Indore has earned its reputation as a thriving economic hub, with a GDP crossing $40 billion in 2023. With investments pouring in from companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Accenture, the city is a melting pot for industries ranging from IT to pharmaceuticals, textiles, and startups. Sounds perfect, right? Well, not quite.

As the city flourishes, a troubling mindset within the startup and small business ecosystem threatens to stifle that growth. Indore’s entrepreneurial community faces a challenge that few are ready to admit: the way they think and act may be holding them back.

With Incubation centers, exciting projects, and an influx of opportunities, the city is well-positioned to thrive. However, beyond award ceremonies and free food events, many promising ventures fall short of reaching their true potential. The problem lies not in resources, but in mindset—an aspect that young entrepreneurs and founders need to address urgently.

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Toxic Mindsets: Petty Competition Over Collective Success

While the city’s corporates are inching toward inclusive and structured work models, many small businesses and startups seem stuck in the mud. Here’s the rub: instead of collaboration, you’ll often find pettiness, rivalry, and two-faced behavior. Think schoolyard politics, but with a LinkedIn profile.

Some ventures, especially among young entrepreneurs, have turned competition into a nasty game—an unhealthy obsession with one-upping rivals rather than growing together. And the worst part? This often plays out between women professionals, tearing down any semblance of inclusion and equality. Collaboration is dangled as bait, but behind the scenes, there’s often more backstabbing than back-patting. 

The competitive undercurrent among entrepreneurs can also foster stinginess, not just with resources but with time, ideas, and effort. The instinct to “survive at all costs” leads to missed opportunities for collaboration and limits the potential for mutual growth. This mindset, rooted in fear and competition, must evolve if Indore’s startup community hopes to foster a thriving, sustainable ecosystem.

A noticeable challenge within the ecosystem is the tendency to criticize rather than uplift. Founders are often quick to point out flaws instead of providing authentic, constructive feedback. Jealousy and insecurity are masked as "helpful advice", but these behaviours often demotivate rather than encourage improvement. Sometimes "evil" attempts are made to altogether point a potential "threat" in the wrong direction or then the usual cold shoulder or silly excuses of "being busy" but doing nothing card is played. 

This approach reflects a lack of sensitivity and awareness towards the needs of others. Feedback becomes a tool for undermining rather than a mechanism for growth. The primary agenda often revolves around “What’s in it for me?” rather than “How can I contribute to your success?”. This self-focused mentality limits collaboration and creates a fragmented community where individual growth comes at the expense of collective progress.

Many entrepreneurs in Indore seem unaware of the importance of formal collaborations, business etiquette, and professional ethics. The absence of these key elements hinders meaningful partnerships and prevents businesses from scaling effectively. Success, in the long run, requires more than just numbers and profits—it calls for authenticity, ethical practices, and value-driven services.

Investors are increasingly aware of inauthentic behavior and are reluctant to back founders with narrow goals focused solely on financial gain. Authenticity and transparency have become critical markers of credibility, and ventures that prioritize value creation are more likely to attract long-term investments. Simply put, showing value through actions and services builds trust and sustainable growth, far more than flashy appearances or superficial gains.

 

The Real Cost of Self-Centered Hustle

Let’s not sugarcoat it: the "me-first" mentality does more harm than good. Here’s how it plays out:

Missed Collaborations: Everyone's too busy chasing individual wins to notice how much stronger they'd be together.

Brain Drain: Talented professionals leave in droves, looking for environments where they won’t need to constantly watch their backs.

Mental Health Hits Rock Bottom: A culture built on outdoing each other at any cost? Cue burnout and breakdowns.

Plagiarism and Trust Issues: Borrowing ideas without permission has become an unspoken norm, killing innovation and leaving everyone paranoid.

 

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Limited Exposure: Playing a Small Game on a Big Field

Many of Indore’s startups haven’t ventured beyond the comfort of their regional market, leading to a limited worldview. This lack of exposure keeps them from understanding that the world operates differently. It’s not just about doing more of the same—it’s about doing better, adopting global practices, and staying ahead of the curve.

The narrow, state-centric perspective stifles innovation, leaving Indore’s entrepreneurs with one foot stuck in the past. But there’s hope: a mindset shift can unlock vast potential and move the entire ecosystem toward sustainable success.

 

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Breaking Free: A Path Forward for Indore’s Entrepreneurs

It’s not all doom and gloom. Indore can build a better, healthier entrepreneurial community—one that thrives on trust, authenticity, and collective progress. Here’s the blueprint:

1. Embrace Collaboration, Not Competition

Stop hoarding ideas like they’re the last samosas at a conference. Alliances and partnerships open doors that petty rivalries slam shut. Sharing resources and knowledge will generate more wins for everyone involved.

