The Hidden Value of 'Zero-Revenue' Employees: A Startup Founder's Wake-Up Call
There’s a conversation happening in the startup world that’s both eye-opening and oddly refreshing. Pratham Jindal, the founder of Praper, recently went viral for admitting he spends Rs 8 lakh a month on employees who don’t directly generate revenue. On the surface, it sounds like a reckless move—why pay so much for roles that don’t bring in money? But dig deeper, and you’ll find a lesson that many entrepreneurs, myself included, need to hear.
The Revenue vs. Support Divide: Why It’s a False Dichotomy
Jindal’s LinkedIn post highlights a common startup mindset: revenue-generating roles (sales, design, etc.) are prioritized because their impact is measurable. Support roles (HR, IT, admin) are often seen as optional luxuries. Personally, I think this is where many founders—myself included—go wrong. What makes this particularly fascinating is how Jindal flips the script. He argues that support roles aren’t just expenses; they’re investments in his time and mental bandwidth.
Here’s the thing: as a founder, your time is your most valuable asset. Jindal realized he was spending hours on payroll issues, vendor follow-ups, and late-night invoice approvals—tasks that, while necessary, were eating into his ability to focus on growth. From my perspective, this is a classic case of short-term thinking. Yes, hiring support staff costs money, but it frees up the founder to work on high-impact, revenue-driving activities. If you take a step back and think about it, Rs 8 lakh a month is a small price to pay for reclaiming your time and sanity.
The Psychology Behind the Hesitation
One thing that immediately stands out is the psychological barrier founders face when hiring support staff. There’s a weird pride in handling everything yourself—a badge of honor that says, “I’m a hustler.” But what many people don’t realize is that this mindset often stems from ego, not strategy. Jindal admits he was guilty of this too, delaying support hires because he thought he could do it all.
This raises a deeper question: Why do we tie our self-worth to how much we can handle alone? In my opinion, it’s a cultural issue in the startup world, where burnout is glorified and delegation is seen as weakness. What this really suggests is that we need to redefine success. It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things.
The System Over the Hero
A detail that I find especially interesting is the comment from a user who said, “The best businesses are not the ones working the hardest. They are the ones where systems work even when the founder is not involved.” This hits the nail on the head. Long-term stability isn’t about the founder’s heroics; it’s about building a system that runs smoothly without them.
Support roles are the backbone of that system. They handle the operational chaos so the founder can focus on strategy. What many people misunderstand is that these roles aren’t just about saving time—they’re about reducing stress, improving efficiency, and creating a scalable foundation. Personally, I think this is where the real value lies.
The Future of Startup Leadership
If there’s one takeaway from Jindal’s post, it’s this: the future of startup leadership isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing less—in the right areas. Founders need to stop seeing support roles as expenses and start seeing them as strategic investments. In my opinion, this shift in mindset could be the difference between a startup that burns out and one that scales sustainably.
What this conversation really highlights is the need for a broader reevaluation of how we measure value in business. Revenue is important, but it’s not the only metric that matters. Time, mental health, and operational efficiency are just as critical. If you ask me, Jindal’s Rs 8 lakh isn’t a cost—it’s a statement about what he values most: his time and his company’s future.
Final Thoughts
As I reflect on Jindal’s post, I’m reminded of a lesson I’ve learned the hard way: you can’t build a successful business by doing everything yourself. Delegation isn’t just a tactic; it’s a philosophy. What makes Jindal’s story so compelling is its honesty. He’s not pretending to have it all figured out—he’s sharing a mistake he made and the lesson he learned.
In a world where founders are often pressured to appear invincible, this kind of vulnerability is rare and refreshing. Personally, I think it’s a wake-up call for all of us to rethink how we prioritize roles, value time, and define success. After all, the best businesses aren’t built by heroes—they’re built by systems, and the people who keep them running.
