Saurabh Mukherjea has issued a blunt warning to India’s middle class: if you’re still betting on stable, salaried employment, you’re already behind.
Writing on LinkedIn, the Marcellus founder says a mindset reset is no longer optional—it’s urgent. “With stable, salaried employment in the public and in the private sector a thing of the past, the core of the Indian middle class needs attitudinal retuning.”
In a detailed note, Mukherjea lays down what he calls the “Ten Commandments of Indian entrepreneurship”—a practical playbook for those navigating a fast-evolving economy where family-run firms dominate, capital remains expensive, and conventional employment no longer guarantees upward mobility.
The commandments begin with a call to take risks. Mukherjea urges Indians to train early in life to make Expected Value (EV) positive bets, and then scale up those bets when the odds align. “Make small bets initially but once you realise that the odds are in your favour, load up and go as big as you can afford to without putting your existence in jeopardy.”
Next: simplify your life into routines that allow for intense work, collaboration, and creative rest. Be patient and “play the infinite game”—most wealth, he reminds readers, is created late in life.
Entrepreneurs must also embrace failure, see it as routine, and be happy standing out, despite criticism. He emphasizes the importance of care, especially in nurturing teams, suppliers, and customers. And when it comes to self-growth, stay curious and “focus on the inner scorecard, not the outer one.”
Mukherjea also warns against overthinking. Instead, relax, refresh, and don’t reflect. Another critical rule: build trust outside your comfort zone—engage with people beyond caste and community. Finally, he calls on business owners to nurture the next generation, embedding longevity into their firms.
The broader message is unmistakable: India’s middle class must evolve from job-seekers to risk-takers. In a high-cost, low-certainty economy, only entrepreneurial thinking—rooted in resilience and clarity—can unlock long-term gains.
