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  • List of 11 Best Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Crowdfunding is all about creating a community around your project. A community that funds the project and also helps in spreading the word about your project. It’s all about asking for small amounts of money from many people instead of finding that one or two people to cut you a large cheque.

    The process of crowdfunding works on the accessibility of vast network of people which is easily available on the platform of the internet. There are many crowdfunding websites that can bring investors and entrepreneurs together and can help them raise or increase their funds that goes beyond the traditional circle of owners, relatives and venture capitalists.

    Crowdfunding provides an opportunity to anyone with an idea to pitch it in front of waiting investors. Investors can select anyone from hundreds of projects and invest amounts that are little and large, as per their wish. Crowdfunding sites then generate revenue from a percentage of the funds raised and help innovators launch their ideas, help them in bringing a change and provide incentive to operate.

    Nonprofit organisations use crowdfunding platforms to gather donations. They often refer to crowdfunding as “online donations or fundraising,” “social media fundraising” or “peer-to-peer fundraising”.

    How crowdfunding works in India to raise funding for startup
    The concept of crowdfunding has just started to gain momentum in India.‘Funding’ is the first problem new people, entering the world of business forfirst time, find it difficult. Startups have to turn to institutions and angelinvestors because there is lack of funds for bootstrapping or lack of h…
    StartupTalkyAshwini

    Here are 11 crowdfunding sites in India for startups  that are shaping the way ideas and startups grow:

    Kickstarter

    Kickstarter Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Kickstarter is one of the most well-known name in crowdfunding and arguable the most active platform as well. It has raised over $2 billion since its launch in 2009. Kickstarter backs creative projects like film, music, games, technology, books, research, etc. Since our launch, on April 28, 2009, 17 million people have backed a project, $4.5 billion has been pledged, and 168,500 projects have been successfully funded.

    The platform doesn’t accept humanitarian projects or charity or other personal use projects. Kickstarter charges a fee of 5% for every successfully funded campaign. The purpose of Kickstarter is to bring creative projects to life by focusing on the creativity and merchandising. But if you are not able to reach the target in the allotted time, you will not be assessed any receivables or fees in any payment.

    Campaign type Reward
    Industry focus Creative arts
    Funds you can keep All or nothing
    Funding fees 5% of successful campaigns
    Payment fees (US) 3% + $0.20 per pledge $10 and over; 5% + $0.05 per pledge under $10
    Startup locations allowed US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands

    Milaap

    Milaap | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Milaap is one of the most popular crowdfunding platform among Indians. Most of the people achieve their donation target on this platform. Although, maximum number of campaigns are for raising funding for health causes but many student entrepreneurs have successfully raised money to fund their startup ideas. The platform has raised over INR 330 Crore to support more than 100,000 people across the country.

    Campaign type Reward, Donation
    Industry focus Health and Startups
    Funds you can keep All
    Funding fees 5% of total funding

    Also Read: 4 Practical Tips to Attract Investors- How to get Investors

    GoFundMe

    GoFundMe Logo | Crowdfunding sites in india for startups
    GoFundMe Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    GoFundMe is a donation crowdfunding site where people have raised an amount of more than $5 billion. The platform is entirely backed by donations and does not charge success fees. Since there is a huge audience over this platform, getting your startup funding campaign noticed is quite difficult. And projects also typically have lower dollar amounts. But the businesses which are important to their communities are often able to raise funds successfully.

    GoFundMe does not charge any fees for the funds you raise and the money doesn’t have to be paid back. You are only responsible for the fees charged by the payment processor which is around 2.9% only.

    Campaign type Reward, Donation
    Industry focus People and Causes
    Funds you can keep Whatever you raise
    Funding fees 0% for personal campaigns in the US; 5% for charities and countries outside the US
    Payment fees (US) 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
    Startup locations allowed 19 countries

    Indiegogo

    Indiegogo Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups in India
    Indiegogo Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups in India

    Indiegogo was the first major crowdfunding platform that has raised over $1 billion since its release in 2007. The platform funded over 1,75,000 campaigns with contributions from 2.5 million across the globe in 2015. It is a crowdfunding site and also a marketplace platform. The campaigners can raise funds and continue raising funds pertaining to their idea as the site offers a “flexible funding” option.

    The campaigners can also sell their products directly to the Indiegogo network of consumers. The platform focuses on product innovation and bringing innovative ideas to life. Indiegogo also has no prohibition against cause-related humanitarian projects. The site continues to serve as a Launchpad for entrepreneurial ideas.

    Campaign type Reward, equity
    Industry focus Tech and innovation
    Funds you can keep All or nothing; whatever you raise
    Funding fees 5%
    Payment fees (US) 3% + $0.30 per transaction; $25 transfer fee
    Startup locations allowed Worldwide

    Also Read: How to Raise Fund for Startup in India

    Ketto

    Ketto Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Ketto is a crowdfunding platform that allows people and non-governmental organizations to raise money for their creative, social and personal causes. From 2012 to 2019, 500 crore was raised on the platform for over 1.5 Lakh campaigns and 25 Lakhs donors. The platform includes and features campaigns for health care, startups, education, personal campaigns, sports, children and women empowerment, animal welfare and alike causes.

    Ketto also provides a section on its website called “Urgently Fund Required” and campaigns that can provide “Tax Benefit” to donors. The Kerala flood project called “Two Wheels of Hope” was a successfully funded campaign that was featured on Ketto and it provided cycles for schoolgirls, among other campaigns. The purpose of the platform is to being social change, raise awareness and of course raise funds.

    Campaign type Reward
    Industry focus Creative, Entrepreneurial, NGOs, Personal Causes, Education
    Funds you can keep Whatever you raise
    Funding fees Not Available
    Payment fees 10.62% for NGOs or 9.44% for individuals
    Startup locations allowed India

    Also Read: Funded Indian Startups with Investors (2020)

    CircleUp

    CircleUp Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    CircleUp is an equity-based crowdfunding company that is designed to help emerging brands and startups raise capital and grow their business. CircleUp, since its release in 2011, has helped 211 entrepreneurs raise $305 million, its average investment being $100,000. The site has a good reputation for elaborate due diligence on the companies it accepts.

    Most of its investors have a deep experience in the field of retail and consumer brands and are willing to provide strategic guidance and support during the process. And hence, CircleUp is best for CPG focused businesses. It offers a line of credit up to $3 million with APRs ranging from 14-25% including all feels. This is still lower than most other online lending options. The fees that you will pay for equity crowdfunding will depend upon your business and will be determined by CircleUp at the time you apply.

    Raise money with CircleUp and you can connect with experienced, knowledgeable investors in your industry, who can potentially help you grow your company faster and provide one-on-one guidance. You also get access to CircleUp’s network of operational partners, like Johnson & Johnson and eBay, who can share business expertise and potentially help with product development and manufacturing.

    Campaign type Equity, Credit
    Industry focus Early-stage Consumer Brands
    Funds you can keep All or nothing
    Funding fees Not available
    Payment fees (US) Not available
    Startup locations allowed Worldwide

    Also Read: Top Funded Startups India 2019

    Patreon

    Patreon Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Patreon is a crowdfunding membership platform that provides creators business tools to run a subscription content service and has raised more than $350 million. The artists build relationships and provide exclusive experiences to their subscribers called “patrons”. It offers fundraising on an ongoing basis. The majority of the businesses on Patreon produces some form of entertainment.

