After having built multiple companies, attracted millions in investments from marquee investors, benefited 1.5 mn users across 66 countries on state of the art and award winning technology platforms, the Business Mentors at 11.1 KM-S endeavors to hand hold multiple entrepreneurs to further help 10 mn end users and their new investors in the next decade
24x7 Learning: Offered online learning technology platform & content development & had 250+ leading corporates with 1.5 mn learners
AEON Learning (Avagmah): A technology platform where leading Universities offered online degree programs, had users from 121 cities in India. Acquired Acadgild - co founded by Vinod Dham. Had users, from 22 countries.
KITVEN – Karnataka IT Ventures
CNBC TV 18,
Kris Gopalakrishnan - co-founder Infosys
Manipal Education and Medical Group
Ganesh Krishnan promoter / co-founder Tutorvista & BigBasket.com
Atul Nishar - Founder – Aptech & Hexaware technologies
Amdocs : I was Regional Consulting partner – APAC at the $ 9bn market cap Missouri , USA headquartered company Amdocs which is a software behemoth specializing in BSS, OSS and Fintech Solutions. I was helping Amdocs offer Telecom & IT solutions to Telecom clients at Philippines, Korea , Thailand and across APAC and signing $ 50mn + deals.
COMVIVA: I was Regional Business Head – APAC & Americas at COMVIVA that specializes in Telcom VAS, Fintech and product marketing solutions, which is part of the multi-billion dollar Mahindra Group. I was helping COMVIVA manage their global partners viz IBM, NSN etc, and led the entire Business Development activities through a large network of pre sales and sales team
SUN Microsystems : I was National Head – Telecom and Govt, SAS, at SUN Microsystems offering SUN Microsystems’ solutions through a network of Sales team
Singapore Airlines : Singapore Airlines has been ranked as the world's best airline by Skytrax four times and topped Travel & Leisure 's best airline rankings for more than 20 years. Am a Check and Training Captain of Airbus A 350. Am a recipient of CAAS Airline Leaders Scholarship, have been a Fleet Safety Pilot of A 330, and Crew Resource Management and Human Factors Facilitator. I have been working with A 310, B 777, A 330, A 350 and A 380
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Discover lithoA mentor is one who has already undertaken a similar journey. Has encountered similar situations. Had started off very small, boot strapped, hired a co-founder, evolved to form a ESOP pool, has experience hiring very senior professionals and attract talent
The mentor should not only be an advisor but who would be with the co-founder through the execution and be available to bounce off mid path corrections
Having said that it is not easy to find the right mentor. The right mentor to an entrepreneur has built companies and has traversed similar paths thereby the entrepreneur can learn from his experience and not make similar mistakes. Both the entrepreneur and mentor should have a strong relationship and both should get something from this relationship.
The starting point of course is the journey that Mentor would have traversedwhichshould have been close to a path that you plan to traverse? Some pointers are :Did the mentor ..
It is important to look at the journey and the strategyused by the mentor when building the company and not just look at the end goal achieved by the mentor in his entrepreneurial journey. The strategy used by the mentor to go from Stage X to Stage Z is equally important asmuch as the final outcome.
When identifying a mentor look for traits of a good teacher, who is a good listener and more than an advisor is a bouncing board, and has high level of integrity.
Many a time the mentor may have a different personality than you. Mentors often have differing perspectives and outlook and may offer a new insight to the problem in hand and which is essential in disruptive thinking. It is always best to take these ideas evaluate andasborb the portions that are relevant to your company
There are many reasons why most entrepreneurs do not want to partner with a mentor and leading amongst them are :
All these are thoughts that may cross, thereby it is essential to identify the right mentor, one who has integrity, one who works well with a team, having said it is always a must to have a mentor. Survey after survey conducted by several agencies and Universities have given 80%-90% higher success rate for entrepreneurs who have mentors.
