Questions and answers
Q-1 Are There Any Degrees/Certifications That You Recommend For Your Career?
An MBA would be an added advantage. I tried few courses, but the demand of time on work didn't allow me to complete it in the USA. It is more of self learning of concepts from various online courses and has given me a good overview of the current International Business and Markets.
Q-2 What Are Your Responsibilities In Your Current Role and (if applicable) How Are They Different From Your Previous Profile?
Currently engaged in the development and deployment of a travel interest based portal saastravel.com/ saastravel.net - enabling with Cloud based storage along with latest social, mobile and user interactive media – keeping in line with the emerging industry trends. This portal is to showcase important travel related options – providing with a framework of service offerings - for any travel business to enable them to get more customers for their venture. Working on several leadership activities in marketing, business development and sales along with pitching for venture investments, for taking this product from concept stage to a reality. From July 2008 to Aug 2010, Architecting the solution for exclusive Real Estate Portals, indiarealestventure.com with a powerful backend eCRM and eDataCenter as a framework based on opensource solutions. I was incharge of the design and delivery. The software venture provides end to end solution for a classified, online realty portal.
Q-3 Please Tell us About Your Journey in the Corporate World So Far?
Engaged in Hosiery companies ERP in 1999 after I returned from US. During 2001 - 02 worked on product for B2B secure messaging solution using Java Server technologies a unique product in the web arena and an Electronic Payment System that would function as part of Multi-tier banking system using Oracle 9iAS From July 2008 to Aug 2010, Architecting the solution for exclusive Real Estate Portals, indiarealestventure.com with a powerful backend eCRM and eDataCenter as a framework based on opensource solutions. I was incharge of the design and delivery. The software venture provides end to end solution for a classified, online realty portal, with minimal costs. With hundreds of projects yet to be sold, the pure online marketing and presence with customized followups are going to provide rich benefits for the realty developers. With almost everyone looking for houses and apartments online, this service will help them a lot. The idea is to release in 8 major Indian cities with support.
Q-4 Please Tell us Briefly About Your Job Profile and The Role you Play in your Organization?
Working on several leadership activities in marketing, business development and sales along with pitching for venture investments, for taking SaasTravel.com product from concept stage to a reality. Earlier was instrumental in getting indiarealestventure.com portal targeting realty customers.
Q-6 What Are Your Strongest Professional Skills/Attributes?
I can work on multi million dollar projects, with a large work force, that encompasses complexity and deliver the product service that matches customer expectations. The main forte is Program Delivery Management of Software projects under any domain, with the Technical responsibilities. Experienced Software Professional in strategy development, planning and budgeting for facilities and development of solutions/ applications to provide IT services on a global enterprise scale. Proven experience of setting up and operating, off-shored back office development and support operations Demonstrated experience of providing high quality IT services and cost optimization for the client and profitability and growth for the organization Customer focused, with ability to work successfully in multi-cultural Extensive experience in IT strategy, portfolio/program/project management, process improvement and outsourcing. Have good exposure in Presales, Technical Marketing and Business Development.
Q-7 Knowing What You Know Now, If You Had To Start Your Career All Over Again, What Would You Do Differently?
I would start with startups again. Abundance of knowledge can be gained. However it depends upon the emoluments that would match the skills. Ideally it should be a funded company. I like Mentoring startup software companies in the early stage. I want to be part of the ecosystem, that can be part of a multi-billion dollar setup, be it a small or a large company. I am dedicated and give the honest and best work, that would satisfy are the stake holders.
Q-8 What is an Accomplishment that You Are Proud Of?
Coming from a lower middle class background, I have learnt the values of hardwork and the sacrifices involved to make it a success. Getting good education from a well known engineering college, PSG college of Technology was a starting point of climbing the corporate ladder.
Q-9 Where Do You See Yourself In A Couple of Years From Now?
Work in a larger organization delivery solutions for multiple clients.
Q-10 How has the Professional Environment Changed From the Time you Joined?
Nowadays compared to 1990s the environment is more fast paced and result is considered as achieved only on success. Even youngsters are rising to the higher levels of corporate CXO jobs or Board level Directors. It was hard work and self learning those days and depended upon one's own interest to learn. Nowadays with the advent of high speed internet, and courses online, one can learn and gain more knowledge in the field they want to specialize in. Money is not the only motivational factor for a good and steady job. There are equity stock options given. The rewards are proportional to the hard work the kind of work involved with.
Q-11 How Do You Manage Your Work Life Balance?
It is very difficult to manage the Work and family life balance. Planning is the key. If your spouse is also working, then you have to plan well in advance of whatever you need to do on the personal front only during holidays and weekends. You are lucky, if you can afford extra help at home. It is a two way street. The kids have to understand about the stress and multi-timezone work of todays world. Email, Chat, Skype, Whatsapp calls etc... will the duty sundries well after duty time. No one works to time or the typical 40 hours. Everything is planned around success. Delivering on time to customer at a lower cost with best features is the "in" thing for any Delivery Management professional associated with this Technology world. Once the delegation of activities are successful, it would help to balance the life even more better.
Q-12 In your working career so for, please share with us what have been top 2 or 3 accomplishments/work experience/your contributions to this field.
Initially I was part of the Core SCADA team at CMC R&D in Hyderabad, that was deployed to many programs those cater to different applications, like Load Dispatch Automation, Distribution Automation, Substation Automation, Traction and Building Management Systems. Later when I was in the USA, was part of successful development of a Document Manufacturing System and a Salesforce Automation system that has be used even now, in a larger scale. It gives the sense of satisfaction that systems have been built that are scalable and reliable. I was lucky to have some wealth in developing some of the startup ventures, and I have reaped the experience that has helped me to plan my work even more better.
Q-13 What are some Books, Websites and Publications that you recommend for Upcoming Professionals in your Industry?
New books are always being written that talks about Leadership etc. John Aldair books are very helpful. Biographies of the successful who made it big in the business world are very helpful too. For technology, TechCrunch and lots of articles that are shared in groups in LinkedIn are wonderful to learn and gain more insight.
Q-14 Could you tell us briefly about your family background?
I am married and blessed with kids. My wife is an MBA who helps me in my ventures in Operations. My kids are in high school. They love computers and do self learning. My father was into Hosiery business at Tirupur my hometown. My brother continues the tradition now.
Q-15 Can you tell us about a Role Model who Inspires you and why?
Bill Gates is one true Role Model I had from my College days. Apart from developing the products that are used by half the worlds computer population, he has been using his wealth for noble causes.
