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Harsh Pokharna: The Journey from Flipkart to Startup Success

Harsh Pokharna: The Journey from Flipkart to Startup Success

Starting a business is never easy. It takes grit, determination, and the willingness to face failure head-on. One inspiring example of this is Harsh Pokharna, an IIT Kanpur alumnus who left his high-paying job at Flipkart to chase his entrepreneurial dreams. Today, he is the CEO and Co-founder of OkCredit, a digital bookkeeping platform helping small businesses manage their finances seamlessly.


From IIT Kanpur to Flipkart

Harsh Pokharna's journey began at IIT Kanpur, where he pursued a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering. Like many IIT graduates, he landed a prestigious job at Flipkart, one of India’s largest e-commerce companies. He worked as a Graduate Engineer Trainee for eight months, gaining valuable industry experience. However, he knew that his true calling lay elsewhere—in entrepreneurship.

Leaving a Stable Job for a Risky Dream

Quitting a high-paying job to start a business is always a bold move. Harsh decided to take the plunge, but his path was not smooth. Over the next two years, he experimented with three different startup ideas, all of which failed.

With his savings depleting, he had to freelance to keep himself afloat while still working on his dream. This phase of struggle is something most entrepreneurs go through, but only a few have the patience and resilience to keep going.

The Birth of OkCredit

After several setbacks, Harsh co-founded OkCredit in 2017 along with his IIT Kanpur batchmates Gaurav Kumar and Aditya Prasad. The idea was simple yet powerful—help small businesses manage their credit transactions digitally instead of using traditional notebooks.

OkCredit provided a free, secure, and easy-to-use app that allowed shopkeepers to maintain their ledger digitally. This idea struck a chord with Indian businesses, leading to rapid growth. Over time, OkCredit attracted major investments and became one of India's leading digital bookkeeping solutions.

Lessons from Harsh Pokharna’s Entrepreneurial Journey

Harsh Pokharna’s journey offers valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs:

  1. Resilience is key – Failure is part of the journey. The ones who keep going despite setbacks eventually succeed.
  2. Adaptability matters – If one idea doesn’t work, pivot and try something new.
  3. Financial management is crucial – Running out of money can end a startup journey. Side gigs or freelancing can help sustain entrepreneurs.
  4. Solve real problems – Businesses that address real-world problems have a higher chance of success.

A Long Way to Go

Even after achieving significant success, Harsh acknowledges that there’s still a long way to go. The world of startups is always evolving, and entrepreneurs must keep innovating to stay ahead.

His story is a reminder that success doesn’t come overnight. It takes patience, hard work, and the courage to step out of one's comfort zone.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Harsh Pokharna’s journey is both a source of inspiration and a blueprint for success.

Would you take the risk and chase your startup dreams like he did? Let us know in the comments!

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