Building something from scratch has always fascinated me — probably because I grew up watching my dad do it. But, as it turns out, just wanting to build something doesn’t guarantee success (shocking, I know). My first attempt at a startup in college? Let’s just say it didn’t exactly go the way I imagined. That realization led me down the corporate path for a while, but recently, I caught up with my old co-founder, Harshil Sheth, CFA , and we reflected on what we learned from that first failed venture (if you can even call it a “venture” — it was more of a project).
Now that I’m working on not one, but two companies (more on those later), I’ve been applying those lessons in real time. So, before I dive into what’s next, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit Invisible Hand — the startup that never was.
The Idea: Invisible Hand
Harshil and I launched Invisible Hand with the goal of helping startups in Austin connect with student organizations to advertise their products or services. We also acted as end-to-end consultants, running ad campaigns and setting up presentations (yes, basically middlemen — anyone sensing a theme in my career?).
At the time, I was also taking a class with Professor Brad , who introduced us to the concept of a one-page business plan. Instead of spending weeks writing a 10-page deck no one would read, we could quickly jot down our idea and get moving. I still use this approach today — anytime a new idea pops into my head, I sketch out a one-pager. Nine times out of ten, that exercise alone makes me realize I should drop it.
(Here’s a throwback — our original one-pager for Invisible Hand. Proof that every great founder starts somewhere... and sometimes, that “somewhere” is just a very messy document.)
What Worked (and What I Still Use Today)
1. The Power of Relationships
One of the biggest factors in any business is your network. I saw this firsthand when we launched Invisible Hand — my time as President of Planet Longhorn, UT’s largest student org, and my involvement in student government gave us direct access to other organizations.
That network helped us land our first client, LiberWave , which — fun fact — was already a sponsor of Planet Longhorn. Those relationships were everything back then, and they’ve played a huge role in launching my latest startup (we just locked in our first client — fingers crossed for the contract in two weeks).
2. The One-Pager Hack
I already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating: the one-page business plan is a lifesaver. It helps validate ideas quickly, and if something doesn’t hold up on paper, it’s probably not worth pursuing. Highly recommend trying this before diving headfirst into a new venture.
What Didn’t Work (And What I’ve Learned Since)
1. Commitment & Transparency
Neither Harshil nor I were clear on how much time we were willing to dedicate to Invisible Hand. We also never aligned on what success looked like or what the long-term goal was. Naturally, that led to frustration and disorganization.
When I later co-founded Ease Assist (a job-matching platform) with Christian Beem , the first thing we did was clearly define roles, expectations, and commitment levels. The result? A much smoother working relationship. (Also, East Assist has now evolved into something else… but we’ll get into that another time.)
2. The Power of Follow-Through (or, My Biggest Regret)
One of my biggest mistakes with Invisible Hand? Not following up. We had people initially interested in using our service, but when they stopped responding, I just... moved on.
Fast forward to GLG, and one of the biggest lessons I learned was that persistence works. A well-timed follow-up is often the difference between an expert joining or client signing It’s actually how I was able to progress in my career at GLG — by making sure things didn’t just fizzle out.
Now, in both startups I’m working on, I’m making sure every conversation gets a follow-up, every lead gets nurtured, and no opportunity dies just because someone got busy.
3. Not Having a Deep Market Plan
The one-pager was great, but it wasn’t enough. We didn’t take the time to truly understand the market, competition, or long-term strategy. That lack of depth made it harder to scale.
Fast forward to today: working with Megan Monroe and Moe Jangda has reminded me just how valuable a well-researched market strategy is. Investors want to see proof that you understand the playing field. If only someone had told 20-year-old Aman that.
Ideas I’ve Considered (And Sometimes Regretted Not Pursuing)
If nothing else, Invisible Hand made me realize how much I love brainstorming and building. Over the years, I’ve had plenty of ideas — some good, some terrible, all entertaining.
Here are a few of my favorites:
WhatsApp Ordering for Grocery Stores – A huge data play, one of my favorite ideas.
Renewable Energy in Pakistan – No experience, but I had Haseeb Usmani , the brains of the operation.
Exporting Goods from Pakistan – Looked into multiple markets. At least the logo was cool.
Music/Media Agency in Pakistan – Again, zero experience, but Waleed had some great concepts.
Vending Machine Business – I actually have some warm leads here from a dry-cleaning business. Hit me up if you want to run with this.
Wedding Venue – The only way I could convince Nazam Mahar and Moe Jangda to buy land with me.
Originally published on LinkedIn