Marathon Vs Business: Vineeta Singh Finds Common Ground In Both

What do marathon running and entrepreneurship have in common? Plenty, according to Vineeta Singh, co-founder and chief executive officer of Sugar Cosmetics and an ultramarathon runner.

Her words are reminiscent of Haruki Murakami’s insight in What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." This concept highlights that, while challenges are part of the journey, how we handle them is what counts.

"I just need to get to the next light pole. If I think about the fact that I still have 70 kilometres, I will give up. It's impossible. And I will quit. But if I think that I just have to somehow find the courage to get to the next light pole, it seems easier, right?" said Singh.

"When you're running and it gets very hard, the idea of running 89 kilometres is very overwhelming. Just like when you say that I'm going to build a Rs 5,000 crore company, it is very overwhelming...," she said.

In business, this translates to focussing on the next small milestone rather than being daunted by the grand vision. Singh's entrepreneurial journey has been marked by numerous setbacks, including many venture capital rejections. Yet her strategy remained consistent: she asked herself, 'Can I show up tomorrow, my customers?'. She just has to show up the next day, she said. "I have to get through this quarter, even if it's a very tough quarter, but let me get through this quarter first."

"The most important step was always showing up at the start line," according to the CEO. This principle applies universally, whether it's gearing up for an ultramarathon or launching a startup. Many aspiring entrepreneurs, much like runners, falter before they even begin, overwhelmed by the fear of failure.

The willingness to begin is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart, Singh said. "If you have that instinct that this is what you're meant to do, and you have that desire to create something, to build something, just do it...Show up at the start line and everything else; you'll figure it out on the journey."

Both running and business demand resilience and a relentless pursuit of progress. "I've had moments in races where I thought I couldn't go on. But then I think, just one more step. In business, it's the same. There will be days when everything seems to go wrong, but you have to push through, one step at a time," Singh said.