Startups are risky, yet people continue to launch new companies every day. While some startups fail within the first few months, others go on to become mammoth successes, such as Google (News - Alert) and Microsoft.

Auto dialer and voice broadcast provider CallFire is one company that got its start against all odds. At an APEX panel featuring professionals in various stages of their ventures, CallFire Co-Founder and CRO, Vijesh Mehta, spoke about his experience as an entrepreneur. The interaction is captured in full in this podcast.

This company is a unique startup story, simply because the company was able to achieve significant success in the market without taking the traditional startup path. When it was highlighted that startups are risky and he was asked why he wanted to become an entrepreneur, Vijesh caught the attention of the crowd by answering that he thought he was making too much money and wanted to become an entrepreneur.

When asked how he felt about funding and if it meant he was selling his soul to the devil, Vijesh noted that part of CallFire's unique placement in the market is the fact they were able to do it without any funding. To this day, the company still has not received any funding.

Instead, the founders of CallFire were also consultants and they took every job they could find and used the money to fund their idea. In the process, they had talked with venture capitalists and angels, but the terms suggested were more than CallFire founders were willing to sacrifice and they opted instead to forge it alone.

As for the hardest thing Vijesh encountered the first year, he highlighted how challenging it was to stay focused. When an idea is developed, it is so easy to believe that it applies to everyone. He instead recommends that the startup should identify their one thing and do it really well.

Limited funds are a norm for any startup and Vijesh highlighted that in the history of CallFire is a good one as he was able to hire his best friends. He noted that it is important to execute the dream and find those who are willing to execute the dream with you. They have to believe in the dream with you.

To catch the full conversation, listen to the podcast in full.