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Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by FashionflameZ Jincy Sathish: We are an Event Management Company, catering to all types of events. As of now we do more of fashion events, Celebrity managements, brand endorsements, casting for Ads. Soon we will be into corporate and other events. Great Companies: What makes FashionflameZ different from hundreds of other events and talent management firms? Jincy Sathish : Brand doesn’t not automatically differentiate a company from its competitors. It has to stand for something, communicate something unique and different from the competition. We build connections that last, stands out on social media and we have an open mind towards suggestions from clients. Doing what everyone else does is comfortable and safe, but stir something drastically different! It really takes courage, but focus on one thing you think others are doing, or not doing at all, and how you’re in the trend. Then shout it from the the rooftops in all of your marketing and communication. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Jincy Sathish : Being an entrepreneur is a difficult task that is not a job for everyone. Willingness to accept challenges that are placed in front of you by various people. Having positive and negative experiences as you grow your business. I have tried to remain positive in all times through hardwork and dedication. Knowing what’s ahead is half the battle won. We have a number of successful woman entreprenuers, who has created successful brands across the world. However journeys have not been easy. It’s only when their families , society at large make a conscious effort to bring down the gender walls, woman entreprenuers shine out in the corporate world. I have been lucky to have that support from all. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for FashionflameZ? Jincy Sathish : When you imagine 5 years from now, you see yourself as an entrepreneur, running a company you’re passionate about, Great! But to actually achieve it you need to backtrack by setting immediate and intermediate goals along the way. Entreprenuership doesn’t have an end destination because the world is constantly changing. So still figuring it out! I can only plan a forecast, but as the journey continues, I might be able to give you a sound answer to that. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Jincy sathish : Don’t take NO for an answer, Learn from the best, stay hungry and ambitious, never stand still evolve with times. Do more spend less. Most important, Trust your gut instinct, not just your spreadsheet. I DON’T KNOW THE KEY TO SUCCESS, BUT THE KEY TO FAILURE IS TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.WHEN YOU CEASE TO DREAM YOU CEASE TO LIVE!!

All small businesses are responding to the impact of COVID-19 in some way. Therefore, we believe it is beneficial to connect directly with the small business community and discover the most important lessons they learned during this pandemic. GreatCompanies.in's network of contributors of business owners, experts, advisors and entrepreneurs are generously sharing their greatest lessons and lessons below, in no particular order. You will notice that some ideas are similar, but we separate them because the way they are presented may resonate differently with you. Digital marketing is the new future market Self-confidence and morals are the backbone of any businessman but covid-19 situation is washing out all these good vibes from us. A lot of stress, anxiety, non cooperation are making a businessmen to shut down or hold their business. In this situation we need to be stay strong mentally as well as physically and we need to be patient. The pandemic is temporary, we have to be strong and keep ourself safe to come out of the situation. In this lock down period we are enhancing the photography skills and technique as the upcoming market, which is going to be fully digital. Work from home is the new way of working so keep learning and practicing on the skills and techniques you have. We are helping each other to grow our business. -Amit Srivastava, CEO, Amit Srivastava Photo and Media Services. Observe the market well With the onset of pandemic, the market was completely down for a lot of businesses out there but I observed that the market is doing pretty well in terms of mutual funds, the inflows are more than before and this little observation helped to sail through these tough times without much of a trouble. Therefore, every business person should know how to recognize the way a market function. -Mayur Dhoot, CEO ,MRD Investment and Financial Services Be Affirmative My business got completely shattered due to the advent of pandemic, there was absolutely no work, sales went down, laborers went back to their home towns as we didn’t have enough money to pay them, I was very disheartened but also there is no better alternative rather than making efforts with utmost honesty and looking for better days to come. The only piece of advice I would like to give is that, an entrepreneur should always stay positive even in gloomiest of times because those who stays the longest, goes farthest in the race of business. -Ashik Jain, CEO, Sri Jain Hardware & Ply home Connect with people Though a lot of businesses shattered during pandemic but the god has been kind to us, covid gave us an opportunity to connect with our customers out there with the help of media, social media platforms and all. There was a huge reduction in input expenses which earlier used to go into petrol, labour, infrastructure many among others, we could also save a lot of time. Overall, my biggest lesson has been that you must educate people about your business, connect with audience and wait to watch wonders happen. -Abhay Shaha, CEO, Abhay Shaha & Associates LEARN TO EARN If you want to cater well to your business you must understand the importance of learning new things. It is certainly a privilege to educate people even in the most minimalistic ways. Every flamboyant business needs new strategies time and again. The pandemic paved the way for that time to seep in. Those who realised it and utilized their time are the ones benefiting manifold today. Bad times come and go, but the essence of why and how a business is to be done should not be forgotten. -Vivek Hakim, Owner, Yashashvi Technoprint Be prepared for anything Bank consultancy is a kind of business where if the market has inflow of money, the clients have money and ultimately you get to earn money but unfortunately in the midst of the pandemic the market was very down, the inflow of cash was low, neither the clients made gains nor us. Covid taught me the lesson that you should always keep your seat belt tight and be ready to face any challenge life may throws on you. -Manish Trivedi, CEO , V.N Trivedi & Co. COMMUNICATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN We have seen that social media has become more of norm these days. We have also witnessed positive messages from the customers themselves. We have a primary school for children. Teaching online did not seem possible. But as they say, where there is a will there& is a way! Online classes are now quite successful and students are now becoming used to it. It is a new initiative but full of challenges. But every new adventure unravels within obstacles. -Ramesh P., Owner, Bhima Catering Emphasize on quality During pandemic we improved the efficiency of our work due to the more availability of time as the entire team was working from home and this saved us all the extra hours that used to go into vain because of traffic or travelling between work and office, this improved efficiency, enhanced the quality of work and now we are key performers in our sectors. We have made more contacts than ever before and input cost has been reduced drastically. -Rajesh Khanna, CEO,The Computer Consultants VALUE YOUR TIME AND MINDSET Time is money. Never waste your time when the stakes are high. Everyday, companies had to put themselves in the proper position. Maintain close contacts. We maintained close contacts with our customers. This covid 19 has taught us that no one should take a crisis lightly. Have communities for your back up if needed. Most importantly, be patient as bad times always pass. Go digital. Make your own website and design personal apps for better user experience. -Vinay Jaju, Associate Regional Director, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance STILL AT A LAY-LOW SITUATION Every business out there is dealing with the impact of COVID-19 in some or the other way so it has become a necessity, especially for small businesses to have their own platform. I am already working in BNI which is a big firm and have tie-ups with some online as well as offline platform. Gyms are one of the business that are closed and is hit by the COVID-19 so really bad. Most of the businesses are happening all around even in a limited scale but we are still at a lay-low situation. -Pranav Manhas, Business Coach and Sole-Proprietor, Beast Muscle Gym Self-believe is the key I don’t think any other sector would have been as severely hit by corona as the tourism sector, the pandemic proved to be a nightmare for all of us. All hotels were closed due to the restrictions imposed, there was no business, no work at all. Earnings have been zero amid these times and the situation also does not seem to get better any time soon but I firmly believe that once things get back to the pre-corona times, I will able to cover all the losses. -Vaibhav Khandelwal, CEO, Bliss holidays YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND SOLUTIONS There is always a solution to be found. You just need to keep looking for it. You should have the ability to pivot and find an alternate to any given circumstance. Our company suffered from losses too, but we did what best could have been done. As soon as the market reopened , the business came back on track. You should always have good contacts. Without the help of the foundation and individual donors, the company would not have been able to stand on its feet again. We had cultivated these relationships over the last couple of years and the reward came back. When it mattered the most these supporters asked us what we needed . Now we are stronger than before. - Nabeel Neliyathodi, Chairman, Frametech Steel Structures PVT LTD HUMANITY IS THE BIGGEST VIRTUE We get so engrossed in doing our business that we forget the fact that business is meant for people. Everything we do is ultimately to make our lives better. The pandemic taught us that no matter what the situation is, be it business or life, standing strong and having the backs for each other is the best way to deal with it. Whether in a business or at a more personal level, helping each other survive worked best for us. We are all in the same boat after all. -Yogesh Vinayaga, MD, Sri Vinayaga Agencies STAY POSITIVE ! These times were tough. The biggest lesson is that we are not going back now. What we need to find are ways to continue this way. Hitting a pause can be a huge mistake. As a photographer I experimented a bit with my skills . I tried new things which Is something I never thought I would do. You should save as much as you can. We are moving towards a more digital world . A world formed through innovation and empathy and understanding of the people we work with. Do not stop but keep moving further. -Vivek Samaiya, Owner, Vivek Samaiya Photography BE PREPARED FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE As a business person one should always keep in mind that any alternate situation can befall upon us at any time. As a business, the best way to deal with tough times is to keep ourselves prepared. Always have a backup plan, in case things don’t work out the way you have planned them. Shifting to the digital user base helped us connect with our customers better. Always have a business security plan, alternate business strategy, and savings up to the mark. Never stop learning. Investing in multiple shares helps you cope with financial losses. -Shrey Mangal, Owner,Raj Yatayat Pvt. Ltd. Make an Online Presence It was very obvious for the number of cases or patients to come down during covid as people were stepping outside barely for essentials only and the only option I could look for that time is to go digital and it is only then I understood how making an online presence of your business is such an understatement even in today’s tech-savy world. Going digital for my business has helped me to gain a few more cases and I am diligently working to create a powerful presence online. -Poornima Venkat, CEO, Dhanvanthri Physiotherapy Clinic VALUE LONG TERM GOALS Try to make goals which are efficient for the long run. This attitude helps in maintaining financial hygiene, when an unexpected pandemic sweeps the world. Having six months of operating expenses stored away in the emergency funds gave a piece of mind . It helped us focus more on dealing with the situation in hand. Play it smart and meticulously. Keep working harder everyday. -Raja N, Manager, Jawa wealth Management CONSOLIDATE AND CUSTOMIZE In a nutshell we are changing everyday and there is no going back. This extraordinary time has made it important to utilize online tech to meet with customers, virtual endorsement programming, zoom/groups for video statements. Necessity is really the mother of development. What we as a company realised was that the pandemic was a time to work on the foundations of the company once again and change our future targets . We had to customise our targets taking in view the consequences of the lockdown and the hardships that it brought along . Going digital helped us create new contacts immediately from across the country. Be flexible and keep optimizing! - Prakash Meerchandani, Director, Purple Box Interiors Face adversity with strength Tourism industry is one of the worst hit sectors by the pandemic. Covid has made severe harsh impact on our business, income and growth. The consequences are such that I had no work at all for months in 2020. It was lockdown imposed everywhere, people are not stepping outside their houses let alone planning trips and holidaying, all of this was no less than a nightmare but I have not lost hope and I am facing this all with utmost courage and strength. Looking forward to good times. -Nataraja Sundaram, CEO, Hanu Tours & Travels Planning is an absolute necessity Laying down a practical strategy to completely switch to the digital medium was the best thing I did, being in housing society/industry, it was not possible for me to meet or get in touch with the clients in person amid all the lockdown restrictions. A solid and concise strategy gave me an opportunity to interact with people and explain them how going digital can-do various wonders to their business.We generated online links, addressed them and managed to pay all our workers on time. Therefore, plan well and execute well. -Rajeev Saxena, CEO, RS CYBEREDGE (INDIA) PRIVATE LIMITED LEARN TO REDUCE COST Businesses have faced a lot of crises and incurred heavy losses. Tough times like these teach us valuable lessons, that too the hard way. Financial preparedness is a must. It is critical to have financial backings so you need to cut down on expenses , invest smartly and have an emergency fund ready. Invest in an interactive website and friendly user interbase. Doorstep services are also good. A long- term sustainability plan shall help brands to focus on short term survival goals, to be better prepared for any pandemic-like situation in the future. - Sangeeta Ajwani, CEO, Ross International BLESSING IN DISGUISE Covid-19 turned out to be lucky for my business personally. We are a marketing firm. We had anticipated that in the coming ten to fifteen years people are going to realise the importance of marketing, but the pandemic only accelerated things. I got new clients immediately after the beginning of the lockdown. People were trying to use their free time judiciously by investing in strategies to promote their business. We have grown from a team of three to five in the last six months. Never stop marketing! - Sharon Lobo, Founder, QUIRKY WRITERS MEDIA KEEP SEARCHING! The covid 19 pandemic led to the spread of our business digitally. For our business initially, thinking about a new strategy was a challenge. But after that things sailed smoothly. We were getting raw material from across the country. It was saving a lot of time for us too. The stocks which were piled up previously due to the lockdown now disappeared. Hence you should never settle for less and keep searching for more. - Annal .M, CEO, Newgen Energy Systems Be patient Due to the pandemic, our business suffered badly, we faced problem in operating, the cost of our projects reduced, even we did not had payments for the staff-members, people are not willing to take projects, it actually proved to be a very devasting time but I am hoping for things to get back to normal and happier times. -Simon Raj L, CEO, Gulf Raj Builders THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GETS GOING Every business out there is dealing with the effect of COVID-19 in some or the other way. The best part of the COVID-19 was that people started using more and more technology. As we were able to save time by having discussion over ZOOM and other technological platforms, which resulted in a positive and effective impact on our business. The ability to survive the present times calls for leaders, not bosses. We started having more focused conversations and more productivity in our business. Always remember, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. - Anshul Dhingra, Co-Founder, AD Executive Training and Coaching Private Limited Look for both the sides Though corona definitely had some negative impact on my business also like rest of the others for example our funding was reduced, our efficiency and man-power was lower than ever before but as it is said you should always look both sides of a coin, so we also tried to explore the challenges that we could convert into a set of opportunities and as a matter of fact we realized that we can now streamline things, going digital for our business was altogether a completely different experience in itself, we learned how to connect and sell ourselves online, earned more reviews etc. I would say that as someone who is into business one should never get bogged down by difficulties but rather should look for possibilities of growth that comes with it. -Viral Bulsara, CEO, Viral enterprise CHANGE PRIORITIES Everyone knew that making a new website was the first step at reviving the business. We cannot do business the traditional way. It is simply not possible. The best solution is to be flexible and keep changing strategies based on what suits the business best. The targets which were set up for twelve months before should be set up for ten months. Business owners need to keep a surplus ready in case of any mishap. -Prakash Sarawgi, Director, Valuemantra Consulting SAVE SAVE AND SAVE It was a tough time. I was worried about the salaries to be paid . But I was also extremely grateful to be safe, especially during the second wave. We had invested in stocks and pseudo currency . Our investment options were diverse which helped us to cope up with the loss. My advice to anyone who wants to start a new business is save more and at least have a backup strategy ready for 6 months in case anything out of the plan happens. Be cautious, be wise , play the game smartly! -SARAVANAKUMAR .K, Owner, VAISHNAVE THANGA MALIGAI DO MORE WITH LESS The pandemic forced us to utilize what we have in hand judiciously and learn to do more with less in times of uncertainty. Make sure to come up with a powerful business lesson , as we know nothing about what is coming in the future. Be flexible, indulge in creating new ideas. It is what we did with our team to planout the strategy again. Go digital and most importantly, never stop working hard. -Vinit Maheshwari, Company Secretary, M2 Business Allies LLP THE GLASS IS HALF FILLED I am a dentist and the things were not bad for me business wise. But one thing which has changed drastically is how concerned the patients have become towards hygiene and sanitization. It is no wonder that the pandemic has changed the mindset of the people tremendously. On one hand people were scared, on the other they learned huge life lessons. For businessmen it was a huge opportunity to internally restructure the brand or the company. Our mindset defines our actions and our actions ultimately define how we are going to cope up with a bad condition. That is why I say that I looked at the glass as half filled. That's what made all the difference. - Dr. NISHA, Doctor and Owner, Dr. Nisha Clinic ENDURANCE AND PERSEVERANCE ARE ALWAYS NECESSARY Building an industry requires a lot of paperwork. We opted for advance arrangements taking all precautions beforehand. This pandemic is bound to have permanent consequences on every type of company in every type of industry. While we always talk about the future, only a few of us actually do something really effective about it. The ability to think, plan and execute in a clinical fashion is the key to realizing transformation. This is not to be confused with a rigid plan. Your strategy should be practical and effective. Getting in direct contact with the clients really helps. -Mohit Raina, Managing Director, RAINA INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED KEEP YOURSELF UPDATED Try to adopt the strategies which are futuristic and full proof. Keep yourself updated with what new developments have come up in the market and adjust accordingly. Utilize the free time in gaining knowledge and conduct seminars. Being a freelancer myself, i know that business is full of ups and downs. Stay positive, work hard and remain persistent, that is the main key! -Smitha Sailesh, CA , Freelancer Prepare yourself for the worst A business personality should always keep himself prepared for the worst, going through challenges become part and parcel of his life, I am into computer business, It was not possible for us to operate at all, the market was done, we even didn’t receive our payments from clients on time, life really gets tough sometimes. -Ravichandran K, CEO, Jyothi Technologies IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY VIA ONLINE TRAINING In this situation of COVID-19, businesses especially small businesses must be willing and also be prepared to tell their story over various platforms, and should have their own platform. We have seen a positive change as lots of training we do has gone online. As it is a HR management company which provide HR Solutions, most of our clients ask for online training that help improve productivity and performance. We, at HR management company for online training use our client’s own platform. -Rama Harave, Co-Founder and Practice head, Eka Consultants India TEAMWORK SAVES YOU FROM TOUGH TIMES We have always taken pride in our team. We feel that supporting people in tough times is the biggest virtue. We planned new strategies in business and tried to go digital in every possible way. We made sure to provide any possible help to our members and employees. Invest judiciously and try to help one another in building new businesses. -Rashmin Sharma, Owner, Posh Washing Center Pvt Ltd Hard work is the key of success Contemporary business market is so tough to deal with. To compete with this fastest growing market, we need strong strategy as well as hard work. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a good opportunity as well as challenges to compete the marketing skills and to develop the new market strategies with good ideas. As this lock down is giving us a lot of leisure time and we need to develop new way to manage the wastes around us. After this pandemic the market will be so competitive and full of challenges that there will be a lot of new opportunities to face. Keep working hard until you get an opportunity. -Raghuram Natarajan, CEO, Green Recykloplast Solutions Pvt Ltd Be flexible and learn to adapt We identified the fact that online mode of communication is going to be the new normal now, so we got completely digital. Sometimes you have to change your strategy according to the prevailing circumstances in order to succeed so don’t hesitate rather take the risk and go for a change, analyzing the kind of situations that may arise due to the ongoing pandemic I thought it is a good idea to stabilize myself by starting a second venture so, I went with this idea and started an online sales panel. Hence my biggest learning is that molding yourself according to the ongoing situations can help you survive no matter how critical the things are. -Omkar Trivedi,CEO, Timios Retails FOCUS ON QUALITY Being in the hair salon business we know the importance of quality. This is what distinguishes you from your competitors. After the lockdown was over people started pouring in huge numbers. The customers don’t mind the extra charges provided there is no compromise on the quality. After the pandemic our experts have become even more careful about sanitizing better personal hygiene. Apart from this you should remember that there is always a solution to be found. Provide door to door service if possible. Remember that your perception defines who you are. You can turn misfortune to fortune. Everything depends on perspective. -Karthikk KVN, Managing Partner, Mysaa - Salon de Studio Be Ready for the unpredictable The one prominent quality a businessman should possess is to be ready to face any kind of difficulty that may come, he should know how to tackle the challenges and move further no matter what, Covid took all of us by surprise and my business was also severely hit by it, The remote sessions affected the training and the pandemic collapsed the entire way our business used to operate but we are ready to take on the challenge and work harder towards our goal. - Shivkumar Prabhakaran, CEO, Practical methods IT services Pvt ltd. TECHNOLOGY IS A BOON We found out that the inline platforms are extremely efficient in business. It’s extremely easy to do and makes life hassle free. Having said that don’t keep your eggs in one basket otherwise you will struggle to adapt. The best way to internally build your company is through educating your staff in treating the customers like a family. During the time of the pandemic we kept in touch with our customers on a personal level. This has created better company affiliations. Thus grasp the opportunity of doing your best at all times. - Mohammed Shan, Director, Royal Aluminum WORK FROM HOME IS EFFECTIVE Most of us thought that working from home is not Possible. Before March if you come to your office in pyjamas you were not working at all. But now, conducting zoom meetings with freshly pressed buttons on top and pyjamas in the bottom has become the new normal. Many companies have turned completely to work from home now. It is cost effective and super convenient. Setting up an office at the corner of the room can work too. - Vipul Aggarwal, Owner, Agarwal And Company ADOPT THE METHOD OF TRY AND ERROR We know that business is full of ups and downs. There are tough times but you should remember that it does not last long. Try new methods of promoting your business. Use social media platforms for best results. Reinvent a team which can come up with futuristic technologies. Whatever you do, make sure to put your heart and soul into it and you are good to go! Try to reposition your company no matter what comes your way. Finally, accept the fact that uncertainty is coming. You must have read somewhere that we are in the age of pandemics. Some also believe that more will be coming our way so buckle up! -Pujan B. Shah, Manager, Dealkarde SCALE YOUR DIGITAL PRESENCE The situation established a new process for marketing and sales too. We cannot think of following the same marketing or sales process that we were using before covid 19 pandemic.Today online presence is essential for any provider. Scale your business channels to reach a wider audience. Establishing a good digital presence today will prove beneficial for your business tomorrow. -Akshay Bhoir, Doctor, Brahmand Ayurved TURN THE CHALLENGE INTO AN OPPORTUNITY Our company provided service during the pandemic times too taking care of all the security measures. Taking charge of the business digitally has turned out more efficient and productive. Businessmen mostly were working from home and there was a sheer shortage to supply for company demand. During the tough time there is acute shortage of service. You look out for optimizing solutions where you can turn a bane into a boon. Do not always stick to the traditional ways to do business. Try out new things and take risks. -Amit Powar, Director, Spark Elevators Pvt ltd Ready for the challenge The pandemic had devasting consequences on our business. We did not have any work for a month almost, serving our day-to-day staff became difficult but we have not lost faith yet and we are looking towards the better times and I am sure we will bounce back stronger. -Prasanna Pandurangan, CEO, Modern Radio Service Life is unpredictable Pandemic took all of us by surprise and really made us suffer, like everybody else my business also went down, we are cutting off operations, there is a lack of cash liquidity in the market, weddings have been cut short, though people have trusted gold as an asset to invest in but by volume our business has decreased. -Ayush Khurrana, CEO, Khurana Jewellery House It is all the same Though covid had a very devasting impact on a lot of businesses and for some it was an opportunity in disguise but routine business seems to be pandemic proof, sectors such as home- automation saw no particular gains or losses thus it was very usual for us. -Keyur Shah, CEO, Smart-Automation And LV Systems Private Limited ADAPT TO SURVIVE Just because one thing has served one way for a decade Does not mean that it will continue to do in the future as well. While there is always something to be learned from the past , it is important to not get stuck in it. Look ahead and optimize your strategies for the future. Start with your technicalities. Conduct meetings. Make your department techno savvy. Customize and build your own apps for the existing customers if not new. Keep pushing ourselves further as much as possible. Remember that everyone is on the edge and you are not alone in this.Always look ahead with a tendency to grow. - Sheelu Khaitan, Owner, SRI AMRITAM TYRES Cease the opportunity The pandemic gave jewelry business owners an amazing opportunity to grow as the marriages taking place reduced, expenses declined and customers shifted their investment to jewelry pieces especially the gold, so yes, it has been an enriching experience for us to learn, earn and grow more. -Nalin Bardia, CEO, Nishalin Diamonds HAVE PLAN A PLAN B Always have a backup plan. Companies which are not innovative cannot continue in the long run. Being a tutor in the pandemic was not an easy thing . But we were passionate about doing it for the long run and we did. All the multinational companies have thrived upon this very idea . Covid 19 has taught us this greatest lesson: always have a backup plan. As a small business owner ask yourself questions that "what would i do if " - Jyotsna Chandrasekhar, Tutor, Time Kids Preschool (Franchise) Be reliable, genuine customer will find you Like everyone, the pandemic was a tough time for us also but we managed to look for the online options that were available. The biggest lesson I have learnt is that if you know how to be accountable, creditable and most importantly reliable for the services you are rendering , the customer will come to you, contact you anyhow. A genuine customer who requires your products will find you. -SUJESH MANIYIL, CEO, AANCHAL HEARING CARE PRIVATE LIMITED CHANGE IS INTEGRAL IN LIFE Not much time had passed after quarantine that I realized that things like this will continue in the future. Our company managed its losses through community support. We made sure that no matter what we do, we constantly evolve and make sure the business is always running. Although we are still waiting for the pandemic to get over, the business still moves further. Adaptability to any situation is a prerequisite for any business. -Fakrudeen K.,Manager, Cell World BEING PROACTIVE IS PRACTICAL Client retention is the most important aspect of any business. If you have a practical approach towards dealing with your customers then there is literally no stopping you. Do not try to make new clients and retain the older ones. Provide them rewards for trusting you during tough times. Customer is your god .Always keep customers happy. Invest in funds from the pharmaceutical industries as it is likely to go upwards. Keep looking for better means to survive and thrive. - Sony George, Director, ABC Chit funds WORK ON IT AND REAP REWARDS We realized that sitting idle and doing nothing was not going to run my business. Even during the lock-down our team was active and was constant in contact with our existing customers. We did not forget to cater to our old customers in tough times too. We develop a friendly user base for our old members. Keeping alternates was challenging but it helped us reap good rewards in future. -Neha, Founder, Neha Enterprises. Do not lose hope It is said, When the going gets tough, the tougher gets going.My business has been severely hampered by the pandemic, the market is completely shut and I literally did not have any work for almost 2 months but I firmly believe on looking at the brighter side no matter what may come, I am constantly looking around for new and innovative ways to uplift my business and I hope to receive positive results soon. - Ragbir Singh Chawla, CEO, Jeet Batteries Embrace the blessing The pandemic proved to be a blessing for the investment and insurance sector. People got more aware about all the investing and insurance stuff and it is always a great time to invest when the market is crashed, people actually gained very high returns and therefore it helped me a lot to take my business to another level, I would just say that you should learn to look at the positive side and embrace the blessing that life may bestow you with. -Anant Jain, CEO, Pooran Mal Jain & Sons SWITCH TO ALTERNATE BUSINESS During the pandemic, car and motor industries were the worst hit. Companies had to undergo