    Patreon is best for people indulged in creative businesses like creative projects like video and photography, music, writing, comics, podcasts, games, animation, vlogging, artists and other entertainment where content is produced on a regular basis. Patreon charges a fee of 5% for any payment made to the creator through its platform and typically around 3% transfer fee when you withdraw funds. The startups can use this platform to provide the access to their particular content & services.

    Campaign type Reward, subscription/donation
    Industry focus Artists and Creators
    Funds you can keep Whatever you raise
    Funding fees 5% of successfully processed payments
    Payment fees (US) Varies, but 5% on average
    Startup locations allowed Worldwide

    Wishberry

    Wishberry Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Wishberry is India’s largest crowdfunding platform that was launched in 2012 and has a 70% success rate for creative projects. The platform is strictly for creative projects including ideas and startups related to arts & design, film & other video, music, dance, theatre, publishing, comics, photography and also support the creative startups.

    Wishberry does not accept any product-based projects right now such as hardware products, IoT products, non tech products like fashion etc. Its purpose is to bring creative and innovative idea to life and build a community of donors for creative ideas, consulting and marketing services as well. Wishberry is a reward-based platform from the projects that they fund. They also provide personal consultation, social media management, PR & publicity, email marketing, global payments.

    Campaign type Reward
    Industry focus Creative projects
    Funds you can keep All
    Funding fees Rs. 3499 for less than 2 lakhs, Rs. 9999 for more than 2 lakhs, Rs. 2499 for student campaign
    Payment fees 10% From funds raised, upon campaign’s success
    Startup locations allowed India

    Also read: List of Startups funded by Ratan Tata

    FuelADream

    Fueladream | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    FuelADream is an online crowdfunding website that helps you raise funds for startup ideas, charities, social causes and disaster relief efforts. The platform is committed to radically changing the lives of 2.2 billion people in India and Africa. It gives campaigners the choice of AON i.e. All Or Nothing and KWYG i.e. Keep What You Get and believes in the motto – “quality more than quantity”.

    FuelADream keeps the number of projects less in order to keep the authenticity and genuineness of the campaigns posted on the platform. They provide a section called “Crowd Favorite” lists and that includes the most-liked and most-funded campaigns. The platform focuses on community-led activities and creative ideas and aims to change the traditional methods of raising funds and simplifying the process.

    Campaign type Reward
    Industry focus Creative Ideas, Causes, Charities, Events, and Community-led Activities
    Funds you can keep All or Nothing and Keep What You Get
    Funding fees Rs. 3000
    Payment fees 6% to 9% from funds raised
    Startup locations allowed India and Africa

    Fundable

    Fundable Logo | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Fundable is a fee-based crowdfunding platform that offers the users both reward-based and equity-based campaigns for their startups. The focus is on small businesses and entrepreneurs. It deals with campaigns across all business sectors in India. Entrepreneurs and businesses across India have used this platform to raise funds for affordable clinical diagnoses to intellectual travel experiences.

    The various sectors included in its domain are banking, food and beverage, travel, and fitness. Fundable also provides a section on its websites called “New and Noteworthy” that ensures that people who want to support can browse through the newest and most engaging campaigns. Fundable does not charge any kind of success fees. It’s simply a flat monthly charge per month.

    Campaign type Reward and Equity
    Industry focus Small Businesses
    Funds you can keep Whatever you raise
    Funding fees $179 per Month to Fundraise
    Payment fees 0%
    Startup locations allowed United States of America

    Also read:Top Entrepreneurs of India

    Catapooolt

    Catapooolt | Crowdfunding Platforms for Startups

    Catapooolt is India’s first ever crowdfunding platform. Catapooolt is a platform for funding personal projects like art startups, films, music, art and technology, or enterprises and businesses. It gives additional feature to its campaigners to partner within their network of investors, accelerators, incubators, mentors, and for marketing, sales and distribution community endorsements.

    Catapooolt will bring together communities, relevant partners, latest tools and resources to enable what every idea needs to be successful – Funds and Engagement. The platform becomes a comprehensive ecosystem for crowdfunding by focusing on individual projects, startups and enterprises.

    Campaign type Reward
    Industry focus Individual Projects, Startups, Enterprises
    Funds you can keep Whatever you raise
    Funding fees Not Available
    Payment fees 10% + 18% of 10% (GST)
    Startup locations allowed India

    Great innovation and ideas need a boost with funding for their startups. And with these great crowdfunding websites available to us at these times, founders and innovators have a range of options to choose from.

    Also check out: Success story of Impactguru – Healthcare Crowdfunding Platform

    Please share more crowdfunding platforms for startups in India if we missed any of them. Lets make the strongest community of entrepreneur by helping each other.

  • Interviewing Mr. Abhishek Singh, Marketing Head @ VakilSearch | StartupTalker

    StartupTalky is one of the largest and the active communities connecting startup ecosystem across the globe. StartupTalker is one such section on our platform where we interview professionals from our community and to learn from their experience.

    Today, we are interviewing Mr, Abhishek Singh, Marketing head @VakilSearch, one of the biggest legal service provider in India. This is the story of this marketing hero in his own words.

    Abhishek, give us a brief on your academics and professional journey.

    To talk a little about my academics and initial years, I completed an MBA in Marketing from Bangalore University. I’ve spent the last 12 yrs working with media industry very closely. I spent my first few years with some of India’s best startups like Via.com, CommonFloor.com etc. I specialize in media planning, buying, advertising, marketing automation, growth hacks, team building etc.

    I was one of the few initial hires at CommonFloor who was instrumental in taking the brand from 30 to 1200+ employees. During this period I was responsible for end to end marketing initiatives at Commonfloor from the brand launch to digital campaign to first TVC etc. in the year 2012 to 2015.

    How does your Normal Day looks like?

    I typically start my day with meditation. To me reaching office early is a must. After which the first thing I do is analyse the previous day’s numbers such as Marketing spends, website traffic numbers, lead numbers etc. This is one of the vital habits I follow day in and day out. Based on the analysis, I call my team and plan the day to ensure the smooth functioning of the marketing activities. Of course, as a Marketing Head, I attend meetings and discussions spread across different sections of the day.

    What do you think has made you a good marketer?

    Reading books and watching Cricket have always been a few of my favourite hobbies. Growing up, I was always intrigued by advertisements and how a product was marketed. Therefore, I took a keen interest in learning and developing it.

    While I was doing my Masters in MBA, many of my classmates were preparing to get into sales. Personally, I felt I had a calling for Marketing, though I knew it may not be as illustrious as a career in sales. However, I had a thirst for it and was eager to add value to marketing right from the beginning.

    Some of my noteworthy accomplishments in Marketing were, PKHD – Property Ki Home Delivery which was ideated on the concept of, “If Pizza can be delivered at home, well, why not property?” This campaign garnered the Most Innovative award in the Real Estate sector at the First Time Multiple Marketing Forum.

    In 2019, I ideated the iAdvocate campaign, on the tagline Voice out B’cause. “iAdvocate”, was a CSR initiative, which allowed people to champion against causes that they were passionate about such as violence, sexual harassment, human trafficking, honour killing etc, just to name a few. The public was given a chance to voice out for a cause on their social media platform. The cause that secured the highest number of votes was supported through this initiative. “Women empowerment” garnered the highest support. As a result, Vakilsearch partnered with a Women’s NGO in Chennai and gave away day-to-day essentials and infrastructural supplies to 105 girl children living in the home.

