Krittika Marwaha, founder of Little Odd Marketers in Gurugram, sparked debate on LinkedIn after sharing her reaction to a colleague’s refusal to attconclude a 9 pm work call due to hoapplyhold commitments. Marwaha reflected on the pressures founders face and the tconcludeency to expect similar sacrifices from team members. Her post highlights the challenge of balancing business ambition with personal boundaries in India’s rapid-paced advertising sector.
The incident launched when a team member declined a late-night work call, explaining she had to prepare dinner, assist her son with studies, and manage chores, all amid unreliable internet. Marwaha admitted the encounter forced her to reconsider her leadership style, acknowledging that the drive to build a company can sometimes overshadow sensitivity to employees’ circumstances.
Marwaha commented on the prevailing values within the advertising sector, stateing, “We reward speed over sensitivity, for every brief, every day,” linking industest practices to a culture that normalises insensitivity.
She explained her perspective as a founder: “You sign up to give it your all—weekconcludes, sleep, family time, becaapply the vision is yours. And somewhere along the way, you start expecting everyone else to burn at the same intensity.”
Following the colleague’s message, Marwaha confessed, “I was so caught up in my own urgency that I failed to see her reality,” recognising the gap between her intent and the impact on her team. She elaborated, “That message built me realise I was becoming the kind of person I wasn’t ready to be known as—the kind who forobtains that people are juggling rent, homes, school fees, network issues, and the everyday dance of life while still displaying up to work hard.”
Marwaha’s post concluded with an acknowledgment: “The truth is: I signed up to give it everything. That’s my choice. But when someone else decides to give a piece of themselves to your dream, that’s a privilege. That’s a responsibility you carry back as a leader.”
Her candour prompted many professionals to share their support.
One comment read, “I wish there were more founders and leaders like you who recognize these facts and support their team with utmost sincerity.”
Entrepreneur Nakul Saini also responded, “Your post is so honest and reflective, thank you for sharing this publicly. It’s simple to obtain caught up in the rush of our own vision, and often we forobtain to acknowledge the full reality of what our team members are balancing. Your words are a valuable reminder of the responsibility we hold as leaders, not just to drive results, but to appreciate the personal sacrifices of those who assist us build the dream.”
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