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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 3:28:38 am

The Sugar Rush Founder

There is a particular intensity that defines the new wave of young entrepreneurs. They move fast, earn fast, and scale fast — and often believe that momentum itself is the marker of success. Money becomes more than income. It becomes reassurance. Proof. Power. A scoreboard. Recently, I met a founder in his early thirties who is doing exceptionally well financially. His ambition was undeniable. He spoke about growth the way athletes speak about winning — with hunger, focus, and a constant need...

The Sugar Rush Founder

There is a particular intensity that defines the new wave of young entrepreneurs. They move fast, earn fast, and scale fast — and often believe that momentum itself is the marker of success. Money becomes more than income. It becomes reassurance. Proof. Power. A scoreboard. Recently, I met a founder in his early thirties who is doing exceptionally well financially. His ambition was undeniable. He spoke about growth the way athletes speak about winning — with hunger, focus, and a constant need to push further. I admired it. That drive is what builds companies. But what stayed with me was something quieter. He mentioned that in a year when he earned less, he wasn’t in the best place mentally. The dip was not dramatic, but the emotional impact was. It made him feel as though he had slipped backwards — not just in revenue, but in identity. And that is the hidden pressure many founders carry today. For ambitious entrepreneurs, money can begin to feel like a sugar rush: a powerful high that fuels confidence and urgency. When numbers rise, everything feels possible. When they fall, even slightly, it creates unease. The chase becomes endless — not because wanting more is wrong, but because money alone is an unstable anchor. This is where personal branding becomes not a luxury, but a necessity. Many founders assume personal branding is about visibility—posting more, being active online, and becoming “known”. But at serious levels of business, personal branding is far more strategic. It is the reputation that holds when numbers fluctuate. It is the trust that remains even when the market shifts. It is the identity people associate with you beyond a financial year. Because here is what founders eventually learn: revenue is not the only currency in the room. Influence is. In boardrooms, partnerships, investor conversations, and premium client decisions, people don’t only buy the company. They buy the founder’s clarity, credibility, and presence. They buy what your name signals before you even speak. A founder with a strong personal brand does not become fragile when income dips. Their positioning remains steady. Their value is not reduced to quarterly performance. They are trusted for how they think, how they lead, and what they consistently represent. This is what separates short-term success from long-term authority. Without personal branding, founders often fall into an exhausting pattern: constantly proving, constantly chasing, constantly needing the next win to feel secure. With it, something shifts. Opportunities begin to come through reputation, not pursuit. Clients stay for trust, not just delivery. Partnerships form because of alignment, not convenience. Most importantly, personal branding gives founders emotional stability alongside ambition. It reminds them that their worth is not transactional. It is reputational. Money can rise and fall. Markets change. Industries evolve. But a personal brand — built with intention — creates continuity. It allows you to grow without feeling that every slower year is a personal failure. The founders who build lasting legacies are not always the ones who earn the fastest. They are the ones who become unforgettable for the right reasons. Not because they are loud, but because they are anchored. Not because they show everything, but because they signal something consistent: trust, excellence, leadership. In the years ahead, the market will reward founders who are not only wealthy but also respected. Not only successful, but credible. Not only ambitious but also deeply positioned. Because money can be made again. But reputation takes time. If you resonate with this — if you feel the pressure of constantly needing the next financial high. — It may be time to build something deeper: a personal brand that stabilises your success and scales your influence. You can book a free consultation call with me here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani. Not as a pitch, but as a conversation about building a brand that holds – even when the numbers fluctuate. (The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

A beacon of hope for rural athletes

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

How Akash Shinde transformed from a shy village boy to a prominent kabaddi player

beacon of hope

Mumbai: In the heart of Nashik's Adgaon village, a young boy Akash Shinde dared to dream big. Little did he know that his journey from playing in the muddy grounds of his town to becoming a PKL winner would inspire a generation of aspiring athletes.


“Initially, when I used to play, I would come home with bruises because Kabaddi was played in the mud,” Akash recalls as he enters his fourth season with the Puneri Paltan. And despite his family's initial concerns, his passion for kabaddi burned bright, fuelled by the unwavering support of his early mentors Sagar Malwade and Vinod Labde.


His path to success was far from smooth. He faced numerous setbacks, failing to make the cut in his first attempts at various levels. “I fell short in my first attempts at all levels. I went for my senior camp for Maharashtra and fell short there too!”


But instead of letting these failures discourage him, Akash used them as stepping stones. “These setbacks kept me determined, and I knew I needed to try harder and with renewed energy to show the world what I could do and achieve.”


His breakthrough came in 2019 at a seniors’ trial in Nashik. This performance opened doors, leading him to play in the Junior Nationals and eventually catching the eye of Yuva Paltan, which is the Puneri Paltan’s academy.


The turning point in Akash’s career came when he represented his college in Beed, earning his first chance to play for Maharashtra. Under the guidance of Anil Jagdale and Kailas Jagdale, his skills flourished. His journey accelerated as he moved from Mahindra & Mahindra to Yuva Paltan, where mentors like Sangram and Ashok helped refine his game.


Akash’s PKL debut with Puneri Paltan in Season 8 was a moment of immense pride, not just for him but for his entire village. “No player from the Nashik region had made it to PKL or even the Maharashtra team, so it was a shock, a pleasant one, for everyone. The entire Nashik district was very happy. It felt really good,” he reminisces.


But it was in Season 9 that he truly announced his arrival, becoming a formidable force on the mat. In the 22 matches that Akash played on the way to his first PKL final, he scored 139 raid points, averaging 6.32 raid point per match.


His performances caught the eye of the national selectors, earning him a spot on the Indian team for the Asian Games. “I received my Team India kit on the 27th of October. I still remember it,” he says.


The crowning glory came in PKL Season 10 when Akash, along with his Puneri Paltan teammates, lifted the coveted trophy. Albeit playing a diminished role, he managed an impressive 56 raid points in the 13 matches he played. “There was only one target then... we had made up our minds that we had to win the title this season, whatever it took,” he shared, reflecting on the team’s collective determination. Now, Akash stands as a beacon of hope for young athletes from rural India. His message to them is clear: “Keep believing in yourselves and your dedication and efforts.” He emphasizes the importance of loyalty, urging young players to stay true to the clubs that nurture them.


As he prepares for PKL Season 11, his journey from the muddy grounds of Adgaon to the bright lights of Pro Kabaddi serves as a testament to the power of dreams, determination, and unwavering support.

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