    What do you think about the current scenario of marketing as a career?

    Absolutely! Marketing is a creative-driven career. Though Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are slowly replacing a lot of people and their jobs, when it comes to Marketing, a machine cannot match a human’s creativity. Having said that, different tools such as automation etc. can make the working better & easier but it cannot replace a good marketer.  

    Do you think one needs a degree to become a good marketer?

    To be a good marketer you don’t necessarily need a degree. However, what a Marketing degree can do is, it could definitely complement and give the person an edge over the others.

    What have you failed at?

    Downs have been plenty. However, as a result, I am what I am today because of my setbacks. Some of my early lessons as Marketing leader was to start taking decisions no matter good or bad and stand for it. Being answerable is vital no matter what.

    Challenges & Struggles: Vakilsearch being the most disruptive company in the legal-tech sector is aiming to do something which hasn’t been done so far. We are registering close to 10% of companies and 3% of Trademark month-on-month in India. So, the challenge is rather big, because, in order to scale up to 12% or 15 % and 5%  to 7% of Company Registrations and Trademark registrations respectively in India is an uphill task.

    However, what others see as a challenge we see as an opportunity. The legal sector is also heavily dependent on offline while we are trying to make this market online. Nevertheless, we see this happening as a collective effort of the industry itself. And that’s where Vakilsearch comes in. We educate people and make them understand that what you do offline often through laborious processes, could easily be done online with a lot more transparency, better pricing and amazing customer experience. So, I term this as an opportunity, though it is a big challenge that is standing in front of us in 2020.

    What are your Superpowers?

    I respect values a lot. I like being answerable and therefore I always deliver. I am also very disciplined in my approach. That makes me stand apart. Most importantly, I carry values. I also believe in this saying, “Don’t say what you cannot sell. Say what you sell. There should be humility in your approach which I always try and embody.

    What are some tools and Gadgets that make you feel like the Doraemon of the Marketing world?

    There are multiple tools that I use for Marketing that makes me feel like the Doraemon of the Marketing world. To name a few, Automation tools such as Hubspot, Gamooga, Marketing tools such as SEMRUSH, Google Analytics, GTM, APPS FLYERS, Meltwater etc.

    Who has a significant influence on you professionally?

    My Eldest brother who is a Marine Engineer had a significant influence on my life. His discipline and hardworking nature had an impact on my career. I learned how to be fearless and kind from him. I also admired Swami Vivekananda and learned from his life and his teachings.

    What are some hacks you have learned in the Marketing world?

    The life of a marketer is a mix of product marketing and Technology. The moment we learn how to stitch both together, we can devise a lot of hacks at every point. These hacks could be growth hacks, traffic hacks or even attention-seeking hacks. However, when we talk about hacks there are no shortcuts as such. When we learn to analyse the data, it will give us a lot of insight on where to improve and how to cash it.  

    What’s your workspace setup like?

    Abhishek Singh's workspace
    Discussion@VakilSearch

    How do you recharge or take a break?

    While talking to my team I recharge myself. The more I recharge them, the more it recharges me. In a way planning, inspiring my team helps me grow.

    What’s the most inspiring quote for you?

    Be fearless yet polite.

    What are some marketing blogs and books you would recommend someone to read?

    I would definitely recommend every marketer to read Hacking Growth by Sean Ellis and Morgan Brown and Subscription Marketing by Janzer.  

    If you get a chance to start your marketing career again what would you do differently this time?

    In case I start my career again I will give more emphasis on learning and making use of the available tools to solve problems on my own.

  • Corporate Gifting Ideas for employees and Clients

    To strengthen the relationship with clients, it is necessary that all the workers in a corporate organization should put their effort efficiently. There are many gifts that are given to employee and clients to tell them you care. Customized and handmade gifts are preferred over factory made products.
    So, here is a list of Corporate Gifting Ideas for employees and clients.

    Pen and pen sets

    One of the classiest gifts is Pens and Pen sets. To add to their charm, people can place them in classy and sleek boxes. It is a great promotional gift that encourages customers to make business relationships with their favorite corporate companies. This gift touches the customers, heart as it as an everyday requirement. These gifts are easily available in the market and are mentioned as valuable gifts.

    Diwali Corporate Gifting Ideas – What to Gift Your Employees this Diwali 2022?
    Corporate gifting is important for better relationships. Here are some amazing gifting ideas for your employees and clients this Diwali 2022.
    StartupTalkyKinnary Nensee

    T-shirts

    The fashion forward idea is to gift customers T-shirts, probably with a nice message printed on it. Fabric can easily be purchased from the market and stitched in different sizes and patterns to meet the needs of all customers. This gift reaches many people and is a favorite among a large group of people. T-shirts enhance the look and style and last really long.

    Ties

    Presenting a tie to the customer is denoted as a valuable gift. It is encouraged among people who are working in a corporate office and higher positions in companies. It makes people feel proud while walking down the aisle at work. It is frequently used in the corporate world and holds a great value for people who wear them regularly.

    Also Read: How to be a Good Boss | 10 Ways

    Coffee mug

    The most popular corporate gift is presenting coffee mugs. It makes personal sentiments among customers and associates. Coffee is a great social stimulant and keeps the mind calm and makes the customer remember the person who sent that gift.

    Cuff links are a fashionable gift and useful when people are using accessories to dress up. It is a little expensive when compared to other gifts but it creates a long lasting bond of loyalty. Personalized cuff links are also easily available and thus becomes the best corporate gift that can be presented to anyone.

    Also Read: How to Build Best Company Culture – Things to Avoid

    Paperweight

    Today, paperweights are considered as much prized gift item and it is most remarkable gift while lying on the office table. But the usage of paperweights has decreased because of the arrival of gadgets. Designer paperweights are attractive to look and can brighten the office room. It still remains as one of the thoughtful gifts for people with busy schedules in office.

    Photo frames

    The most lovable and caring gift is to present photo frames to customers. It touches the customer’s heart and maintains sentiments between customer and associates. It is pocket-friendly and can’t be forgotten by customers. There are many varieties of photo frames and it can easily be chosen by customers.This is one of the corporate gifting ideas for building good customer relationship.

    Also Read: How to Terminate Employee

    Mobile phone holder

    Today, the use of mobile phones is a casual thing. It is used by everyone in the world. So, keeping that device safe is necessary. A mobile phone holder is an extremely thoughtful corporate gift. There are many designs available in the market for mobile phone holders and it impresses the customers. It can easily be picked out in bulk amounts.

    Card holder

    On the basis of regular use, the corporate companies can present card holders to customers as gifts. But, don’t get afraid that card holders are made up in same designs; there are many designs available in card holders nowadays. It holds not only the card but also a  great amount of customization and personalization.

    Also Read: How to Build Best Company Culture – Things to Avoid

    Organizers and diaries

    If the customers want stationery gifts, then the corporation can choose to gift organizers and diaries. It makes the customer experience the visual thoughts in customer relationship. It leaves an impression because of its use and also constantly reminds the recipient about the gift giver. It can be picked out in bulk amount and reaches many people.