great losses. Therefore we adopted a new strategy. We shifted our business temporarily. We started importing the essentials that were required during the first and the second wave taking care of all the security protocols. Currently we have two companies on board and are working efficiently. The new business helped in recovering from losses.We lost many of our existing customers to the pandemic, but now getting new ones is exciting. Never stop working! -Manmohan Pasari, Founder, KAR KWEEN Covid-19 can’t stop us Covid-19 can’t stop us to grow our market. Although it is a though time for all of us and it has a lot of negative impact on people like us, still we are doing great. Its essential to communicate to our customers,that how they can help and contribute in our small business. We have learned the importance of digital marketing and some innovative small business concepts, who have an online presence are able to operate the whole marketing strategies. So in this way we are going great in this pandemic. -Mohit Sareen, CEO, Elixir Web Solutions NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF CREATION We felt that doing business from an online platform cannot be accomplished. On the contrary, online business is quite efficient. We could hire people across India and work with them. We saw many retailers face problems so we helped them cover up the loss. The prices of transportation and raw materials is on the rise so it is better to conduct things virtually as much as possible. - Karthipan U, Owner, Cakes & Treats Make most of an Opportunity This pandemic has proven to be a great time for my venture, my business has grown up to 5 times in terms of revenue and this would only have been possible because we, as a team, identified the opportunities that were coming our way with the advent of covid, we made sure we do not let these significant chances go into vain and worked tirelessly, helped corporates to bring about a difference and gladly we succeed. My biggest learning, I would say is that to embrace the chances life gives you. -Milin Desai, CEO, Confabpro FIND ORDER IN DISORDER Pandemic brought chaos with it. Oder is something that you can find on your own.We are a wedding planner company. We saw that weddings with only fifty people were possible too. Indian big fat weddings sometimes have close to a thousand people. Having your relatives connect with you over the internet was something that we did not think was possible. But it was possible. We are working on new strategies to provide comfort to our clients. Finding stability in chaos is beneficial.. Covid also taught us to integrate remote work . - Srishti Somani, Owner, Event Ustaad BOUNCE BACK ! The pandemic was a tough time for all businesses. So was it for us. We were providing workshops online and trying to make up for losses. The most important lesson is to bounce back once the market reopens. Keep in mind that what you are suffering in your business is mutual. It gets better with time. So wait for that time to come. Till then, keep learning. Keep making your logistics better and when the right time comes, Jump in! -Jimmy Dholakiya, Director, Apco Motors India pvt Ltd. Make best out of an opportunity Though this pandemic had negatively affected several businesses but for us it was a great opportunity to move towards the digital medium. We have got completely digital, have converted all our inquiries into digital sessions, conducted multiple seminars and interactive sessions for our clients and this has also helped us in reducing a lot of money that was earlier going on to infrastructure and many other days to day expenses. Hence, we should learn how to make best out of an opportunity. -Sreyansh Jain, CEO, Sumangal Plywood Consistency is the key Though the mining industry, railways and basically most of the government operated businesses did not bear that much of an adverse impact of covid, the business was functioning usually as the pre- pandemic times but one thing that came into my notice is that constant and consistent hard work and innovation could help you sail through the harder times, even if you are not into routine business. -Vishal Champaneri, CEO, Nilesh Enterprise RESTRUCTURE AND REORGANISE We should always keep our routines and workflows flexible. Pandemic is full of uncertainties. One thing is certain, that nothing is certain! Therefore, preparing ourselves mentally is the most important. Give extra care to the technicalities . Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Keep diversifying your business. Keep communicating with the clients. Build your own community on social media platforms like facebook and whatsapp. -Aftab,Chairman, Xpresso Integrated Communications DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS Look out for opportunities. opt For diversifying your business by supplying products in demand. During the pandemic, masks , pp kits, sanitizers were greatly in demand. You should ask yourself how you can improve yourself and get ready for what lies ahead . Have an ongoing goal of making your company better. People who showed up to buy pp kits and sanitizers also ended up buying our products. Change your strategy depending on the need of the situation . You also need to build up your own community to tell your stories and experiences. -Nishant, Owner, Vishal Electricals

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Daniel Satyapal: Professionally I am a Web Master and Trainer. Was working in ISB&M as a Faculty. Then I got an opportunity in a Recruitment Company as a Web Designer and Developer with good salary package. I worked over there for 3 years and in three years I got to know how much profit is there in recruitment industry. As I had good knowledge of recruitment and my fluency is very good. I always wanted to become a business man and had big dreams so I thought if I want to full fill my dreams and wishes then I must have a business where I can get good profit. Then I decided to start my Recruitment Business. Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by Total Sourcer Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd Daniel Satyapal: We provide complete Recruitment services globally. From searching the candidates to pre-screening and interview. Complete end to end Recruitment. We provide RPO, BPO and KPO services globally. Great Companies: What makes Total Sourcer Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd different from hundreds of other Recruitment firms? Daniel Satyapal: I always wanted to do something out of the box, something different. So I started Recruitment Company but globally. Very less Recruitment Companies are providing Recruitment Solutions globally. We always keep mind, our clients happy then we are happy. Their success is our success. So before sharing the results to clients our quality department always checks the results and if the results are perfect then only it will be shared to clients other wise we don't share any wrong results to clients. Our presentation and quality of results brings happiness on our clients face. Our clients feedback says everything. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Daniel Satyapal: I have faced many challenges in the beginning when I first started this company. Big challenge was finance. I just had one lac rupees in my bank when I started this company. No office, nothing. To get an office on rent also it was so difficult. I took a small office on sharing basis with my friend and hired two employees who were my childhood friends with 8k salary. Two months passed but no client no work and had little money remaining. Then I decided to work in a company but my company will go on. I used to work for the entire day in the other company and at the end of the day after leaving that company office I used to immediately rush to my company office and check what work my two employees did. Their report and also used to distribute work for them for the next day. For six months there were no clients nor any business but I never gave up. I used to train my employees how to get clients how to generate leads etc. I used to work for 16 hours a day. And one fine day I got client and project. And I impressed my client with excellent work which I did my self to impress them and got very good feedback. Since then I din faced any big problem, everything is going fantastic by God's Grace. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Total Sourcer Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd? Daniel Satyapal: In future I want to see TOTAL SOURCER company on top 3 list of Recruitment industry. And one fine day want my company to become No 1 Recruitment company in the world. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Daniel Satyapal: Just believe in yourself, don't give up. And very important financially you should be strong. If financially you are strong then you can easily run the company. You can buy job portals which is very important for Recruitment industry to find candidates. Also be polite and good to clients and candidates. If they are happy they will always recommend your company to their friends etc. With reference you will get lots of Business as I got till today. Good Luck.

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Parth Rasik Patel: Honestly, I had no plan for starting business, but after pursuing my master I though that I should start business. I observed that there is no software companies in small towns of India with adequate services, there is also issue of employment in small towns, So that factor leads me towards Business startup. Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by infiway Software Pvt Ltd. Parth Rasik Patel : infiway Software Pvt Ltd. provides wide spectrum of services with expertise in Website Development & Maintenance, Mobile Applications, ERP Solutions, Desktop Applications, Bulk SMS, Digital Marketing, Graphic Designing and Hosting Services. Great Companies: What makes Infiway Software Pvt Ltd. different from hundreds of other IT Services providers ? Parth Rasik Patel : Being a brand ourselves, we value ethics and principles and that is why we make sure that none of the client’s requirement is compromised. We are professional establishment filled with energetic, extremely talented, and dedicated individuals ready to work our way up the challenges and provide our client the best solution in optimum cost and proposed timeline. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Parth Rasik Patel :Initially, We struggled for sales at startup time because no one want to work with startup companies, everyone requires experienced company for service. We had acquired few clients initially by providing our best service in optimum cost and journey begins. Financial management was also issue for us at that time because running a business without revenue is very difficult at initial time. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Infiway Software Pvt Ltd.? Parth Rasik Patel: Technologies are limitless and infinite, India has been growing in Internet and networks. Infiway is working on iot based automation technologies, We want to deliver solutions for automation in various businesses. Our iot based solution will be efficient for various business in their daily activities and tracking. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Parth Rasik Patel :We believe that patience is the key point of Success, Starting a business is easy but sustain a business for long time is very difficult for that patience is required.

