Goodbye from a Zhopper

/ 36 Comments

Before we go ahead, let me clearly say that

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, farting, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This is being written to clarify all the questions I am going to face from various folks not to settle any scores.

So as the subject suggests, goodbye from me. In college ( IIT Kanpur ), there used to be a song used in lot of situations, specially with respect to girls. Boy, I have some talent for maintaining sense of humor in senseless times. So the song goes like this – Bhanwre ne khilaya phool, phool ko le gaya raj kunwar. Fortunately enough that did not happen to me in college. But ya this song was primarily used when somebody stole somebody else’s girlfriend. So over the past 2 years I have been building a brand and company but I guess I have now run out of time now. Led by my dear friend Bhukhri/Bhukesh, I have been asked to step down.

A sad day indeed for me, not because I have been ousted from a company I built, but the way it was plotted and planned. I agree I was outsmarted by you dear friend Bhukhri/Bhukesh. Just letting everybody know that I am not a quitter, never a quitter and I have not decided to quit.

I have Arnab Goswami in front of me right now on TV so I guess I will leave few questions for my dear friend Bhukhri/Bhukesh. I know that nation does not want to ask all this but I do.

Q1. You have no single written communication to me which highlights the issues. All I have is a lack of response to atleast 25 company related issues despite 373 reminders written in softest of language. Is it possible for you to give me reasons in a written form? Your vocals have been saying different things at different time.

Q2. A friendly offer was extended to you approx 3 months back to run the company in the way you want which you not take up. Was it so important for you to make sure there is humiliation for me dear friend?

Q3. There is something called balls dear friend.  Not sure you will understand it though. Did you not have enough balls to directly tell me instead of routing it via investors in such a funny way. The only good thing about people without balls is that they are less likely to reproduce and create their own kind. I started business with a dear friend not investors.

Q4. And last but not the least. Why did you treat me like a criminal dear friend. Agree that you decided to let me go and convinced rest of the “Bored” on that but that does not mean that you start changing social media accounts, bank accounts and other company things. Do I have a history of stealing money from anywhere. Trust me mate this hurts beyond repair. If somebody had done this to you, it might be worthwhile for you to imagine how this would have felt.

Q5. And thanks for perfect timing on my 40th birthday. Great feeling of a life reset as I enter forties.

 

So here are my apologies to lot of people. First and foremost to my team. I have built it with lot of love and affection and had such a great relationship with each one of you. I will cherish great time we have spent together doing great things.

Second apologies goes out to “Bored”. As adults, we should have figured out a way to work together.

 

So what next for me….. Have been thinking through that for past 36 hrs.

The first thought that came to my mind is that I had started some work related to prevention of suicides in IITs which I can take up more actively now. More BBG events happening for sure as I get more free time. My travel mode might change to trains though. I am thinking of pursuing RJing more seriously. Besides that I am open to taking up part-time consultancy projects with various companies so that you still see food ics on my FB wall. If you have any leads in these directions, please let me know.

 

And for my dear friend Bhukhri/Bhukesh, you have gone down an evil path driven by a cocktail of greed ( aka ambition ), anger, ego and jealousy with a convenient “company interest” justification in your mind. I have know you for over 9 years now and I am sure you will overcome it some day. You are most welcome at my home when you reach that destination with open arms.

 

Ab sentiyapa khatam, thoda musicwa ho jaaye. All is well that ends in music.

 

36 Comments

  2. Shankar Viswanathan

    Sad to know the turn of events – start-ups work only based on trust. It is good that you got to the person now instead of being further led on. At least, you avoided falling from a greater height.

    I am sure you will have more exciting opportunities awaiting you. Just sit back, relax, take a break for a few days and start afresh.

    wishing you all the very best.