    Conclusion

    This was a list of gifting ideas for clients or customers. Now personalized gifts are in more trend.

  • The 9 Most Popular Types of Freelancers

    A freelancer is a self-employed person who offers his or her services to clients, out of his or her own accord and independent of any superior authority or organisation. It is okay to have your head buzzing with random questions at this point. After all, it is quite a dare, to claim your own space in the market and put your best skills to test. But, as it goes, it is never a wrong time to learn something new, and creating something of your very own is worth the efforts, even if it was just a random try.

    According to gig economy statistics from 2018, 33% freelancers work in creative fields. According to their stats, 21% of all freelancers are in consulting/professional services. 17% are writers, journalists, and content service providers, 15% are in tech/web development and the left 14% of freelancers work in other fields.

    In this article, we deal with what are all the different ways, in which you can start freelancing in India. That is, the most popular types of freelancers in India. If you are new to this game and have been bitten by the freelancing bug too, take a look! With flexible work hours and great work, the job sure carries its perks.

    Different Types Of Freelancers

    Most Popular Types of Freelancers
    Most Popular Types of Freelancers

    The Independent Contractors

    One of the broadest categories here, an independent contractor, in literal terms, means an individual who works of his own free will and does not have a specific employer.

    As this is the case with all the freelancers, this category encapsulates all the categories mention below. Individual contractors include people working with several different clients, often multiple clients at once, either full time or part-time. The work is often undertaken on a per-project, per day or a contractual basis and the work variety is diverse.

    Part-Time Freelancers

    Call it one of the smartest or the most baulking types, but part-time freelancing provides an excellent opportunity to the individuals who are looking to explore new work genres or extra income without running the risk of having to quit their day job.

    Thus, these people have a steady job, which is their main earning source and a part-time freelance gig on the side, where they get to work independently. Also called the Moonlighting, part-time freelancing is a popular choice among quite many individuals, who want to develop their skills while maintaining a permanent earning source.

    Business Owners

    Look at this category as a cross between a freelancer and a small-time business owner. The conclusion? An individual who undertakes projects as a freelancer, but has employees. The freelancer pays his or her employees out of his earnings and thus, earns a livelihood.

    Business owners often prefer to work in the same niche and are experienced freelancers who know their jobs well and have over time, established themselves in the market (enough to employ other people). These dedicate long hours to their craft and often get projects through networking.

    Also read:

    The Experiential Freelancer

    One of the most curious of the types, these individuals are full-time freelancers who love what they do and strive harder and harder to learn and achieve more. They often undertake diverse projects and are constantly pushing their work boundaries by learning new things.

    Needless to say, this kind of curiosity demands to remain constantly updated with the latest developments in their work fields and experiential freelancers are masters of it. Of course, there is a reason why, these days, even hot-shot corporations want to hire the services of a freelancer.

    Diversified Workers

    Not exactly a freelancer but cutting, these individuals depend upon a variety of odd jobs for their income. They often don’t work within a particular sector but undertake a variety of part-time jobs, online freelance work, and short term projects to keep the house running.

    Virtual Assistants

    Virtual Assistant Statistics
    Virtual Assistant Statistics

    A Virtual Assistant is just like an Office Assistant but the difference is that a Virtual Assistant doesn’t work at an office or the place of the client instead they work from home or anywhere. The job of a Virtual Assistant includes various tasks such as content writing, replying emails, chat support etc. Think of it as you are working for someone as a personal assistant but from your place.

    The advantage of being a Virtual Assistant is that you get long-term projects here. And there are so many jobs available which you can do as a Virtual Assistant and the pay is also decent.

    Also read:

    Freelance Web Developer

    The name is self-explanatory here, a freelance web developer or a programmer is someone who builds websites and web applications. If you are a web developer or you know some of the programming languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript then you can start working as a freelancer. The only thing is you have found out project specifically in your niche.

    Don’t worry! If you don’t know how HTML, CSS, JavaScript works. You can easily learn them online. There are so many courses available which you can take to learn the basics and that is enough to enter the freelancing world.

    Freelance Bookkeeper or Accountant

    Many businesses out there which don’t want to handle their bookkeeping part. As a freelance bookkeeper, you will handle their accounting part. If you know about how accounting works or if you have worked somewhere as an accountant then you just have to use those skills to work digitally.

    You can also learn these skills easily online. But you have to be expert in bookkeeping because people nowadays looking for professional services. So, if bookkeeping is something that you are passionate about go ahead and start earning.

    Graphic Designers

    A Graphic Designer is someone who conveys the message of any brand visually. In the field of Graphic Designing, you have to decide your speciality or the niche on which you are going to work. There are so many graphic designing works available such as logo designing, web designing, t-shirt mockup, banner designing and the list goes on.

    Once you have decided the niche on which you are going to work or target. Find out the other famous graphic designers and research about their work. If they are doing something different then you also have to do something more unique.

    Again if you are not a professional graphic designer then no one is going to hire. Just because as a graphic designer you create an image of the brand and no one wants to create an unprofessional image of a brand. So, before you start looking for projects build your portfolio first. Try to take inspirations from other graphic designers and do something more than them.

    Also, don’t forget about the pricing, you have to include pricing for each type of work you are going to do as a graphic designer. But don’t provide cheap service at the cheapest price. See what others are charging for the same work and if you think that you can also do the same go ahead and charge what you deserve.

    Also read:

    Conclusion

    So now you know the different types of freelancers out there, did you figure out which category you belong to? Or if you are a beginner, what method struck out as the best for your skills? Freelancing is a booming sector and the Indian market accommodates no less in recruiters than the freelancers. With its perks and challenges, what do you think of the present freelancing business? Let us know in the comment below.

  • What Is an Ideal Customer Profile?

    To be scientific, more specific, and spend resources wisely, brands and companies develop customer profiles. Imagine the old door to door marketing scenario. The sales executives must have had a rough time getting clients to make purchases.

    With the evolution of technology, easier acquisition of data and new analytical tools have made the selling process more scientific. When structuring Google ads, for instance, it’s not advisable to just advertise blankly. With ready customer profiles, the campaigns can be structured and highly targeted, thereby improving efficiency. So, what are the important facets of an Ideal Customer Profile?

    Below are the key aspects that should be considered for creating the profile of your ideal customer.

    1. Personal Demographics

    These are the details that identify a customer on a basic level.

    Below is the breakdown of demographics: –

    • Age– This is vital because some products are made for a certain age bracket. Also, age plays a role in decision making and influences purchase decisions.
    • Locality– Information on locality is critical when targeting local clients or when trying to expand horizons. Social media adverts can focus on the location of your target clients.
    • Gender– A customer profile that offers clarity on gender can help in refined segmenting. For example, an advert on sanitary towels can be cost-effective and efficient if it targets women of a certain age group.
    • Race– An Ideal Customer Profile with race details can help in advertising money transfer systems oversees.
    • Size of Households– Such data can help banks and insurance companies to upsell or cross-sell other bank products.
    • Level of Education– This is a crucial point in identifying the best advertising method, sophistication of the product, expected fashion sense, or taste for performing arts. The level of education can be a guide about these aspects.

    Personal demographics help provide primary classification which can be refined further or combined with other factors—this can help to create an ideal customer profile.

