About The Book

Why 90% Startups Fail & How to Be in the 10% is a practical, research-driven guide for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and MSME owners who want to build sustainable businesses in India’s dynamic economic landscape. Rather than focusing on theoretical startup models or Silicon Valley success stories, the book addresses the real challenges faced by Indian businesses—cash flow crises, poor financial management, compliance issues, customer concentration risks, weak operational systems, and limited awareness of government support mechanisms.

Drawing upon over 25 years of corporate leadership experience and extensive research on startup failures, the author demonstrates that most businesses do not fail because of a lack of innovative ideas but because they operate without robust systems, financial discipline, and scalable processes. Through real-life business cases, practical insights, step-by-step action plans, and easy-to-understand explanations, the book equips readers with strategies to improve operational efficiency, strengthen cash flow, manage compliance, and leverage government initiatives such as TReDS, MSME Samadhaan, and Digital MSME schemes.

Designed as a hands-on business playbook rather than a theoretical management text, this book empowers entrepreneurs to avoid common mistakes, build resilient organizations, and create long-term value. It is an essential resource for anyone determined to transform a struggling venture into a well-managed, growth-oriented, and future-ready enterprise.

About The Author

Deokumar Prasad Gupta is a seasoned corporate leader, management professional, and researcher with over 25 years of experience in driving business growth, strategic transformation, and operational excellence across leading organizations. Holding an MBA in Marketing and Finance and currently pursuing a PhD focused on the reasons behind startup failures, he combines academic insight with extensive real-world business experience.

Throughout his corporate journey, Deokumar has worked closely with leadership teams on revenue growth, financial planning, business strategy, and process optimization. His exposure to both large corporations and MSMEs has given him a unique perspective on the challenges that businesses face at different stages of growth. His research, based on interviews with more than 300 failed startup founders, revealed that the absence of structured systems, financial discipline, and operational processes is a far greater cause of business failure than a lack of market opportunity.

Passionate about empowering entrepreneurs, Deokumar is committed to bridging the gap between corporate best practices and the realities of small and medium enterprises. Through his writing, he simplifies complex business concepts into practical, actionable strategies that entrepreneurs can implement immediately. His mission is to help founders build resilient, system-driven businesses, avoid common pitfalls, and achieve sustainable long-term growth in an increasingly competitive business environment.