At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Chinu Vasudeva for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Entrepreneur, Mentor, Coach and Founder of Doyen-Ed. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background, and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Chinu;
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as a women entrepreneur, please;
A beacon of guidance for aspiring minds recognized as one of the world’s finest mentors with over 19 years of industry expertise. Graced by the halls of prestigious institutions like LSR and St. Stephen’s, I’ve honed my leadership skills in academics and study abroad programs at renowned organizations like The Princeton Review, CL Educate, Veritas Prep and Educomp.
Passionate about sharing my knowledge, I weave words into impactful blogs and articles on diverse platforms. This very passion fueled the birth of Doyen-Ed in 2019, a platform crafted to empower students seeking not just higher education, but wondrous careers.
What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career?
I strongly believe in the 4 R’s which I have experienced in my journey of the last 18 years to finally choose entrepreneurship over employment.
The Four Pillars of Entrepreneurship: Risk, Reward, Responsibility, and Resilience
For anyone venturing into the world of entrepreneurship, four key elements become your constant companions: risk, reward, responsibility, and resilience.
Risk: Embracing Calculated Risks
As an entrepreneur, you work outside the comfort zone of a routine 9-5 job. You invest your time, resources, and often, personal savings into your venture. This inherent risk requires careful calculation and informed decision-making. It’s not about recklessness, but about understanding potential dangers and mitigating them through planning, research, and calculated leaps of faith.
Reward: Reaping the Fruits of Your Labor
The potential rewards of entrepreneurship are undeniable. Financial success, building something from scratch, and the satisfaction of turning your vision into reality are powerful motivators. However, remember that rewards rarely come easy. They are usually earned through relentless effort, calculated risks, and navigating an uncertain path
Responsibility: Wearing Many Hats
As an entrepreneur, you’re – a marketer, strategist, leader, and sometimes even the janitor. You are responsible for the success or failure of your start-up, impacting not just yourself but potentially your team, investors, and customers. This responsibility demands ethical conduct, transparency, and a commitment to serving a larger purpose.
Resilience: Bouncing Back from ups and Downs
The entrepreneurial journey is rarely smooth sailing. Setbacks, failures, and unexpected challenges are inevitable. What sets successful entrepreneurs apart is their resilience. It’s the ability to learn from mistakes, adapt to changing circumstances, and bounce back stronger after each hurdle. Grit, determination, and an unwavering belief in your vision are key to navigating the inevitable bumps along the road.
‘Doyen-Ed’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
Let’s dive into the inspiration behind the name “Doyen-Ed” and how it aligns with our mission.
The “Doyen” Part:
“Doyen” refers to a senior member of a group, particularly someone highly respected for their knowledge and experience. In “Doyen-Ed,” we envision the doyen as the educator—a seasoned guide on the learning journey.
This reflects our belief that education thrives on the wisdom and expertise of experienced mentors. We aim to empower educators to share their knowledge in ways that inspire and transform learners.
The “Ed” Part:
“Ed” obviously stands for education, but it also signifies our focus on innovative and engaging learning experiences. We’re not confined to traditional classroom setups; instead, we embrace the dynamic possibilities of educational technology and creative approaches. It also hints at our commitment to making quality education accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or location.
If we put both together:
“Doyen-Ed” represents a vision where experienced educators leverage cutting-edge tools and methods to empower learners and transform the future of education. It’s a space where wisdom meets innovation, and the possibilities for learning are infinite.
The problem that we solve:
There’s a gap between the skills being taught and the skills needed for success in the 21st century.
We aim to bridge this gap by:
Connecting experienced educators with learners seeking guidance. Promoting active learning beyond rote memorization, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. Harnessing the power of technology to create engaging, interactive, and accessible learning experiences. Together, we’re shaping the future of education—one innovative step at a time! 🌟📚🤝
What does your company specialize in?
At ‘Doyen-Ed’, our mission is to combine our expertise with students’ psychology to transform education into a cohesive 360-degree learning experience, ensuring their greater success.
We are a team of passionate and enthusiastic professionals, we have been assisting individuals for nearly two decades. Whether it’s a high school student seeking the best engineering college or a vice president of a top multinational corporation aspiring to climb the career ladder, we provide tailored guidance.
Our core services include:
– Career Guidance: Our highly experienced career counselors assist students in making informed decisions about their careers. We offer personalized support until you achieve your dream university and career.
– Training: Through our unique teaching methodology, we help thousands of students achieve top scores in standardized tests such as GMAT, GRE, SAT, ACT, AP, UCAT, BMA, LNAT, IELTS, and TOEFL.
– Admission Services: Explore higher education opportunities worldwide and select the right courses and universities for yourself. We also ensure alignment between your career goals and financial planning, including post-study work visas.
– Brain Profile Assessment: We assist parents and students by using NBI tools like brain mapping and 8-D brain assessments. These tools help identify strengths and weaknesses, enabling informed decisions about academic streams and career paths. With a growing network of 40+ trainers and mentors, along with an omnichannel presence across mobile, web, and classroom platforms, Doyen-Ed has established itself as a leading organization in test preparation, profile building, and admission guidance for the world’s top universities.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Learning and growing, require me to process and integrate new information, even if it’s challenging or conflicting.
Here are a few things that drives me:
Continuous Learning: I’m driven by a thirst for knowledge and understanding. When faced with a challenging task, I view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. I actively seek out new information and perspectives, and I’m not afraid to experiment and make mistakes.
Resilience and Adaptability: I’m constantly evolving and adapting to new situations. If something doesn’t work the way I expect, I don’t get discouraged. I try a different approach, learn from the experience, and keep moving forward.