    2. Favorite/Reachable Platforms

    Each customer or client has a distinct set of platforms or media with which they can be reached conveniently. This trait depends on other factors like environment, upbringing, age, social groupings, among other factors.

    Some of the aspects that can further classify this trait include: –

    • Media– You should find a way of discovering the favorite media channel of your customers. This can help to structure the advertisements or place them in the most convenient mediums. Channel statistics or insights can help in discovering these gem points.

    National Research or sponsored surveys can also help you discover where your ideal client spends their time.

    • Content-type– Content is another aspect that determines the uptake of products and advertisements. Some customers prefer videos and articles, while others like a rich mix or react best to audio messages. This, therefore, calls for a thorough examination to determine which content type works best for your target audience.

    This can be continuously developed as you interact with customers through adverts, websites, or on social media platforms.

    3. Psychological Traits

    These traits relate to the mental perspective of individuals. This is demonstrated by certain actions, affiliations, and likes that help portray behaviors. These traits are responsible for the development of the buyer persona.

    Psychological traits can be discovered by analyzing the following: –

    • Hobbies– Find out what sports, art, and types of music your clients like. Check how they spend their free time. This information can help you discover other opportunities that can help you sell your products.
    • TV Shows– Data from TV-on demand sites, video platforms, and other media publications can help you find this information. This can depict unmet demands or growing interest in a certain field. Legal online course providers, for instance, can target people who fancy watching Legal drama or movies.
    • Recommendations– Look at the behavior of customers on online platforms. Are they likely to leave comments, appreciation, or give recommendations to friends about certain products? Also, look for clients who easily leave reviews of products in online channels.
    • Political affiliations– Political orientation is also part of buyer persona analysis. This is demonstrated in national debates, social media platforms, and other news sites. Political affiliations can help find other data points like location, race, or locality.
    • Spending patterns– Is your target customer an impulsive buyer? Are they price-sensitive? Buying power can also play a huge role in shaping customer profiles. This is also an important consideration when structuring or targeting clients for luxury items, sports cars, or other high-end fashion items like jewelry.

    Psychological traits can be identified using analytical tools. They’re also provided as insights by search engines, social media sites, or other research findings. These help to further segment customers for improved targeting.

    4. Business Demographics

    Customers are also classified under the B2B (Business to Business) section. This helps in developing highly efficient leads.

    Below are some aspects that help develop a Business Customer Profile: –

    • Industry– Marketing campaigns for a certain product cannot be uniform across all industries. For example, teachers and software engineers may need different adverts on a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform.
    • Business Volume– It’s good to classify customers according to business volume or turnover for better product bundling. This can make product development teams make premium tools to cater to additional business needs.

    Big volumes can also imply a bigger purchasing power. This can help in setting good price bundles.

    • Employees size– Companies or businesses with a large pool of staff present a different set of opportunities. The number of employees can help you to target the workforce better. It can also come into play when developing products or pricing products.

    For instance, the CRM of a huge workforce may need extra customization to take care of languages, large numbers, and various levels of management.

    Business customer profiles help improve supplier relationships, enhance cross-industry networks, and, consequently, create bigger volumes of data. Sales teams can also customize sales pitch accordingly—this can help to cement and foster healthy business relationships.

    Conclusion

    To improve the sales function and lead management, an ideal customer profile is needed. Though impossible to get perfect data of a client, a structured approach can help maximize available resources and opportunities.

    Obtaining data such as location, gender, personality traits, hobbies or race is a big step in channeling your marketing efforts well. Ultimately, the ideal customer profile should help your laser-focus your advertising, product development, and offer customer-centric solutions.

  • The Pros and Cons Of Becoming a Freelancer

    Freelancing is a growing industry. Day by day many people are becoming a freelancer to enjoy their life and to be free. There are so many things which you can explore as a freelancer. This is the era of online marketing and everything is moving into digital so it’s our time to change. As a freelancer, you get the opportunity to work from your own space. You just need a good smartphone and a laptop or PC and an in-demand skillset to become a freelancer. If you have a skill or solution that you can sell in the marketplace you are all set to go.

    Truth being acknowledged; everything comes with its own set of merits and challenges and freelancing is no different. At the end of the day, it is always ‘what suits you and what doesn’t. So if you are planning to quit your job and turn freelancing into a full-time career, and this little thought quietly crept into your mind, take a look at this article and find out for yourself. Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of freelancing.

    The Pros of Freelancing

    Pros of Freelancing
    Pros of Freelancing

    You Get to Be Your Boss

    What can be better than not having a boss standing at your desk all day? The big ‘pro’ here is that the freelancing market in India allows you to learn to make independent choices, manage your affairs and decide what is to be risked and what not. You are your manager, lawyer, supervisor and financier. Freedom is both addictive and self-exploratory.

    Choosing Your Work

    One reason why more and more people in India are switching to freelancing is the monotonous nature of the regular desk jobs. Not all projects are interesting or a skill-enhancing experience. One of the major pros, hence, is that being a freelancer, you get to choose what projects to work on and what people to work with. Freelancing gives one the freedom to explore, try new work genres, adopt new techniques and keep learning as you progress further. Every project is a fresh challenge.

    Flexible Work Hours

    You can work anytime and anywhere as long as the results are great. That is all the client cares about. This is especially a boon for young parents or especially those people who can’t leave their house or work under a rigid schedule.

    Unlike 9 to 5ers, you get to prioritize your daily tasks, work in your own time and manage your schedule as per your needs.

    Also Read:

    Explore New Work Genres

    This is probably the best of all the freelancing ‘pros’. With its versatile work schedule and open business culture, Freelancing lets you experience work cultures from across the globe, build networks with people from all over the world and explore new work genres. Freelancing is simply the best way to earn while getting a chance to constantly improve your skills and add more feathers to your hat.

    Travel While Earning Money

    Many people are choosing this field because it offers you to travel the world at the same time you can also make money. This also helps freelancers to build a network and get more clients. Of course! You can also travel the world if you are in the corporate field but you will not get the freedom.

    Learn New Skills

    Freelancing means using your skills to make money. When you get any work there are so many new problems or tasks that you will discover, you have to learn new and unknown skills to complete that specific task. This one of the most interesting part of freelancing because you can explore more new talents you have.

    There are so many websites available which offers online courses for freelancers to improve more and learn new skills. You can also become a part freelancers community to build your network and become a better freelancer.

    Also read:

    The Cons Of Becoming a Freelancer

    Cons of Freelancing
    Cons of Freelancing

    Working Alone

    This sounds wrong since one of the major reasons why you had quit your job was your desire to work independently, and alone. Turns out it doesn’t hurt to have a team, behind your back, who support you when an assignment is becoming too hard and keep updating you with their feedbacks as you progress.

    Unless your profits are great, you can’t even hire an assistant and once you accept an assignment, there is no backing out. You are all alone in this, and without the securities, a regular job would provide.

    The Empty Desk Syndrome

    One of the major cons that come with freelancing is an erratic work-flow. Owing to the dicey nature of the freelance culture, sometimes you have more work than you could have asked for and other times your hours run at an empty stretch. Ask any veteran freelancer and you will get to hear a vaguely similar story.

    With time, you eventually get used to the irregularity of paychecks and schedules. The first brush with the empty desk syndrome, however, is the hardest.

