Search Results

A dedicated advocate for social impact & sustainability and the founder of SWAN Livelihood, committed to empowering the workforce through tailored training programs and workshop sessions. < All Interviews Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Women Entrepreneur VictoryTales always make efforts to bring most of the meaningful and powerful stories from around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. VictoryTales also believes that this inspirational interview will encourage you to follow your dreams, treat others with kindness, and never give up on yourself. We are pleased to introduce Ms. Meghna Joshi, Founder & CEO SWAN. She is a dedicated advocate for social impact & sustainability and the founder of SWAN Livelihood, a Delhi-based social enterprise committed to empowering the workforce through tailored training programs and workshop sessions. A six Sigma Black belt professional with a diverse academic background, she has earned honour in Business Economics and completed post-graduation in Environment and Development. Meghna brings over a decade of experience from the corporate, development, and start-up space. With a professional focus on skill development, women’s empowerment, and fostering sustainable change by empowering communities. Meghna is the recipient of the ‘Ambassador for Good Award’ from Global Women for Good and the ‘Exceptional Women of Excellence’ award by the Women Economic Forum. Her relentless pursuit of inclusive economic growth aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning her as a driving force in the realm of regenerative leadership. Share this Interview: Know more about SWAN SWAN is a social enterprise, working with an objective to empower workforce through specially designed training programmes and counselling sessions. We advocate Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) and decent work opportunities to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth. SWAN’s prominences on skill development, education, women empowerment, social impact, climate justice and sustainable change, creating a vibrant ecosystem of livelihood opportunities for a brighter future of Indian youth. Tell us a little about your organization and your organization’s journey so far SWAN (Skilled Workforce Advancing Nation) Livelihood is a social enterprise based out of Delhi dedicated to empowering workforce through tailored training programs, counselling sessions, and fostering a vibrant ecosystem of sustainable livelihood opportunities for a brighter future. We started our operations in January 2020 to make a meaningful impact on the lives of disadvantaged youth. This initiative aimed to upskill economically disadvantaged urban youth, aged 18 to 28, by providing them with comprehensive training and connecting them with employment opportunities in the retail industry. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, our team’s unwavering determination led us to conduct extensive surveys to understand the specific challenges faced by various groups, including those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, college students, and working professionals. This research proved instrumental in shaping SWAN Livelihood's programs and strategies. Through strategic partnerships and stakeholder support, SWAN successfully made a positive impact through experiential learning & mentoring sessions also extending their reach to rural villages in Uttarakhand. Our unwavering commitment to inclusivity propelled us into collaborative efforts with the Mission Shakti program of the Uttar Pradesh Government, where we extended our expertise to empower marginalized women workers in Delhi/NCR's factory regions. These women, who had endured severe hardships during the lockdown, benefitted from our training sessions on government schemes and application procedures. Recognizing the critical need for counselling and skill enhancement, SWAN Livelihood spearheaded 'Skill-X,' a comprehensive platform offering hands-on learning workshops, mentorship sessions, and strategic partnerships with grassroots organizations. Within the purview of SWAN's initiatives, experiential learning workshops, mentorship sessions, collaborations with grassroots organizations, and training of the trainer (ToT) programs were also integral components of their overarching mission. Currently, SWAN Livelihood’s focus lies on the 'Mera Business Programme,' which empowers rural micro women entrepreneurs in Haryana & Rajasthan. This initiative, powered by ACIC Foundation and BML Munjal University, Hinduja Foundation, Ashok Leyland and Ambuja Foundation reflecting their dedication to bridging gaps, providing support, and fostering holistic development and workforce inclusion. Tell us a little bit about yourself (background) and your journey as a entrepreneur, please; Drawing from a decade of diverse experience in the Start-up, Environment & Development, and corporate sectors, I had finely tuned my abilities in Program Delivery, Project Management, and Skill Training across a range of disciplines. Whether leading Citizen Science initiatives, overseeing Skill Development Centers' operations, or enhancing the capabilities of the informal workforce throughout Delhi/NCR and PAN India, I feel that my unwavering dedication revolves around empowering lives and fostering enduring transformations. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Economics (Honours) and a Master's degree in Environment and Development, my interdisciplinary education provided me with the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle intricate social challenges. My unwavering commitment to social justice and sustainable development formed the bedrock of my future endeavours. Focusing on technical and vocational education (TVET), women's empowerment, and sustainable change, my visionary leadership has transformed SWAN Livelihood into a beacon of hope for marginalized youth and rural communities. I feel my guest lectures on Social Entrepreneurship have inspired college students, igniting hope and inspiration. My relentless pursuit of inclusive economic growth aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning me as a driving force in the realm of regenerative leadership. Through my dedicated work, I has earned numerous accolades and awards, including the Ambassador for Good Award (Global Women for Good), Exceptional Women of Excellence (Women Economic Forum), 100 Influential Indians (Fox Story India), and the Glantor X Women Leadership Award. What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur? The ability to innovate and address critical issues affecting grassroots communities and the gig workforce is paramount for me as an entrepreneur. By thinking outside the box and delving deeply into existing problems while empathizing with the community, I have developed innovative programs to bridge the gap between the urban poor and the affluent. Engaging with young minds and fellow innovators to share challenges and experiences has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of being an entrepreneur. What do you find most challenging about being an entrepreneur? One of the significant challenges about being an entrepreneur is making the startup space more gender-inclusive, especially as the investor panel remains largely dominated by men. What is your brand’s USP? I feel proud to apprise that our brand’s USP is that we are specialize in providing the following services: Community Development Programs: We implement community development programs aimed at empowering individuals and providing sustainable livelihood opportunities. Capacity Building: We curate programs that offer hand-holding support for program implementation to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and grassroots organizations. Specialized Workshops: Our experiential training workshops and upskilling programs help individuals realize their full potential by enhancing their cognitive capacities and improving their skill sets. In addition to these core services of SWAN, we actively partner with various college societies to run programs focused on social entrepreneurship and sustainability, encouraging youth to become future changemakers. How is your brand different from the competitors? Regarding brand difference from our competitors, we believe in creating a greater impact at the community level, which is why all our programs are customized based on the specific needs of our target audience, geography, and socio-cultural context. Before launching any program, we conduct a thorough needs assessment to ensure that our training programs and workshop sessions are tailored to the prevailing conditions. This approach allows us to avoid directly replicating or digitizing content, whether in offline or online modes, and ensures maximum impact and relevance for the communities we serve. What have been your most significant failures, and what did you learn from them? Having a mentor whose vision aligns with your company's vision is crucial, especially when you're starting up. Additionally, building a strong team of individuals who share and support your startup's vision is essential for success. What makes an entrepreneur successful? I feel that the following things can make an entrepreneur successful: Clear Vision: Understanding what you're working on and identifying whose problem it will solve is fundamental. A clear vision provides direction and purpose. Aligned Mentorship: Having a mentor whose vision aligns with your company's vision is crucial, especially at the startup stage. This guidance can help navigate early challenges and opportunities. Empowering Leadership: The ability to lead by empowering the people around you is vital. Building a strong team of individuals who share and support your startup's vision creates a cohesive and motivated workforce. Sustainability and Purpose: Ensuring your idea is sustainable and having a strong "why" or reason for starting your business provides long-term direction and resilience. Problem-Solving and Innovation: The ability to decipher problems and continuously work on creating innovative, out-of-the-box solutions sets successful entrepreneurs apart. Empathy: Being empathetic allows you to understand and address the needs and concerns of your team, customers, and stakeholders, fostering stronger relationships and trust. Consistency and Patience: Being consistent in your efforts and patient for results is particularly important in the early stages. Success often requires time and perseverance. Combining these elements helps create a solid foundation for entrepreneurial success. In your opinion, what is the importance of a good team? In my opinion, An entrepreneur needs to realize that one cannot run their business alone. A strong team of empowered members who share the vision and are enthusiastic about taking on leadership roles based on their capabilities is essential. This not only distributes the workload of the founders but also fosters a collaborative environment. Founders should focus on building the capacity of their teams, ensuring that members are willing and able to take on new and challenging roles in the fast-paced startup environment. A good team is crucial for: Shared Vision: Team members who abide by the company’s vision help maintain a unified direction and purpose. Distributed Leadership: Empowered team members can take the lead in various areas, leveraging their skills and expertise to drive the business forward. Workload Management: Sharing the workload among capable team members ensures that no one person is overwhelmed and that tasks are completed efficiently. Innovation and Agility: A team that is ready to embrace new challenges and roles can adapt quickly to changes, fostering innovation and maintaining agility in a dynamic market. Sustained Growth: Investing in team development and capacity building ensures that the team grows alongside the company, ready to meet future challenges and opportunities. A good team is not just a support system but a critical component of the business's success, enabling sustainable growth and resilience in the face of challenges. How do you plan for your business's future? Since inception, we’ve expanded to include both classroom and virtual training sessions. Looking ahead, we intend to expand into e-learning to reach a larger number of people with skill-based learning, as well as begin our in-class, community development sessions in the areas of skill development, education, and women empowerment. Future projections appear brighter as skill development gains traction, as evidenced by the SDGs-2030 (Sustainable Development Goals), which advocate for technical, vocational education and training (TVET), decent work opportunities and assistance to young adults. Making our programmes tech inclusive to reach out to a wider audience is in the goal list. What do you look for when building a team? We are seeking individuals who share our zeal and enthusiasm for working towards a common goal and mission. Our organization thrives on the collective passion of its team members to bring about meaningful change. Since our inception, we have attracted like-minded individuals who have contributed to our collective success and growth. