From AppEntrepreneur to Entrepreneur, the incredible journey of Pratik Kanada
I, along with 2 of my companions, started a firm under the category of the same. Of Course, we faced the hardest time of life as the working hours dedicated to our business increased every month and we were like "It would have been better if we opted for a good Job."
We hear lots of stories of startups, real life entrepreneurs, and their inspiring journey; we compare them with our own. Why do we do that? Because, we all have an ‘Entrepreneur’ inside us who wants to come out and show the potential; it airs out when you observe, analyze and follow a role-model. You ask yourself, “What would I do if I were at his place?”
Well, today, we are going to have an adventure with an Entrepreneur who, in his young age, has touched the pinnacle. Don’t go away; he can be your next Role-Model. Today, in our “Please tell us your story”, we have an Entrepreneur, Writer, and Story-Teller- Mr.Pratik Kanada. Let’s have some chitchat with him, sharing hard times, strategies he follows, role-model he has, fun things he does with his team, and much more.
Tell us about you and your company
I am Pratik Kanada- CEO of 360 Degree Technosoft. People call me ‘Mr.Raconteur’, ‘PK’, ‘Extemporist’. I write about Leadership, Start-up Quests, Social Media, Latest Tech Trends and Mobile Applications. I always peek into the intersection of changing layers of the technological era. I am working on my book ‘Mobile Application Outsourcing: A Detailed Analysis’. It will be soon published worldwide. PS- Friends say “RajKumar Hirani stole my acronym.”
360 Degree Technosoft is one of the renowned mobile app development companies across India. It caters services and solutions to business communities in designing and developing the mobile applications for Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, and Blackberry. Also,we provide the same for the website design and development
What’s the one thing your business is known for?
Our Pricing Model, customization in the services that lures the clients towards us is one of the monopoly factors we have created since the inception of the company in 2009. Our competitors (to our knowledge) takes surplus charge for added maintenance of the websites and mobile applications after its launch.
Explain why you’re known for the above
We have a skilled pool of technical professionals that have expertise in the latest mobile and web technologies, offering versatile information technology solutions to our global business clients. Our innovative ways for IT services have made us the leaders in this field. We have many skills and processes that have led to our success. When you entitle us your project to get our services you can expect:
Effective for small and dedicated projects which are web app or mobile app related
Robust development idea focused stringently by us
Timely completion of project as decided before its start-up
Experienced team of professionals working on your project
How did the business get started?
It all started when I completed my engineering & I was like, "Oh, No! From now, I have to get up when the boss wants me to, I will have to work for others." Since college, I was proficient in the mobile application and website development niche. I thought,
"Why not to give a startup a try? I will eventually begin doing the job if it fails."
I, along with 2 of my companions, started a firm under the category of the same. Of Course, we faced the hardest time of life as the working hours dedicated to our business increased every month and we were like "It would have been better if we opted for a good Job."
Yes, it all started with a vision (Seriously, they say it right "Vision and Mission are necessary). It worked for me. :) Slowly, and Gradually, I was closing over to my goal; 'The App Entrepreneur' was live on February 1, 2012. Then, when I got interviewed by 'Appfutura, I realized that the business has been running with full-throttle and it's because the business was started well.
Explain what is the biggest “win” in your business’s history? How it came about?
ABB Group, a prestigious and global leader in power and automation technologies, wanted a versatile mobile app that should suffice multiple functions in it. The idea that has popped up into the client’s mind is fascinating. We were intrigued by their idea. It has proved to be spectacular, as the sole intention behind this ideation is limited to specific and selected users. They wanted an Enterprise Mobile Application which is a closed group but must fulfill all their sealed requirements. Their concept was already dazzling and gripping, but we reshaped it and made it refined through our arduous efforts.
We not only began our robust development of ABB Event app but also balanced their requested modifications regularly. We redesigned the application’s theme and re-navigated it, even after the UAT (User Acceptance Tested) was done, in order to meet client’s change request. We added several features that followed their primary requirements.
All things considered, we used the latest tools and technologies in the project; swift 2.0 and java is implied to iPhone and Android app respectively. iPhone Xcode and Android Studio were utilized to add more feathers to its cap; all the Apple’s guidelines were strictly followed in the app.
The application was not only complex but also lengthy since it involved the plethora of inventive features. It was an all-new and all-around experience for us and ABB as we have to co-ordinate each other at every single step as the app concept demanded staggering attributes to be accomplished in the fixed desired time. Our 24*7 support, impressed ABB team quite remarkably, justifies the extra efforts put by the developers.
It hit on Android and Apple App Store within 25 days, with all the necessary modifications done in between. The credit goes to the 213 hours of day & night work, deliberately put by our dedicated developers so as to meet their demand punctually. During the whole journey, lots of difficulties were faced but the good part was that it could not last long because of our expertise.