    Managing Your Private and Professional Lives is Hard

    If anything, your stature as a freelancer blurs the line of distinction between your private and personal lives. Sure, the independence and the flexible work hours are nothing less of a piece of cake. And yet, if not managed well, it doesn’t take long for your professional life to start getting disturbed owing to the randomness of work schedules.

    Also read:

    Not Getting Paid for Work

    Being a freelancer also means not getting paid sometimes. This practice is notoriously common in the freelancing community. As you gain experience you eventually learn to protect yourself from non-paying clients. But in the interim, you might even find yourself running after your client to pay you for what you deserve.

    Also, you get paid after the project is finished. So if a certain project requires 3 months, it translates to two months without a paycheck. This can be hard, particularly if you are running tight on budget.

    No Fixed Income

    As a freelancer, you won’t get fixed income because it’s really hard to get regular work. Compared to a full-time job in freelancing there is no security that you will get regular work from clients. Even many freelancers are leaving this platform because of this problem. To sum up, for survival you can’t depend on freelancing if you are a beginner.

    Time Management

    As a freelancer, you work as per your schedule and this is the most difficult part of freelancing. Because a lot of time it will happen that while working on an assignment someday you will be energetic and the other day you will not be in a mood to work. While you are working as a freelancer you are not in an office and you don’t have any boss, so you have to manage your time on your own.

    Also read:

    Conclusion

    Freelancing in India can be fun and risky; enlightening and daring; oddly peaceful and yet stressful at the same time. The question is, as is with a lot of things, how well you manage it with your inherent skills? Stay put and eventually you will discover your own merits to stay or flaws to leave.

  • Billionaire Tips: How To Become Successful In Your Business

    As long as managed properly, starting your own business can become your ticket to becoming a billionaire. This endeavor allows you to experience independence, flexibility, and personal fulfilment. Being a business owner also makes it very easy for you to choose the people you work with and enables you to find your work-life balance.

    Starting your own business can provide countless benefits, but making sure that it achieves long-term success is challenging. The latter will require your time and effort as you have to continually understand what your customers need and how your competitors are thriving in the industry. Still, this doesn’t include the number of trends to which you need to adapt for the success of your business.

    For you to achieve your billionaire status as soon as possible, follow these tips on how you can become successful in your own business:

    1. Focus On Customer Service

    The business arena is saturated with businesses that offer different types of products and services. Regardless of the products or services your business offers to the public, more often than not, several businesses have already become a household name from selling these.

    For you to stand out from the competition, provide excellent customer service. Businesses can offer the same products and services, but the quality of customer service they give will surely differ.

    Start by assessing your business’s current customer service and make changes whenever and wherever necessary. Do your employees need more training in handling customers’ calls? Or, should they learn more about showing empathy during face-to-face interaction with customers? Take note of how your employees can improve on providing customer service and make sure to allocate resources for their workshops and trainings.

    2. Expand Your Marketing Efforts

    It’ll be challenging for any business to haul in customers and gain profit if they don’t have a robust marketing strategy. How can you sell your products and services if no one knows that your business exists? Do you think you can stand out from the shadows of your competitors if no one knows what your business does?

    Expanding your marketing efforts is another great way to ensure your business’s success. Effective marketing can help boost your business’s sales and allow your business to create a brand or image in the market. And, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to break the bank to expand your marketing efforts as you can try out cheap yet effective marketing strategies, such as:

    • Asking the media to cover your involvement in local openings and charity events;
    • Creating a promotion kit and, then, sending it to some of your loyal customers;
    • Developing partnerships with complementary businesses;
    • Joining professional organizations in your area; and
    • Providing free classes or workshops that are related to your products and services.

    The key to a successful marketing strategy is auditing your efforts and making improvements along the way. It’ll be challenging for you to come up with a perfect marketing strategy for the first time, so you should be willing to improve, implement, and audit often.

    3. Build Your Online Presence

    According to statistics, over 4.57 billion people around the world use the Internet regularly. Some people have even become too dependent on the Internet that they use this platform to decide which products and services should they patronize. Make the most out of this status quo by building your online presence. It’ll be easy for customers to know your business if you make yourself visible in a platform that is convenient for and accessible to them.

    An informative and adaptive website is a must for all businesses today. This online platform can do wonders for your business and can expedite your success in the industry. However, for you to successfully build your online presence, it’s not enough that you create a website just for the sake of it. The following factors should be incorporated into your business’s website and other online platforms:

    • Logo
    • Business name
    • Contact information
    • Summary of what your business does (products and services offered)
    • Feedback from customers

    Since your website plays a significant role in the brand and success of your business, it’s best if you let professionals create a website for you. These individuals have the necessary experience and training so your business can easily use a highly effective website.

    4. Hire And Retain The Right Employees

    Your business won’t succeed if you work alone. Regardless of how small your business is right now, do not expect that you can successfully manage different responsibilities at the same time. Do you have the necessary skills to manage your business’s books while implementing effective marketing strategies? How can you find time to mingle with your customers if you’re too busy with too many things?

    Retaining the right employees should also be on top of your to-do list if you want your business to succeed. Employees are valuable assets of your business because they serve as a bridge between you and your customers.

    For you to continually work with the best employees, start by implementing a thorough recruitment process. This process should allow you to assess the character of an applicant and easily determine if this person suits the job. During this time, you should also be able to assess a person’s communication skills and how they can work well under pressure.

    Once you’ve hired the right employees for the right position, you now have to allocate resources to encourage them to continue working for your business. Some of the most common employee retention strategies you can implement are:

    • Offering competitive salaries and benefits;
    • Reducing employee pain by providing them with the necessary tools for the job;
    • Engaging with employees as often as possible;
    • Providing mentorship programs to all employees; and
    • Giving communication and feedback.

    It’s Easy When You Know How

    Being a successful entrepreneur is not an easy feat, but it can always be done. Along with your commitment and patience, the tips in this article can become the key to making the most of your business and eventually becoming a huge name in the business industry!

  • 6 Reasons Why You Should Do PeopleSoft To Cloud Migration

    PeopleSoft applications work best nowadays by embracing cloud technology. Cloud migration should be considered for more secure, faster, and more reliable app functioning. The results are very promising for companies wanting to take advantage of the cloud’s advanced technology. With the help of cloud migration services, PeopleSoft to cloud migration is a lot easier.

    In this article, you’ll learn in detail the good reasons why you should migrate your PeopleSoft to the cloud so you can make an informed decision before taking such a step.

    What Is Peoplesoft?

    PeopleSoft is a collection of software applications used by large companies and organizations. It is an essential aspect of management or HR team, helping in managing human capital, keeping records of employees’ responsibilities, jobs, and qualifications, and planning employee career paths.

    The apps provide human resource services, which include the following:

    • Human Resource Management System (HRMS): It is used in human resource departments for HR management, payroll, and risk management.
    • Financials And Supply Chain Management (FSCM): This software is used in financial management and supply chain management for processing orders, inventories, and logistics.
    • Customer Relationship Management (CRM): It is used in improving customer experience, as well as learning their buying behaviors in each stage of the sales funnel for sounder decision-making when it comes to creating sales and marketing strategies.
    • Enterprise Performance Management (EPM): This PeopleSoft software is used in enterprise management. It helps in identifying key strengths and opportunities through business metric analysis and making better strategies to improve performance.