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? I manage stress and pressure by engaging more people to share the workload, allowing for effective distribution and ensuring high-quality work is submitted before deadlines. Taking intermittent breaks to refresh myself is crucial; as an avid trekker and ardent birdwatcher, I find these activities rejuvenating. Attending conferences on climate change, ESG, and sustainability helps broaden my perspectives, especially since my work intersects with social and environmental issues. Additionally, being an art lover, I seek out spaces where I can learn about new art forms, which provides a creative outlet and further helps in managing stress. What do you consider non-negotiable in your business? The delivery of quality work within the specified timeline is non-negotiable for us. In your opinion what are the keys to success? I feel that the Key elements for success include having a growth mindset, empowering and supporting your team, thoroughly understanding problems before seeking solutions, maintaining consistency in work, and empathizing with your target audience. When did you know you wanted to become an entrepreneur? The past experience of working in Development Sector showed that there were youth who were unemployed, there were youth whose employment history had been short lived and there were employers who were either not getting suitable employees or whose experience with past employees had been miserable. All these situations required deep understanding and delicate handling of both sides. SWAN saw a niche in bridging the aspirations of the youth as per the requirements of the industry and we got started. What marketing tactics do you find most effective for reaching new customers? Word-of-mouth referrals, capturing video testimonials from our beneficiaries, and showcasing our work on social media have been our most effective marketing tactics for reaching new customers. Who do you look toward for advice? My mentors, team and family What goals are you still working towards achieving? We are currently focused on integrating sustainability and technology into our operations. These efforts aim to align with the Sustainable Development Goals and accelerate our growth. Simultaneously, we are collaborating with more like-minded organizations working at the grassroots level to continue to empower rural women to enable sustainable livelihood opportunities. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Always believe in yourself. Consistency in your work will take you a long way. Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO Gamethon Professional Gamers You may also like to read

Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty, after working & consulting for advertising agencies for 9 years and having the will to be her own boss < All Interviews Samriddhi Chakraborty Founder Women Entrepreneur As part of VictoryTales relentless efforts to identify and share some of the meaningful stories from around the world, this time we are introducing a passionate Womanpreneur, Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty, Founder of “The Calibrate” It is said that there are smooth paths to promising humans and the same thing also seems to work for Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty who did her master's in Advertising and the Creative Economy from Kingston University, London (United Kingdom) with an objective to become a Womanpreneur one day. Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty, after working & consulting for advertising agencies for 9 years and having the will to be her own boss, decided to go ahead with her own Digital & Data specialists firm "The Calibrate". There are very few people who think about disabled people. Ms. Samriddhi, not only gives training to them but also employ them. She has built an inclusive team to apprise the world that people with disabilities can also do what normal men/women can do. Share this Interview: Know more about The Calibrate “ The Calibrate ” - its a Digital and Data Specialist firm with its focus pillars revolving around digital marketing, data mining, & machine learning, creative branding and strategy, and professional development. The Calibrate has managed to have another office in Singapore that handles the data mining side of “The Calibrate” The Services “The Calibrate” offers are : Ideation & Branding: Brand Manual & Guidelines | Production | Contests & Campaigns | Strategic Planning & Account Management Social Marketing & Media Management: Social Media Marketing & Online Reputation Management | Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) | Search Engine Marketing (SEM) | Email Marketing Digital Communication & Personal Development Consultation On inquiring from Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty about the idea to start something like this and her journey as a Womanpreneur, she apprised that; My latent interest in becoming an entrepreneur came to light while completing my master’s at Kingston University, London (United Kingdom). It was a part of our curriculum to have to make startups and compete for inter-university. So our startup went on to win a lot of accolades and we received a lot of funding. Once I got back to India, taking pay off from my startup there, I went back to working and consulting for advertising agencies and startups, but deep in my heart I would yearn to be my own boss and after working for 9 years - I decided to go ahead with my own firm. On requesting her, Why did she choose entrepreneurship over a job? The ability to be your own boss and take ground-breaking decisions with regard to campaigns and strategies. Also, employ and train people with disabilities and build an inclusive team. How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in? Advertising has always been my passion and the idea to not change your field while forming a firm, but to continue following your passion motivated me to start my own firm. My industry is competitive, with so many agencies mushrooming across India on a regular basis - I have found my niche. A collaborative model where I work with different agencies as a team to offer the client what is best for him. Thus, as a collaborator, I have managed to have another office in Singapore that handles the data mining side of it. This gives my agency a wider edge than my supposed competitors. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation? The urge to make it bigger and better and the dream to establish a group of companies in the next 5 years under The Calibrate banner. Right now, I have a digital wing in Kolkata and a data mining wing in Singapore. On inquiring from Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty about the challenges/obstacles she faced in her journey so far, She explains that; Brands have the perception that since the agency is new and has low clientele/low brand equity - they can make them work at a dearth-cheap pricing. So I have had to say no to a lot of brands asking for services at a dearth cheap rate. This has been the biggest obstacle that I have faced as an entrepreneur. On inquiring about the uniqueness of her startup Glow Entertainment, Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty explained that; My firm is all about inclusion and collaboration. I work with people with disabilities as well as normal people. And I have a lot of agencies up my sleeve with whom there is a collaborative model in place. So this offers a wider scope for my startup to operate. When stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and well-being. On inquiring from Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty that How she handles the pressure and manages stress, She explains us that; Stress is an integral part of the initial days for any startup - especially when you are bootstrapping it. For me - I manifest my stress into energy to get the venture up and rolling. I don’t let downfalls and setbacks affect me. Rather I stand up and face what’s coming with conviction and positivity. On inquiring about what is one strategy that she believes has helped her grow as a person/startup? Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty said that; As a person I have always believed in a personal relationship than a mere professional relationship. So in the last 9 years of working as an account strategist - I have harbored innumerable relationships with clients who have become friends and have helped me immensely through the course of my career and now my startup business. In your opinion what are the keys to success? You cannot always pick pointers that can be solidified as keys to success as it is quite variable. For me keys to success would include a happy team working in silos for the greater good, a common goal to make The Calibrate a success. A plethora of happy customer testimonials and pull factors while acquiring newer retainers from existing clients to name a few. On asking her about the advice she would like to give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur, Ms. Samriddhi Chakraborty says that; As it is said that constant Focus is the key to success and does not lose hope when things are not working out. One should Look for loopholes before the hiccups come into play and salvage the situation before it takes a drastic turn. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

