I’m not much of a movie buff. But like most Indians, I’ve grown up watching my fair share of Bollywood. And over time, I realised something about my own taste - while many (if not all) around me seemed to be enamoured by the flamboyance and charisma of the so called “heroes” of Bollywood (aka the Khans & Kapoors), I found myself liking the rather quiet but brilliant “character actors”. You know who I am talking about - the Pankaj Tripathi who steals a scene with a single raised eyebrow, the Paresh Rawal who can make you laugh at times and ache at others, and the Nawazuddin Siddiqui whose rawness connects with the human (or sometimes even the devil) inside you.
And as I reflect on my first 3 months at Frappe, it strikes me that this is exactly the difference between the world I came from and the world I’ve stepped into.
The world of blockbusters
Before Frappe, I worked in multiple corporates and also at a VC-funded startup. Both were exciting in their own way, but they (and many like them where my friends work) remind me of the big-budget blockbusters. All of them have an obsession with the “box office collection” - numbers, growth rates, valuations, targets. Every decision seems to be made with some “audience” in mind - the investors, the market, the headlines. Like our Bollywood heroes, they know how to promote - create a larger-than-life image, craft the perfect PR narrative, charm the masses, etc.
And it works. People flock to see these “movies” - investors pour in money, customers are acquired in millions and employees feel a certain pride in working for the “brand”. But under the surface, I often found myself questioning (mostly as aftermath of discussions with my father, who happens to be a craft-focused fame-averse artist himself) - What exactly am I, beyond my designation, chasing? Am I building something that will stay relevant for a long time? Am I building myself to be great at something? Or am I, like the “heroes”, just playing to the gallery?
Enter Frappe: The world of art films
Frappe, on the other hand, feels like walking into an art film - the kind where only character actors shine (or even feature). There are no pompous posters promising 99.9% improvements in metrics, no chest-thumping about “valuation” and no shiny PowerPoint presentations by “LinkedIn Top Voice” CXOs.
There’s an obsessive focus on the “craft”. People are driven to make something different and excellent. The Product, the Sales Process, the Marketing (and most recently, even the new office), has it’s own “character”. Just like an art film, Frappe isn’t afraid to be experimental. It doesn’t follow the conventional success formulas, nor does it chase trends. It usually takes the road less traveled, guided more by intuition, creativity, and originality than by “market research”.
At Frappe, most agree that it doesn’t take massive budgets and armies of people to create something good and lasting. Frappe itself is a testimony that small, dedicated, creative, and talented teams can build great things. If you don’t believe this, hear me out - Frappe Cloud, which is the main revenue engine of Frappe, was built by 1 engineer. ERPNext (which is the flagship app of Frappe) and it’s foundation, i.e. Frappe Framework , was built from scratch until the first Million dollars of revenue by 2 of the cofounders. Even today, Frappe’s headcount is just around 75. It’s a $4M ARR, $1M Net Profit, steadily growing company, and guess what - without splurging big VC money!
The “Art” in the Frappe film
Frappe gives its employees something very rare - “Freedom”. Freedom to Pick Your Own Work (PYOW), to Pick Your Own Pay (PYOP) and even to Pick Your Own Designation (PYOD). There’s no rigid script handed to you here. If you’re curious, creative, and willing to take ownership, you can carve your own path. The hypothesis is that if you choose what you work on, you are naturally inclined to succeed because it’s your baby and you have to raise it!
Frappe also works as a “Democracy”. This clearly reflects in how decisions are made. Every week there is an All Hands where critical issues are discussed and decisions are made either unanimously or otherwise through majority voting. Everyone has a voice, ideas are debated openly and the best arguments win (not the loudest). And not to forget, everyone knows everyone’s pay! (By the way, something exciting is coming up on this front soon - Democracy at work conference!)
This place rewards “Excellence”. Success is measured not just by the number of customers or revenue you bring in, but by the quality of your work and the impact it creates. The year starts with everyone writing their Statement of Purpose (SOP). Goals are set for the year and you are held accountable to them. Of course, there are some processes in place to not let chaos take over. But, bureaucracy never creeps in!
This is not easy! It takes courage to be different, to swim against the current and to keep believing in what you’re doing even if it doesn’t look like everyone else’s idea of success. But, that’s where the magic happens (at least at Frappe it does!).
A Hopeful Beginning
As I said earlier, I always found myself rooting for the likes of Pankaj Tripathi over the Khans. Their work feels grounded. They possess a certain “Authenticity” (and maybe some eccentricity). They don’t scream for attention - they earn it. They leave behind performances that stay with you long after the “credits” roll!
And in many ways, Frappe feels the same. Here, the fun is in creating the film, not just in counting the tickets sold! The joy of building, experimenting, and creating something excellent as a team outweighs the pressure of the “box office”! Three months in, I already feel liberated.
Frappe’s story is not a loud one. But it is authentic and beautiful in its own quiet, unorthodox way. Needless to say, I’m excited to play my small part in it!
