Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Sridhar Vembu Urges Entrepreneurs to Learn Through Sales Rejection
Sridhar Vembu gave advice to people who want to start businesses.
He said engineers, scientists and doctors should try making many sales calls.
Some customers may reject their ideas or products.
Vembu said people should keep trying after rejection.
Talking with customers can show how difficult it is to explain an idea clearly.
It can help people communicate better and understand what customers need.
He also said every business has to sell something.
Many people online agreed and shared stories about learning from sales and unhappy customers.
Zoho co-founder and former CEO Sridhar Vembu urged engineers, scientists and doctors entering business to make many sales calls.
He said aspiring entrepreneurs should persist through rejection to better understand customers, people and real-world business challenges.
Vembu argued that explaining ideas to potential customers can strengthen communication skills and improve business ability.
He said every business involves selling something and that direct sales experience can increase respect for sales professionals.
Social media users largely supported his view, citing lessons in humility, patience, customer understanding and clearer pitching.
- Who
- Zoho co-founder and former CEO Sridhar Vembu, addressing engineers, scientists and doctors moving into business.
- What
- Vembu advised aspiring entrepreneurs to make many sales calls, face rejection and persist.
- When
- The articles place the post on August 26; two describe it as Tuesday or Wednesday, while one identifies the year as 2026.
- Where
- In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
- Why
- He said sales experience can improve communication, reveal customer needs, build respect for sales professionals and prepare people to run businesses.
- Advisor
- Sridhar Vembu
- Company
- Zoho
- Target audience
- Engineers, scientists and doctors entering business
- Core advice
- Make many sales calls and persist despite rejection
- Business principle
- There is no business without selling something
- Reported benefits
- Improved communication, humility, patience and customer understanding
- Online reaction
- Users broadly agreed and shared experiences from technology, restaurant, real-estate and other sales work
- Related commentary
- A separate recent post attributed to Vembu warned about rising memory costs linked to AI workloads and possible AI-market risks
