Fwd: Newly Joined OCC - Introducing Myself with my entrepreneur Story
raxitsh...@gmail.com
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: softyram
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:28:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Newly Joined OCC - Introducing Myself with my entrepreneur
Story
To: OpenCoffeeClubAtBangalore <bangal...@googlegroups.com>
Looking forward for interacting with OpenCoffeeClub members.
regards
Ram Kumar
www.dreamajax.com
Here is my enterepreneur Story
"
After passing out from Dept. of Comp.Sci. & Engg, Bharathiar
University, Coimbatore in May 2004 with MSc Software Engg degree, I
was unemployed for sometime in Bangalore and then got an opportunity
to join iPolicy Networks in Noida in Nov 2004. I worked for 8 months
and came back to Coimbatore and started on my own.
After iPolicy, I came back to Coimbatore and just thought of being on
my own, and started to bootstrap on my ideas. I started with an
investment of just Rs.60,000/-. (It was my last 3 months salary). And
my first investment was a laptop for Rs.35,000/- and with remaining
25,000/- I had to start with minimal infrastructure. I took 2 freshers
as to try this out like a Pilot Project. I employed them and trained
them.
I didnt had any big vision when I started. I thought I should earn
atleast Rs.20,000/- (my prev job salary) after covering all cost.
When I started I was not sure where to start with. And I identified my
platform as Web and then tried marketing myself in local market..
During this time, I was more like a marketing person selling domain
names, web spaces, web design, and web programming.
My first client happened to be a mental hospital in Coimbatore.
I was able to sell only domain names and space and couldnt able to
find out projects for both web designing and programming. I later
realised I wont be able to survive just by selling domain names and
web space. By selling domain name, I sell it for customer at rate of
Rs.500/- and my cost price was Rs. 350/- and similarly for 100 MB web
space, it costed me Rs.2,300/- and I sold it for Rs. 3,000/- And I got
around 10-15 customers during first 3-4 months. I took this job since
I thought by doing this, I will be able to generate more business for
my web designing and web programming. I did this for first 4 months
and I got into a liability of around 1.2 lac.
I lost all my money and didnt had any financial support for / from
family and was about to loose all my confidence. And even I had
thoughts on lines to go back to industry as an employee and start
earning on what I was doing earlier. But, again I didnt want to give
up and I had thoughts that I need to try it out something different,
because I was always confident that I can do a better job and can
serve this market and always had a thought that market really needs
some good potential people like us.
In this mean time, I had a school friend who advised me to go online
and look out for freelance programming jobs and that can actually suit
me a lot better. And again doing it online, and there is no expense
involved for marketing, sales, etc. I went online and was looking for
opportunity for almost a month without any result. But, at the end of
month, I got one client who gave me a first project for 25 USD and to
complete it within 1 day. I completed work and got payment. And this
was my first taste of success. And so this was my success formula, and
just proceeded with same. And just in 8th or 9th month, I was able to
repay all my debts.
And so from my 6th month, I kept on adding an employee a month. And
now in 10th month, my employee strength was 6, and I got some project
orders for next 1-2 month. And by this time, 3 out of total 6 has left
the company and other 3 were only recently joined. I was at huge risk
and this is for first time I am facing problem of this kind. And I had
to convince my client, and extended project dates and again I have to
train all new and existing people with technology and continued
project and was able to complete it with a little delay. And, so it
was 11th or 12th month, I thought Coimbatore was not a right place to
do business and I need to go Bangalore to show people that I am doing
serious business.
But, moving to Bangalore, I need to add a lot of extra cost for
myself. My total expense (Salary for 5 ppl + Office Rent + Other
Expenses) was only Rs.35,000/- at Coimbatore, the same at Bangalore
will be costing me around Rs.60,000/-. I had many people opposing my
idea to shift Bangalore but only few supported it. But, still thought
that I can earn a lot more business. I rented an apartment and moved
to Bangalore and continued with same business. With present 5
employees I then moved to Bangalore and added few more new faces to
make a total team size of 8 people.
