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< All Interviews Sujay Santra Founder and CEO Entrepreneur We at VictoryTales, with the long & arduous search for bringing more and more meaningful and inspiring stories from around the world, this time, brings the story of a Kolkata based Healthcare Startup, ‘iKure Techsoft Pvt. Ltd.’, led by Sujay Santra, Founder & CEO, who is known for his inspiring entrepreneurship, an eminent speaker, and an impactful healthcare leader conferred by the ‘World Health & Wellness Congress’, 2019. Sujay has led a fascinating journey, but he thinks the best is yet to come. While he has led the transformation of India’s primary healthcare system using technology and scalable models since 2010, his startup incepted with the mission of ‘creating zero mortality in primary healthcare’ with cloud and artificial intelligence technologies is set for the new road ahead. Share this Interview: Know more about iKure Techsoft Pvt Ltd His venture iKure, has not only readdressed primary healthcare system for the marginalized community, but it has also created multiple layered impacts across the community enabling access to affordable and accessible health services, technology-enabled integrated care, empowering community health workers, and implementing behavior change programs to create holistic and sustainable impact in human lives. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like iKure Techsoft Pvt. Ltd., came from and requesting him to tell us about his background and his journey as an entrepreneur, Mr. Sujay apprised that; It all began, when I visited my father for his ill health in my hometown, rural Kolkata. Working in IBM and Oracle, and an ardent technology lover, my father’s health crisis was an eye-opener for me to gauge the plight of the 840 million Indian rural populations. As his health recovered, I set out to look for the fundamentals that can bridge the gap and build a platform to seamlessly connect patients with doctors and the healthcare system. I took the lesser-known path to build the ‘Unicorn’. You can’t solve a problem unless you face one. Felicitation with the ‘Change Maker award’ & ‘Ashoka Fellowship’ by the former President of India, Shree Pranab Mukherjee in 2016 provided me with a firm anchor for my journey ahead. On inquiring from Mr. Sujay Santra, why has he chosen to become an entrepreneur over a job? He replied that; I have always enjoyed being an entrepreneur even, though my first attempt was less than far impressive. After graduating, I worked as a junior scientist in the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) and was mentored by Prof. K. Radhakrishnan-Mission to Mars ISRO chief, where I was drawn towards understanding the complexity of technology and how it can save a life. While I worked in top-notch IT firms, I was deeply rooted by my clearly defined problem of healthcare access and was ready to take the plunge and facilitate an innovation that can bring efficiency and value creation in healthcare and one that everyone would aspire to be a part of it. On inquiring from him about what was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur? Mr. Sujay apprised that; I believe I have been drawn by an inner inimitable driving force. Since my childhood, I was fascinated by technology and developed a life-long interest in software applications. This interest helped me participate and win multiple awards during my service period in IBM and Oracle. As I traveled extensively, I became more aware of the dearth in healthcare access, and my personal experience was instrumental in finding a wider perspective of technology application in primary healthcare. I resigned from my 9-5 job to move into the direction which was less appealing in many ways. However, the hardships, and struggle, I had to make to reach this far, was a great learning experience for me. My parents, family, and my team have been my greatest support. On inquiring about his source of motivation? Mr. Sujay narrates that; I have been fortunate enough to be mentored by people with iconic figures and men of diversified skill sets. For example, my father has been my greatest source of inspiration, who was a very successful Banker, with popular mass appeal for his generosity, and intellect, as he left a mark on every human life he touched. Witnessing the difficult circumstances of humanity, be it families getting cash strapped due to healthcare expenses or poverty that prevents them from accessing the basic amenities, my father helped them all, transforming shortfall into values, that few in such a position can make it possible. On inquiring, How many hours a day do you work on average? Mr. Sujay explains that; An entrepreneur’s working hours are beyond a 40-hour work-week. While bombarded with commitments and deliverables from all angles, it is hard to figure out the number of hours truly put in. I remember, not sleeping from two-three consecutive nights, and waking hours involved family responsibilities. So, I cannot equate no. of hours with my successes. I do catch up with my power naps during the flights or while travelling, also I believe your mental wellbeing is more important than your physical wellbeing, so it is necessary to keep a balance to help you sail through the patchy terrains and gloomy days at times. On inquiring about the uniqueness of his company ikure Techsoft Pvt. Ltd, Mr. Ashish apprised that ; A patient named Runa has been visiting the hospital for her dialysis. Sometimes a year back, when she complained about breathlessness and dizziness, she consulted multiple local doctors. As her discomfort grew, she switched doctors and medications, which caused her more trouble, at last, when her severity grew, she was hospitalized and suggested for dialysis and kidney transplantation. We often witness such health mishaps caused by disintegrated care coordination leading to fatal consequences. At iKure, we aim to create an integrated care continuum backed by innovative technology and scalable models. iKure is a Population Health Management company that delivers primary healthcare services through digital technologies, a network of hub & spoke clinics & trained frontline health workers. Our health management services span Preventive, Promotive, & Curative aspects of healthcare. iKure focuses on addressing the primary healthcare needs across all settings –rural, semi-urban, and urban areas. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? Well, I talk to my father or I listen to music, take a long walk or drive somewhere and have some good food just to feel good about myself and that's how I have seen that I am able to handle pressure or stress. How do you generate new ideas? The generation of creative and practical ideas is the key to success. At iKure, I am open to new ideas, where every team member contributes in their own way to solve administrative challenges, opportunities to expand businesses, and generate technological ideas for products and services. We are also supported by investors, advisors, and different stakeholders who guide us with their novel ideas to drive change and open new possibilities for iKure in the healthcare domain. How did you come up with the name of your company? At iKure, “i” stands for Innovation and “K” stands for Knowledge. So we wanted to provide Health Care using innovation and Knowledge and that’s how the name iKure came into existence. What piece of advice would you like to give to the college graduates who wanted to become entrepreneurs? I think persistence and perseverance are important traits of an entrepreneur. So build on it, without burning it. You need a dedicated team who can believe in your idea, stay true to them, as much you stay true to yourself. Explain your strategies, goals and reinforce it internally. Being an entrepreneur is like running a marathon, you need to keep your stamina and go steadily and definitely you will be successful. 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

