Nischal Shetty, CEO of WazirX, has been at the forefront of popularising the sale of artwork and music in the non-fungible token (NFT) format. The bitcoin and cyptocurrency exchange platform has created a new venue for Indian artists to showcase and have ownership of their work. Lounge asked him about his thoughts on mentors and the process of mentoring.
Also Read: Is NFT the disruptor that digital art needs?
Who do you consider your mentor and why?
I’ve been reading Richard Branson’s Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way. I find him very inspiring. Even though I’ve never met Richard Branson, he’s my mentor through his phenomenal work and book.
What does being a mentor mean to you? How do you mentor your colleagues at work?
A mentor is someone who uses their experience, mistakes and wins to guide you. A mentor helps you expedite your goal. It’s a lot like asking for directions from someone who has already been to the place you’re going to.
I try to help people see the bigger picture and bring more clarity of thought on what they want to achieve. Instead of providing direct solutions, I prefer putting them on the path to finding what they seek.
What time do you wake up and what's the first thing you do after waking up?
I wake up at around 7 am. The first thing I do is pray and remind myself of what my goal is. I do this every day. I then quickly check my phone for any important messages and don’t spend more than a few minutes on it. After that, I spend an hour or two figuring out how I want my day to go, how to solve some of the problems our company might be facing and what are the next steps we should work on for the growth of our startup.
Also Read: Mentoring Jammu and Kashmir's future scientists
What's the one positive work routine you have developed during the pandemic?
I have set a fixed start time and end time for my work and I only work from my work area. This has helped me separate my personal and professional life in the whole work-from-home culture and it has kept me excited to keep working every day.
Any book/ podcast/ app/ videos you would recommend about mentorship and workplace growth? Why?
The Godfather, Shoe Dog, Grinding it Out, Zero to One, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, No Rules, etc. These are lessons from the lives of entrepreneurs. The Godfather, though fiction, teaches a lot about integrity, teamwork, and so on.
Monday Motivation is a series featuring founders, business leaders and creative individuals who tell us about the people they look up to and their work ethics.
Also Read: A new initiative aims to mentor Indie musicians