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Amritanshu Kumar: In August 2018, on my trip to Bangalore, me and my friend (now Co-Founder) were discussing about how IoT has changed the face of many industries worldwide. To our surprise, GPS has been the last technological revolution in this sector in India. And most of the service providers were more focused on making quick money through this revolution and none focused on the bigger issues prevailing in the industry. We did some research by meeting many Logistics, Construction/ Infra companies and understood their challenges in the field of managing on-field operations and how these challenges are hampering their growth. Some of their challenges were:- Fuel Theft Fuel Wastage Long Idling hours Decrease in Vehicle Mileage/ Average We couldn’t find any IoT player working into this section and providing these business owners with proper data and analytics that can help them manage their operations effectively and cut down on losses. That’s how we decided to build a SaaS platform, which helps organizations and businesses reduce operational cost overheads and increase their efficiency with IoT solutions. Great Companies: What are the various products and services provided by TrackNerd? Amritanshu Kumar: Our solutions are:- Vehicle Monitoring System Govt approved AIS140 GPS Solutions, Fleet Management System, Fuel Monitoring System School Bus Management System Personal Tracking System Employee Management System Great Companies: What makes TrackNerd different from hundreds of other SaaS platforms? Amritanshu Kumar: We perceive things differently which is reflected in our Process and our Product. 1. UI/ UX design System Our users do not have to fight the platform to get what they want like some other solutions. Our user friendly platform allows our users to navigate through our platform with ease and a sense of serenity with the confidence that every piece of information is a click away. 2. Accuracy & Realtime Now let’s address the elephant in the room, Accuracy. One area where we do not compromise and are miles ahead of all our competitors is Data Accuracy. Our job is to provide our clients with the necessary data to take appropriate actions. This is done in two ways: a. Our algorithms ensure that every piece of data that reaches our client’s through our platforms is accurate and reliable. It helps them to identify the exact area of concern or for that matter the area of opportunity to save some money by optimizing their operations. b. We are constantly improving our algorithms and analytical engines to reduce errors and increase accuracy. 3. Realtime Data a. Unfortunately, time machines are not a thing at the moment so we have to make sure that our clients are informed about any mishap as soon as possible so that they have enough time to act upon and take control of the situation. b. Unlike our competitors who take up to 5 minutes to update the data, we do it in real-time with a delay not exceeding 10 seconds. c. We ensure that our clients are always well informed about the whereabouts and the current status of their vehicles in real-time and have accurate and reliable data 24x7 to manage, optimize and grow their business. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Amritanshu Kumar: As we are working in a totally unorganised sector, so we had to face many challenges in the start. This was a totally new piece of technology in the country and we had to educate the Business owners on how they can get benefitted with our solutions. But as they say ”Product speaks for itself”, we were very soon thriving in the market as these business owners were saving a ton in respect of time and money through our platform. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for TrackNerd? Amritanshu Kumar: For any SAAS startup, it is very important to understand their customers and build solutions for them that can help them manage their business effectively. We plan to extend our product line and develop solutions that can help industries like - Manufacturing, Warehousing, Hospitality, Educational Institutions, Dairy, Mining, Logistics and Construction. We currently have a presence in 10 Indian states and we plan to expand our footprint in other Indian states as well as neighbouring countries like - Nepal & Bhutan. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Amritanshu Kumar: The Mantra i have followed through out my life is to “Take the Risk”. I would like to advice all the budding entrepreneurs that “Make sure your product is solving a problem, don’t just build a solution because you think the product is cool”. It is equally important to understand the target market and their behaviour. Also if they perceive the problem and are willing to pay for your solution.

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Mayank Srivastava: Surfing Monkey started at the same time as lot of agencies were sprouting up. They were large teams which provided great work too, but we wanted to build a company that works very closely with our clients. We buy into our client's vision and almost always function freely. This model was very attractive for a lot of businesses who wanted to leverage our expertise to drive great work and a deep-rooted sense of collaboration Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by Surfing Monkey Mayank Srivastava: We are a full-spectrum Digital Agency. Our services can be classified into Design, Marketing, Performance, Technology, Content and Production. We serve as a holistic team that can create impactful story driven identities for businesses and take them towards success through our marketing expertise. Great Companies: What makes Surfing Monkey different from hundreds of other digital agencies? Mayank Srivastava: Our operational model and quality of work has allowed us to only accept work on referrals. We haven't made a pitch in all our years of existence. Despite that we have worked with global giants like Sony, Star, Future Group, Bharat Petroleum. Jio Studios, Abbott Healthcare and many more. We work very closely with our clients to celebrate the sense of collaboration that we love. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Mayank Srivastava: Finding team members who resonate with this method of working. We are crafts-people. We deep-dive, nerd out, and geek out on our disciplines of work. So we are constantly on the lookout for someone who is as passionate about their work as we are. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for a Surfing Monkey? Mayank Srivastava: We established a global presence in UK and Australia. The next five years look like opening similar studios across the world starting with UK and Australia to discover newer avenues to create impactful work. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Mayank Srivastava: Anyone can be an advocate of your work. Do good work. Don't burn bridges and work with businesses and people you like. True collaboration comes from affinity.

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Premjeet Singh: I’m a NIFT graduate since 1993 & been in corporate world for over 2 decades. Having work in the corporate I always thought that am a catalyst for adding into someone else’s wealth & such jobs are very transient & risky. So I wanted to create my own future with a unique idea of my business & technical acumen. I found there was a huge gap in tailoring & not many players in that area. Also most of tailoring sector is unorganized & grey. Local tailors carry customers for a ride on product quality & delivery time. Established brands are very expensive & there’s a large base of middle income group who do not fit into readymade garments. This was validated through a survey & that’s how idea of Tech-Tailor came around Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by Tech-Tailor Solutions Pvt Ltd Premjeet Singh: Tech-Tailor provides on-demand custom tailoring services enabled through a web platform. Technicians come to your doorstep, take your measurements & offer you fabric options if you do not have your own fabrics. Delivery of tailored products is usually within 10 days of order booking. Customers can either choose a style from our web style library or they can also upload their own style image. The entire process is intended to make customer comfortable with home delivery solution. Great Companies: What makes Tech-Tailor Solutions Pvt Ltd different from hundreds of other traditional tailors? Premjeet Singh: Traditional tailors have no commitment on delivery. A very few keep fabric library for customers to choose from. They also use substandard trims & threads in tailoring of garments. Also they have only 1 machine for all garment types. There’s no promise of style which customer may have told the tailor & customer is frustrated when they confront a product which is totally different from what customer expected (mera-wala-style). Fitting is another major issue. Customers are asked to visit the shop several times for fitting rounds. Nowadays most of us do not have the time to keep visiting tailor shop again & again. This is where Tech-Tailor fills in the gap. We provide doorstep tailoring service to customers so that customers get everything at the convenience of their homes & don't have to step out. Delivery is assured within 10 days. Manufacturing is done from small nominated factories which follow our quality norms & product making methodology. Product so achieved has all ingredients of ready-made product which are produced from large factories. We use body measurements & our algorithm of anthropometric information to get the customer correct fitting on very first make. Customers can also touch, feel & buy fabrics at home through our swatch books. We buy fabrics on-demand & using customer’s advance payment for funding the same. Our operational system is very lean. Our in-house design team help customers achieve their unique designs & style of their choice Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Premjeet Singh: Major part is to train the technician for measurements & also soft-skills. This takes time. We’re evolving a mobile based technology to take remote measurements so that customers in any part of India can take their own measurements. Some of the existing technology is also being studied for validation. Roaming tailors must also train on important aspects of customer service. We’re currently rendering our services in Bangalore, Mumbai & Gurgaon/NCR. In order to grow & scale up we’re looking to on-board 3rd party solutions provider for tailors. We’ll also be looking towards nominating workshops in different cities to scale up our operations. All this is time intensive but ultimate goal of Tech-Tailor to become a national tailoring brand. This solution will be quite similar to “Uber of Tailors”. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Tech-Tailor Solutions Pvt Ltd? Premjeet Singh: As mentioned in the point above we need to grow to min 18-20 cities in India. This will use special software to automate supply chain & control tailor network as well as making sure the customer is delivered within our promised time of 10 days. We’ve also done pilot exercises for overseas B2B customers for more than a year. Our product has been well accepted & this success gives us the courage to open our services for global B2C customers. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Premjeet Singh: Make sure your cost of the product & profitability is well worked out. If a start-up is purely focusing on VC funding then that’s not going to work out. We’re boot-strapped since inception & except for a nominal seed funding from our incubator Nsrcel we have managed to run our show by funding ourselves. We buy fabrics on-demand. All our customers fund us to buy fabrics through advance payment. We’ve been able to find the right balance of our costing & profitability. This every start-up must keep in mind before venturing out Website : https://tech-tailor.com/ Facebook : www.Facebook.com/techtailor

