‘Don’t put off decisions, do it now’

He has already made a mark in the stand-up comedy circuit across the country. Karthik Kumar, one of the co-founders of  Evam, has turned author. His debut book Don’t Startup was launched recently in the city. Through this book, the multi-faceted personality presents a never-before-seen side of entrepreneurship. He recounts the journey of getting into an unknown area as an entrepreneur and the challenges faced in this voyage of business and self-discovery.

“The main inspiration to write this book was literally all the learnings we had on our way to entrepreneurship and the wisdom that a lot of people shared with us. All those inputs were invaluable and I knew that it had to be documented, so that the message could be passed on and provide a support system for new startups and entrepreneurs. If you notice, there is very little documentation on how to get ready for an entrepreneurial journey,” Karthik starts the conversation. 

He sees Evam as his most successful and meaningful endeavour and the book is mainly based on his launch of Evam. “Everybody sees me as an actor or a stand-up comic. But first and foremost, I am an entrepreneur and that’s what defines me. So, when I decided to pen a book what better topic to select than something like this which is close to my heart,” he asks. 

“This book covers all those vital lessons that I learned. Don’t Startup caters to those first-time entrepreneurs and who want to figure out if they have an entrepreneur inside them.”

Prod him if the transition from a stand-up comic to a writer was tough and he says, “Writing is always a part of my life. It was just about finding the right tone. All my identities — stand-up comedy or theatre — involved writing. Writing a book requires a different style as opposed to writing for a stand-up comedy show or a theatre production. Writing for a comedy show is to evoke laughter in the audience, but by penning a book like this, you are striking a chord with the readers. Writing is a very lonely process; it’s a one to an empty page relationship which is very difficult to maintain on a daily basis.”

One important lesson Karthik learned while writing the book is that if you want to start something, you shouldn’t procrastinate. “It’ll damage your potential and career in a bigger way. If you have figured out your goals, then don’t wait for anything.”