Can you take us through the story behind "Campustiger"?
Entrepreneur is a "no no" word in our societal set up. Students are tuned for corporate environment determined by our academic system. We at "Campustiger" decided to build a platform for students to think like an entrepreneur and practice entrepreneurship at college. So we embarked on a journey to build an ecosystem to nurture student entrepreneurs. Our idea is to ignite young minds to look at world as their market.
How should employers adapt to take advantage of social networking, say for example in recruiting?
Social networking is evolving and evolving faster. For employers it is a most cost effective medium to connect with prospective employees. People post personal data on social medium , which is the cheapest way to do pre-employment screening.
What about the steps that can help colleges to motivate and develop leaders?
Leaders think independently and ahead of time. College should develop enough programmes and environment to make students think independently.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an entrepreneur but doesnt know where to start?
As a first time entrepreneur, the idea is to just "START"… take baby steps, work on simple idea, iterate, refine the plan, and stay focused. Every entrepreneur works on their own constraints, and their knowledge, contacts and financial resources, within the framework. They should try to achieve their goal rather than waiting for the right time and opportunity.
You know the saying: do what you love, and you will never "work" again. How did this work in your case?
These words are true! Entrepreneurship is all about following ones passion and love. The caveat here is that individual passion should help in significantly contributing to the society.
What would you say are the obvious business challenges going forward, and what are the priorities especially while molding an entrepreneur?
Business challenges are bound to remain. As an entrepreneur one has to keep all options open, and be in sync with trending technology. An entrepreneur should constantly look at solving problems the world faces today in power, education, food, communication, health, water and agriculture sectors.
Of all you have learnt so far in your career, which is the one attribute that helps you achieve?
Adapting to change is the single quality which drives me to achieve more
How do you recruit your manpower? List 5 major skills that you consider the most, while recruitment
Apart from basic qualification, "attitude towards ones ability" is a key parameter. Effective communication, Adaptability, creative thinking, problem solving by logic and team playing are the key skills I consider for recruitment.
What do you feel is the gap between industry and the academia?
The gap between industry and academia is widening day by day. The curriculum is outdated, and Indian universities do not feature among the best institutions globally. Colleges should effectively collaborate with industry to run courses on skill development.
What is your take on social media and opportunities in social media?
Opportunities are aplenty in social media, if approached the right way, it will redefine commerce. Many companies have realized the potential and investing big on social media presence and engagement. Being social, gives equal opportunity to everyone to look at world as their market place
What should be the next stage for an entrepreneur in terms of making the business fit for an uncertain economy and a future where change will continue to be a significant challenge?
Uncertainties throw lots of opportunities for an entrepreneur in comparison with a stable growth phase. People /companies will look for innovative solutions to reduce cost and overheads. Entrepreneurs should capitalize this uncertainty with agility and innovation.
If you could do it (your career) all over again what would you do differently?
Incidentally, thats what I have done to my career, doing it all over again. Having worked for a large European bank for about 8 years, my current venture focuses on entrepreneurial development for college students. Exploring new opportunities is what I would like to reinvent myself every now and then.