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Pooja Agarwal: It started as a family pet project, My Father was in the construction industry & I would design those spaces for him, from the very age of 16. So, I knew one day In Design Decor would be a reality. When I started exploring, the demand was very high for a good design company, Companies either do only commercial or residential, either only kitchens or Wardrobes. Some do only landscaping. No end user wants to go to so many different vendors to get their space designed, the whole purpose of ease was missing, that’s when I knew we would be doing end to end Interiors, from Planning to execution. In our first year we catered to only Bangalore as a region for our services, now our team travels all over India to design spaces. “If you can Dream It, we can Definitely design it”. & The journey began. Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by In Design Decor Pooja Agarwal: The firm offers a full range of design services, including architectural design, Virtual walk-through, master planning, vastu, landscape design, interior design, and furniture design. In Design Decor specializes in residential, multifamily, commercial, retail, hospitality, educational, and community projects. Great Companies: What makes In Design Decor different from hundreds of other Interiors Designer Firms? Pooja Agarwal: If we are not different, we would not have survived in this industry this long. But mainly it is the connection of understanding our clients’ needs and meeting their expectations which has us going. Explaining to them the process of what they need and how it would turnout is very important. Sometimes looks can be deceiving and not practical or functional as per different reasons like a place which needs designing near a sea will have to be planned differently than a place near a hill due to climatic conditions of different locations, another example would be a space planning for a nuclear family will differ from a joint family, senior citizen care and planning would be different from a home for a toddler and we make it clear and transparent to them, which many overlook to explain. We try to understand the clients' needs in every small detail of the space planning, as per their usage, shape size etc. Only then personalization is possible which is one of our main agenda to fulfill in the design phase. Our design philosophy features a refined use of materials, sophisticated colour, and strong silhouettes, with competitive price and high-quality materials. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Pooja Agarwal: Every client and project is unique. We are in the process of being adaptive, but changing demands of COVID 19 might be faster than our process sometimes. The pandemic has affected nearly all on-going & Planned designs, safety protocols & entry exit policies and with them the needs of our clients also has changed. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for In Design Decor? Pooja Agarwal: We are looking at blending in creativity with Indian craftsmanship, traditions with technology, artisanal techniques with global aesthetics from all over the world into our designs. Currently In Design Decor has completed many guest houses in the pandemic and see a trend in commercial spaces like schools and hospitals looking at new concepts on their reception areas. In Design Decor will soon come out with new social distancing concepts which will be modular in nature and benefit many industries. In the coming years we will innovate uniquely beautiful spaces and promise you would not be disappointed. Soon, we will see a lot of our design studios coming up in different parts of India. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Pooja Agarwal: Never be scared to experiment something new, it can be the next Trend. So, bend the rules with patterns, colours, materials etc. For making something Unique you need to Let go of pre-conceived notions for creative designs. Website: https://www.indesigndecor.com/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Indesigndecorbangalore Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojagarwal/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/In_Design_Decor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/in_designdecor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKSgQL1QQdJmJZAs1cCMy_w Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/InDesignDecorBangalore/

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Rajat Rashmi: I was working with a multinational and I had to take a break for my daughter. But I wanted that to be a breakthrough for me, rather than being a step back. So I persevered and unleashed my true passion for writing, teaching, training and coaching. Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by Expressionsdeluge Rajat Rashmi: We train and Coach entrepreneurs and corporate executives in creating a career through making powerful choices. Great Companies: What makes Expressionsdeluge different from hundreds of other Training and Coaching firms? Rajat Rashmi: Expressionsdeluge is all about women achieving their full potential by discovering their personal leadership style and their own real goal of life. The journey of introspection, takes them to the realisation of the need, for them to make choices, which may not be routine, but which are transformational Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Rajat Rashmi: I face a challenge in spreading the word about my programs. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Expressionsdeluge? Rajat Rashmi: I am on a mission to touch one million lives in the next 5 years and create 500 transformational women leaders. In 5 years I will have a company employing at least 100 people, who will all be working to create the same dream, but in their own unique way. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Rajat Rashmi: Envision your true purpose of life and then stay focussed to achieve it. Website: https://www.rajatrashmi.com Twitter : https://twitter.com/rashmirajat Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/rajat.rashmi Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajat-rashmi/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/rashmirajat/

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept to start this NGO? Anubha Sharma : I grew up in Kolkata, I'm the eldest among 3 siblings. Had a remarkably unremarkable childhood of a typical middle class background. We spend most of our time playing, reading, listening to music. I was never academically inclined but I loved to read. I've lived and worked in Kolkata, Delhi and I finally moved to Mumbai in 2007. Before founding AXF, I was a financial services professional. I had worked my way up from an entry level executive to eventually play regional and then national roles over my 20 year career. At one point, the corporate rat race began to take too much out of me and when the opportunity presented itself, I made the choice of shifting from the corporate to the social sector. My passion for social change stems from the fact that I was an idealist as a child and dreamt of a world that was fair and just. I've always felt that if we were all to individually contribute towards a better world in little ways, it is bound to happen. I am a person with a lot of conviction and the ability to unshackle myself from society's definition of success. I trust my instincts and follow them with faith. I also believe it's ok to take chances, to try, to fail, and to change your mind about things. I believe a great deal in destiny and have been egged on in my path by several people as well as circumstances that convinced me that what I finally decided to do with my life is what was meant for me. To feel that what you were meant to do has found you can be among the best feelings in the world. I find freedom in giving freedom to the children - empowering them with the necessary resources, so that they are free to choose a future they want, despite their circumstances. I Completely subscribe to J Krishnamurthys philosophy - that there has to be a shift in consciousness from me and mine to we and ours. This is what has led to my starting AXF I believe I've found a solution to a problem that can help make this world a better place. That Ive been able to do this despite being a very ordinary individual is something I hope will inspire.. i’m not qualified to be anything really, I'm just a practical problem solver. something all of us can be. I was wholly inspired by personal experience. I moved to Mumbai in 2007, among the first things that had struck me when I first arrived in this city was the complete contrast of slums and high rises juxtapositioned against each other. When I was first invited to volunteer to teach underprivileged children while on a walk on a suburban promenade, I was hesitant, unsure if I had the requisite skills or patience. However I soon found myself enjoying the interaction with the bunch I was assigned. They were lively, curious and happy despite their obvious deprivation. Their threadbare clothes, scrawny bodies and inability to afford the simplest of things had a deep impact on me. We know about the social divide intellectually but it’s different when you are sitting next to a shivering child in the early morning January chill and thinking about just how much kids in your family had that they did not even use. Kids in educated homes learn so much from their parents, extended families and their surroundings that shape their personalities and their abilities as much as the education received in schools. These kids seemed to have no adults interested or invested in them that could teach them about the world; nor did their schools seem to have imparted much in terms of knowledge. It was sad that no new opportunities would open up despite the years they were spending supposedly getting schooled. I drew inspiration from my first brush with this city's generosity when over 3000 people reached out to me in response to a social media post asking for warm clothes. I was convinced this was a sign that I was meant to use my capacity to work for social good and quit my commercial career to start on a social experiment in a bid to lay a blueprint that can help us as a society to look beyond our homes and actively participate in the creation of an aware, responsible and able future generation. Over time I hope we trigger a social movement wherein volunteerism becomes a lifestyle choice for every educated Indian. Our intent is to reach 10,000 children a year by training 2500 committed volunteers by 2025. I am passionate about using my capabilities to find solutions for a fair and equitable world by creating practical ways to bridge the gap. I am also passionate about safety and empowerment of children. Behind my tough and practical exterior, I am extremely sensitive and compassionate. i believe in God and am deeply spiritual in nature How did Angel Express Foundation begin and why this name In 2011 I decided to give myself a year off to explore and try experiencing a different life from what had become a life of discontent, boredom and drudgery for me. One of the things I wanted to experience was my long-suppressed desire to work for a social cause. I started out volunteering with the Spastics Society of India and eventually chanced upon a street school, along my regular jogging route. Events thereafter made it seem like I was being called upon to do something more with my life right away and not wait for another ten years post retirement; which was my original plan. In January 2012, a Facebook post asking for old clothes for the children I used to teach went viral and resulted in 3000+ calls from