Building Tinkon: The Messy, Honest Truth Behind Launching My Website

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“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why else even be here?”

— Steve Jobs

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What's in a Name?

First things first: why "Tinkon"? The name’s a quirky blend of “Tushar,” a bit of “tinker,” and my lifelong habit of thinking way too much. It’s a name that says, “Here’s someone who can’t stop brainstorming, even when he should probably just chill.” It also hints at “think on,” which is what I do… constantly. Sometimes it’s a curse, but here, it’s a feature.

The Spark

Two years after graduation, my CV read like a highlight reel of defeat: failed MBA attempts, random certificates, disastrous stock market adventures. Each failure stung, but it also built up a stubbornness I didn’t know I had. Something in me wanted more—I didn’t want to just be another “employee.”

Being the eldest child in a typical Indian family meant sky-high expectations. I tried everything to make them proud: self-help books, late-night coding, isolation from social media and friends. Spoiler: none of it gave me answers. My introverted nature made loneliness sharper; my tiny circle of friends shrank even more.
But after enough failed attempts, I realized: if I have nothing left to lose, I might as well take a real risk and build something of my own.

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“Sometimes, you have to lose your way completely before you find your own path.”

— Unknown

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Taking the Leap

At my lowest, with no expectations left to shatter, I gave myself permission to risk big. Each failure became less about shame and more about learning. I started seeing mistakes as milestones instead of setbacks.

I spent 7-8 hours a day at my laptop, pouring every chaotic, anxious, over-thought idea into what would become Tinkon. The process itself—just building something real—felt like a small victory after so much self-doubt.

The First Step: Not Code

Oddly, my first move wasn’t a single line of code—it was color palettes. I needed the vibe to be right: soft, minimal, warm, inviting. Pinterest became my best friend. I spent hours picking fonts and layouts, and for the first time in months, I felt in control of something.

Each design choice was an act of rebellion against the chaos in my mind. I wanted a website that felt like a breath of fresh air—not just for readers, but for myself.

My Funniest Mishap

Within two days of “building,” I was ready to show off. I pushed to GitHub, hit “deploy,” and… nothing happened. After hours of troubleshooting, I discovered I’d been pushing to the wrong repo the entire time.
Classic.

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“Building a website is easy, they said. Just push to GitHub, they said.”

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Sometimes, life is just a series of confident mistakes followed by sheepish laughter. Looking back, it’s moments like these that make the whole process feel more personal, more real.

Emotional Battles

The hardest bug wasn’t in my code; it was in my head. Publishing your story as an introvert is terrifying. You keep thinking, “Who cares? What if people judge me? What if nobody even reads it?”

But hitting publish anyway? That’s the moment you reclaim your narrative.

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“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”

— Brené Brown

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Opening up online is scary, but it’s also freeing. The fear didn’t disappear, but it shrank with every blog post.

The Moment of Truth

When Tinkon.in finally went live, it felt surreal. After so many missteps, seeing my words load on the real internet was a kind of magic. I reloaded the page twenty times, half-proud, half-in-disbelief. “Did I… actually do this?”

It wasn’t perfection. But it was mine.

My Golden Retriever: The Secret Co-founder

During all the late-night coding sessions, my Golden Retriever was always there—a wagging tail, a goofy grin, a distraction that kept me sane.
Some nights, just a playful nudge from him would break my frustration and remind me: yes, goals matter, but happiness lives in small moments too.

If you have a pet, you know what I mean. They’re the ultimate reminders to get out of your own head for a bit.

What I Want Tinkon to Be

My dream for Tinkon is simple: a place where honesty matters more than polish, and where anyone feeling lost or different can read a story and feel less alone.
Maybe you’re an introvert, or maybe you’ve just failed spectacularly at something—either way, you’re welcome here.

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“The things that make us different, those are our superpowers.”

— Lena Waithe

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If my mess can help someone else untangle theirs, that’s all I want.

Advice to My Younger Self

If I could go back, I’d say:
“Don’t let school or society convince you that failure is fatal. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Life gets interesting when you start making your own mistakes—and learning from every one.”

Here’s to failing forward, taking risks, and tinkering endlessly.
Let’s see what comes next.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. Drop a comment or feedback—I’d love to know what you’re building, too.