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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.)

Knives out in legislature

Updated: Mar 21, 2025

Disha Salian

Mumbai: Death of celebrity manager Disha Salian in 2020 once again rocked the Maharashtra legislature on Thursday. While cabinet ministers Nitesh Rane and Shambhuraj Desai demanded that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray be arrested in the case, BJP MLA Amit Satam in the assembly and another BJP member Chitra Wagh in the council demanded that the report of SIT to probe Salian’s death be made public.


Incidentally, amidst repeated disruptions in both the houses, some members from the treasury benches were seen speaking in favour of Aditya Thackeray, while Shiv Sena (UBT) members like Adv Anil Parab were seen supporting the BJP members’ demand that the report of the SIT probe be made public. In addition, there were allegations and counter allegations and personal accusations among members from the treasury and opposition benches which led to heated debate on occasions.


The opposition termed the attempts from the treasury benches to link Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray’s name in the case, as a ‘conspiracy’.


“I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Disha’s father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We don’t need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer,” Ambadas Danve said.


Earlier in the day, when the house gathered for the business, Minister of State for Home appraised the assembly of the status in this case. “SIT has been formed to probe in the case. Their report has not been received as yet. However, the government shall act according to directives from the court,” the minister told the house.


Another BJP minister Nitesh Rane, however, said that since Satish Salian has levelled allegations against an MVA minister, that leader be treated like a common person and that everybody should be treated equally before the law. Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai too supported the demand. “Since the allegations are grave, the person in question should be immediately arrested and the case be investigated,” he said.


Later, while speaking to media in the legislature premises, Rane asked Uddhav Thackeray to come clean on the issue. “If they say that we are politicizing the issue, Uddhav Thackeray should also tell the people why he had called, not just once but twice, to the then union minister Narayan Rane urging him to save his son?” Rane said.


He also accused the opposition of shying away from coming clean on the issue. “If they feel that we are not telling the truth, they should say so in the house. But they are shying away from doing so. Bhaskar Jadhav, who is always aggressive, was nowhere to be seen when this issue came up in the house. Sunil Prabhu too escaped the house under the pretext of a phone call. I challenge them to say that whatever I said on the issue is wrong,” Rane said.


He also said that Aditya Thackeray should resign on moral grounds till his name is cleared in the case.


BJP MLA Amit Satam demanded that the details of the SIT probe be made public so that the people would know if the probe is headed in right direction.


Interestingly, while the ruling parties were targeting the opposition in the case, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar surprised all with his unexpected support to Thackerays. “I do not have any evidences in the case. But if her father has made any fresh allegations that needs to be investigated thoroughly. The assembly can discuss the issue at length tomorrow. In the meanwhile, members like Rane, who seem to have some evidences in the case should hand them over to the investigating agencies and help the probe,” he told the house.


Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Gaikwad and Sheetal Mhatre too toed the line and demanded that more and more evidences should come forth.


Similarly, when members of treasury benches were pushing for revealing the details of the probe till date to the public, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab supported the demand. “Doing that shall conclusively prove the innocence of Aditya Thackeray,” he said.

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