I always try to make sure that I empower the right people for the right work. This way I do not feel overburdened with work that leads to stress. < All Interviews Tushar Kansal Founder & CEO Entrepreneur VictoryTales with its objective to bring more and more meaningful and powerful inspirational stories from around the world to empower and motivate our growing community of entrepreneurs, this time introducing Mr. Tushar Kansal, Founder CEO of Kansaltancy is an accomplished professional with experience spanning multiple sectors from Venture Capital (Brand Cap), Big 4 Consulting (Deloitte & Touche), LSE-listed Sistema's India unit (MTS India) to CFO of Guggenheim Partners-owned company (DLI). He is Mentor and Judge at Entrepreneurship cells of IIT-Mumbai, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Chennai, ISM-Dhanbad & such marquee Institutions. Tushar has expertise of Financial & Business advisory, Fund raising & creation of docs/ collaterals for VC Funding. Tushar is a Venture Advisor with Loyal VC, the INSEAD-led Canadian VC Fund, having a core portfolio of over 160 investments in more than 35 countries. He is also Partner with GSD Venture Studios, a Silicon-valley based Venture Builder. Share this Interview: Know more about Kansaltancy To know about Kansaltancy, kindly Visit Website or Download Brochure . What is your educational background? I have completed Executive Education from Harvard Business School, an MBA in Finance from University of Delhi and B.Tech (Textiles) from Technological Institute of Textile & Sciences - Bhiwani, which is affiliated to the “Textile Institute Manchester, UK” and part of the leading Industrial & Education house in India “The Birla Group”. Major part of my Schooling has been at Montfort School, Delhi. How did you begin your career? Was it in conjunction with the present role that you have taken up or otherwise? I was lucky enough to get campus placement from my Engineering College at Indo Rama Synthetics, a big poly-staple fibre manufacturing company at Nagpur. I was inclined towards IT sector or in Finance and after clearing MBA Entrance examination I did MBA in Finance from University of Delhi. Again, I was lucky to got campus placement in M&A division of SBI Capital. I Co-founded an education company titled “KITES” which imparted training to high school students for IIT entrance examinations. We were having 800 students at one time which were accommodated in three KITES centres in North Delhi. In the year 2006, I sold KITES to Narayana Institute and got honourable exit from it. For the last decade, I have been in leadership role, driving Business, with large companies and as an entrepreneur. At Deloitte, I executed Private Equity assignments/ Valuations & Financial Advisory. At Brand Capital, I was part of the team investing across companies. At MTS India, as head of Debt division, I was instrumental in raising almost $2.5 billion of debt in 3 years and handled all round financial goals as CFO of DLI, including compliances towards the PE Fund Guggenheim, as the main investor and owner. I am Founder of Kansaltancy Ventures, an Investment Management firm as also Saffron First, a Start-up Network/ Fund and all the roles played by me have deeply helped me in executing my present professional journey. Tell us more about your journey? My social media links are at Linktree and corporate website is Kansaltancy.com . I founded a startup Indus B2C Global in 2013. It was a startup into B2B consumer space. The product was Human Hair extensions which are sought after by mostly women of African origin. It was during my time with this startup that I realized the gaps between what startups need and what companies are offering to help the startups. Later on, I quit full-time Management of this startup and became a financial investor. That’s when I launched Kansaltancy Ventures – we assist startups and growth stage companies with equity fundraising, debt, mergers and acquisitions and mentoring. We also help in getting business for the startups. The large part of my work at Kansaltancy Ventures is doing webinars and helping founders and team members of aspiring startups to reach their desired goals. Today, I have made a lot of progress in creating an ecosystem in this field. I am a Mentor and Judge at Entrepreneurship cell of IIT-Mumbai, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Chennai, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT ISM-Dhanbad & such marquee Institutions. I have an expertise of Financial & Business advisory, Fund raising & creation of docs/ collaterals for VC Funding. I am also a Venture Advisor with Loyal VC, the INSEAD-led Canadian VC Fund, having a core portfolio of over 160 investments in more than 35 countries. I am also partner with GSD Venture Studios, a Silicon-valley based Venture Builder. Over the years, I have arranged Funding for startups & growth-stage companies in diverse sectors like, EdTech, FinTech, Consumer B2C, B2B & D2C, AgriTech, Disruptive & DeepTech as well as non-Tech sectors. The full list of 40+ Recommendations are on LinkedIn. I feel privileged to apprise that my expert opinion is often sought by leading business news channels and publications like CNN-News18, VCTV, Business World, Business & Economy, Qrius and Digital Market Asia. I have come on 150+ talks - Just check on YouTube, VCTV streaming site https://latoken.com/vctv/investor/1040 & Kansaltancy.com! What are the offerings of Kansaltancy Ventures? Kansaltancy Ventures ( Kansaltancy.com and https://www.linkedin.com/company/kansaltancyventures ) is an investment management and advisory firm into Equity fund raising, fund raising for VC Funds, Debt and Mergers & Acquisitions. It has developed years of experience in Growth Companies to prepare for the unknown while meeting their Needs. Our verticals are as follows: Funding: Equity & Structured Debt Planning & Pitching to Investors Mergers & Acquisitions Pitch Deck Preparations & Presentations Business Plans & Project Plans Preparations Start Ups & Growth Strategies & Planning Go-To Market & Digital Marketing Strategies Financial Strategic Planning & Analysis Strategic Planning & Execution Advisory Business Valuations Advisory As an independent Growth delivery firm, we can access many different Funding Options so that the customer can get the right Funding and services. Saffron First ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/saffronfirst ) is a Global Crowdfunding/ Angel Network & Fund, headquartered in Singapore, crafting investments in APAC/ India & providing domain specialists, capital & an ecosystem of strategic partnerships What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career? I chose entrepreneurship over my corporate career because I always wanted to make an impact. I have always been intrigued by entrepreneurship and read success stories of all the successful entrepreneurs. You see – It’s fascinating how you build something from the scratch to an empire around it and this is not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of courage, planning, perseverance, hard work, teamwork, combined with good strategy & execution skills. ‘Kansaltancy Ventures’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving with the help of your startup? Kansaltancy Ventures is an eponym from surname in my name – Tushar Kansal. A large part of our work in assisting startups and companies and working closely with them, mentoring them on various aspects, like getting business for them from our relationships, management concepts and providing a way forward. Because of the Consulting nature of this engagement which we have with companies, I thought that having “Consultancy” rhyming first word as the first name, would be very suitable. During this COVID-19 crisis, what are the measures you have undertaken to continue your business without disruption? As the business faced Covid, each measure is taken to ensure that the model aligns with challenges of the pandemic. Our business model consists of a lean team which is not at all resource-heavy and has minimal overheads. The freelancer model ensures each work can be handled remotely, where we don’t need to do physical meetings Every aspect of the business is online and tech-enabled to ensure automation as much as possible. How do you manage yourself and keep on going despite the challenges? What drives you? I always try to make sure that I empower the right people for the right work. This way I do not feel overburdened with work that leads to stress. In my free time, I try to travel, spend time with my family, and try to maintain my work-life balance as much as possible. Travelling helps me clear my mind and focus on issues that need my attention. I am also into Yoga and Pranayam, which keeps my whole energy system balanced. I also learnt much about Naturopathy, which my family follows in the past 30 years. Being in naturopathy has kept me away from too much hard medicine and instead relying on nature cures. In your opinion - what is more necessary: Idea or a good team for a successful startup? I have seen companies with very innovative ideas with niche market segment fail just because they lacked proper team spirit in them.” To be successful, you should team up with co-founders who share your vision behind the idea, and you also need to hire the right people for the right position so that it gets implemented in a proper way. The Investors always bank a lot on the team – they believe that if the Team is good, even if the product is not perfect, it can be made perfect. Even if the Business Model is not good, the team will pivot to the right one eventually. You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going? I love my work. Anything you do in life you have to have a passion for it and should not feel like working. I am also the eternal optimist and like to see the Glass half full! Your ability to do something in the world essentially depends on the extent to which you can harness your body and mind towards your goal, and after that, harnessing the situation in which you exist. But the most fundamental things are that your body and mind function not only to the best of their ability, but the way you want them to. If you bring your mind to a certain level of organization, it in turn organizes the other three dimensions of your system – your body , emotion , and energies . We would love to know your advice for all those starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and see them as an opportunity to learn. #1 Before you leap, look! - Many possibilities always mean trouble. To be able to identify which one of these possibilities you should go with is a certain exercise. The problem is people jump into something and then exercise their mind – no. Before you jump into something, it needs to be looked at with enough attention because once you jump into something, there should be no looking back. If you are constantly looking at the rearview mirror, you are not going to go forward. #2 Enhance your perception – See life the way it is. If you are born afresh, that means you have no conclusions about anything. You are willing to look at everything like you are just born. If you can see life just the way it is, you have the necessary intelligence to conduct it well. If you are not able to see life the way it is, your intelligence will work against you. #3 Your ability to pay attention is key. If a human being has to break through their limitations, the most important quality is steadiness of attention. Your ability to manage anything is directly proportional to the level of attention and observation that you have. #4 Put your life into whatever you do - Whatever the path you jump onto is not the best thing to do. You can never do the best thing in the world. Whatever you jump into, if you really put your life into it, it can become a great thing. Do not ever try to do the best thing because if you try to do the best thing, you will waste your life trying to be better than someone else. #5 Take charge of your inner situation - Either you allow your destiny to be an accident, or you allow your destiny to be your intent, that is a choice you have. Either you allow the situations to make you something or you make the situations the way you want them. What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story? Getting the right opportunity and performing to the best of your capability when you get that opportunity. To get that opportunity, I present myself as a brand. I prepare myself to give in my best shot at each and every opportunity that comes my way. "People who are right a lot listen a lot, and they change their mind a lot. People who are right a lot change their mind without a lot of