In brief, their solely informative idea is now a full- fledged and purposeful enterprise application that comprises of every distinctive and dynamic feature. ABB Group can also use this app every time they held events at any corner of the world.
What’s the favorite lunch food of you or your team?
Pav Bhaji, Spaghetti, and barbecue.
What’s your favorite quote, and who originally said it?
Steve Jobs said,
"Because the people who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones who do."
And his only biggest rival till now, Bill Gates saying, “If you born poor, it’s not your mistake but if you die poor it’s your mistake.”
Did you ever almost go out of business? If yes, explain how did you manage to stay in business?
Every business has its hard time where the hope,faith,toiling and efforts go vain. 360 Degree Technosoft was growing in the market but looking at the niche and the growth we were having, many business athletes entered into the same with [already] a big name in the market in other sectors. They spent more than enough money in marketing and our e-ranking was drowning. Well, for an instance, I felt, "Money matters and it's the highest priority (than quality)." But, I kept cool as for the first time, I was feeling that we were going out of business even though we had quality developers and experts.
The Team hired SEO team(Expert) and we all began to strive to market with full-throttle. It took time but since then, we are in the top 5 results of 'Mobile App Development Company India' and in top 3 for 'Mobile App Development Company Ahmedabad'. Ahmedabad-the native city for our company has made a mark and it's still intact after 7 long years.
If you could do it all over again, what one thing would you do differently, and why?
My thoughts flicked across the spectrum from concrete career choices to people and personal relationships. If I could do it all over again, I would definitely 'Worry less'.
I wasted a precious time and energy worrying about:
“What if I don’t get that project?” – I didn’t, but ended up with a better one
“What if I do not make the profit this fiscal year?” It would have ended up being a good way to get on with the rest of my life sooner.
I know that I was young and the adrenaline rush would accelerate that anxiousness anyhow but I think the approach, strategies, and mindset would have been totally different from now. (Now is Goooood). Worrying just makes things more complicated than it is actual.
Who’s your Favorite Fiction Character?
007, who else? Daniel Craig, I follow his etiquette and style.
Who’s your Favorite Singer and Actor?
Taylor Swift, Eminem, Pitbull, Snoop Dogg.
Umm, Aston Kutcher and Bradley Cooper. There is a tie :D
If you had an extra $100,000 in your business, what would you use it for?
Any Entrepreneur would say that he would expand the business and put it in marketing side. But I would rather do something different. Experts and Genius Mobile developers are going out to Pune, Bangalore, and other metro cities of India as they are not getting enough pay scale in Gujarat. I would create ample opportunities for them to make them eager enough to stay here itself.This would ultimately create a balance between the state employment and the overall unemployment.
To the question, $100,000 would be well spent on a brand new startup that would eventually solve the above issues.
Tell us an interesting and fun tidbit about your business
Let me tell you one funny thing. We are the really jolly-molly company; we never considered our employee as outsiders. The company comprises of many guys and girls who are from outstate or Suburbans, but all that matters to us is that when we are inside the corridors of the '360 Degree Technosoft', we are family.
Yes, we went out on a picnic to 'Gir Sanctuary'. The theme was simple. Everybody had to imagine one character of 'Game of Thrones' as their protagonists always encourage us to be a dauntless leader. Every hour, the tracking would have one leader and his/her strategies to motivate and cherish the team so that the team doesn't get tired to reach the peak point of 'Girnar' Mountain, one of the highest in India.
Well, to be frank, there were two winners, one from guys who was like Lord Baelish and other from girls (Obviously) who replicated Khaleesi.
It indirectly brainstormed the capabilities of leadership inside everyone. It was a fun 3 days outing where and when the employees felt there were in the movie and a fantastic fable was made.
If your business were a book, song or famous artwork, what would it be and why?
We (The Team) love 'Game of Thrones' -TV season and many of us have read the original Book. So the book name would be 'Song of Ice and Fire'and its theme music would be our dedicated song. It also justifies the fluctuations that happen in the business especially with the entrepreneurs.
PS-Even, I [Pratik Kanada] have published an article with title 'How Game of Thrones' plot and Entrepreneur's life are almost same?' This article was published on Entrepreneur.com (Fortunately). From then, I didn't stop. I personally feel that one of the biggest achievements of my company is when it got a reputable place in Small Biz Spotlight.
What’s the biggest risk your business ever took? Explain what it was, what could have happened if it had gone wrong, and the end result of the risk.
The SEO Team we hired was outsourced and we were paying double the amount than regular. If that 6 months period of 'SEO' had gone wrong, then our financial condition would have been worse as 30% of the revenue was utilized in the attempt to rank in Google. I can't even imagine if it had gone wrong. Then, today I might not be having this relaxed chitchatting time.
I must confess one thing for sure,
"There is the risk in everything. The only risk is Not-risking yourself."
