Prominent entrepreneur and digital creator Ankur Warikoo has shared a deeply personal account of one of the most difficult periods in his professional life. This phase came not during a struggle for survival, but in the aftermath of a major financial milestone.
The High That Led to a Personal Low
In a candid reflection posted on social media platform X, Warikoo revisited the year 2016. This period followed closely on the heels of a significant achievement for his company: securing a $17 million investment from Sequoia India. However, instead of celebration, this success precipitated a crisis that forced him into an agonising corner.
The painful decision he faced was to lay off a substantial portion of his workforce. Warikoo revealed he had to let go of 80 employees from a team of 420. He took full ownership of the situation, attributing it solely to his own missteps. "My terrible decisions and judgment had led us to this point," he wrote, expressing the profound weight of his responsibility.
The Emotional Toll and Daily Struggle
Warikoo described the intense feelings of failure and guilt that consumed him during this time. He felt he had disappointed every key stakeholder in his venture. "I had let everyone down – my cofounders, my team, my investors. And myself," his post stated. The emotional burden was so heavy that the simple act of going to the office every day felt like climbing a "biggest mental mountain."
This revelation was part of his response to a user's question on X about navigating a "very dark period" and what helped his mental health. Warikoo did not shy away from detailing the depth of his despair but also outlined the three key habits that became his lifeline during those three grueling months.
Three Pillars That Provided Solace
Warikoo credited three specific practices with helping him endure that phase. The first was reading. He specifically mentioned the book 'Better Under Pressure', stating emphatically that "the book literally saved me."
The second was a raw, personal ritual. Every afternoon after lunch, he would leave the office, put on his headphones to listen to Eminem's iconic song 'Lose Yourself', and allow himself to cry. This daily release of emotion became a crucial part of his coping mechanism.
The third pillar was meditation. He admitted that initially, sitting with his thoughts was excruciating, even for short durations. However, he persevered, and the practice fundamentally changed his relationship with his own mind. It enabled him to shift from being a "participant of my thoughts to an observer of my thoughts," a change in perspective that was vital for his recovery.
A Wave of Resonance and Shared Vulnerability
Warikoo's raw honesty struck a chord with a vast audience online, sparking a flood of responses from other entrepreneurs and professionals. Many shared their own parallel experiences of hardship and failure.
One user praised his courage, noting that "Failure hurts more when it comes from your own decisions." They highlighted that the real test is the discipline to show up daily despite the weight, and reframed tools like reading and meditation not as productivity hacks but as essential survival tools for founders.
Another response came from a smaller business owner who related to the pain of letting team members go, even without having raised massive funding. They wrote about the lasting impact of such decisions and how it changed their hiring philosophy to focus on making a genuine difference in employees' lives.
The thread became a collective space acknowledging the often-unspoken emotional toll of leadership. Comments pointed to the "underrated painful emotion" of helplessness and thanked Warikoo for his "honest vulnerability," proving that sharing such struggles can foster powerful connection and understanding within the business community.