new data. They wake up and reanalyze things and change their mind. If you don’t change your mind frequently, you’re going to be wronged a lot. People who are right a lot want to disconfirm their fundamental biases." What are the three most important lessons you have learned building your startup? I’ve learned to not compare myself to other successful men who seem to have it all together. Invariably, things are not always as they seem, and no one has it all together. I have also learned how important it is to embrace change because, at any given time, you will need to shift strategies due to circumstances beyond your control. Lesson 1 : Approach your relationship with your founding team as you would a marriage Lesson 2 : Your startup has limited eggs, don’t place them in so many baskets Lesson 3 : Only hire those you could see yourself working for Given the rapid pace at which the world is changing, what are the leadership traits that are necessary for success? I firmly believe in the 14 Amazon leadership principles: Customer Obsession - Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust. Although leaders pay attention to competitors, they obsess over customers. Ownership - Leaders are owners. They think long term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just their own team. They never say “that’s not my job." Invent and Simplify - Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams and always find ways to simplify. They are externally aware, look for new ideas from everywhere, and are not limited by “not invented here." As we do new things, we accept that we may be misunderstood for long periods of time. Are Right, A Lot - Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and good instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs. Learn and Be Curious - Leaders are never done learning and always seek to improve themselves. They are curious about new possibilities and act to explore them. Hire and Develop the Best - Leaders raise the performance bar with every hire and promotion. They recognize exceptional talent, and willingly move them throughout the organization. Leaders develop leaders and take seriously their role in coaching others. We work on behalf of our people to invent mechanisms for development like Career Choice. Insist on the Highest Standards - Leaders have relentlessly high standards — many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver high quality products, services, and processes. Leaders ensure that defects do not get sent down the line and that problems are fixed so they stay fixed. Think Big - Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They think differently and look around corners for ways to serve customers. Bias for Action - Speed matters in business. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. We value calculated risk taking. Frugality - Accomplish more with less. Constraints breed resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and invention. There are no extra points for growing headcount, budget size, or fixed expense. Earn Trust - Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders do not believe their or their team’s body odour smells of perfume. They benchmark themselves and their teams against the best. Dive Deep - Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are sceptical when metrics and anecdote differ. No task is beneath them. Have Backbone ; Disagree and Commit - Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Once a decision is determined, they commit wholly. Deliver Results - Leaders focus on the key inputs for their business and deliver them with the right quality and in a timely fashion. Despite setbacks, they rise to the occasion and never settle. Please share with us - What has worked well for you so far? One thing I would say that helped me and my company grow is the ability to listen to our customers. We believe that customers are not interested in products but in getting their problems resolved. The more we listen to them, the problems they face in their business, the more efficiently and effectively we can resolve them. We believe that we are capable to do that, and it is the only reason for our growth. To know more about Tushar Kansal and his views:- Tushar Kansal on Latoken Venture Capital Tv (VCTV) . Tushar Kansal at At MSME & Startups Forum Bharat . Tushar Kansal at CXO Genie/ Founders Genie/ Inflection Point Ventures . Tushar Kansal at Open Source Network (OPN), Supporters Fund, Canada . Tushar Kansal at Silicon Valley Startup event . Tushar Kansal at Startup Grind, Asaba, Nigeria . Tushar Kansal at panel discussion on Co-working, Co-living at Starterbites Ventures . Tushar Kansal at Incubate IND . Tushar Kansal at Frontrunners Inc., Mary Kurek . Tushar Kansal at MentorKart, Ashish Khare . Tushar Kansal at MFL EduClub . Tushar Kansal speaking on what Investors want . Tushar Kansal at Dr Abhinav Saxena’s show on Cloud Kitchen . Tushar Kansal at Startup Monk . Tushar Kansal at Startup News FYI, Madhur Malik . Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

Recycling is not a new or innovative business. My product is unique, not the business. < All Interviews Paras Saluja Founder and Director Entrepreneur VictoryTales with its mission to bring more and more inspiring stories for our readers, this time we are introducing Mr. Paras Saluja Founder & Director of Shayana Ecounified India Pvt. Ltd who is on the single point focus to reduce the dumping of plastics in the environment and save the planet. Mr. Paras Saluja, is an entrepreneur, environmental advocate, an inventor, and presently Founder & Director of SHAYNA ECOUNIFIED INDIA PVT.LTD. With his innovation, Mr. Paras has turned plastic waste into reusable material and created affordable structural materials from plastic waste, and thus creating a better tomorrow for the generations to come. He gave the world community reusable products by turning plastic waste into High-Density Composite polymer (HDCP) tiles and blocks. Previously, Paras remained involved in his pharmaceutical business. Being an enthusiastic traveler, he has been to many Asian and European countries in the past and he has trekked until Advance Base Camp of Mount Everest. His movement from mainstream business to being an environmentalist has inspired several young entrepreneurs to continue to narrate his story as a TEDx speaker. Mr. Paras has pooled various government & private organizations like Municipal Corporations of Gurugram, and Hyderabad L'oreal and TATA Motors to solve the plastic pollution crisis by deploying HDCP tiles in their principal offices. Share this Interview: Know more about SHAYNA ECOUNIFIED INDIA PVT LTD Shayna EcoUnified India Pvt. Ltd established with a single focus to reduce the dumping of plastics in the environment and save the planet. By using eligible plastic waste materials, the Company turns plastics into High-Density Composite polymer (HDCP) tiles and blocks. These final recycled/converted materials are weather-resistant, chip-resistant, acid-proof, durable and offer better structural stability at a lower cost as compared to other conventional. The final product is composite, affordable, and contributes to the societal benefit. The company strives to deploy cost-effective architectural tiles further restructuring the recycling base of India and taking it towards a new and much-required evolution. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like Shayna EcoUnified came from and requesting him to tell us about his background and his journey as an entrepreneur, Mr. Paras Saluja apprised that; I joined my family business after completing my educational journey from Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad, and Bachelor of Business Administration from I.T.S college in Ghaziabad. I shifted my focus after 15 years and took my first steps towards my life-long issue of reducing, reusing waste that’s present all around us, all the time. As I grew, I became an avid traveler and during one of my trips, I was in Vietnam where I saw that they were very aware and sensitive about the waste they produced and how they managed to dispose of it. That is when it struck me that India is a big and populated country with a huge problem of waste being produced daily but not disposed of properly. I think that was the time when I decided to do something for my country and also wanted to contribute to the ongoing government of India’s “Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan''. When the idea to make a difference in the way we (humanity) were operating about our plastic waste struck me, I did not want to lose even a single minute of my time not doing what I could for it to become a reality and change what can be changed. Then I researched more regarding what I wanted to work on and contacted CSIR-NPL and together we came up with this technology that was later transferred to us. On inquiring from him about what was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur? Mr. Paras Saluja replied that; I belong to a business family so doing business was not something new for me. However, starting something new of my own in a sector I have no idea about was something that I didn’t foresee. When the idea struck me then I just followed my dream to do something for the environment which is sustainable and long-lasting and also helps all strata of society and can in turn do something for our country. On inquiring from Mr. Paras Saluja, why he has chosen to become an entrepreneur over a job? He apprised that; I belong to a business family and my upbringing was always done accordingly. I never really thought about a corporate career. Growing up I always wanted to do something of my own and to learn the ropes I chose to become the part of the existing business. During this time, between other qualities, I realized about my leadership skills, decision-making ability, and most importantly the ability to recognize an opportunity when it presents itself. After more than a decade of learning and growing it, when the idea to make a difference in the way we (humanity) were operating about our plastic waste struck me, I did not want to lose even 1 minute of my time not doing what I could for it to become a reality and change what can be changed. When the opportunity presented itself then I wanted to make a product that is eco-friendly, something which did not wear and tear and could be used by us but since it came from waste, it shouldn’t touch our skin directly. Shayna’s products help clients with easy, economical, and speedy construction. Hence came out with the concept of tiles initially and later other products were introduced as well, which helps the society in using green technology to build smarter and greener ways of living. Can you please share with us your source of motivation for becoming an Entrepreneur? My belief in myself and my dream motivates me to keep going on. The passion and drive to finally be able to do something for our environment keeps us going and reaching out to people. Also, the support of our clients and environmental enthusiasts provides the much-needed boost that inspires us to strive for more. On inquiring how do you generate new ideas? Mr. Paras Saluja told that; The ideas just flow when one has a need. I live and follow the habits of sustainable living in my everyday life and I happen to notice a lot of things around me, some of them bother me, that’s the moment when I am on a constant lookout for inspiration which can help me and my curious brain to eradicate the issue I encounter and this habit gives birth to new ideas which I try and build into new products. On inquiring about the Uniqueness of his company Shayna EcoUnified, Mr. Paras apprised that ; Recycling is not a new or innovative business. My product is unique, not the business. What makes us different from other recycling companies is that we aim at unifying and bringing new solutions to cater to almost all the problems of pollution and help provide clean, healthy living conditions for all people, economies, and areas whether urban or rural. How did you come up with the name of your company? Shayna means Shine and Ecounified is the vision we have as we want to unify and bring a one-stop-shop solution for all things related to recycling, pollution, and the environment. We want to make a sustainable and eco-friendly living into an everyday reality for all. We want to generate more ideas and concepts and unify the needs of the environment and just make this reality shine bright. On inquiring, How many hours a day do you work on average? Mr. Paras explains that; I work as and when and what the need of the business is. Being a start-up currently, my work hours are anywhere between 10-12 hours a day. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Patience, perseverance, commitment to the end goal, and always see and keep the big picture in mind. Obstacles come for everyone whether big or small, young, or seasoned entrepreneurs. What makes one sustain in the business is one’s patience, persistence, and the knack for looking for different possibilities from all sources known and unknown and waiting for the right time till things don’t work out. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