2. Ditch the Plagiarism—Get Original

Copy-pasting someone else’s ideas may give you a temporary edge, but in the long run, it’s a dead end. Originality builds reputation, and reputation attracts long-term opportunities. Let go of shortcuts; invest in authenticity.

3. Learn from the World, Not Just Your Neighbor

It’s time to expand horizons and look beyond the city’s borders. Exposure to international practices will spark new ideas and provide valuable insights into how business is evolving. The world is a classroom—Indore needs to enroll.

4. Focus on Equality, Not Division

Pitting people against each other—especially women entrepreneurs—is not just toxic but counterproductive. Promoting inclusion and mutual respect will build a culture of belonging, where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.

5. Apply the 80/20 Rule for Meaningful Impact

Rather than chasing after every opportunity, focus on the high-impact activities that yield the most returns. Prioritize depth over quantity—doing a few things well is better than doing many things poorly.

 

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The Survival Mindset: Show-sha vs. Substance

A common trap for Indore’s startups is the obsession with “show-sha”—all flash and no substance. Too many entrepreneurs focus on appearances instead of building real value. They cut corners, thinking survival today matters more than thriving tomorrow. This scarcity mindset leads to missed opportunities for quality investment and meaningful collaborations.

We need to challenge this notion that success equals short-term wins. Cutting corners and stinginess—with resources, time, or ideas—only delays the inevitable: stagnation. Long-term success requires investing in depth and authenticity.

 

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The Criticism Trap: Feedback or Faux Help?

Founders often disguise jealousy and insecurity as helpful advice. Pointing out flaws without providing actionable solutions isn’t feedback—it’s sabotage. The problem with this mindset is that it creates a culture of mistrust and defensiveness, where genuine input is hard to come by.

Imagine a community where feedback isn’t about pulling others down, but about lifting them up. That’s the culture Indore needs to foster.

 

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The Way Forward: Building a Community of Trust and Integrity

To truly grow, Indore must align its entrepreneurial practices with professionalism and ethics. Building trust and partnerships isn’t just a feel-good strategy; it’s a business imperative. Long-term growth comes from relationships grounded in mutual respect, transparency, and shared goals.

Here’s how we do it:

Invest in Quality: Don’t cut corners. Prioritize healthy practices, meaningful infrastructure, and sustainable partnerships.

Professionalism Matters: Business etiquette isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of trust. Learn the rules of formal collaboration and stick to them.

Value-Driven Growth: Instead of focusing solely on profit, create real value that customers and partners can trust. Authenticity wins in the end.

 

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Conclusion: Indore’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem—Ready for Takeoff?

Here’s the thing: no organization, startup, or community thrives just because the founder waves their magic wand. Success is built on the value everyone brings to the table, not from one person hoarding the spotlight. Think of it like a movie—sure, the hero looks great, but without the crew, supporting cast, and behind-the-scenes talent, all that’s left is someone awkwardly posing in slow-mo. Not exactly blockbuster material, right?

Taking all the credit isn’t confidence—it’s arrogance in a slick disguise. No leader is the smartest in every room, no matter how much they might believe otherwise. There are always more talented, sharper minds out there—they just haven’t broadcast it on Social Media yet. Ignoring that? Welcome to Fantasyland. 

Leaders who misuse their position to put others in their place or act as if the whole show revolves around them don’t exude strength—they reveal insecurity and shortsightedness. True leadership isn’t about grabbing the spotlight; it’s about knowing when to share the stage. Because if those who support the mission decide to leave, the pedestal they built will crumble faster than a house of cards. 

In the long run, deceit and arrogance might offer a quick win, but genuine humility, concern & collaboration are what create sustainable success. A wise leader knows that every victory is shared, and that the ones working quietly behind the scenes are the real reason for growth. Without them, even the boldest visionary is just a dreamer... with no crew to make it happen.

Indore stands at a pivotal moment in its economic journey. The resources and talent are here—the only thing missing is the right mindset. To become a true entrepreneurial hub, the community must let go of outdated survival strategies and embrace collaborative growth.

The future belongs to those who invest in substance, trust, and partnerships. It’s time to replace the show-sha with substance, competition with collaboration, and division with unity. When entrepreneurs uplift one another, everyone wins.

The real secret? Push others forward, and you’ll find yourself moving forward too. With the right mindset, Indore can lead by example and become a model of sustainable entrepreneurship—where growth isn’t just personal, but collective.