    What Is Cloud Technology?

    Cloud technology is a type of virtualization technology that stores sensitive data or any info on the Internet or “cloud”. Unlike using a computer’s hard drive or external drive to store data, the web is used as data centers for multiple users (multiple tenancies or shared resources). It means that as long as the user has an Internet-capable device, they can run software programs and access data, anytime and anywhere.

    6 Reasons Why You Should Do PeopleSoft To Cloud Migration

    1. Full Control Of PeopleSoft Environment

    PeopleSoft to cloud migration gives you granular control of your PeopleSoft environment while still allowing you to take advantage of using the same software, licenses, and trainings or skills that end-users already have. Choosing the right cloud provider with guaranteed service levels and consistent high performance will make a big difference in the smooth transitioning to the cloud.

    A company that highly depends on PeopleSoft in managing human resources, supply chain, finances, and inventory must consider PeopleSoft to cloud migration. However, not all companies are ready to use software as a service or SaaS because of control requirements, deep customization, or integration. By migrating your PeopleSoft apps to cloud infrastructure, you can take advantage of using new capabilities for better management and business operations.

    2. A Boost In Overall Business Operational Efficiency

    PeopleSoft to cloud deployment helps boost overall business operational efficiency. It improves service levels, streamlining external and internal interactions at a quicker turnaround time. Cloud migration of PeopleSoft promises higher performance capability, which allows you to target performance based on what’s currently in demand and where it is required.

    3. Automatic PeopleSoft Upgrades

    PeopleSoft to cloud migration embodies the power of automation, significantly simplifying tools and upgrades that are patched up with the Oracle Cloud manager. It has paved the way for automated new releases and software upgrades.

    4. Enhanced Data Security Feature

    Cloud service providers have robust security measures, solving security problems by encrypting the data using encryption algorithms. You gain peace of mind because your PeopleSoft apps are protected from unauthorized access and unwanted traffic. With enhanced security features, your PeopleSoft applications undergo automatic security system updates, which help prevent vulnerability to security threats.

    5. Lower IT Costs

    Moving PeopleSoft apps to cloud reduces the costs of maintaining and managing IT systems. It means that you don’t have to purchase expensive equipment and systems for your business because you can use the resources of the cloud computing service provider. Also, converting PeopleSoft applications to the cloud helps reduce operating costs.

    Check out the other benefits that PeopleSoft to cloud migration provides:

    • Save up with cloud computing services because the costs of new software, hardware, and system upgrades are usually included in the contract.
    • Companies don’t need to worry about paying many employees’ wages to handle IT.
    • PeopleSoft to cloud migration reduces energy consumption.
    • PeopleSoft to cloud migration avoids time delays. Scaling cloud computing is faster and more cost-effective than purchasing and setting up hardware yourself.

    6. Scalable Cloud Solution

    Cloud computing your PeopleSoft system data promotes scalability. Scalability refers to the ability to decrease or increase the power and size, such as an IT solution or business. With a scalable cloud, users can sign up and use cloud apps in seconds or just a few minutes, depending on the app and data size.

    Scalability of cloud computing means having the capability to add a significant amount of data or number of users, as well as hardware-like assets, such as virtual random access memory or vRAM and virtual central processing unit or vCPUs, in the cloud. Choosing the best cloud storage service provider can help you attain better scalability for your IT system and your business.

    Here are the two ways you can scale a PeopleSoft to cloud system up or down:

    • You may contact your cloud provider to request scaling.
    • You can add the resources through an online portal, such as storage to your existing account, easily and quickly, and with minimal downtime.
    • There are cloud solutions that can be automatically scaled. It means that you can set your cloud system up or down automatically depending on certain conditions. One example is providing more room when your PeopleSoft cloud solution runs out of storage space.

    Conclusion

    PeopleSoft to cloud migration is a great way to bring your business system to the next level. It helps in reducing IT cost, scaling your IT, and gaining full control over your PeopleSoft environment. Also, it helps secure your data through the cloud, thanks to the strict security features set in place, which means that authorized users are the only ones allowed to access your data.

    Moreover, deploying your PeopleSoft to the cloud helps boost your enterprise’s operational efficiency to attain your business goals without delay. System updates and data generation are automated so you can focus on other aspects of your business.

  • Hidecor- Crafting the New-age Workspaces

    Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations. The content in this post has been approved by the organization it is based on.

    As the new generation, there’s a lot more than money and incentives that motivate us to go to work.  Well crafted workspaces and decor are one of them. Companies are actively investing in creating interesting and creative work stations for their employees. Exploiting this insight to the core cofounders Anantha VR, Sujith Gopalakrishnan, and Bhavesh Godhania founded Hidecor in 2015.

    Hidecor was established with the sole idea of creating office spaces that reflect the vision and ideas that the organization represents. Hidecor helps companies design and create young, lively and vibrant office spaces that make the employees proud of where they work and push them to be more productive each day.

    Hidecor Highlights

    Startup Name Hidecor
    Headquarter Bangalore
    Founder Anantha VR, Sujith Gopalakrishnan & Bhavesh Godhania
    Sector Interior Designing
    Founded 2015
    Parent Organization HIDECOR PVT. LTD.
    Website hidecor.in

    About Hidecor and How it Works
    Hidecor – USP
    Hidecor – Target Market
    Hidecor – Founders and Team
    How was Hidecor Started
    Hidecor – User Acquisition
    Hidecor – Startup Challenges
    Hidecor – Competitors
    Hidecor – Growth
    Hidecor – Awards & Recognitions
    Hidecor – Future Plans

    About Hidecor and How it Works

    HIDECOR offers three distinct services. These are:

    • Architecture Workplace Strategy Consulting
    • Bespoke Interior Design
    • Creative Space Building

    Hidecor strives to be a one-stop solution for any brand who is looking to design and build their new office or simply renovate their existing one to optimize space and improve workforce productivity. .They focus on the real-time problems of clients right from the inception and more often than not, start with finding the right space which fits the client specifications and turns it around to build an agile and futuristic office for its team.

    Hidecor – USP

    Hidecor’s unique selling proposition is that they build a fully functional and optimized workplace in less than 90 days. The use of technology like BIM, Revit, and VR helps Hidecor to reach the accuracy in everything that they do be it design or operations.

    Hidecor – Target Market

    According to Statista, in 2016, the global interior design market was valued at approximately 121.1 billion U.S. dollars. The latest data suggests the global interior design services market size will grow by USD 23.15 billion during 2019-2023, with 35% of the growth coming from APAC. In the next 5 years, the market is expected to accelerate growth at a CAGR of over 4%.

    Factors that are driving the market growth are:

    • Increase in worldwide construction activities.
    • Growth in demand from the commercial infrastructure sector.
    • Improvement in standard of living and introduction of premium interior designing services.
    • There is a rise in the demand for smart planning and technology-integrated design services resulting from the development of smart cities, smart government institutes, airports, healthcare, and infrastructure for the public sector, driving the commercial design space.

    Also read: Success Story of De Space

    Hidecor – Founders and Team

    Anantha VR is the CEO of Hidecor. He is an aggressive entrepreneur with a track record of delivering winning results. He has a hardcore experience in turning around businesses, developing new business units and conceptualizing and launching new products as well as effectively managing international and domestic clients. With a successful sales journey of 13+ years in versatile sectors including Technology, Enterprise Mobility, IT advisory and Research, software products & ICT services, this entrepreneur has done it all.