Ms. Khanduja is a young and budding entrepreneur at the age of 21. A graduate from Jesus and Mary College, one of the most prestigious institutions in the country < All Interviews Nishtha Khanduja Founder Women Entrepreneur VictoryTales with its objective to bring more inspiring stories around the world, this time introducing Ms. Nishtha Khanduja, founder of Moodhouse, Who is on a mission to help the people suffering from depression- accept, fight and defeat it. The idea is to have a digital platform where people affected by depression can share their conflicted state of mind stemming more often than not from an emotional shutdown resulting from an individual's inability to meet expectations of either oneself or those around him. Ms. Nishtha has endured the condition herself and fought through the battle with her conviction, strength and will. Instead of denying the cause and symptoms altogether, she confronted her demons, sought out help when she knew she was suffering and came out of it with a renewed sense of hope and energy. She quickly realized that she wanted to help as many people as she can going through the same malady She collaborated with professionals working in the field and set out a means of offline and online communication to reach out to and counsel those in need of help. Through the means of her social media accounts, she seeked to raise awareness against the taboos of "Mental issues" Ms. Khanduja is a young and budding entrepreneur at the age of 21. A graduate from Jesus and Mary College, one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, she is a fierce soul with a compassionate heart set on eradicating orthodox conventions around mental health and getting help in reach of any and everyone who is in despair and need of it. With no prior knowledge or experience about establishing a startup, driven solely by fire to aid, assist and heal, she took the plunge anyway. Share this Interview: Know more about Moodhouse Moodhouse came into existence in the March of the year 2020 intended to help understand and aid people going through any mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or symptoms of bipolar disorder. The startup has a simple motto of helping those who are unable to find any guidance due to familial, societal, or mentary constraints through their network of counselors, psychologists, and preachers. We at Moodhouse, through our social media platforms, also try and bring to the fore inspiring stories such that people out there can identify with and relate to the struggles, desperation, helplessness, and hopelessness that such conditions instill in the sufferer. The emphasis is on getting across the message that though life may seem bleak, frail, and troublesome; it is well within ourselves to overcome all that appears irredeemable. Where did the idea to start something like this come from? Please also talk to us through your background and your journey as an entrepreneur. At the age of 20, I slipped into depression, where I felt like living through each and every day demanded as great an effort as is required of a wounded animal in a jungle to just survive. It was a struggle I had not known of before, in my entire life. I felt like a loser and lost hope altogether. I attempted to commit suicide n number of times to just get rid of the pain or numbness, whatever that was. What made matters worse and graver were that I had no one to go to, to talk with, to vent out. I don't think anyone really understood what it was like. It was only when I came out of that dark phase that I realized, that there are two main issues that needed to be addressed here. We created a community where we provided people struggling with such issues with free or subsidized professional counseling. We also aimed to bring about a change in the social mindset around mental health through the means of our online and offline channels of communication. Sometimes all we need is a companion, a shoulder to lean on, another soul to bear ours too without the fear of being judged. That's what we are trying to be at Moodhouse. I personally want people to know that "it's okay to not be okay all the time" Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? I didn't choose either over another. I chose them both. I am a Marketing Executive at Mahindra Holidays, Gurugram branch, as well as a Co-founder of Moodhouse What’s your source of motivation? Weird as it may sound, having lived through the anguish and pain myself, I know what the feeling of helplessness is like. I know what it feels like to not have any safe harbor whatsoever. I wouldn't wish it on my worst. It's that struggle that drives me to help as many as I can. How many hours a day do you work on average? Although handling a full-time job and a start-up requiring a constant invested emotional presence, is anything but an easy task, I have come to the inference that I am actually quite enjoying it. Every day when I conclude my day I realize how grateful and satisfied I am having lived that day to my full ability. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? As you love your child unconditionally so much that you are able to turn a blind eye to any negative feeling, stress or even financial constraints for that matter that accompanies having a child. It is quite similar to that! Marketing is my passion and Moodhouse is my baby. There's no way any challenge that comes my way because of having the two in my life will make me feel stressed. Just like holding a child in your arms gives you nothing but a joy of the purest nature, exactly in the same manner, spending my time pursuing my passion and love only makes me incandescently happy. Challenges/obstacles faced in the journey so far? There are many obstacles and challenges that come along the way. You know we live in a society wherein we openly talk about our Physical wellbeing but fail to address the issues related to Mental Health. So, breaking the stigma and stereotype attached to it has been an uphill battle. What piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs? The only piece of advice I have is - if you want to do something, just take the leap of faith and do it. If you have the desire and passion to do it, everything else you can learn. Any learnings? Life is worth fighting for!! Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

Mr. Sailesh started at the age of 16 years as he was fond of machines/vehicles and spent his time studying them and repairing faulty components in vehicles. < All Interviews Sailesh Nair Director & COO Entrepreneur We as Victorytales, In our latest interview, spoke to yet another passionate entrepreneur Mr. Sailesh Nair. To understand more about his interesting journey as an entrepreneur so far we would like to apprise that the quest to become an entrepreneur in Mr. Sailesh started at the age of 16 years as he was fond of machines/vehicles and spent his time studying them and repairing faulty components in vehicles. Mr. Sailesh, is Director & COO at “Esclare Group”, and he is a mechanical engineer from the University of Pune tried his hands in diversified fields including the Mechanical industry, IT, and then Advertising before entering the water industry which clicked in his mind. Somewhere between all these jobs, the thought came up of entering the water industry and establishing this venture “Esclare” . Share this Interview: Know more about Esclare Group Mr. Sailesh Nair apprised that the name "Esclare'' is derived from two Spanish words: “Es” which translates to "This is” & “Clare” which means “Bright or Clear”. Esclare is working to bring the changes required in the major problems being faced in today's time, firstly by managing the waste being generated by an ever-growing population, secondly, working on the way to fight the water crisis and thirdly, how one can improve the health of millions of suffering individuals worldwide. Mr. Sailesh and his team mainly focus on finding new ways to curb pollution, recycle water effectively, manage waste, and find alternatives to the growing demands of fossil fuels. Apart from its focus on the environment, Esclare also promotes proven medical technologies and devices which provide many benefits to the suffering patients. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like “Esclare” come from and requesting him to tell us about his background and his journey as an entrepreneur, Mr. Sailesh Nair apprised that ; Back in 2012 when there were numerous reports doing rounds in the media houses about water shortage and contamination of water in various parts of our country. “Why isn’t anyone doing anything about it?” – The first thought that struck the mind. The next couple of years involved intensive sector study and market research to reason out the same. There were a few problems identified and the next step was to try to find a solution to these problems. That was how “Esclare” was born. My first stint as an entrepreneur was when I was 16 years old. I was fond of machines/ vehicles and spent a decent amount of time trying to study them and sometimes even try to repair faulty components in vehicles. Started providing 2 wheeler aesthetic modification services at the respective customer’s home. That was followed by a few other short-lived ventures like selling items on eBay to a clothing business. After all the humble attempts, I completed my engineering in Mechanical from the University of Pune and started working in diversified fields which included the mechanical industry followed by IT and then Advertising. Also, somewhere between all these jobs, the thought of entering the water industry popped up in my mind. However, this time, a venture with better zeal and purpose was born. On enquiring from him about the choosing entrepreneurship over the job, Mr. Sailesh Nair narrated that; There are pros and cons to both. When you weigh them against each other, you get a clearer picture of which side you’d want to choose. In my case, I never felt like I was addressing some serious problems or solving real issues. That was the initial drive that was needed. How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in? Mr. Sailesh Nair explains that; As of now, we are currently in the Water, Waste, and Medical Industry. All these verticals are extremely competitive and the only edge a company has is with the quality of products or services they sell. Thus, anyone with a product or service capable of making life easier can find himself/ herself a suitable place in these verticals or any vertical for that matter. