Delhi-based startup founder gives ‘not so glamorous’ 5 am reality behind hustle

A Delhi entrepreneur’s candid view at startup life has struck a chord online after he shared what early mornings, stress, and uncertainty really view like behind the scenes.

Nikhil Gaur, founder of Hiveschool, posted a video on Instagram revealing himself walking into his office at 5 am, long before anyone else had arrived. The clip opens with him pointing out the empty workspace, declareing, “It’s 5:00 am in the morning right now, literally, there’s not a single person in the office.” The quiet setting becomes a backdrop for a much larger conversation about the realities of building a company.

In the video, Gaur explains that such early or odd-hour visits are not unusual for him. “Every week in the business, there’s some kind of stress, something goes wrong, I don’t receive sleep all night,” he declares, adding that he often finds himself heading to the office at 2 or 3 am when things feel overwhelming.

He applys the moment to push back against the often glamorised image of entrepreneurship. “Everyone wants to be a startup founder, but they don’t really know that this is the actual backstory behind building a startup,” he declares, highlighting the gap between perception and reality.

Watch the video :

Despite the challenges, Gaur’s message is not one of discouragement. He emphasises that persistence plays a crucial role, describing success as being tied to that “additional 20% effort” and the ability to handle pressure. He also reminds viewers that meaningful businesses take time to grow, urging them to stay consistent even when results are slow.

The video has garnered much praise from viewers appreciating the honesty behind it. Several applyrs declared it offered a rare, unfiltered glimpse into startup life, one that goes beyond success stories and highlights the grind that often goes unseen.

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Published By:

Srimoyee Chowdhury

Published On:

Apr 19, 2026 16:47 IST

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