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Kunal Shah's Tweet Ignites Controversy, Is Success a Birthright or a Struggle

Kunal Shah vs. Amrish Rau: Clash of Titans on the Nature of Success

4 November 2023

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Kunal Tyagi

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  • Kunal Shah, CEO of CRED, ignited a social media debate by stating that success cannot be inherited but is the result of individual struggle.

  • Pine Labs CEO Amrish Rau countered Shah's viewpoint, arguing that privilege often contributes to success and cited examples of successful individuals from privileged backgrounds.

  • The online discussion highlighted the complex nature of success and the role of privilege, prompting diverse opinions and ongoing debate in the business community.

In the world of business and entrepreneurship, success is a topic that constantly ignites debates and discussions. Recently, Kunal Shah, the CEO of fintech company CRED, set off a social media storm with his statement that success is not a club one can enter through inheritance. This statement led to a heated exchange of views, particularly with Pine Labs CEO Amrish Rau, as the online community weighed in on the matter.


Shah's initial tweet proclaimed, "Most successful parents take away one gift from their kids, which made them successful in the first place: struggle." He emphasized that success is a gradual journey, not a privilege passed down through inheritance, highlighting the importance of the struggles one faces in their path to success.


In response, Amrish Rau had a different perspective, arguing that many successful people experience significantly less struggle than their parents did. He pointed out that in many cases, it is the privilege of upbringing itself that contributes to their success. Rau supported his argument with examples of highly successful individuals who came from privileged backgrounds, such as Mark Zuckerberg, Satya Nadella, and Mukesh Ambani.


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The exchange between the two CEOs continued, with Shah contending that there are many more examples of individuals who align with his viewpoint. He emphasized that success should be viewed as a slope, not a club accessible through inheritance. The debate raged on, garnering attention from the online community.


The discussion has prompted a diverse range of opinions from social media users. Some agreed with Shah's perspective, while others stood by Rau's viewpoint. One user highlighted the idea that parents should strike a balance between making their children's lives not too easy and providing them with a better starting point than they had as kids. The debate underscores the complex and multifaceted nature of success and its relationship with privilege and struggle.


In conclusion, the debate sparked by Kunal Shah's statement on success and inheritance has opened up a crucial dialogue in the business world. While the CEOs of CRED and Pine Labs presented opposing views, the discussion extends beyond these two individuals and engages a wider audience. The debate on whether success is a club inherited through privilege or a gradual slope created by individual struggles is likely to continue, provoking thought-provoking conversations about the nature of achievement and the role of privilege in it.


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