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation? To be honestly speaking, my source of motivation is my knowledge of my invention and I think I am at the beginning of my entrepreneurship. but I feel whenever I will be in a bad situation, there will be sleepless nights. But at the first light of the next morning whatever happens will be tackled with the motto that "life has to smoothly move forward". So I always believe that there are not only 1(one),2(two), 3(three) chances but Infinity i.e nth chances are lined up for me and whatever I have to do will be an outcome of my deeds and I have to face those problems with courage and my knowledge On inquiring about what gets him out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s his source of motivation ?, Mr. Sailesh Nair mentioned that ; The will to create a niche in this competitive market, the want of facing some new challenges, and the need for creating a change. A change for good, a change for sustenance, and a chance for a better future for our environment and people. Tell us about the uniqueness of your startup, please; “Esclare” has been at the forefront to promote indigenous technologies that originate in India. Since inception, we have been working on promoting and commercializing unique technologies and solutions which are tried, tested, and complying with various quality standards. We have been associating with various research institutes and indigenous companies which focus on “Make in India”. We have successfully started setting up plants for water recovery and waste management in the country. On inquiring about his opinion about “the keys to success”, he explains that ; Perseverance , Skill , Passion , and Discipline . These are the major factors that determine how and when a person will “ get lucky ” and start walking the path of success. Mr. Sailesh explains, on inquiring about What advice would he give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? One of the most important factors to be kept in mind is that the path is not an easy one. There are numerous ups and downs and these ups and downs will be there throughout. It is your passion and determination that will help you stay afloat and keep moving ahead. Important learning received during this COVID pandemic was that no matter how profitable you are, there may be times when sales would go down to zero. It is important to be prepared to face such challenges and bounce back with a renewed strategy. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

She is inclined to have an eco-friendly sustainable product line. She also believes that Art has to be functional to be part of life and stay in everyday life to make it beautiful. < All Interviews Archana Deshpande Founder Women Entrepreneur VictoryTales with its objective to bring more inspiring stories around the world, this time introduces Archana Deshpande, Founder at PotteryDen. Ms. Archana Deshpande, fascinated by pottery and well-presented tablescapes. The idea of startup PotteryDen was born through her real urge of creating the bridge between traditional and trendy tableware. She is inclined to have an eco-friendly sustainable product line. She also believes that Art has to be functional to be part of life and stay in everyday life to make it beautiful. Ms. Archana wanted products that can be used from morning tea to special occasions to sit down at the dining table. Ms. Archana followed her heart's voice to work for her startup PotteryDen with traditional ways to make Pottery with earth, water, and fire. Share this Interview: Know more about PotteryDen PotteryDen designs and makes traditional Pottery which is the most widespread decorative hand-painted & textured collection Pottery piece. PotteryDen works with its motive to make the best quality earthen Pottery for its customers with their traditional art with Earth, Water, and Fire. Pottery is a very Interesting and fundamental traditional Art. It is earth, it is water, and with fire, It takes on the form of Life. PotteryDen designs & makes hand-painted & hand textured exclusive collection pieces, which bridges the gap between tradition & style. With a contemporary touch, PotteryDen's range is widely appreciated for adding beauty & aesthetic appeal to any space hence referred to as Lifestyle Designer Pottery! We believe art needs to be trendy & functional to be alive, not only to be seen but also to be felt. PotteryDen is a Pune, Maharashtra, India company and caters to all domestic and international locations. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like “PotteryDen” came from and requesting her to tell us about her background and her journey as an entrepreneur, Ms.Archana Deshpande apprised that; The journey to start something like PotteryDen began when I was in the United States for a considerably long period and when I returned back to India in the year 2016, as I wanted to take a break from my monotonous work of the Mortgage Banking field and start something of my own. I was always fascinated by pottery and basically, I am always fascinated by well-presented tablescapes. PotteryDen was born through my real urge of creating the bridge between traditional and trendy tableware and most importantly inclined to have an eco-friendly sustainable product line. I believe that Art has to be functional to be part of life and stay in everyday life to make it beautiful. I wanted products that can be used from morning tea to special occasions to sit down at the dining table. On inquiring from Ms. Archana Deshpande, why has she chosen to become an entrepreneur over a job? she apprised that; I made the decision of entrepreneurship when I had a good substantial amount of experience with the passage of time and it was a big plus on my side in making this bold decision. I always wished and wanted to work from home so it will help us as a family to sell a bit easier in India. I believe that entrepreneurship gives you that flexibility to work according to your wish and a set routine line. As an Entrepreneur you get to do so many things from scratch and seeing your venture grow is a totally out of the world joy to experience. On asking about her source of motivation, Ms Archana expressed that; My source of motivation is my client’s appreciation because from day one they have appreciated PoeryDen’s products so much, so it makes us do beer every day. Our clients understood and valued the intention behind the PotterDen collection product line and the importance of pure clay, hand-painted, and hand-textured pieces. Every day our clients motivate us so much to make beer designs, textures, and functional pottery pieces. How many hours a day do you work on average to bring such beautiful clay utensils? I do work around 8-10 hours a day but my working hours are normally flexible so I could manage my other priorities as well. When you are an Entrepreneur you can not define hours or days in your works, it becomes part of your daily life and when you enjoy what you do, nothing like it. On enquiring from Ms. Archan about the uniqueness of her startup, she replied that; Pottery is a very interesting and fundamental art. It is earth, it is water and with fire, it takes on a form of life. PotteryDen designs and makes hand-painted and hand textured exclusive collection pieces, which bridges the gap between tradition and style. With a contemporary touch, Potteryden’srange is widely appreciated for adding beauty and aesthetic appeal to any space. Hence CONFIDENTIAL referred to as Lifestyle Designer Pottery! We believe art needs to be trendy and functional to be alive, not only to be seen but also to be used and felt. On enquiring about how she handles the pressure and manages stress? Ms. Archana apprised that; I try to be organized as much as possible to minimize the pressure or stress. I think advance preparation helps me to get things done on me as planned. But yes there are deadlines to match, client's orders to complete on me and get ready for different events of promotion, etc. My family support plays a big role to get me grounded. Delegation of work helps to relieve you from pressure and sometimes gives you a different approach to look at the situation. How do you generate new ideas? For generating ideas, I do make myself PotteryDen’s first client and also we do take feedback or polls from clients' likings or what categories they are looking for. Normally all the Designs are solely mine so that is my own feelings, and our designs are very much close to nature, seasons, tradition, modern and vibrant as well. On enquiring about how did she came up with the name for her company, she replied that; We were looking for a name that will clearly say what we do and PotteryDen seems to do it very efficiently. What piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurship is a big self-driven responsibility. It is like you have to live your vision through every day in small bits and pieces. The best way is to enjoy the experience of creating an entity and see it grow. The most important is to love this journey and not think too much about the destination. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

After a tryst with life as a Computer Science Teacher in Modern Barakhamba school, Meera finally acted upon her lifelong calling and founded Sai Swayam Society. < All Interviews Meera Chetan Bhatia Founder and CEO Women Entrepreneur This time VictoryTales with the objective to bring the inspiring stories around the world came across Mrs. Meera C. Bhatia, Founder & CEO of Sai Swayam Society, a Delhi based PAN India NGO focusing on Empowerment of Deaf-Mute individuals through Education, Skill Training & Job Placement. Mrs. Meera is one of three siblings born to Speech and Hearing Impaired parents. She worked as a teacher of Computer Science in Modern School, Barakhamba Road, and founded a socially impactful NGO called Sai Swayam Society. Her father, Mr. Suraj Prakash Kanchanbaras was the Treasurer for All India Federation for Deaf (AIFD) and the President for Silent Sports Promotion Society for the deaf. He was the captain of the deaf cricket team of India under All India Sports Council for Deaf. He was formerly General Secretary, All India Sports Council of the Deaf from 1984 to 1992. Her Mother, Late Mrs. Mohini Kanchanbaras was the Executive Member and also the Cutting & Tailoring Instructor at Delhi Association of Deaf (DAD) and was a trainer at All India Federation for Deaf. She worked as a battick & bookbinding trainer and manufacturer at Delhi Foundation for Deaf Women (DFDW). Consequently, she received the National Award as the Role Model Employee PwD in 1997. Drawing inspirations from her parents, Meera started working as an Indian Sign Language Interpreter at the age of 16 years and worked for various organizations like the Delhi Association of Deaf, Delhi Foundation for Deaf Women, All India Federation of Deaf, National Association of Deaf and All India Sports Council of Deaf. In 1994 she began working as a News Anchor in Sign Language for the Hearing Impaired at DD News (National Network) and played an instrumental role in policy advocacy which led to the weekly bulletin being converted into a daily news show which now runs successfully till date and she continues to be the senior newsreader there. In 2007, she interpreted all the travel instructions for the hearing impaired travelers for Air India Airlines which is played in all international flights till date. Spearheading the fight for news accessibility for the deaf; since 2014, she has been interpreting all nationally significant telecasts such as Republic