Challenge, the word brings a spark to my eyes. I believe challenges make us realize our true potential, helps us to work harder and gives an amazing opportunity to do what is right. That’s how challenges have shaped my life. Like every other student, dreamer, possibility thinker I have faced challenges day in and out of different intensity, and each & every challenge has contributed to my growth. A few notable highlights,
1. I started my first start-up Sky Lanterns Namma Chennai – trading in Premium Sky Lanterns in early 2015 single-handedly pooling investment from friends & relatives. It was easy to build the start-up dream but equally challenging to get it up and running. I was in my 12th grade then, the main challenge was to balance my academics and business. Like for most middle-class kids, my parent too had high expectations from me to score great marks and get into a good college. I made my mind that I would not give up on my academics with an excuse for running my start-up. I buckled up, every day was full of life for me. Early morning studying, school, completing my academic goal for the day and spending the remaining time on business chores (Handling customer enquiries, managing vendors, logistics, managing e-stores and lot more). I created strict schedules and managed my time efficiently to have been able to achieve the desired results. I was the School topper in CBSE scoring 96.8% and my business took a very big leap employing over 5 full-time enthusiasts and 10 part-time. We had grown about 1000% in terms of turnover by 2018 being sole suppliers of Premium sky lanterns across Tamil Nadu. These challenges not only gave me an opportunity to explore my talent and understand my capabilities but also instilled a thought process which drives me even today, that life is not about this or that it’s about this and that!
2. Summer 2017, I got my biggest project as an NLP trainer. I was the director of a summer camp conducted for more than 600 children of Indian Army in Chennai. I built and lead a team of 15 budding enthusiasts all college students, motivating and inspiring them to join my league and showcase their talents.
Challenges become even trickier when it is beyond you. Getting the project was purely competitive and challenging but more so was its execution. We faced numerous roadblocks ranging from a limited budget, logistical issues, bureaucracy and what now. The most challenging time for me was when these roadblocks started hitting my people, they were losing confidence, with each day coming closer to the camp people started leaving the team. These were surely testing times. In the midst of 1000+ tasks lined up (already late) to fuel the summer camp, I sat with my team to lay a clear thought process. I made them aware that our motivation was beyond money, we had spotted the opportunity and now it was time to make it big. Exact words used – “If not you then who, if not now then when” That was the turning point, we made it a big success. Lieutenant General RK Anand (Former GOC – Dakshin Bharat area) flew to Chennai to visit the camp. He was fascinated and had personally funded 3 lakhs for conducting a Grand Stage Show.
ABRL is BIG in my life because,
It’s hard to imagine a day where I haven’t directly or indirectly connected with the brand. From fulfilling my aspirational fashion needs with affordable brands like Allen Solly, Peter England to connecting me with the world with the fastest data, ABRL has become a part of my family. ABRL gives me and my family confidence, the name associates itself as being reliable, safe and sustainable. We all have our good luck symbols, among them is my Van Heusen plain white shirt, I wear it in occasions which is most important to me – College interview, recruitment interview etc. That shirt is very lucky for me, it is a part of my success. It instils in me the confidence, this is BIG for me. Lastly, being a member of outreach society, I am proud that a part of my expenditure in ABRL brands is used to uplift the society. Being one of the largest conglomerates it has also lived up to be the largest contributor to the society, impacting lives of billions of people. That is BIG for the society and eventually for a common man!