But, I kept on same model of continuing with freelance programming
projects, and I got more and more frequent projects, and my revenue
also increased. I added again 2 more people in 2 months, and my team
size was 10. Because of my limited managerial capability, I faced a
lot of issues and couldnt able to manage people properly. But, was
able to continue growing with projects. And again 2 people left, and
team size was 8 now. And then I continued and kept growing with 8
people team for next 18 months.
Right now, I am not depending projects from freelance site, I get a
lot better work and at a better rate. So far, in this last 2.8 years,
we have served around 300 - 350 clients. And I am providing service at
20-25 USD per hour. I made a business of Rs.20,000/- in first 5
months and then in last 2 years 3 months now, total business we made
is for 1 crore INR.
In January 2008, I joined IIMB campus for one year programme. It is
Post Graduate Management Programme for Entrepreneurs and Family
Business, and there are 55 entreprenuer participants coming from a
different background. And interacting with them has helped me to
identify myself and now I have a good vision. This course is a
combination of face to face and online. Meaning, once in a quarter (3
months) I have to be there in campus for 10 face to face classes and
rest everything it is online. And I was not familiar with lots and
lots of management terms. But, professors and all my mates have
clearly understood my current position and I am getting support and
ideas from everyone, and all valuable one. I have identified my issues
and trying to rectify all those and have a good vision which I lacked
earlier. And so I am here in their campus just to correct myself and
to get familiar with what does business means for outsiders, I have
already learned more about entrepreneurship practically in last 2.5
years, but still there are lots of other good stuff I am getting a
chance to learn here.
And from Feb 10th 08, we have shifted to a new campus. A lot better
than earlier one. Earlier one was a residential apartment and now, we
are doing business from a software park.
I will try to give you month and year of above hapenings.
* Passed out from BU Campus May 04.
* Unemployed for sometime in Bangalore.
* Got job Nov 04 at iPolicy Networks, Noida.
* Left iPolicy Networks June 05 first week.
* Started business in Coimbatore by June 05 last week.
* Shifted Operations to Bangalore May 06.
* Jan 08 - Joined IIMB programme for PG management programme for
Entrepreneurs
* Moved to STPI incubation center in Feb 08. ( with present 8 people
team to a 9 seater office)
* Feb (last week) 08. Incoporated with new brand name as Dreamajax
Technologies private limited.
* From March 08, it is 15 seater office.
* March 08, went to BU campus and took 4 from CS background for 2.5
lac pa and 2 from MBA for 2.8 lac pa and 2 MBA interns for 2 months
* May 08, it is 25 employee company with new recruit from BU Campus
and inaugrated business with Sarath Babu (Food King CEO)
* June 08, working on getting ISO, NASSCOM, STPI EOU and other
registrations.
I have so far completed around 140 projects with a rating of 9.9 in a
freelancing site. You can check out its links.
https://www.scriptlance.com/cgi-bin/freelancers/freelancers.cgi?viewprofile=softyram
https://www.scriptlance.com/cgi-bin/freelancers/feedback.cgi?p=softyram
Techno Heitz was my business name for my proprietorship business.
( www.technoheitz.com )
www.dreamajax.com is my latest link.
Still with web programming and technologies, our work includes
consulting for PHP, MySQL and AJAX.
is our latest innovation, and which is giving us a very good
business.
We provide consulting for Openads/OpenX, and also selling mods and
plugins through this site.
We have some of our products & innovations yet to be released by end
of June month. And we are very sure, that this is going to be sure BIG
HIT.
For next May 09, we are targeting for 100 people, since we have more
and more projects with us and cash flow is always there.
Life has changed a lot. With a single room office 10 x 10 in
Coimbatore in June 05 to present premises in Cyber Park, Electronic
City in Bangalore.
A dining table which used to hold 6 computers for developers in little
office to a more sophisticated furnished office.
And from a mere second hand scooty of Rs.6,000/- in June 06 to present
8.6 lac INR Honda City.
I am happy that I have come to this situation and have employed 25
people and able to pay them the market pay. I know this is just a
beginning, and just marching ahead with full CONFIDENCE.
"