  3. PRIYA B

    Heyy BKB… sad to know.. sick feeling yes.. especially when it is from broken trust… from a friend or a known person.. 🙁
    But.. even here I can see your clarity of thoughts.. u are already bouncing back. . Nice to see that..
    You are always brimming with ideas.. I know how much you did for zop.. You will come up with yet another brilliant idea BKB. . We are with you. . U are in for a bigger one I guess..
    WHATEVER HAPPENS. ..HAPPENS FOR GOOD !!
    CHEERS ALWAYS 😀

  4. Archana

    Dear BKB,
    Life is not worth wasting your time with undeserving idiots! And a leader never steps down, he just moves on like you.
    Cheers!

  5. Sandeep

    Why such pathetic treatment.How come investors agreed for this “ousting”.Nonsense.Won’t there be any charter drafted for promoters.

  6. Dear Sir,
    I am not sorry to hear that because sympathy is seeked by weak people,strong people fight back.So here is the thing I want to join you in the same online grocery segment.
    I Need your valuable experince,guidence, mentorship,be my guru sir and lets rule this segment together.
    My resources are ready just your ASHIRWAAD is needed.

    Regards

    Sameer Vanje
    CEO, 1J ADS Pvt LTD
    +91 83747 33777

  7. Dude, Shit happens, does not mean we have to like it. Take a weekend/month off say “#GMDHBH” as a graduate from reputed place you should know about it 😉 Don’t know you well, but give me a holler and we can meet up to bitch about similar experiences.

  12. Jags

    When the TOUGH GET GOING, the going gets rough and tough for the others……..
    We are with you…
    Cheers

  13. Shabbir

    You had only 9 year of friendship the exact replica of this was done by my friend Ali who had 25 year of friendship and the day he choose to back stab me was the day when my first child got his name.

  15. Vikas

    Feel sorry man! Its the part of journey and I am sure you will once again build something really big with true consciousness.

  18. abc

    Mighty glad I didn’t interview at Zopnow after hearing this. I saw you at a Bangalore event and thought you were a weirdo – with the long hair and in shorts no less. But after reading your blog, I have changed my mind. 🙂

    I wish you much success in all of your future endeavours!

  20. Lalith Patwa

    If you started ZopNow, you are a persrson with some serious interest in online grocery sales…I am right now looking for a co-founder at grocerywala. Lemme know if you are on!
    Maybe this helps in your cureent trying times – Sab aache ke liye hota hai!

  21. as a popular saying goes ““Candle needs darkness to show its value; Where there is no darkness, candle is forgotten.”

    more power to you!

  22. Anil

    Dear Birla,
    I am a big fan of zopnow ! Sorry to see the founder quit. Now i wonder will zopnow become flopnow? The positive of this situation is a brilliant mind will never sit idle, in times like this i am sure you will come up with a great idea which will be much better than what you have done in the past 🙂
    All the best
    Anil

  25. rakesh gupta

    Birla,
    Shocking and sad.
    Adding to the best wishes of many for your future success.
    I am sure that better things that are destined for you.
    Good luck.

  29. […] Advaitya Sharma of Housing.co.in works with 12 of his friends and says they are going great guns. “The single most important thing that can affect relationships is inefficiences of communication – not knowing what each one is doing, what is your place in the whole thing,” he says. And then we all know about the famous ZopNow story and co-founder B K Birla’s rue. […]

  30. You can build another company in the near future but during that time you have to make sure to build that company with someone who has the least possibility of betraying you. This is a lesson to all of us who are co-founders of a certain business. Don’t worry BKBirla, everything happens for a reason. Bounce back higher soon! 🙂

  31. Saumya Shanker

    kuchh sher (Bekhud Dehalvi) tumhare in chuninda ‘doston’ ke naam:

    dekhkar mujhko wo sharma jayega
    ye tamasha kis-se dekha jayega

    qatl ki jab usne di dhamki mujhe
    keh diya maine bhi dekha jayega

    Rock On as you always do… Your tenacity in whatever you do will always be the biggest lesson for everyone… including these ‘Brutus bhai log’ 🙂

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