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< All Interviews Dr. Siddhartha Pandey CEO and founder Entrepreneur There are many renowned personalities around the world who are inspiring others to learn from their "high and lows" which came in their lives to achieve the present position, this time in VictoryTales, we introduce Dr. Siddhartha Pandey who is a man of many qualities. Dr. Siddhartha Pandey, CEO and Founder of HRD India is blessed with lots of qualities in him. He is on the mission to find and help align “Human Capital with Financial Capital”. He has successfully led and drives the Human Resource Department for prominent companies like Balasore Alloys Ltd., EMC ltd., Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd., Electro steel ltd., Adhunik ltd., Simplex Infrastructure and Shristi Infrastructure Limited. Dr. Siddhartha Pandey has headed The Confederation of Indian Industry (Eastern Region) besides remaining an active member of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industries (BCC&I), Merchants Chamber of Commerce (MCC) and also a member of WORLD HRD Congress. Blessed with a special aptitude for playwriting, he is regularly writing in Times, Magazines, Linkedin, and Various Social Sites. Moreover he is the winner of many HR leaders awards. Dr. Siddhartha’s plans have come to fruition rather sooner than expected after a successful corporate career in a Fortune 500 company, the tipping point came where his inner instinct led him to redefine life and the impact he wanted to create. It was the point at which series of small changes emerged and he knew that he didn't want his boss's job, any of the other senior management roles, or to work between 12 to 14 hours a day. Dr. Siddhartha also knew he didn't want to sacrifice his quality of life, and regret not living. Share this Interview: Know more about HRD India It's a company providing full service of Integrated HR solution which include services in all its elements such as retained as well as contingency-based search services, advisory services, recruitment process outsourcing, leadership, mentoring, coaching, corporate training. As CEO & Founder of HRD India, Dr. Siddhartha has chosen 'creative' business and operational strategies to obtain the desired results in seemingly difficult mandates. He explains further that their business is a fascinating combination of high-quality work processes and people sensitivity. On inquiring background about Dr. Siddhartha Pandey, and his journey as an entrepreneur he apprise us that “I have successfully led and drives the Human Resource Department for companies like Balasore Alloys Ltd., EMC ltd., Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd., Electro steel ltd., Adhunik ltd., Simplex Infrastructure and Shristi Infrastructure Limited. I have headed the CII (Eastern Region) and also been an active member of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCC&I), and Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (MCC) and also a member of WORLD HRD Congress. I am a regular playwright in Times, Various Social Sites, Magazines, LinkedIn, and a social activist too, plus a winner of many HR leader awards”. He further narrates that, there's no "magic pill" that effortlessly launches you out of your cubicle confinement and into the free world of entrepreneurship. For some, the dream to be your own boss grows for a long time, even years, before it finally comes to fruition. "After a successful corporate career in a Fortune 500 company, the tipping point came where my inner instinct led me to redefine life and the impact I want to create. I knew that I didn't want my boss's job, any of the other senior management roles, or to work between 12 to 14 hours a day. I also knew I didn't want to sacrifice my quality of life, and regret not living. "That's when I decided to start my business. I brainstormed which skills I could build upon, and what people needed. On requesting him, why did he choose entrepreneurship over a job? he explains that; Being an entrepreneur means taking on a challenge and working hard to get through it. “Getting a new career or building a business is never easy, and not everybody will support you in your journey. With any business venture, it takes a while to gain the knowledge, establish you as a business owner, and gain the reputation to attract the clients. “It can be a long process and it may take time to get significant ROI but to be honest with you, the results are worth the struggle. Feeling like getting just stuck in a box and feeling just like a number being in a top management job was making a straight line. Being an entrepreneur one can have many advantages too like you have the opportunity to change the lives of others, you serve as a role model, creating something from nothing, no career hamster wheel. On inquiring about what gets him out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s his source of motivation ?, Dr.Siddhartha explains that ; The Source of motivation is to think that “Remember why I started”, it is not money or the experiences but it is to earn a taste of fame along the way and what I might leave behind should be appreciated because if I create something meaningful that’s going to outlast. The satisfaction is saying, this is my company and with this I will never hit a growth ceiling. I don’t know if it’s a lack of confidence or something else but you always want to prove yourself, you’re never quite satisfied – and that might express itself in being very competitive. You just want to do your own thing and are prepared to take huge risks to do it. Someone works for money and some work for his emotions attached to him, but on inquiring about that, what comes first for him - money or emotions? Dr. Siddhartha explains; “There is no secret that emotion always plays a vital role in human life. Entrepreneurship might seem like a glamorous career choice; and in many ways, it is. However, this independent path can have its downsides. Working alone, or representing your own brand, are a major responsibility and many entrepreneurs face emotional challenges, from loneliness to fear. So every time we have to control those emotions and overcome those with flying colors. When we start an idea it was well planned so the money will routinely come if there is a quality-driven business”. On inquiring about his way of handling the pressure and managing stress, Dr. Siddhartha Pandey explains that; “I will say there is no exact science to handle a pressure or stress, few points I can consider to manage the same like break down the problem into the task it will ease out to tackle the same, schedule time for socializing, give time to family, biking with friends, spent time in exercise or yoga or meditation. Try to think of stress as energy. Energy which we can use to propel our business to success. Minimizing stress by staying productive and keeping on top of your work is hugely important. If you struggle to keep focused try a productivity app to keep your motivation up”. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup? Most of the advice and success stories for start-ups feel very vague, vapid, and in actionable, If you don’t have a tangible plan, you’re actually losing business -- or you’re increasing the chance of losing business to competitors. One strategy will not suffice a business success but yes technology is playing a major role to run a business like in the time of the pandemic. The value proposition of a business will always be an added advantage. On inquiring about his opinion about “the keys to success”, he explains that ; Passion is a simple yet profoundly all-encompassing narrative to describe the essence of a true entrepreneur. With passion, an entrepreneur possesses an inherent fuel and inexhaustible stamina that constantly drives his actions forward. Impetus and self-confidence also play a vital role in a tenacious entrepreneur – one who can dream of the unreal, and work relentlessly to convert it into a reality. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Entrepreneurship is very challenging, you are going to get hit and knocked down. Learning to take the punches and continuing to get up turns you into a stronger business owner and individual. Challenge yourself and be competitive with yourself, value your work, utilize the power of manifestation. Today, entrepreneurs can push beyond the clichés and their limits to develop businesses that add value to clients – and that adds meaning to entrepreneurs’ lives. 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