Day Parade, Independence Day, Teachers Day, Oath Taking Ceremony, and other such events. After a tryst with life as a Computer Science Teacher in Modern Barakhamba school, Meera finally acted upon her lifelong calling and founded Sai Swayam Society for the Speech and Hearing Impaired in 2006 at the age of 36 years. In 2010, Meera received the Helen Keller award by NCPED as the Best Placement Officer for PwDs. She was honored with the National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Best Placement Officer) by the President of India in 2014. For her experience and contribution to the field of Indian Sign Language (ISL) in India, she was awarded the Jazbaa Award for Excellence in ISL by the Minister of Minority Affairs in 2016. Being raised by deaf parents and growing up as a voice for their community, Meera has a lifetime of learnings and experience of the issues and solutions for them. An experience of 36 years as an interpreter and activist, along with a professional experience of 14 years as the founder of an organization dedicated to empowering the community is what she brings to any forum for People with Disabilities. Recognizing this, she has been actively involved in policy advocacy and formulation with the Department of People with Disabilities (MSJE) - • Committee Member, Empanelmentas Skill Training Partner (PwDs) under the National Action Plan (DEPwD, MSJE) • Committee Member, Task Force for the Early Intervention and Parent Sensitization for Deaf individuals • Selection Committee Member, National Awards for PwDs 2016 • Committee Member, Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre For the certification of SODA and CODA, Meera wishes to revolutionize the world for the deaf and mute through efforts of school empowerment, skill training, employment opportunities, awareness generation, ISL workshops, policy advocacy, and policy formulation. Attempting to use all her experience, knowledge, and passion she hopes to create an inclusive and better world for Persons with Disabilities. Share this Interview: Know more about Sai Swayam Society Sai Swayam Society for the Speech & Hearing Impaired (SHI) is a Non-Government Organization focusing on Empowerment of the community through Education, Skill Training & Livelihood Generation. SSS focuses on "Signs- Skills- Strength” to transform lives. With an inclusive team of Deaf and Hearing Staff Members, we practice Inclusion & Accessibility right from the start, ensuring that Deaf individuals are key stakeholders in our organization. With 9 extended centers and a hostel facility in Delhi, SSS reaches out to Deaf individuals across India. SSS is an empaneled skill training partner with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE). It is also a PMKVY skill training center. Over 12,000 Deaf individuals have been placed across India in about 170 corporate companies. SSS conducts remedial classes for school students from deaf government schools. Also, year-long education & fee support is provided to drop out students who get enrolled in NIOS. They have reached out to over 1000 Deaf students. Since Sign Language is the medium of communication for the SHI, SSS conducts Indian Sign Language Workshops for hearing individuals to generate awareness. Special focus on Police, Lawyers & Doctors. 18,000 people have been taught so far. Certification Workshops in affiliation with the Rehabilitation Council of India are also conducted. Can you please tell us the kind of work you do as a “Social Worker”? I am the Founder – CEO of an NGO called SSS i.e Sai Swayam Society that focuses on the empowerment of Deaf individuals through education, skill training, and livelihood generation. The organization is a platform for providing basic education in all subjects. It also teaches deaf-mute kids how to communicate in the Indian Sign Language. It provides Skill Training in Retail and Hospitality and helps facilitate their placements with various companies across the country. By ensuring their mainstreaming into an inclusive society an opportunity for sustainable livelihood is offered. The organization also works as a center and safety net for counseling and assistance for the Deaf community in distress, in occupational or personal matters. On enquiring why did she choose to become a Social worker over a job? Mrs. Meera said that; It was a conscious choice to become a social worker over mainstream work. I transitioned from being a teacher of Computer Science in Modern School, Barakhamba Road to founding a socially impactful NGO. Being a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), I found my calling in Sai Swayam Society because of the realization that apart from immense satisfaction of serving this community, I could use my unique experiences to bridge the gap that keeps the Speech and Hearing Impaired (SHI) community from equal opportunities, support, and treatment. I was uniquely placed to understand both sides and bridge the difference between their conditions. I have since, worked towards their upliftment, without looking back. On enquiring about her key driving force to become a Social Worker? Ms Meera apprised that; My key driving force has been the struggles of my parents as Deaf individuals in a newly independent India and drawing knowledge, learnings and inspiration from there. I wish to continue to play my role in working for a more inclusive and equal society for the upcoming generations of the Deaf. Being a daughter to SHI parents, my association with the Deaf dates back to my childhood. Due to their support and push, I have been a Sign Language interpreter since the age of 16. Their pride at seeing me positively impact their community is priceless. Moreover, the satisfaction that follows from being a teacher and a mentor to a student is an unparalleled and deeply liberating experience and I am a teacher at heart. What’s your source of motivation? My source of motivation comes from seeing Deaf individuals pursuing meaningful careers and in leading independent lives, empowered by education. Having seen my parents struggle and persevere all their lives, knowing that I play a small role in changing things for the better for the Deaf community keeps me going each day. On enquiring How many hours a day do you work on average? She explains that; This job is an around the clock job and requires me to be available towards the youngsters who are staying at my residential facility as well as on calls for day scholars. While the formal timings are that of 9 hours but this work is my passion which requires an active engagement with young minds, I consider it a 24/7 duty. How do you balance your work and personal life? My family is very cooperative and invested in my work. I get support, encouragement, and a variety of new ideas from their inputs. Balancing a healthy work – balance requires good time management, regular assessment of changing priorities and requirements along with flexibility. During exams and recruitment drives, I barely have time for home because the focus is on ensuring the best for all students while on days when family needs me, I tweak my office working hours or work from home. However, now with covid19 work patterns have drastically changed and ramped up. On enquiring how she handles the pressure and manages stress? She explains that; When you are following your inner calling and inherent passion, pressure and stress are tools which help you reshape your goals and grow into a stronger person. Of course, a competent and driven team plays an important role especially during tough days. Most importantly, reminding myself that all challenges are for a larger purpose of positively impacting someone’s life helps you stay positive and be committed to finding solutions and delivering. On asking how she generates new ideas? she apprised that; Inspiration comes to you only when you seek it actively, in your environment, within your team, from your target audience, etc. Here, my Deaf friends, staff members and students play an important role. Their problem sharing, suggestions and feedback are valuable. However, new ideas can also be the product of the adage, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’. This aptly describes the time when the world was hit by a pandemic and we had found ourselves in a position where all our physical activities were suspended. We had no other choice but to come up with a solution to keep the education initiatives running. We resumed our training classes on online apps and conducted Staff meetings more frequently than ever to understand the issues that we were facing and come up with solutions to resolve them. Tell us about the most difficult case you have worked on. In all candidness, it is important to let this out that genuinely, everything is difficult before it comes around to becoming easy. It is only in the beginning when we come across a supposedly insurmountable task that we feel uneasy because we do not know what combination of intellect, effort and resources it would take to accomplish it. However, once that is done, in hindsight everything seems achievable. A decade ago when I reached out to companies to hire Deaf workers, it seemed like a futuristic, if not impossible idea by most. Many discouraged me and advised me to stick to conventional job roles and opportunities for them. However, after years of efforts, today it is more likely that one walks into a mall or restaurant and ends up encountering a Deaf salesperson, cashier or crew member. Recently, when the pandemic hit us and the lockdown was announced, we found ourselves in an unprecedented situation. We were clueless on how to contribute positively despite the gloomy, unforseen times. However, with zeal and determination we began online skill training classes conducted in sign language for Deaf students across the country. Challenges of technology transition, network connectivity and financial burden were tackled head on. Students stuck in villages and cities were undergoing mental health deterioration and we started online counselling as well. With each passing day we made this make- shift arrangement more and more professional with every improvement. Recently, 3 months of training got completed and this difficult phase of the pandemic became synonymous with training and job placement for our students. We celebrated with a virtual graduation ceremony with the realisation that nothing is difficult if you set your mind and heart on the right path. What kinds of problems do you like to handle? Can you give us an example of how you handle them? I don’t believe that we get to choose the challenges that fall in our way. If that was the case, we wouldn’t ask for challenging times at all probably. So, I don’t detect or resist any kind of challenge. However, I do choose the intention behind solving problems which are to empower lives and bring about a change. I am working in the social development sector and I am committed to resolving the problems and issues faced by the SHI community. This may range from personal, professional, and familial issues to hearing their criticism of my initiatives for feedback and constantly coming up with new ideas to promote their sustainable livelihood and uplift their status in society. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

Payment to VictoryTales: Pending PAYMENT CENTRAL Payment Status: Pending Your transaction is pending . This could take up to 20 minutes to complete. Once the transaction is completed, you'll receive your acknowledgment receipt on your email id provided. In case the transaction fails, your money has already been debited from your account, It will be credited to your source of payment within 5-7 business days. . For any payment-related questions/queries, please write us at payments@victorytales.com .