strangers within a week’s time. Hundreds of people actually landed up at the NGO I was supporting, to give donations and offer support, including actor Jackie Shroff. My friends and my spiritual teacher urged me to move ahead in this direction. It seemed like the path before me was decided and set by the universe; and that I had very little say in the divine decision. I met Beenaa Advani who went on to become AXFs co founder at this time, she was one of the respondents. Together we started out teaching 18 children at Bandra Bandstand which was our first free learning center in Mumbai. The name Angel Xpress came about because of the definition of the word Angel as someone who is entrusted with helping for the greater good, Xpress is to denote the speed and direction we bring into the lives of the kids we reach. The idea caught and by 2019 we were teaching over 2200 children with help of 700+ volunteers in 20 locations across Mumbai. Even during the pandemic we have supported 1400 axf families with regular rations. Provided emergency ration assistance to over 1000 non AXF families & have engaged with over 1000 volunteers to continue free tutoring & mentoring online for over 1400 students. In 2021 we have expanded our Youth Engagement Program to include all subject coaching as well as career guidance, soft skills and digital literacy for students from grades 8 to 12, besides daily lessons in english math and lifeskills for students from grades 3 to 7. We will be working with over 3000 students online in 2021 and will lso introduce several new centers in collaboration with citizen groups as well as other NGOs. 2020 has seen a serious upswing in employee volunteering and we have been one of the beneficiaries. We have introduced a short term spoken english program which works best for both corporate employees as well as student volunteers and helps our students acquire confidence through one on one mentoring. We expect to be working with over 1500 volunteers in 2021. The baackdrop With 70% of India's 1.3 billion population below poverty line, large scale migration to urban areas in search for sustenance is resulting in burgeoning slums and a disturbing social divide. 600 million youth will be added to India's population by 2030, a large chunk of whom are today children living in urban slums. Absence of educated adults to guide these children, coupled with poor schooling, lack of nutrition, inadequate basic possessions, having to work in income generating activities or housework, generates low self esteem, lack of initiative, maladjustment and underdeveloped personalities. Exposure to violence, antisocial elements leads to poor value systems and straying into drugs and criminal activities. Solution: Urgent intervention is required to ensure these children become adults who are educated, responsible, aware and productive thus generating prosperity for themselves and their families. Angel Xpress Foundation has successfully implemented an idea that uses coexistence of slums and high-rises to bridge the social divide, in Mumbai, India, home to over 22 million people of which 41.3% live in slums. Socially conscious educated citizens, stay at home mothers from affluent homes and active retirees are recruited and trained to set up a community service program in their neighborhood. Volunteers tutor and mentor school going children from nearby slums in freely available community spaces like shaded parks for an hour daily. They also raise resources to operate the program, and engage in redistribution drives to address deprivation. Great Companies: What are the various activities of Angel Xpress Foundation Anubha Sharma : Angel Xpress Foundation is an attempt to start a civic movement that generates voluntary sharing of knowledge and resources to create prosperity for all by bridging the social divide. we have been working towards bringing first generation learners residing in urban slums, in touch with their educated and affluent neighbours in community spaces; with the aim of creating interactive opportunities, both for tutoring/mentoring to improve language, logic, reasoning, life skills and values through daily lessons in English and Math, as well as opportunities to share/redistribute resources that help address deprivation. Angel Xpress Foundation’s flagship program; Mumbai's Free Learning Centers is a program designed to create a social movement that will enable educated citizens to easily adopt volunteerism as a lifestyle choice in order to help bridge the economic gap. Through this program, free franchise in terms of consultation, training and operational resources are provided to educated socially conscious citizen groups who want to perform community service. Underprivileged students and their parents understand that education is a crucial means to end poverty but are helpless as the government schools and other schools catering to the underprivileged that they attend, fail to deliver. Our idea, transforms behavior of underprivileged children through education and life skills to finally improve livelihood. We use the phenomenon of slums coexisting with high-rises to bring volunteers together with underprivileged children in community spaces like parks. In our model of citizen participation serves as a key tool in our program. This mentorship and educational program is a platform for members of rich and poor communities to come together, interact, and share knowledge and resources. It is different than NGOs which are simply imparting education to underprivileged students. We are also unique in that we are in the creation of self-sustaining community service programs that can be run independently with minimal resources that will not have to depend on grants and donations.It is a responsive program where our volunteers are assisted by the central services but can adapt it to the need of the community that they seek to serve. In this regard, each of our learning center is unique in terms of strengths, opportunities and challenges. The AXF free learning center program is a long term intervention that brings about real change, children join us when they are 6 to 12 years of age and typically stay with us till they are 18 or even beyond as part of our youth engagement program aimed at 15 to 18 year olds wherein we are also building an alumni network. Great Companies: What makes Angel Xpress Foundation different from hundreds of other NGO's? Anubha Sharma : Unique Advantages: We advocate for individual social responsibility in members of the community so they can look after each other through sharing of resources. The program run by AXF is a responsive program; our volunteers have the freedom to and are assisted so the center services can fit better to the need of the community that they seek to serve. In this regard, each of our learning centers is unique in terms of strengths, opportunities and challenges. Angel Xpress Foundation is primarily a citizen engagement platform. Our volunteer engagement has enabled many individuals such as stay at home mothers, retired officers and youth who are now the leaders in their community. – The center timings, the accommodation of services offered by locals eg weekend volunteers, students etc in the best possible manner, sourcing tie ups with bodies offering medical, dental, health check-ups, counselling etc is all locally managed. AXF focuses on filling the gap between the rich and the poor through redistribution of education, and material and opportunities from the haves to have-nots. Our program empowers women to be leaders in their community. All our Learning Centers are headed by strong women who confidently manage all aspects of running a center. This gives them a sense of fulfilment and they feel acknowledged for the impact they can make at large. Students are taught critical and logical thinking as well as collaboration which helps in a shift in mind set to cooperation and responsible living. We have records of many stories where behaviour of our kids has been found to be remarkably different from the usual violent and aggressive behaviour that is characteristic of children from similar backgrounds. Our children look up to our volunteers and relate to them as mentors, hence there is a desire to obey and cooperate AXF offers free franchise, consultation and resources to citizen groups interested in community service to help underprivileged children in their own neighborhood through its Free Learning Center Program. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Anubha Sharma : It started with a senior person who I had gone to for advice listening to my plans in early 2012 and saying, its all very well but who is going to do all this, you and which army.....That my bull headedness would not allow me to be fazed in the face of such derision was a wonder. We have overcome not being taken seriously at multiple levels. We have effectively addressed irregular attendance from kids, disinterest, suspicion from parents, resistance towards training from volunteers, resistance from certain community groups who were either suspicious of our intent or did not want slum children using common/public spaces that they considered their due and while in most cases we have found cooperation, in some cases, we were even opposed by certain authorities who are distrustful of a civic movement that urges people to use public spaces for intervention and free interaction between different social classes. We have even been dismissed by corporate groups as a non serious movement by a few women playing teacher which was bound to go nowhere. We have proved ourselves over and over again through sheer hard work and commitment. Today we are an organisation that is being run by a team of barely 25 people on rolls with another 100 volunteers playing leadership roles in various capacities. to manage the over 10 lakh hours of lessons that will be disseminated by our volunteers in the academic year 2021. In addition to this we have distributed over 1 crore worth of relief material to our beneficiary families in 2020 and hope to continue to support our student families with support like ration kits, devices, data pack recharge etc this year as well. Several donors who gift useful items for kids as well as opportunities for outings through the year. Our kids know regular attendance and disciplined behavior is how they earn their privilege for donated gift items, fun activities and outings. Regular parent teacher meetings have fostered a better understanding and appreciation of what we are trying to achieve in the community, positive impact on behavior of kids attending AXF classes has also convinced parents to take us seriously. A robust pedagogy, interesting and varied training and team building efforts have helped us build a cohesive community of volunteers that is growing organically. Funding has been another challenge we have overcome by finding corporate partners who believe in our vision and support our mission. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Angel Xpress Foundation ? Anubha Sharma : We are reaching out to corporate houses, schools catering to the affluent, clubs and other NGOs working with volunteers to bring together citizen groups that are interested in supporting development work in their neighbourhood. We are hoping to increase the number of centers to 30+ and the number of volunteers we are working with to 1500 in 21/22. By 2025, we hope to be working with 2500+ volunteers a year to help 10000+ students across the country. With the pandemic forcing us to go online, we expect the model to remain a hybrid one going forward, we have just launched a Dubai centers whence 25 residents of Dubai have come together to provide lessons for a group of students based in Mumbai who did not have access to free tutoring. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? Anubha Sharma:The world has been taught to be obsessed with prosperity at the cost of anything and everything, even at the cost of a future for our children and we are at a stage where we are talking about the current and not future generations perhaps even ourselves being impacted by our own actions or inaction as the case may be, its important to be responsible and believe in what you are doing. Passion for the work that you do, a practical logical approach to addressing problems, willingness to get your hands dirty and taking care of details, and taking your team along by giving people chances and allowing them to grow is the only road to success.. Our Website: www.angelxpress.org Follow us : https://www.facebook.com/AngelXpressFoundation https://www.instagram.com/angelxpressfoundation/ https://twitter.com/angelxpressorg

