Interview with Aditya Arora | FAAD

I hope this can inspire you to become a successful entrepreneur too! Why is it important to hear the story of a successful entrepreneur?

Having the vision to become an entrepreneur is great. Making it happen is another story!

In that frame, I had the pleasure to interview Aditya Arora, CEO of FAAD. FAAD is an early-stage investment network for startups.

1. Hi! Let’s begin with an introduction. Would you please tell us about yourself, your background, and what brought you to begin Faad?
I am an angel investor, alongside I am currently CEO of FAAD (FAAD is an early-stage investment network for startups). I am a social change maker working in the field of education and an occasional embark comedian. I deliver guest lectures, and people recognize me as a speaker as well.

I hail from a middle-class family with zero entrepreneurial background. I was an introvert throughout my school life and then went on to Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies (SSCBS) after completing my 12th. I never thought of becoming an Entrepreneur until I joined FAAD.

An organization named FAAD participated in an internship fair in my college. Being a Second-year student, I went for the interview and was selected. I never thought that this internship will end up being my first and also the last one. I joined FAAD to find out and acquire some experience.

2. Please tell us something about your period after you started Faad. What kind of challenges did you face while building this company from scratch?
In FAAD, I interviewed many Entrepreneurs. I wrote many stories, which started appearing on different social media platforms and business magazines. These stories had influenced me to a point, that I decided to figure more within Entrepreneurship. It caught my fascination and that is how I chose to be an entrepreneur.

Coming to challenges, every story has up and downs, so do mine. I was studying in college, alongside the internship in FAAD. I started “Education Yatra” to teach underprivileged kids as well. Managing everything side by side was quite challenging. Time management due to the hectic schedule was one of the main challenges, I faced.

3. What services is Faad offering presently?
FAAD is currently an angel network for startups where we aim to handhold startups so that they’ll grow to the subsequent level. FAAD is investing in startups and also helping them with strategic learnings and strong business collaborations.

4. What’s the most important thing you’re functioning on at present and how are you making it happen?
I am working on creating content, including Instagram reels. I would like to see more and more Entrepreneurs in India, and for that, I’m functioning on educating people about Entrepreneurship through social media and organizing different events. It’s important because people in India don’t have much knowledge of startups and finance.

5. What has been the biggest challenge that you have ever faced?
Time management and convincing parents to let me become an Entrepreneur. Learning everything at a young age wasn’t that easy, as people consider. I belong to a standard family with zero entrepreneurial background. I’m the primary first entrepreneur of my family. Hence, my parents too wanted me to either pursue a master’s or MBA like other parents. So, convincing my parents to let me get into this field was quite difficult. Managing this job together with college was difficult on my behalf. I didn’t have just one priority to specialize in. I had three priorities to handle.

6. Any suggestions for wannabe Entrepreneurs?
I’d like to say one thing: start exploring yourself, find your passion and if you have already got it, go and follow this. Unique is a myth. There’s nothing like unique. You don’t just find a passion and work hard and smart. Your passion makes you unique. Your work makes you unique and your work engraves your name within the annals of history.

7. What investors look at Startups? Is it possible to raise funds during the initial or idea stage?
Investors generally give priorities to these five T’s of investments:
Technology
Team
Traction
Ten X potential
Terms

It’s easy than people assume, to lift funds during the initial stage of the startup. You’ll rather like to evoke money from your family, friends, or relatives initially.

8. Finding a mentor during the period of Startup is usually a tricky task. Any suggestions for 1st-time entrepreneurs regarding finding a mentor?
Mentors play a very important role but we do not must choose those people as our mentors whom we predict know everything. People can’t know everything, everybody has weak points further as strong points. So, you better choose an individual as a mentor who has been there in your shoes. Someone who can provide you with the strategy to grow your startup. But the mentor should share the same passion for the corporate as you.

9. Sometimes self-doubt acts as a barrier for 1st-time entrepreneurs. Any suggestions for them? Any way to overcome self-doubt while starting up?
I’d like to say, be your strength and channelize your insecurities and negative energy in an exceedingly positive manner by focusing on yourself. That is how you’ll find yourself overcoming your self-doubts and you’ll end up becoming an improved version of yours.

10. What is the one question you were expecting most and that I haven’t asked you?
Many people question me, why did you choose ” FAAD ” as your company name? FAAD is a Hindi word that implies “Awesome”. We always focus on “Do awesome”, and I am known among people as “The FAAD Guy”.