I feel most of the time playing and spending time with friends ease my pressures. < All Interviews Prabhu Velusamy Founder and CEO Entrepreneur We as Victorytales believe that life without motivation is like we are sitting in a dark room with lots of fear inside. This time we met with a self-motivated person named Mr. Prabhu Velusamy, who has the most admirable qualities and grew as not to withdraw his decisions, and accepted all the challenges which came his way. He is self-motivated, an inventor, who works with self-introspection, Mr. Prabhu Velusamy, Founder & CEO of “Greenstan Technologies”. At one time Mr. Prabhu Velusamy’s dream of becoming inventor faded, when he was not selected in the final round for getting funding to support his invention by some people who were selected through political ways. That was the only time when he decided to take a decision by motivating himself to fulfil all his needs and dreams by starting his own company “Greenstan Technologies”. Share this Interview: Know more about Greenstan Technologies Greenstan Technologies is an Electrical Engineering Firm based in Renewable Energy and was established in 2019. With an emphasis on leadership and collaboration, its talented team of engineers works hard to deliver high-quality solutions. Greenstan Technologies promotes innovative ideas that enhance the future, through a variety of engineering services, it uses the latest technologies to improve the way our communities run. The talented team of Greenstan Technologies serves its clients across various sectors with its practical engineering services. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like Greenstan Technologies came from and requested him to tell us about his background and his journey as an entrepreneur, Mr. Prabhu Velusamy apprised that; My journey to entrepreneurship began after I graduated from college. At that time I was a young Inventor, aiming to bring my invention to the people. My life as an inventor has never been easier. This is because there is not enough awareness about patents and inventions in our country. At the same time, my family was expecting income from me. I was defeated in the final round by some people who had been selected political ways to get fund opportunities in many places. As my dream of becoming an inventor faded away, after a few months I asked myself a bold question. Why did I not start my own company? I can make my invention myself and sell it and my income also will improve. It's only solution fulfills all my needs and dreams. Getting me into that position was not easy. It was new to me to plan and act accordingly in advance for each day to come. Whatever you do in advance, some days will be better than anticipated, but many days will end badly. My experience during the invention helped me recover from this. Because during my invention I experienced a lot of failures and dead-end results. Every day I will meet new people and new characters. Failure teaches me how to overcome that problem. On inquiring from Mr. Prabhu Velusamy, why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? He explains that; I am of the opinion, I am not born to live like a machine by revolving around a fixed sphere, then studying, earning, and living a family life. But I wanted to live one step above the normal person. and If I do so then no one can destroy or damage my reputation. I always wanted to be an icon. Ultimately by opening a venture titled Greenstan Technologies, I made my dream come true and helped my clients to provide them quality service under one umbrella of Greenstan Technologies. How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in? I don't know how others choose their suitable industries. Some prefer market-specific business, and some prefer according to the capital as well as profit return of the industry. But I chose this field which is related to my invention and feeling satisfied while doing what I know well. It will give job satisfaction whether we earn more money or not. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation? To be honestly speaking, my source of motivation is my knowledge of my invention and I think I am at the beginning of my entrepreneurship. but I feel whenever I will be in a bad situation, there will be sleepless nights. But at the first light of the next morning whatever happens will be tackled with the motto that "life has to smoothly move forward". So I always believe that there are not only 1(one),2(two), 3(three) chances but Infinity i.e nth chances are lined up for me and whatever I have to do will be an outcome of my deeds and I have to face those problems with courage and my knowledge Tell us about the uniqueness of your startup, please; My start-up is unique because it is based on full inventions and future technologies. Because people always want innovation and new things. They like to upgrade. so Greenstan Technologies is a perfect match for inventions and technologies. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? I handle the pressure and manage stress in my own way. I feel most of the time playing and spending time with friends ease my pressures. Because whenever we are with our friends we completely forget all the problems. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/start-up? Uniqueness of my start-up. In business, the uniqueness of the work is a key factor. Whatever you create, sell, and do, people are always eager to know what novelty you are using. In your opinion what are the keys to success? What field we choose is the key factor. We should Choose the field which gives us satisfaction. To achieve the objective for a successful business we should work out the Strategy and do hard work. We have to make goals and targets and apply strategies to achieve those goals and targets. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? I want to advise everyone who wants to be an entrepreneur that they should go with your dreams, be bold, and never lose your confidence. Don’t forget to learn new things. There will be always a second chance, grab that chance, and become a successful man. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read

We don’t publish articles arbitrarily. We follow a strict set of rules and guidelines. Every article has to provide value and tangible insights and so it’s thoroughly reviewed by one of our editors or external reviewers before it gets published. Not every article survives the process. We’d like to draw your attention to something that might not be obvious to most and that has been the foundation of VictoryTales – An Online Inspirational Portal for over years. Every article published on VictoryTales (https://victorytales.com) has to fulfill certain criteria: quality of content is important to us, and our job is to advocate for and protect the interests of our readers and the design community. Hence every article is reviewed and has to receive at least “three” positive reviews to get published. Legal Publishing Policy Last Updated on: Sunday, 18 February 2024 We don’t publish articles arbitrarily. We follow a strict set of rules and guidelines. Every article has to provide value and tangible insights and so it’s thoroughly reviewed by one of our editors or external reviewers before it gets published. Not every article survives the process. We’d like to draw your attention to something that might not be obvious to most and that has been the foundation of VictoryTales – An Online Inspirational Portal for over years. Every article published on VictoryTales (https://victorytales.com ) has to fulfill certain criteria: quality of content is important to us, and our job is to advocate for and protect the interests of our readers and the design community. Hence every article is reviewed and has to receive at least “three” positive reviews to get published. Hidden advertisements VictoryTales is a professional and independent online publication. Neither our advertisers nor our partners are influencing our content or editing process. Exceptions are labeled as “Sponsored Articles”, which are written and edited in cooperation with our sponsors. These articles still go through our editorial review process, including technical reviews, before they get published. With sponsored articles, we obviously act in the best interest of our readers and protect their interests and trust from subjective, biased, or skewed statements. Sponsored articles are mostly hands-on tutorials dedicated to specific applications and technologies, but will never be product reviews or press releases. Content Quality control system We have a thorough quality control system in place and we make sure that the article respects the rights of authors, designers, photographers, and developers. The rules listed below are crucial for all articles published here on VictoryTales. We work very hard to follow all of these rules as best we can; they explicitly guide our editing, writing, and communication. Publishing Policy & Rights We don’t publish press releases or any other public relations (PR) content. We don’t have any hidden advertisements. All advertisements are marked as such, including Sponsored Articles. We don’t participate in any kind of affiliate marketing. We don’t influence the opinions of our writers or contributors and do not prompt them to tailor their work to fit our personal interests, objectives, or opinions. No donated products as prizes On VictoryTales, we never use donated products as prizes for our contests and giveaways. We don’t participate in any kind of partner-linking system. Links in our articles are not for sale. We never place links as favors to business partners or any third parties (except the "About Us"-page). We respect the rights of authors, designers, photographers, and developers. We would never publish links to illegal sources that reproduce the work of others. Updating Contents To make changes/update contents in their respective published article kindly email us at interview@victorytales.com . Clients can make changes/update contents in their respective published article within 7 working days from the time it's been published live on World Wide Web Network free of cost. If client wish to change/update content post 7 working days, sum of $4.31 (320 INR) will be charged. After making the payments, clients can make changes/update contents of their respective published articles within 72 hours from the time successful payment. You may contact us. Questions about our Publishing Policy should be sent to us at: info@victorytales.com

I believe that Customer Relationship and its satisfaction are among one of our main focus as a strategy and it is worth nothing... < All Interviews Shouvik Sarkar Founder and CEO Entrepreneur As part of our pursuit to identify young entrepreneur and share some of the compelling stories from the startup, we introduce Mr Shouvik Sarkar who is founder & CEO of the SARK Technologies. The services extended to various domains, platforms and technologies. Share this Interview: Know more about SARK Technologies The company provides services on the basis of requirements of various set of industries. The products of SARK Technologies were designed to provide the clients to enter a new digital era in which manual computation is of least use and software takes up the jobs.The company provides services on the basis of requirements of various set of industries. The products of SARK Technologies were designed to provide the clients to enter a new digital era in which manual computation is of least use and software takes up the jobs. Where did the idea to start something like this come from? Please also talk us through your background and your journey as an entrepreneur; I had been in the software field since my graduation back in 2011. From that time I always thought to provide something to the world in the field of software and other technologies. That made me think to start a company from that time. This idea had just started with this firm just stepping into the field of delivering, understanding business but there's a lot of ways to go. I worked in Wipro which gave a brief idea to me about corporate. So as a start-up and a big dream we still have a lot of ways to go. As an entrepreneur in spite of capabilities, there are a lot of challenges most important if which is to make the others understand your capabilities. Just started around 6 months this is the biggest challenge but the best way to deal with it is to build a portfolio. And that's what we are mostly looking into now. Let's see the better part of the business comes how quick. Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? On enquiring about the selection to become entrepreneurship over the job, Mr. Sarkar expressed that the freedom of delivering and expression of our ideas to the emerging world and not to stick to only other's ideas, he has chosen to add his contribution as well. How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in? Being a Software expert It's always interesting and amazing. In my eyes, the Software companies and its working are always at the highest esteemed job and the one I have i.e TheSarkTechnologies is soothing to my taste which I like the most. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation? Like a young entrepreneur, it too gets me out of bed in the morning to begin my day with to work for my company which I like the most and obvious, To earn money to invest later in more advanced technological researches. What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far? The uncertainty about the future, Generating financial resources, Regulation and compliance, competencies and recruiting the right talent for enhancing my technological products and especially to satisfy different types of customers are the biggest challenges/Obstacles besides making others understand your capabilities Tell us about the uniqueness of your startup; It's based on delivery. Our main goal is not to earn money but to provide the world with something new and amazing which we always look to stick throughout. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? Well sometimes getting off work releases a lot of stress. That's what I implement. Besides this also try to maintain a calm demeanor no matter what happens in my life and try to stay focused on what needs to be accomplished besides stay positive to achieve the desired goal. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup? Though Strategy is a set of lofty ideas, ungrounded in reality however I believe that Customer Relationship and its satisfaction are among one of our main focus as a strategy and it is worth noting, that had been a lot beneficial in our journey so far. In your opinion what are the keys to success? In my opinion, the keys to success mean a Clear cut goal which I need to know exactly to built my company with confidence and faith in myself. Besides this, I feel Motivation, Dedication and the freedom to get started can always lead to Success. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Just be focused, bad times can come, so stick to your goals and if required use an alternative plan to overcome difficult situations but always learn from your successes and failures. Bad times can come but continue efforts, dedication, and experience you gain can help get pass by them. Meghna Joshi Founder & CEO Sai Poorna Patnaik Founder Shankar Sahai Co-Founder and Director Bhavini Khakhkhar Founder Dr. Ruchika R. Jha Doctor & Public Healthcare Consultant Anand Mani Tripathi Founder and CEO You may also like to read