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< All Interviews Parth Birendra & Sahil Chopra ​ Entrepreneur We as VictoryTales team keep scrolling for more and more meaningful and powerful stories from around the world to empower and motivate our growing community of entrepreneurs, this time we are introducing two school friends Parth Birendra and Sahil Chopra who happily drove us to drink more fresh milk-naturally. In less than two years, school pals Parth Birendra and Sahil Chopra have delivered a fundamental grass-to-glass concept that has redefined the humble milk round in Delhi NCR - and quenched families' demands for farm-fresh, natural milk. Share this Interview: Know more about HappyNature How School Friends Happily Drove Us to Drink More Fresh Milk - Naturally! How School Friends Happily Drove Us to Drink More Fresh Milk - Naturally! From delivering just ~20 liters of milk to their neighborhood apartment block on their first day of operations, the Happy Nature entrepreneurs now oversee a farm-fresh foods brand that delivers 2000 liters of milk equivalent through their dairy and non-dairy products daily to customers’ doorsteps. Their brand is now recognized as a significant player in the premium milk industry in the city. At the heart of the Happy Nature brand is a serious commitment towards quality of products & service through a strong focus on the entire value chain - From production to processing and finally to delivery – best quality standards and hygiene are maintained across all touch-points. While milk continues to be their anchor product, they have expanded their product-base by adding other dairy products (ghee, paneer, and cheese) and non-dairy essentials such as artisan bread, premium eggs, natural honey and hydroponic salad leaves to their portfolio. All products are healthy, natural, and free from harmful chemicals & adulteration. "We have moved rapidly from when we first set up in October 2018, and now have an annual turnover of about 5 Cr," commented Parth, who with Sahil, is an alumni of Don Bosco School, Delhi. Both are Engineers and MBAs - Parth from AIM, Manila, and Sahil from DCE, Delhi & XLRI Jamshedpur.​ With one of the few integrated delivery companies of milk and associated fresh products in New Delhi, the company has attracted additional investments. It has since merged with Doozy Farms in Chandigarh and Wise Cow, in Gurgaon, to offer a complete Delhi NCR region-wide presence.​ It's a far cry from when Parth and Sahil first began to exchange business ideas in one of their regular weekly calls while working in different parts of the world as management consultants. ​ "Our conversations revolved around new business opportunities that existed in the Indian market. The fact that we were traveling extensively over the last five years gave us a perspective on how and which industries were growing globally and where these opportunities could fit within the Indian business landscape," highlighted Sahil. Discussions narrowed down to farm-fresh, healthy food products. Parth added: "We realized no single company in the food space was catering to the various breakfast table requirements. Consumers had to buy from multiple vendors and various brands to complete their breakfast basket. That's where our opportunity lay." Having both worked as corporate strategy consultants, they gained unique insights and experience into the global world of sales and operations strategy. They were joined by Vishal Rastogi, at Happy Nature as a company director, and crucially with significant experience in the dairy industry. He also had a strong IT background with an engineering degree from IIT Roorkee and MBA from IIFT, Delhi.​ The team began small and local - experimenting in their hometown! "We began with farm-fresh cow's milk as our first product before expanding into other products, with the same commitment of serving the purest, freshest and healthiest food products available," Sahil said. ​ The entrepreneurs have also witnessed and served at every level of the business, including getting up at 4 am to personally manage and handle doorstep deliveries. "Having those foundation stones set right enabled us to build a strong and stable business structure for the future," added Parth. Those early steps included raising their milk supplies to 200 litres daily within 4 months of starting operations, all thanks to them relentlessly attending every Diwali Mela and Christmas carnival in and around South Delhi. Sahil added: "Sitting on a stagnant volume was unacceptable and experiencing a drop-off in orders during summer months was quite unexpected & demotivating for a 6-month-old startup despite the fact that this pattern is inherent to such a business. We worked extra hard going door-to-door, expanding our coverage while keeping a check on our expenses to ensure that we kept growing. "Come December; we were at 500 litres daily, including milk and products, before hitting 2000 litres a day in June 2020." ​ Highlighting how they strive to set themselves apart from competitors, Sahil highlighted that our focus on not just product quality but also premium packaging, efficient delivery, and relentless focus on customer service is what sets us apart. Parth added that having the best-in-class facilities at the dairy farm was crucial to serving customers the best product in the market and differentiating our product from the commercially available milk brands: "Our cows are provided with the best health care facilities with regular check-ups performed by certified veterinary doctors. Any cow which falls sick is separated from the herd and provided specialized treatment. Milk from only the healthy cows is supplied to consumers." The hi-tech milking process involves automated milking, in-line pasteurization, and touch-free packaging eliminating human interference and the risk of adulteration. Daily lab tests further reinforce the commitment to providing 100% pure and natural milk. With the elimination of middlemen and with a robust cold chain that ensures the milk is delivered in the healthiest possible form within a few hours of milk production, Vishal said. Their in-house forecasting tools and methodologies also help to predict demand for milk accurately and accordingly plan for timely farm expansions. Parth commented : "Our startup is unique because we are the only doorstep delivery model company which serves such a wide variety of essential food products under one brand while maintaining the best possible standards of product quality, delivery service, and customer care”. "Our strong focus on a " customer-first " strategy ensures not just excellent service but also offers insights on future services and products that we can launch to make their lives even more convenient.", said Sahil All three then concluded: "Every day, we at Happy Nature endeavor to provide families with the healthiest, tastiest and freshest food products produced in cruelty–free, hygienic and modern facilities. With each product, we win your trust which encourages us to keep getting better" 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

< All Interviews Gaurav Mittal Managing Director Entrepreneur As part of our persistent efforts here in VictoryTales to identify and share some of the meaningful stories from India and around the world, we have invited Mr. Gaurav Mittal, Managing Director of Aromatic & Allied Chemicals for an interview with us. Gaurav took over his family business after the sad demise of his father Sh. Brijesh Mittal and after attaining his worldwide experience in the field of Essential Oils and Fragrances. Gaurav obtained his Bachelors and master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from India, Master’s degree in Perfumery from ISIPCA, France respectively. ISIPCA France is the only institute giving the best perfumers of the world. After carrying out his other master’s degree from France, he did his Masters in Business Management in Aroma Technology from Plymouth University, UK. The qualifications made Gaurav to get into the world of Perfumery to gain the best experiences in this field and learn the state of art technologies. He worked with some of the biggest F&F houses of the world – I.F.F. and Givaudan. He also worked in different parts of the world like Dubai, Holland, USA, France etc and his last profile was a Trainee Perfumer with Givaudan Perfumery School in Paris, France in 2010. After coming back to India, he