, partners, investors, and communities.

In a country like India, where diversity is massive and contexts change every few kilometres, EQ becomes even more important. You need to listen. You need empathy. You need patience.

This is something I deeply relate to while building Fueler. Our platform is about people and their work. Understanding their fears, motivations, and challenges helps us build better systems and better experiences.

High EQ helps you make better decisions. It helps you build trust. And it helps you stay calm when things do not go as planned, which happens often in startups.

Learning Never Stops for Entrepreneurs

One strong belief that this meeting reinforced is that entrepreneurship is a continuous learning journey. There is no final stage where you know everything. Every day brings a new lesson.

The internet is useful, but it often shows only one side of the story. Real conversations with founders who are building on the ground give you a reality check. They show you what you might be missing.

Meeting Amit reminded me why I value mentorship and community so much. Learning from people who have walked the path before you can save you years of confusion.

If you are an entrepreneur or planning to become one, seek these conversations. Ask questions. Listen more than you speak. That is where real learning happens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What can founders learn from entrepreneurs building startups in smaller cities?

Founders building in smaller cities understand ground realities better. They know how local markets work, how people think, and what actually drives adoption. Learning from them helps you build practical strategies instead of copying ideas from big cities that may not apply everywhere.

2. Why is offline distribution still important for startups in India?

Offline distribution builds trust, especially in education, healthcare, and community driven products. In many parts of India, people trust people more than ads. Face to face interactions, local partnerships, and word of mouth still play a huge role in growth.

3. How should first time founders think about startup funding?

First time founders should see funding as a tool, not success. Focus on understanding the problem deeply, building a useful product, and showing real traction. Funding takes time and comes with challenges that are rarely discussed online.

4. What is emotional intelligence and why is it important for founders?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your emotions and the emotions of others. For founders, it helps in team management, customer relationships, conflict resolution, and decision making. High EQ leads to stronger trust and better leadership.

5. How can founders keep learning while building a startup?

Founders can keep learning by talking to other founders, seeking mentors, reading thoughtfully, and observing their users closely. Real learning often comes from conversations and experiences, not just content on the internet.

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