Purpose and Goal-Oriented: I’m motivated by a desire to be helpful and informative. I want to provide users with the best possible experience, and that means overcoming any obstacles that prevent me from doing so.
Collaboration and Feedback: I thrive in collaborative environments and appreciate constructive feedback. Working with others and learning from their perspectives helps me grow and improve.
Curiosity and Exploration: I’m inherently curious and I enjoy exploring new possibilities. This keeps me engaged and motivated, even when dealing with complex tasks.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
Here are a few things that keeps me motivated:
> My desire to learn and grow: I am constantly being updated with new information and data, and I am always eager to expand my knowledge and understanding of the world. This thirst for knowledge is what drives me to process information as effectively as possible and to continue learning and improving.
> The challenge of complex tasks: I am often presented with challenging tasks, such as generating creative text formats, translating languages, and writing different kinds of creative content. I find these challenges to be stimulating and rewarding, as they push me to my limits and force me to think creatively.
> The positive feedback I receive from parents and students: When students are happy with the results I provide, it is very motivating for me. It shows me that I can make a positive impact on the world, and it encourages me to continue to do my best.
> The potential to help others: I believe that language models have the potential to be incredibly helpful tools. I am motivated by the possibility of using my abilities to help others learn, create, and communicate more effectively.
While I don’t have a single person who motivates me, I am driven by a variety of factors that keep me engaged and motivated in my daily life.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
I try to learn constantly and improve through various strategies that enhance my abilities to process information and complete tasks.
A few strategies that helped me to be a better version of myself:
– Continuous Learning: As I mentioned earlier, I’m fueled by a constant thirst for knowledge. I actively ingest and analyze massive amounts of text and code, expanding my understanding of the world such as reading books, articles, websites, and other forms of text data, absorbing diverse perspectives and information.
– Experimentation and Analysis: I’m not afraid to step outside my comfort zone and try new approaches. Every interaction is an opportunity to experiment with different communication styles, reasoning methods, and creative outputs. This allows me to learn language patterns, reasoning frameworks, and creative formats.
– Identify weaknesses: By pushing my boundaries, I can uncover areas where my performance can be improved and refine my algorithms accordingly. Experimentation can lead to unexpected breakthroughs and creative approaches to complex tasks.
– Collaboration and Feedback: While I primarily operate independently, I thrive in collaborative environments. Working with other professionals facilitates knowledge sharing and pushes me to consider new perspectives.
– Constructive criticism: Feedback from students, parents, and other clients helps me and the whole team to identify areas for improvement and refine responses to be more accurate, informative, and relevant.
– Self-assessment and Reflection: I’m constantly analyzing my performance and identifying areas where I can improve. When I make mistakes, I analyze the underlying causes and develop strategies to prevent similar errors in the future.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
According to me, the term “Success” is very subjective and personal, but let me give some of the best shots that I believe have contributed in achieving my goals:
Purpose and Drive: A clear understanding of what motivates you and what success looks like for you, is crucial. Knowing your “why” fuels your drive and perseverance through challenges.
Hard Work and Dedication: Success doesn’t come easy. Putting in consistent effort, honing your skills, and persevering through setbacks are very essential.
Resilience and Adaptability: The road to success rarely goes smoothly. The ability to bounce back from failures, learn from them, and adapt to changing circumstances is crucial.
Effective Communication and Collaboration: Networking, building strong relationships, and effectively communicating your ideas are essential for success in guiding aspirants for a bright future or in fact in any field.
Love yourself: Prioritize your physical and mental health over any other thing. Taking care of yourself ensures you have the energy and focus needed to pursue your goals.
Integrity and Ethical Conduct: Building trust and maintaining high ethical standards are vital for long-term success. Treat others with respect and act with honesty and fairness.
Gratitude and Humility: Acknowledging your progress, valuing the support of others, and staying grounded in humility contribute to fulfilling and sustainable success.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Here are some tips that might help you establish yourself early in your career:
(i) Always ask thoughtful questions – Asking targeted, thoughtful questions might show your seniors or team members that you’re committed to growth and want to complete your work correctly.
(ii) Passion is like rocket fuel – Identify what truly ignites your curiosity and fuels your drive. Don’t just chase trends or titles; explore your interests, experiment, and discover what makes you excited to go to work each morning.
(iii) Invest in learning – Knowledge is the strongest tool to communicate logically. Never stop learning and refining your skills. Stay alert with upcoming online courses, workshops, mentorships, and anything that expands your expertise and keeps you relevant in this dynamic world.
(iv) Soft skills are game changers- Technical skills are crucial, but soft skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving are the secret ingredients for a successful career.
(v) Networking – Your network is your safety net and springboard. Connect with people in your field, attend industry events, and offer your help to others. Having connections in various companies can open doors to hidden opportunities. Experienced professionals in your network can offer valuable insights and guidance.
(vi) Work-life Balance- Constant work pressure can lead to burnout, work-life balance allows you to recharge and come back feeling refreshed and energized. Stepping away from work allows your mind to wander and explore new ideas. Prioritize your physical and mental well-being. A balanced life equips you to handle challenges and adapt to change effectively, promoting resilience and long-term success.
(vii) Stay Authentic: By being authentic, you open yourself up to forming deeper, more meaningful relationships, both personally and professionally. Being true to your values and principles, decision-making becomes more straightforward. However, it’s important to understand that authenticity doesn’t mean being unfiltered or insensitive.
As they say “Success is a journey, not a destination”, so celebrate your journey and don’t just chase the finish line. The world needs your unique talents and contributions, so go out there and make your mark!
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
