Some entrepreneurs talk about "pivoting."

I never pivoted. I just never stopped.

While running my physiotherapy clinic in Coimbatore, I was simultaneously building what would become ServerCake.

My family thought I was juggling too much. My friends questioned the logic.

But here's what they missed: both businesses taught me the same fundamental lesson about taking care of people when they need you most.

This newsletter follows a simple structure:
Build (how things started),
Break (current challenges),
Become (where we're heading).
Think of it as past, present, and future but with the real stories behind each phase.

My computer obsession started in school—7th standard, to be exact.

After entering college for BPT, I started buying and selling mobile phones and assembling computers. Not because I needed the money, but because I loved figuring out how things worked.

Website design came next. Then hosting.

By 2008, when mobile shops saturated every corner and computer sales declined, hosting felt like the future foundation—literally where everything would eventually live.

Started 23a Technology. Basic hosting, basic websites, basic everything.

The turning point: 2010, moved to Coimbatore. Set up my physiotherapy clinic in Kovaipudur (felt like mini-Ooty). Started serving two completely different sets of clients, patients needing physical healing and businesses needing digital presence.

When Nandhini joined in 2012 (even before our marriage), she saw what I couldn't: both businesses were actually about the same thing.

She coined "ServerCake" in 2014 and asked: "What if hosting clients got the same attention as your patients?"

Today's biggest challenge isn't technical, it's scaling human connection.

We're bootstrapped, profitable, serving 1500+ clients. But the real pressure points are:

Cash flow management while trying to grow. Every rupee matters when you're not VC-funded.

The fundraising maze. Compliance, documentation, investor conversations, all while keeping the business running.

The service paradox. SMEs in Tamil Nadu want enterprise-grade infrastructure but with human support. AWS/GCP are too complex. Traditional hosts lack proper support systems and barely respond to client requests.

Team responsibility. Our employees' families depend on our decisions. That weight never gets easier.

The question keeping me up: How do you scale personal attention without losing what makes it personal?

Here's my bet for the next phase:

Human-centric support will become premium. When everyone else automates, real human connection becomes the differentiator.

AI as amplifier, not replacement. Use AI to help our people help clients better not to replace conversations.

Regional expansion with local roots. We moved to Chennai in 2024 to be closer to the startup ecosystem, but our Coimbatore heart remains.

The goal isn't just growth it's proving that treating clients like patients (with care, attention, and expertise) can scale.

Next week preview: "When Your Spouse Becomes Your Co-founder" the conflicts, pressure, and unexpected advantages of building a startup with the person you married. 😎

Building ServerCake wasn't about choosing between healthcare and technology.

Both teach you the same thing: when people are vulnerable, physically or digitally they need someone competent who genuinely cares.

That's not old-fashioned thinking. In an AI world, it might be the ultimate competitive advantage.

Your turn: What are you building that refuses to fit into neat categories? Hit reply, I actually read every response.

Until next week,
Amith

P.S. - I still keep my physiotherapy license active. Some skills teach you how to listen—never worth losing.