developed the various product lines in this industry and put the world’s best R&D centre that consist of GCMS, Automatic Refractometer, Polarimeter, etc. due to which AACare now popular for the best qualities they offer as 100% Pure and Natural. Share this Interview: Know more about Aromatic And Allied Chemicals Aromatic & Allied Chemicals is one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of 100% Pure & Natural Essential Oils,Natural Aroma Isolates,Mint Oils, Spice Oils & Oleoresins, Supercritical CO2 Extracts, USDA / EU Organic Products, Carrier Oils (Cosmetic & Food Grade), Natural & Organic Fragrances and FMCG Products Aromatic & Allied Chemicals is an ISO 9001:2015, HACCP and WHO-GMP Certified company with its products being KOSHER, HALAL, & NOP/NPOP/EU ORGANIC Certified thus certifying all of its products to be safe to be used in Food, Flavour, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, and Perfumery Industry. Established in North India in the valley of Natural Herbs and the company is having its own / contracted farms and fields spread in different regions of India enabling it to procure raw materials directly from their farmers with guarantee of their product that it produces 100% pure and natural. Aromatic & Allied Chemicals is the first company in India whose products are GMO FREE certified (the plant species that are used for making the raw materials is from nature). The company under the leadership of Mr Gaurav Mittal, is also working for upliftment of the farmer’s lifestyle & building toilets (W C’s) in many adopted villages in Uttar Pradesh to boost and support ‘Swach Baharat Abhiyan’ of Hon. PM , Mr. Narendra Modi and also to support the farmer families. AAC is also planning to open a primary school in Village Ghoniya, Bisalpur very soon where Mr. Brijesh Mittal, founder of AAC was having the first Distillation Plant of Lemongrass Oil in the 1960's. The company is also donating many sports products to the primary schools of villages. On inquiring from where did the idea to start something like Aromatic & Allied Chemicals came from and requesting him to tell us about his background and his journey as entrepreneur, Mr Gaurav Mittal apprised that ; Since I was involved with the experiences of my father in the field of Natural essential oils, I always have been smelling the fragrance when my father used to come back home from his farms. Generally my father used to smell fresh tones of lemongrass and rosy tones of Palmarosa with surroundings of menthol. It was a mixture of all these smells that I experienced in my childhood. My father, knowing the future of this natural essential oil industry and my passion for perfumery started developing my skills in the same field. In order to get this streamlined from the start, all was well planned and I did my bachelors and master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from one of the most reputed institutes of India. Thereafter, I pursued my Master’s degree in Perfumery from ISIPCA, France – the only institute giving the best perfumers of the world. After carrying out my another master’s degree from France, I did Masters in Business Management in Aroma Technology from Plymouth University, UK All the above qualifications made me get into the world of Perfumery and I then started my first job with International Fragrance and Flavors in Dubai, Holland and France. After a few years I then shifted my job to Givaudan (which is the world’s biggest F&F house) and within a few months got selected to be trained in Givaudan Perfumery School in Paris which evolves the world’s best perfumers. Unfortunately during my training period in France, I lost my father and then I have to come back leaving my dreams and passion for perfumery. After coming back to India, I took over my family business ‘Aromatic And Allied Chemicals’ (established in the year 1977) which was involved in farming of Aromatic Crops and production of Pure Essential OIls. However the shock of losing dreams , passion and father really shattered my life and thought of giving up. But what kept me alive in perfumery was the smell of the Natural Essential Oils and it has always been coming in my mind to kick start something new. I then started exploring different parts of India and numerous aromatic crops. With the help of Scientific institutes, I started helping farmers to grow different aromatic crops and extracting essential oils from the same. Using those natural essential oils, I started making the natural blends and finally was able to convert my passion for perfumery into a beautiful composition in the form of a Natural Perfume. The pure Essential Oils that we were extracting also helped me to get into the world market. This is how I am finally very happy to be the Owner of Aromatic And Allied Chemicals where I am keeping my passion alive and also helping my farmers and their families with many works and their requirements. On enquiring from him about the choosing entrepreneurship over job, Mr Gaurav Mittal narrated that; To choose entrepreneurship over a job, I think was the need of the hour and as I told you, I was a Trainee Perfumer with Givaudan Perfumery School in Paris, France in 2010 before shifting to India after the sad demise of my father Shri Brijesh Mittal. I have seen my father in raising this Business since my childhood and was fortunate enough that I attained the best qualifications available in this field and carried forward my family business for which I am being brought up. What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur? Mr Gaurav said that; The Key driving force was the social work that my father was involved in. My father was associated with more than 5000 farmer families for whom he was actively working and helping them to meet their needs. When I came back from France to complete the rituals of my father, those poor farmers and their families forced my mind to leave my luxurious job and come back to India and support them. This is from where I started exploring farming & then cultivating the numerous aromatic crops with those farmers and became a successful entrepreneur. Now we are one of the leading producers & exporters of Organic Essential Oil & Natural Essential Oils of India. On enquiring How many hours a day do you work on average? He explains that; You see being an entrepreneur and a social worker you need to struggle hard to find appropriate working hours but normally I am working almost 12 hours minimum to forward the venture at new heights and using around 06(six) hours sleep to attain energy besides slipping almost for 04 (four) hours for workout. On enquiring about the uniqueness of his company - Aromatic & Allied Chemicals? Gaurav apprised that; Aromatic & Allied Chemicals i.e AAC is certainly unique in the field of Natural and Organic Oils to Fragrances in the world. It is now exporting a wide range of products from Natural Essentials Oil and Organic Certified Essential Oils to Fragrances in the world market. Now, AAC is the only company in India, having projects which are GMO FREE Certified & Fair Trade Certified – thus assuring the oils we are manufacturing are free from any modification and adulteration and also we are following the International standards of Fair Trade and Fair for Life giving equality to all. Apart from this, AAC is also ISO 9001:2015, HACCP, WHO GMP Certified and her products are KOSHER, HALAL, and EU/NOP/NPOP Organic Certified. It is also unique in terms of its commitments resulting there has been many awards and honours achieved by AAC since I have taken over the company and some of the achievements are: Star Category Certificate by Commissioner & Director Industries of Uttar Pradesh in 2015 Amar Ujala MSME Conclave 2015 Award as the Special Honour of Best Industrialist of Uttar Pradesh by Hon. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh & Hon. Industrial Minister of Central Govt. Shri Janeshwar Mishra State Export Award 2015 - 2016 as the Highest Export Performance under the category of Perfumes, Essential Oils by Hon. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia MSME State Award 2015-2016 as the Best Product Manufacturer under the category of Essential Oils by Hon. Industrial Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Great Achievers Award for Young Entrepreneur 2017 by Indian Organisation For Commerce & Industry, New Delhi 100% Star Export House in the Year 2017 by Government of India - Uttar Pradesh Manufacturing Leadership Award 2018 by Hon. Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, ABP News and CSR Thought Leaders Pride of City Bareilly 2018 by Hon. Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Hindustan Times Media Top Most Exporter of India Award in the year 2018 by Hon. Minister of Commerce & Industry & Civil Aviation of India, Mr. Suresh Prabhu Asian Famous Brand Award in Shenzhen, China on 9th Sept 2019 by Asian Brand Association, Asia Television, National Development & Reform Commission, China Economic Weekly, Peoples Daily and Indian Industries Association. Uttar Pradesh Best Employer Award 2019 on 1st Oct. 2019 by ABP News, World HRD Congress, World Federation of Human Resources Professionals and Dr. Tarita Shankar Excellence Awards On enquiring how he handles the pressure and manages stress? He said that; I would say, normally I don't feel any stress and if somehow comes on my way I try to Workout as much as possible and to reduce it I discuss with my team to handle and manage. On asking how he generates new ideas ? he explains that; I have unique ways to generate new ideas for myself. I wish if such needs come and I have to generate some new ideas, then I would prefer to sit in a lonely place near to the Himalayas. Besides this I also get something in my mind while I am on some international visits and moves in search for understanding the market and consumer needs. On asking what piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs? Mr Gaurav said that; Some things that have helped me and I would like to share with the college graduates who wanted to become entrepreneurs are that: Never give up on your dreams and keep moving forward to chase your dreams. There is a favorite quote “Rome was not built in one day”. So work on your dreams every day and your dream will come true one day. It requires hard work and commitment to be a good entrepreneur, besides courage adds floral to the future. 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

Our Vision We Cover the most inspiring stories around the world VictoryTales derives its definition from the humble word “Inspiration” which in its figurative sense appears to predate its literal one. As the word “Inspiration” is the past participle of inspiration. Similarly, we as VictoryTales is an online portal that publishes the finest content around Personal development, Success Mantras, Interviews, Startup Stories, and about the Entrepreneurship to inspire the world. We often overlook the important role of inspiration whereas it awakens us to better possibilities by allowing us to transcend our experiences and limitations. If we believe, Inspiration pushes us from apathy to possibilities and transforms the way we perceive our capabilities. ​ ​ We believe that Inspiration is an elusive nature which we normally overlooked in life and the frequency with which a person experiences inspiration in their daily lives. It is also believed that inspired people were more open to new experiences and reported more absorption in their tasks. “Openness to Experience” often came before inspiration, suggesting that those who are more open to inspiration are more likely to experience it. It is also believed that human being has a capacity to capture and activate inspiration and it has major effects on important outcomes in one's life. We believe that there are four main Ingredients of Inspiration: Inspiration involves both being inspired by something and acting on that inspiration. Inspiration involves a moment of clarity and awareness of new possibilities. Inspiration springs from the beauty and goodness that precede us and awaken us for better possibilities. Inspiration is evoked spontaneously without intention.

< All Interviews Sanjana Guha Founder Women Entrepreneur At VictoryTales, we always make efforts to bring some of the meaningful and powerful stories from around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. This week, we invited Sanjana Guha for an exclusive interview to know more about her inspiring journey and the way forward. Ms. Sanjana started working as a freelance content writer to secure her pocket money while she was pursuing her post-graduation. It was her mother who inspired her and also her elder sister who supported her a lot. She wanted to start her own venture because she felt she is not that good to fit for office work because of her shy nature. Due to this, she takes time to mingle with people and also fear from office politics. Sanjana’s startup i.e “littletry.com”, basically provides the best content writing services to various firms and organizations. LittleTry provides you with the best content for business and could promote the brand among the larger audience at an affordable price. Apart from this “LittleTry” also has a separate blog page for children. This page is not monetized and has been created purely for the children so that they can showcase their talents. One more thing wanted to apprise our viewers that Sanjana used to provide tuitions to little kids and she found that the children are really very talented however, there isn’t much to tell the world about these talented children. She made up her mind to do something for children and she made a page called “Little Step” where they will not only write, sing, dance but also can do things they are good at. She further apprised that “Little Step” is entirely by the children and for the children. Share this Interview: Know more about Littletry.com On inquiring from Ms. Sanjana Guha, Where did the idea to start something like this come from? Please also talk us through your background and your journey as a womenpreneur; she replied; I never thought to be an entrepreneur or something like that. In a middle-class family, it is quite rare to have such dreams, but I have always wanted to be a writer. My mother and my elder sister, they can beautifully pen down stories and poems. However, due to marriage, due to their everyday office, due to the responsibilities shouldered upon them, they can never go through that path although they had all the potential. I used to write for the student supplement of the newspaper daily, The Statesman. I used to write for “Voice,” it was the name of the student’s supplement. Later on, I started working as a freelance content writer when I was pursuing my post-grads, to earn my pocket money. It was my mother who inspired me and also my elder sister who supported me a lot. After completing my post-grads I started working in a firm as an academic writer, however, due to some problem with the management I had to quit my job and I took up full-time freelancing. While doing freelancing I came across many people, especially students and homemakers, who are looking for opportunities that would help them earn a certain amount and at the same time do the work they are doing. For students their studies and projects, for homemakers, it was managing household chores and the kids. They thought this is a great opportunity for them to learn something, and at the same time earn a certain amount. I also wanted to start this venture, because when I was working as a freelancer I gave many interviews because my father had always wanted me to do a 9-5 job and have a secure life. Hence, I worked in an online web newspaper too, and I understood that an office job is something that I am not fit for. I wanted to have something of my own. However, without the support of my family, especially, my mother, I wouldn’t have been able to start it. Of course, my elder sister and my father helped me a lot in this regard. On inquiring about, Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? Ms. Sanjana apprised that; I still don’t know that. Maybe because when I had a lady senior I had to leave my job proving the age-old cliché that “lady bosses are bad.” Maybe I wanted to start something of my own so I at least turn out as a good example to many other people, especially to my juniors. Maybe I want to be a leader rather than a boss. Maybe because I am not that good fit for office work, because I am very shy, I take time to mingle with people, I fear office politics. I don’t know how I ended up as an entrepreneur but the truth is I am one now. How do you find