Greed: A Misunderstood Motivator in the Startup Ecosystem
Anupam Mittal, the Founder & CEO of People Group, ignited a wave of reflection throughout India’s startup ecosystem with a thought-provoking post on LinkedIn. He redefined greed—not as a negative trait but as a misunderstood motivator that requires timely expression.
Quoting the famous phrase from the film Wall Street, “Greed is good,” Mittal considered how this belief shaped a generation of venture capitalists, founders, and fund managers, ultimately leading to some of the most infamous corporate failures—Enron, Satyam, Theranos, and WeWork. He also mentioned closer examples such as Byju’s, GoMechanic, and BharatPe, where, as he stated, “ambition outpaced ethics.”
However, Mittal’s insight did not end there. He remarked, “Greed IS good. But not the impatient kind,” referencing Charlie Munger’s observation that “incentives run the world.” He proposed that when greed is interpreted as self-interest, it has propelled human advancement—from railroads and rockets to platforms like Shaadi.com. The core issue, he explained, lies not in greed itself, but in short-term greed.
“Be long-term greedy,” Mittal advised. “The kind that stretches self-interest across decades, compelling choices that accumulate—forego the shortcuts, attend the mundane meeting, decline shiny distractions, create when there’s no applause, and be present every single day.”
He highlighted renowned figures like Warren Buffett, Ratan Tata, Jeff Bezos, and Mukesh Ambani as leaders who embraced the long-term vision to generate “disproportionate value not just for themselves, but for employees, investors, and society.”
This post struck a chord with many, leading to a flood of responses from professionals.
“True success requires patience and integrity,” one individual commented. “A long-term vision, paired with ethical ambition, will undoubtedly foster innovation and meaningful change.”
Another user remarked, “It’s not greed that dismantles systems—it’s impatience. Loved the framing: ‘Keep the greed, just set the clock to decades.’ That’s the mentality we need more of.”