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? Ridhima Arora: My keen interest in nutrition and right kind of food started during my weight loss journey when I lost almost 30 kgs in 2 years in 2014 (86kgs-56kgs) in the effort to become fit. But a lot changed when the problem of wrong foods affected my personal life through a serious disease that made me find my way #BacktotheRoots, the natural way of living and the diet It was only when we were running across hospitals for a genuine treatment that I realized that there was a major gap in understanding nutrition even among-st dietitians and there was hardly any education given about right foods and diet which could do wonders to a patient and enable them to get rid of their diseases completely In-fact the health food(fad) industry has made the situation even worse. The healthy oats biscuit is hardly any oats. The dangers of sugar free “everything” are hardly known. The browns of that bread is actually a fad. We hardly know all of this unless we dig deep into it Between all these progresses I decided to quit my Marketing job and start Namhya. Great Companies: What are the various products and services provided by Namhya Foods Ridhima Arora: What we offer?. No preservatives. Local ingredients. Based in Ayurveda. Made with a lot of research and love. A quick look at our products Kashmiri kahwa With pure saffron, cardamom, Green tea kahwa, star anise and other kashmiri spices Benefits: Natural Detoxifier Metabolism booster Fat burner Anti diabetic Cold and cough reliever Instant breakfast cereal with natural protein Contains goodness of Ragi, coconut, oats, rice flakes , almonds and raisins Benefits Instant breakfast Right balance of carbs, protein and fat No preservatives Quick and easy fix to small meals Heart tea Benefits Increases oxygen to heart naturally Regulates blood flow in body The natural remedy for a healthy heart Fat burner PCOS Tea for women With the right blend of Asoka, Shatavari, Lodhra, Ashwagandha,Saffron, Garcinia Cambogia and other Ayurvedic herbs ,this tea has the right ingredients to nourish the harmones and create an effective functioning of them Asoka for Regular Period flow. Shatavari for regulating Estrogen (Female harmones) naturally. Ashwagandha for immunity. Lodhra for Harmonal Balance. Garcinia Cambogia for weight Management. Saffron for preventing muscle cramps and period inflammation. Liver cleanse tea With the right blend of Harad(Terminilia Chebula), Milk Thistle, Manjishtha, Pippali and other Ayurvedic herbs ,this tea has the right ingredients to nourish the liver and create an effective functioning of it. Diabetic care tea With the right blend of Paneer Dodi, Bitter Melon, Guduchi, Haritaki, Senna leaves and other Ayurvedic herbs, this tea helps to balance the blood sugar levels, strengthen immunity, support healthy glucose levels, improve insulin regulation, assists in digestive issues , enhance liver functions and reduce inflammation. Thyroid care tea With the right blend of Shankhapushpi, Gotukola, Liquorice and other Ayurvedic herbs ,this tea has the right ingredients to nourish the hormones and create an effective functioning of them Gotukola for balancing thyroid hormone levels, boosts brain power, heal skin issues and promote kidney and liver health. Shankhapushpi helps balance thyroid hormone levels by inhibiting a group of enzymes that help convert T4 into T3. Liquorice- Kills EBV cells in the thyroid and aids adrenal glands, anti inflammatory in nature. Ashwagandha- reduces blood sugar levels, stress and anxiety, anti cancer properties, boosts fertility and reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and improves brain function Ayurvedic tea Contains Ashwagandha, brahmi and other ayurvedic herbs Very good for digestion and immunity Immunity booster latte Contains goodness of turmeric, ashwagandha, Moringa Benefits Boosts Immunity Strengthen the muscles Relieves cold and cough Good for skin glow Apart from this we also offer our customers nutrition Coaching program so that they can follow a healthy diet plan themselves Great Companies: What makes Namhya Foods different from hundreds of other packed food firms? Ridhima Arora: In this world of pesticides, insecticides and fad foods, we are trying to rebuild the natural way of eating with goodness of indian herbs and natural ingredients. They maybe superfoods of today but your grand mas and grand dads grew up with those foods and regimes. Namhya is an effort to bring back the golden heritage of long forgotten basic indian foods that blend with your today’s lifestyle! Every product swears to naturally heal the body with an ailment with completely natural and ayurvedic means Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? Ridhima Arora: Since our business involved setting up of a manufacturing unit, it was infrastructure heavy and hence the upfront cost. Cash flows have been a challenge since the customer base takes time So maintaining cash flows for the first 3 years will be a challenge .We have consciously kept the prices very genuine considering our initial objective of wider accessibility to the customer. Also when the genuine brands are less in the market considering the limitations of our food regulations, brands like ours have to sacrifice on the gross margins for quality ingredients FMCG as a category is a low involvement purchase and health foods is still relatively new as a market. Category sensitization with limited resources in terms of cash flows and distribution is definitely a challenge, especially when you are genuinely trying to put the best quality ingredients in the pack and don’t have monies for hefty marketing (Our major spends still go into product and ensuring quality ingredients) In a foods business like ours, keeping manufacturing in- house is also a major decision since the fixed cost goes relatively high, right at the beginning when the cash flows aren’t enough. But this is critical as it is all about the ingredients and creating quality and consistency at the same time So creating a customer base initially that can pour regularly to your cash flows is essential. In fact understanding the nuances of the raw material is critical too since the market is full of adulteration so the first hand knowledge about picking the right kind of ingredients is essential (Like in our business pure saffron is a rarity and takes some expertise for identification) Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for Namhya Foods? Ridhima Arora: In terms of Distribution, We are already At around 18-20 platforms now in India. Our own eCommerce platform is already in place and it is the one stop shop for the products as well as the nutritional coaching program. In fact we plan to use it as the category awareness platform with our regular blogs and videos about Ayurveda. Revenue Target: We aim to clock sales of 3 crore in the next one year. 5 years is surely a long time to say anything considering how dynamics of how we live our lives is changing especially post covid times Brand Aim: As a brand, we intend to get Ayurveda back in fashion, not just in India but internationally. With #BackToRoots as the brand core, we aim to create a space for ourselves in preventive health care segment I think brand like ours will be more relevant in the post covid-19 era when health care will be taken seriously, both by the consumers and the government

Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business? BM Balakrishna: The story begins with me failing seven times in my 12th grade, and later earned 400 Rs per month as a car washer. After working as a marketing executive for 10 years, I was frustrated with company sales targets and eventually decided to start my own business. When I started in this field, one of my friends suggested I do a water purifier business like that. When I started in this field, I observed that only 20% of the people were using branded water purifiers, while the other 80% were using non-branded water purifiers. When I bought the brand purifier, I opened all the components and found that there were 46 components all together. I thought we could make a branded purifier if I could get 46 quality spare parts and assemble them. My business started with a tagline, " purity assured ", and I started selling to friends and relatives. Initially, I used to do everything myself, including sales service. In a short time, we got a good response and grew into a leading water purifier brands in india Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by AQUAPOT BM Balakrishna: Aquapot now has RO stores all over south India selling water purifiers. We are one of the biggest water treatment components companies in India with over 100 distributors. Great Companies: What makes AQUAPOT different from hundreds of other Water Purifier firms? BM Balakrishna: As aquapot, we were different from others because we do not sell water purifiers the traditional way. We survey and select the people who can be of interest. Then we train them the right way to sell and service. Motivation and providing technical information on products with sales tips to enable them to become exclusive dealers in that region. We at Brand are committed to delivering quality products and services to our customers. I personally dedicate myself to working with continuous product development. In order to be successful, BRANDING is key. We have our own brand names for all the products which we sell in the market. We provide quality products - branding - quality assurance - sales - technical support - after sales service. Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face? BM Balakrishna: There was no one who encouraged me when I mentioned I was going into business.In fact, my parents told me the business was not suitable according to astrology and forced me to drop the idea.The sales work I was doing was making me completely frustrated. If the worst happened, I was ready to open a panipuri shop anywhere.In my opinion, if we take opinions, nothing will ever happen. Having faith in the concept and allowing myself to do anything beyond my (uncomfortable) comfort zone led me to decide to start a business. (DAR KE AAGE JEET HI) This tag line motivated me to do something that I had never done before.Thus, I can say that taking my first step towards business was the most challenging.As a result of my PF refund, I started this business with 1.27 lakhs Starting a business can be challenging, but I overcame all the challenges to become one of India's leading water companies. Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for AQUAPOT? BM Balakrishna: From nothing to 30 Cr in turnover. At present, aquapot operates largely in the southern part of India.We plan to open pan-Indian stores in the coming years. As well as some new technology-driven products. Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be? BM Balakrishna: I advise "not to take advice" just do it if you are confident. Aside from all that, I personally believe that if all the doors are closed, just break it or make it. Website : www.aquapot.in