the industry/niche that you’re in? I guess post-COVID-19 the importance of digital marketing will increase as they are more budget-friendly than traditional marketing, but their reach to the audience is quite wide. Moreover, in the current situation, people will hire more freelancers who can do their work remotely without coming in contact with any office goers. Hence, I guess the industry will grow in near future, and at the same time, it will evolve a lot with time as well, because today, as we all know, “Content is the King.” What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation? Deadline! Well, LOL, but I fear deadlines a lot. However, I guess, the thought that only a few can achieve their dreams and most can’t because they don’t have that support from the family. Is something that motivates me a lot. I have seen many people’s dreams ruining not just because they haven’t worked hard or something but because they didn’t have the support that will give you the strength to move on. I am one of the very few, who have the support, and I will make the most use of it. On inquiring from Ms. Sanjana about the challenges/obstacles she faced in her journey so far, She explains that; The most important challenge that I had faced and still facing is the delay of payment or not receiving the payment at all. This industry has frauds, like many other industries, and one has to be very careful regarding payments here. Oftentimes, things work on the basis of trust but whom to trust and who actually should be suspected is a very difficult thing to determine. On inquiring about the uniqueness of her startup Little Try, Ms. Sanjana Guha explained that; Well, my startup basically provides content writing services to various firms and organizations. However, apart from this Little Try also has a separate blog page for children. This page is not monetized and has been created purely for the children so that they can showcase their talents. I used to provide tuitions to little kids and I found they are really very talented. However, there aren't many online platforms for them, where they will not only write, sing, dance, and do things they are good at. So, I opened up a page called, “Little Step,” and this is entirely by the children and for the children. My page is still not monetized but if I can ever monetize it, I will make this bigger and create a space where children can spread their wings of imagination, without any fear and hiccups. On inquiring from Ms. Sanjana Guha that How she handles the pressure and manages stress, She frankly replied that; I feel when stress persists, I cry. Tears help me to release my stress. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup? I guess for me the eagerness to learn new things has been my greatest strength and strategy. It has helped me to improve and grow. There is one more thing that has helped my startup grow and that’s my relationship with my writers. I have never stopped them from moving out and opt for a better opportunity and many people who may have lost hope to do something in the creative field gained courage when they started working for Little Try and then with that experience they also applied to various other big organizations and firms and started working there. I never stopped them from moving out and it has helped me to grow as later on, they provided me with not just good writers but with good clients as well. I guess, all my writers, who have worked with Little Try since its inception, are my strength. I owe them a lot. Being good and kind to the writers is the strategy that has helped me a lot to grow. In your opinion what are the keys to success? Sanjana expressed that each person is different. So, are their doors to success and the subsequent keys. My key to success has always been my passion for writing and loads of stubbornness. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? Sanjana advises someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur that “Be sure of the fact that nothing will back you out from your dreams”. 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

< All Interviews Anu Sehgal Founder Women Entrepreneur We at VictoryTales are delighted to introduce our growing community of entrepreneurs to another shining Entrepreneur, Leader, Digital Marketing Consultant, and Coach. To add another inspiring interview for our growing entrepreneurs, we interacted this week with another passionate entrepreneur Anu Sehgal for an exclusive interview with us. Ms. Anu Sehgal, the former senior correspondent with The Economic Times, heads the young and energetic team at “Digital Mill”. With her experience of more than ten years into journalism and content creation, which makes it one of the most dependable, trustworthy and ethical digital media companies in India. Anu is the Founder of Digital Mill and She has dealt with key CEOs, and industrialists and has written hundreds of articles on various topics. Let’s learn more about her inspirational success story and her advice for our growing community of entrepreneurs. Share this Interview: Know more about Digital Mill Digital Mill is a company which is dealing with the Social Media Marketing & Management besides having digital platform with technological advancement to cater for the rising demands of the digital marketing around the world to reach the target population through Search Engine Optimization, web/graphics designing by providing quality content. With her decade-long hands-on experience in journalism and content creation, Anu Sehgal is implementing the newsroom experience in The Economic Times to leverage the numerous opportunities thrown by the dicey industry. Getting involved pragmatically to build a prolific digital identity of clients by boosting their digital presence across various platforms, the Digital Mill team crafts exclusive and appealing content that not only hooks the audience and but also helps them to take notice of the various business brands. Dynamic team of Digital Mills is ensuring optimum client services across the various verticals of digital marketing and also addresses social media marketing, content management, graphic design and video making, Search Engine Optimization, Web Development and many more for clients belonging to the political and corporate arena. Tell us a little about your organization and your organization’s journey so far. I have been associated with the Media industry for a long time and worked as a special correspondent with The Economic Times for 10 years. The idea to have a platform to multiply my experience, and the raising of Digital Mill comes in between my experience and my will to multiply my experience. Digital Mill is a great way to leverage my expertise and the learnings & insights to add value to our client’s projects. Social media as you know is a dynamic platform and we have evolved ourselves into a 24X7 agency which has given us the perspective to reflect with maximum flexibility. Steering into political content creation at a very early age, I realized its importance when Obama was contesting in the US election and social media was flooding with causes and propaganda. When our Prime Minister was elected in 2014, a very strong emphasis was made on politics across social media platforms. At that time, I understood the need of a politician to be at the forefront of social media and started handling a lot of political clients also. Am to inform that we are one of the very few companies in India that have done so much work for politicians and political parties, understanding the nuances in political geography.” We have an excellent team equipped with the new-age expertise related to research, content creation, graphics designing, media planning and video editing. Digital Mill brings a lot of holistic digital marketing solutions to the table. With the help of my brother Harpreet Narula who is the major force behind my dense content available in the digital platform and being a political influencer myself, I remain abreast with the recent trends on social media.” For creating good content across all these digital platforms, my team is completely well-informed with the latest happenings and all the tools that are used for developing websites. Since we have got some very serious clients onboard with us, we intend to bring that seriousness to our work as well. What makes your company so special and how is Digital Mill poised to grow? The digital marketing industry is evolving as a major marketing trend of the 21st century intensified by digitization and rapid internet penetration. Contributing to this flourishing domain significantly, Digital Mill has emerged as one of the most dependable, trustworthy, and ethical digital agencies across the NCR in India. With a vision of clients creating meaningful relationships with their audience and building better brands through connected digital experiences, Digital Mill is striving hard to be known for its disciplined approach toward providing the highest value of satisfaction to every customer. In fact, people who were very traditional marketers once have also realized the potential of going digital, reaching out to more people by creating a pan India presence through venturing down south as well will be our upcoming goal. We are abreast with international trends, and how they are working online. Upgrading ourselves with graphics, animation, video and many more features essential for digital marketing, we are gearing up to meet the standards of the international market as well.” Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? I chose entrepreneurship because I always wanted to make an impact. I have always been intrigued by entrepreneurship and read the success stories of almost all successful entrepreneurs. It’s incredible how you build something from the scratch and scale it. Not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of courage, planning, perseverance, hard work, and teamwork, combined with good strategy & execution skills. In your opinion what are the keys to success? I’ve learned in my life that nothing beats hard work. Hard work outweighs talent and intelligence and is necessary if you want to succeed. This not only means working hard when things are going well but working harder when things are not. It means taking calculated risks and sticking to them, no matter how challenging they are. This is very important to keep in mind as an entrepreneur. No business is perfect, and just like people, they too have their faults, no matter how successful or unsuccessful they may be. Recognizing and accepting these faults as an entrepreneur, facing reality, and doing your best to work around these faults is the best way to move forward and I believe this is the secret to success. What are the business mantras you have embraced to grow as an entrepreneur? We feel that “Content & visuals are the king and queen” of social media & we like to stay ahead in that game! I believe that client satisfaction is the prime objective and we are doing that that is our MANTRA. What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as an entrepreneur? I am a firm believer that growth is largely related to client satisfaction, and so I do everything in my power to make sure they are satisfied with my work. Over time, I have learned that the best way for sustainable growth and success of any relevant strategy is to focus continuously on customer problem-solving or feedback and improving the service to them and their successful experience with what you offer them. This builds continuous consumption, trust, value, and growth, and is what I have implemented in Digital Mill. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur? I believe entrepreneurship is not easy stuff – you will need to put in 150% of yourself to get things done. If you are ready to give away your sleep, weekends, vacations, and time with friends for your idea, for years, where the result is still unknown, you are welcome. I am not scaring the aspiring ones, but that is the reality. As I said above, it’s all your passion, and how you implement the same tested idea or a new one is where you are going to get noticed. 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

< 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!! 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

< All Interviews Taron Mohan Founder Entrepreneur We as VictoryTales, with our extensive & strenuous efforts in the search for bringing more and more meaningful and inspiring stories from around the world, this time introducing Mr.Taron Mohan, Founder of NextGen, a graduate from the IIT Delhi. Mr. Taron from day one of his career wanted to become an entrepreneur with his strong beliefs in 5 C's. His first 'C' is committed to his project, his team, and the product. Second 'C' is Clarity on his thoughts, objectives, and development. Third 'C' is Collaboration as one can never work alone, build a strong partnership ecosystem. Fourth 'C' is Cash which maintains cash flows as one cannot keep borrowing continuously, and Fifth 'C' is the Conviction that one should have in it. Share this Interview: Know more about NextGen Telesolutions Nextgen Telesolutions brings disruptive creativity and technology innovation to customers, bridging gaps in existing services and targeting the masses to reach the last mile. Including both legs of transactions i.e customer and merchant / agent, the company helps you bridge the digital gap on financial inclusion/digital payments/transit and more. The main products of the company are Secure Banking on Feature Phones, TapNPay on Any Mobile Phone, NFC Readers - Transit and Retail,Merchant POS / mPOS Solutions, Mobile Couponing, Mobile VAS Solutions - SDP and Components, Mobile VAS Solutions. Besides this Nextgen Telesolutions has a "Smarter Smart City" solution, Digital Toll Management Systems,Automatic Fare Collection Systems (AFCS), and Parking Management Systems Where did the idea to start something like this come from? Please also talk us through your background and your journey as an entrepreneur; Having been an entrepreneur from day one of my career, straight after my graduation at the IITD, I want to become an entrepreneur and set up my manufacturing facility. The family help was there, but was asked to be totally independent on my own – a different vertical and 100% on my own. Raising finances, putting together the project and then building my own customer base and product line. The core focus from day one has been : Innovation : be different Maintain the tech edge over competition : always set the benchmarks for the products you make Continue and keep ahead of competition Build on IP and technology : you will remain ahead of competition Build a team of thinkers : you will grow And I always believe in the 5 “C’s” in my entrepreneurial career : Commitment : be committed to your project, your team and the product Clarity : on your thoughts, objective and development Collaboration : you can never work alone, build a string partnership ecosystem Cash : maintain your cash flows, you cannot keep borrowing continuously Conviction : have it in what you and your decisions With the above, my 35+ years of being an entrepreneur have been very exciting, challenging and rewarding in multiple ways : The first manufacturing facility : was the country’s first precision low volume sheet metal fabrication facility and it grew to be the largest facility in India over time. The second venture : a CAD/CAM facility and the first for sheet metal processing, taking drawings direct from a digital drawing to the machine tool path generation – the first in India and again had the major market share in India The third venture : built the base for mobile VAS in India – with the first offerings on mobile VAS and premium billing, we graduated to providing full solutions to telcos / device OEM’s and network providers The current venture : secure banking solutions, and the first in the country for sure, and globally a pioneer in these services. If you see the history, all 4 ventures have been totally different and have learnt the technology, identified a vacuum and a gap in the needs and then fulfilled it with a strong business model supported company. Never been funded, always boot strapped and built a team together here. Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job? To keep the mind alive, ticking and living on challenges. It's largely due to the fact that my father also was an entrepreneur and built a highly successful business for himself (again on technology and IP), and he was always my guiding factor on my career. Being an entrepreneur is a challenge and a bug, once you get it, experience the highs and the lows, you cannot get back to a job, where life is secure and comfortable. In a job, you will have challenges and you will overcome them and achieve a lot, but then the satisfaction is in the salary / promotion and recognition. As an entrepreneur, the highs also include : Providing jobs and livelihood to your employees Defining your own roadmap and path in life Being an all-rounder in life – technology, finance, branding, production, team building and more. And achieving a lot more than money / promotions. Life is a lot more than this. Of course, you do have your lows and some of these can be at the edge of life, when everything seems to fall apart and tomorrow seems difficult to cross, but then remember the 5 “C’s”… these are what get you over this and continue the fight. It's like an adrenaline in your blood… once there, always there. What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur? The challenge in life has been the driving force… as detailed already, it’s the “high” of achievement – can be anything : A product developed A bugging problem solved A contract closed for which the team has been fighting a lot and working hard on Giving your employees a great working environment Giving your family a well earned and a well deserved holiday Celebrating with your family a personal event And this is what drives me still to keep at work and building new products, addressing new verticals and adding to the technology in the team. What’s your source of motivation? To achieve more and give to everyone what I have : Knowledge : it’s the best gift for anyone, be it your team at work or the family. I keep reading and learning all the time. Product : to give to our customers a new solution / solving an existing bug or a problem or then just simplifying an existing product / process or enhancing quality of output. To think for tomorrow : what next How many hours a day do you work on average? A day is never enough… even 24 hours is sometimes not enough. Of course, you have to balance life between work, family and friends, but then you also need to bring in the fun and physical exercise also there. Life has never been less than a 12 hour day, sometimes even the weekend at work. but then it's always worth it. What is the uniqueness of your startup? It's always different on : The business model : string on the whole concept of generating revenues, and making it a self sustaining model to grow The technology : always building on technology and involving patents, and maintain an edge over competition Innovative : keep thinking on the next development, improvement on current solutions and making life simpler. We have a “mantra” in our whole product design and development : KISS : Keep It Simple for the Stupid If you keep this core line in your thought process, you will always have the innovative edge in your products. How do you handle the pressure and manage stress? Taking a break – music / physical burn out exercises or just taking a few hours off work. it helps you break away from the stress and pressure of work. Sometimes, it's simple cooking and can be at midnight also. I cook a lot and never from the book – again, it's straight from the mind, impromptu and experimentation. The dish can turn our either way, edible and enjoyed by all or then also destined for the trash can. But then, this is the same as being an “entrepreneur” here I enjoy sports – and again different activities from the general crowd : Scuba diving The Triathlon Swimming And these are all stress busters. How do you generate new ideas? It's based on the principle of “high spirits” – the days are spent working with customers, the team on development and regular mundane stuff. It’s the evenings which are relaxing or then early morning where the brain goes into overdrive and analyses an opportunity, thinking and then putting together a possible solution. Generating a new idea is quite simple – it’s quite like the PDCA chart, but implemented differently for planning / designing / curating and acting. And then doing the homework properly on the environment, competition, customer needs and finally then evolving it to a final product outcome. You need to be a thinker, keen observer and a constant reader – ideas just don’t come up “out of the blue” Another of my basics here is: The solution has to be a global product, not area specific There needs to be a core business / revenue model to it It has to have a technology edge to it How did you come up with the name for your company?? My basic outline here : The name must convey to the customers / employees what you do It must be catchy – sometimes a “shady” name is better than a straight name. the recall value here is higher It must be simple to pronounce and ideally not more than 2-3 syllables. And then build a logo / brand for the company. What piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs? Go ahead, jump into it, but with clarity on what you want to do. Just jumping into Entrepreneurship for the same of giving company to your friends or following the leader is not going to work out. Be prepared for a long haul on getting there, but then don’t plan for short cuts. They will give you a straight “cut-out” in life. Read, think and plan properly. 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

Founder's Message Jyoti Kapoor Every effort is being made here as VictoryTales Team to inspire our readers by inculcating the essence of Inspirational moments to encourage moving forward in their life as well as in their career. For keeping the momentum of inspiration in the future too, I am remembering a very interesting story of a little boy and would like to share with our valued viewers. As I am sure, most of us must have listened from our ancestors in their life that “Do not say something you regret out of Anger”. Once upon a time there once was a little boy who had a very bad temper and normally lose temper in small issues. His father decided to hand him a bag of iron nails and convinced his son that every time you lost temper, you take one iron nail from the bag and hammer a nail into the outer fence of their house. ​ On the very first day, the boy hammered 48 nails into that fence. Every time he loose patience he has to get one nail from the bag and to go out of home to nail into the outer fence of his house. The boy gradually began to control his temper over the next few weeks, and the number of nails he was hammering into the fence slowly decreased. He then discovered it was easier to control his temper than to go out of home up to the fence and hammer those nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy did not lose his temper at all. He told his father the news and the father suggested that he should now pull out a nail every day to keep his temper under control. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. The father said well done, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.'” As VictoryTales achieved its first milestone, the editorial team would like to thank our many reviewers who helped us to maintain the standard; and, most importantly, our readers for your continuing support. We look forward to receiving your contributions in the near future. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” —Mark Twain. With our continuous efforts to capture the fascinated attention of our audience, we here as VictoryTales team adding another milestone of the inspiring story here in most popular Inspirational portal to encourage you to follow your dreams so that you can treat others with kindness and never give up. For keeping the momentum of inspiration we would like to discuss a very common quote, “Never let one failure from the past hold you back in the future”. As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to getaway. ‘Well,’ trainer said, ‘when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.’ The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were. An unsuccessful attempt is the first step of success similarly you should Never let one failure from the past hold you back in the future and one should apply all efforts to achieve success in life. As VictoryTales achieved another milestone, we would like to thank our many reviewers who helped us to maintain the standard; and, most importantly, our readers for your continuing support.​