The Price of Dreams: What This Journey Has Taught Us So Far
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📰 The Price of Dreams: What This Journey Has Taught Us So Far
Dreams often look beautiful from a distance. People see the end results — the designs, the finished projects, the polished work — and imagine that success must have come naturally. But the truth is very different. Behind every creative studio lies a messy, exhausting, and deeply emotional story.
Our journey with Inpaper has been anything but smooth. It has been a constant cycle of small victories and painful setbacks, of gaining hope and then losing it again, of moments when we felt unstoppable and others when we almost gave up. If you’re reading this as someone who wants to enter the creative industry, we want to share the truth: dreams are expensive, and not in the way you think.
🎨 How It All Started
The roots of Inpaper were planted when we were still students. It was our second year of college, and we were enrolled in a two-year fine arts program. At that time, there was no thought of running a studio or starting a business. It was just me, Kenraza, and Rashmi (Inpaper), with a few friends who believed in creativity as much as we did.
Like most students, we didn’t have much money, but we had curiosity. Freelancing became our entry point into the professional world. Fiverr was the first platform we experimented with. Back then, Fiverr had a request system: clients posted jobs, and freelancers could apply directly. That feature became our lifeline. We applied, we pitched, we faced rejections, and slowly, a few doors opened.
The projects were small — logos, illustrations, basic designs. But to us, they were golden opportunities. Every little payment meant we were moving forward. Eventually, through countless hours of hustle, we managed to save enough to buy an iPad. It wasn’t just a gadget; it was a symbol that our creativity had value. That iPad carried the weight of our dreams.
Survival through those early years wasn’t glamorous. It was a combination of sleepless nights, endless trials, and an eagerness to prove ourselves. But those struggles built our foundation.
🏠 The First Studio
By the time we reached our fourth year, we wanted more than just freelancing from dorm rooms. We wanted a real space. That’s when we took the risk of renting a small room in a friend’s house. It became our first official “studio.”
To outsiders, it was just a room. But to us, it was the heart of our journey. The energy was raw, the environment chaotic, and the setup humble. But in that small space, we felt the spark of building something of our own.
Yet, with the excitement came pressure. We had no playbook. We didn’t know how to find offline clients, how to scale online work, or how to balance multiple projects. I (Kenraza) made mistakes. I thought having a team meant we could handle many projects at once. I was wrong. The team was passionate, but not ready for that load. Instead of growth, we hit walls — deadlines slipped, finances got messy, and conflicts arose.
Even the environment around us wasn’t easy. Our landlord was polite but strict. It felt like we were under constant watch. Something as small as a scratch on the tiles could turn into a reason for him to blame us. That pressure lingered in our minds, making the work even heavier.
📚 The College Years: Humiliation and Fuel
Our college years shaped us, but not always in the way we hoped. Many classmates laughed at our projects. Some teachers mocked us openly in front of the class. It was humiliating. For young creatives trying to build confidence, those moments cut deep.
But we didn’t quit. Every laugh, every insult, became fuel. If people couldn’t see our potential, we would work until they had no choice but to notice. I spent nights learning digital tools, from design software to animation basics. I taught myself everything I could and shared it with my team. Most of my friends didn’t come from digital backgrounds — they had to self-learn from scratch. Together, we pushed through.
But another challenge remained: money. I was always more of a creative than a businessman. I lacked financial knowledge, and that weakness hurt the studio. We had projects, but no proper system for handling money. We worked hard, but stability stayed out of reach.
💸 The Financial Struggles
As time passed, the financial struggles grew heavier. At one point, we lost complete control over our finances. The studio slipped into debt. Bills piled up. We worked on any project we could get, often undercharging, just to keep surviving.
The dream felt like it was slipping away. Creativity alone wasn’t enough. Running a studio demanded financial discipline, planning, and negotiation skills — things we were still learning the hard way.
Eventually, we had to move out and shift the studio to a new location. We thought change would bring improvement. Instead, it brought more struggle.
🏚️ The New Studio
The new place was still under renovation. The floors were covered in dust. The toilets were unhygienic. The room we got was even smaller than before. The irony was painful — we had dreamed of growing, but instead, we downsized.
But quitting wasn’t an option. We cleaned the room ourselves, scrubbed the toilets, and made it functional enough to keep working. The rest of the house remained a mess, but we had no choice except to adjust.
That space became our battlefield. Dusty walls, small rooms, limited resources — but still, creativity continued. Because dreams don’t wait for perfect conditions.
🐺 The Brutal Reality of the Creative Industry
Over the years, one reality became clear: the creative industry is not for the faint-hearted.
It doesn’t matter how talented you are. When you enter this field, you’re competing against giants — agencies with bigger budgets, individuals with more experience, and companies with more connections. It’s a jungle of lions and wolves. And when you’re new, you’re just a lamb.
We saw this truth unfold in front of us. Many talented creatives we knew couldn’t handle the uncertainty. They gave up. Some opened grocery shops. Others took stable jobs they didn’t love, just to escape the chaos. Not because they lacked talent — but because the cost of chasing dreams was too high.
For us, the price has been enormous:
Emotional pain from constant doubt.
Financial debt that kept us awake at night.
Internal conflicts within the team.
Fear, humiliation, and endless self-doubt.
The creative path looks glamorous from the outside, but inside, it’s a storm.
🌟 What We Learned
And yet, we are still here. We are still standing. We are still building.
Every mistake has taught us something:
Creativity alone is not enough. You need discipline, focus, and financial wisdom.
Survival is a victory. Many give up, but just staying in the game is already success.
Failure isn’t the end. It’s part of the process. Each failure has shaped us.
Dreams are expensive. They demand energy, sacrifices, and resilience.
The truth is, the price of dreams is heavy. But if you’re willing to pay it, you gain more than success — you gain a story.
Our journey isn’t finished. We’re still paying the price. But no matter how tough it gets, we refuse to quit. Because dreams may demand everything, but they also give you everything in return.
Address
Royal City, Shivpuri Road
Jhansi-284003
Contacts
+91-9264968164 | +917024234148
inpaperstudios@gmail.com