    Sujith Gopalakrishnan is the COO of Hidecor. Sujith, too has a wide array of experience in the field. Before co-founding Hidecor, he was the head of operations at Pearson Education for three years. He has graduated from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies with an MBA and did his B.COM from Bangalore University.

    Bhavesh Godhania is the Principal Architect at Hidecor. Graduated from St Francis school of design with a master diploma in interior designing, Bhavesh has had a lot on his plate before co-founding Hidecor. He was a partner at BG design, senior project interior designer at DSP Design Associates, interior design consultant at Exquisite interiors to only name a few.

    At Hidecor, Bhavesh handles the design part while Sujith makes the design come to life at the site by handling the whole operation. Anantha is the face of Hidecor and handles the whole organization keeping it balanced and healthy.

    Team Hidecor

    Currently, they are a team of 17 people at Hidecor.

    Also read: How to effectively divide Work in Team

    How was Hidecor Started

    Hidecor was founded in 2015 with a vision to become a one-stop solution for workspaces designs. With intense research on workspaces around the globe,  the Hidecor team realized that the Indian workspace market was not so organized due to a multi-channel approach. So they decided to solve the issue of time v/s cost to enterprises with their transparent operations model, where the team works with manufacturers directly for all the materials thereby cutting corners of dealers or multiple contractors involved which saves huge costs to the client. With the use of technology like BIM, VR, and Revit, they successfully address the challenge of time taken for the delivery of the project.

    With a focused approach to making agile and futuristic workspaces, the company wants to be a partner for all enterprises right from the inception of them finding the space.  They also help their clients to do a preliminary analysis of multiple parameters of any workspaces as an added value factor to them.

    Hidecor – User Acquisition

    When Hidecor started, they focussed more on networking, leveraging Ex-Corporate Contacts and ensuring that their initial projects are exceptional to create a contagious effect of word of mouth marketing. Also, referrals were cashed upon heavily and continue to be their biggest source of leads to date.

    We invest in our team and believe in working with dedicated partners and growing together. Such partnerships have worked quite well for us. Also, the brand-building can’t be done in a day, so we try to keep things as organic as possible. – says Hidecor founder and CEO, Anantha V R.

    Hidecor – Startup Challenges

    One of the main roadblocks in the way for Hidecor was that the industry, contractors, laborers, manufacturers, and dealers are very unorganized with an imbalance in pricing and timelines. With the help of deep knowledge on 10000+ products across various segments, they bring in the standardization of pricing which helps the client to save a huge cost.

    Also, the idea of Hidecor is to design the space with maximum utility. A vibrant office isn’t necessarily optimized, especially in terms of space utilization, which in turn can translate into recurring expenditure from the client’s pocket. Hence Hidecor focuses on creating more meaningful spaces with at par industry standards of space utility with world-class designs.

    Hidecor – Competitors

    This a fairly competitive market. Well, anyone who thinks can design an office space without taking subject matter opinion like Hidecor is competition.

    Hidecor – Growth

    • Current locations- Bangalore & Hyderabad.
    • Year on Year growth – over 100%
    • Revenue – INR 30 Crores
    • Clients – TITAN, Decathlon, Bigbasket, Fluke, Novotech, Mitra Biotech, Ashirvad Aliaxis, Furlenco, OneCoWork, Grabhouse, ShopX, etc.

    Also read: Best Growth Hacking Techniques for Startups

    Hidecor – Awards & Recognitions

    Being trusted by brands like Bigbasket, Decathlon, Titan, Mitra Biotech has been an overwhelming experience for the Hidecor team. Also, most of their business comes through referrals, which is a huge vote of confidence for them showered by their clients.

    Also, they won the “Autodesk Entrepreneur Impact Program” in 2019 and use its digital prototyping software for all the projects.

    Hidecor – Future Plans

    The future initiatives of Hidecor will be focussed on penetrating the international markets mainly Singapore and Dubai.

  • Ankur Capital announces first close of its second fund at Rs 240 crore

    Ankur Capital, the early-stage venture capital fund focused on technology disruptions for the next billion, has announced the first close of its second fund Ankur Capital Fund II (ACF II) at Rs 240 crore. The fund expects to reach its target close of Rs 350 crore later this year. ACF-II saw participation from CDC Group Plc, the UK’s first impact investor and Development Finance Institution and other highly reputed international and domestic institutional investors as well as participation from existing LPs, The Dutch Good Growth Fund and SIDBI which is investing out of its Fund of Funds Startup  program.

    Founded in 2014 by Penn/INSEAD alum Ritu Verma and ex-COO of Zee e-learning Rema Subramanian, Ankur Capital’s first fund invested across 14 companies covering sectors across agritech, food, healthcare and vernacular technologies. Some of the companies include Cropin, Niramai, Healthsutra, ERC, and StringBio.

    CDC has been responsibly investing in Indian funds for over 30 years. Alongside its capital, CDC partners with Funds and businesses that work to create significant development impact across multiple sectors. Working closely with Ankur Capital, CDC will play a key role in advancing the Fund’s approach to environmental and social practices, both at the fund and portfolio level. CDC will also help strengthen the network of portfolio advisers and build further capacity in portfolio companies.

    Clemens Gerteiser, Head of Investment for the Dutch Good Growth Fund, said: “Ankur embodies DGGF’s role of spearheading new initiatives for the missing middle. The team has shown great tenacity and dedication in a challenging market and we have been fortunate to be able to support Ankur’s journey so far: Initially with seed capital and business development and now with a cornerstone investment into their new fund.”

    Ritu Verma, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Ankur Capital, said, “At Ankur, our investing philosophy has always been to support entrepreneurs who are building technology led solutions for the mass markets. We are thankful to our backers to help us make a difference at the ground level”. Rema Subramanian, Co-founder & Managing Partner, Ankur Capital added, “Ankur is looking to go deeper with its investments and will support companies from INR 3cr to 35 crores.”

    The second fund was launched in early 2019 and has also onboarded Krishnan Neelakantan, ex-head of CLSA India Research as a partner. The fund will continue its focus on frontier technologies that unlock markets for the next billion. It will continue to leverage its expertise and knowledge in the agritech, food, vernacular and health space but will also expand into sectors such as fintech and edtech. The fund expects to make 15-18 investments and will look to deploy in 6-8 companies in this coming year.

    About CDC

    CDC Group is the UK’s first impact investor with over 70 years of experience of successfully supporting the sustainable, long-term growth of businesses in South Asia and Africa. The Fund is a leading player in the fight against climate change and a UK champion of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – the global blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for us all.

    CDC is funded by the UK government and all proceeds from its investments are reinvested to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa and South Asia. CDC’s expertise makes it the perfect partner for private investors looking to devote capital to making a measurable environmental and social impact in countries most in need of investment.

    About the Dutch Good Growth Fund

    DGGF is funded by the Dutch Government and is a program that aims to improve access to finance for ‘missing middle’ SMEs in 68 selected countries. This is achieved by investing in funds and other financial intermediaries that have the relevant capacity and local presence to directly reach out to companies in the DGGF’s target markets. The fund is managed by Triple Jump BV, a Netherlands based Impact Investment Manager.