As part of our ongoing quest to get you meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world, we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur Kunal Thacker for an exclusive interview with BrilliantRead Media. He is the Co-founder of Katha Joint. Let’s learn more about his inspiring journey, way forward and his advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Kunal:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as an entrepreneur, please;
I passed out of Greenlawns High School, pursued my Bachelor’s degree at H. R. College of Commerce & Economics and then went on to get my MMS (Masters in Management Studies – University of Mumbai) degree from MET Institute of Management, Bandra.
I was always passionate about advertising and events; design and experiences are what caught my eye first and the other details followed, to an extent that I knew I wanted to major in Marketing but didn’t know which college would do get into.”
My college days are what laid the foundation for my career in the experiential as I actively participated and headed various events and sporting committees. From playing tennis on the circuit level to club level cricket and emceeing I wanted to do it all and it was more for the experience more than anything as it allowed me to interact with people and that is what drove me to participate and create.
The most memorable event was being a part of the core committee of MET Utsav (the annual cultural festival at MET); this is where I learnt the tricks of the trade and how to think on my feet as one year the rains destroyed our setup and we had less than 4 hours to take the entire festival indoors – from decoration, sounds, lights and crowd management that one event made me realise what my calling was.
Not ignoring my creative side, I loved watching commercials or browsing through award-winning campaigns, which inspired me to create my own set of campaigns for social awareness and these campaigns led me to win the prestigious MOBIUS International Advertising Awards in Los Angeles, followed by being shortlisted at the Young Guns Awards.”
I wasn’t an avid reader but was an observer and always out my thoughts to paper – this is what allowed me to grow; I still have those scribbled sheets in my file and I always browse them once in a while.
From then on, I worked with respected agencies like Everest Brand solutions, Shobiz Entertainment, PERCEPT ICE and Fountainhead MKTG. it was in 2017 when I decided to take the plunge and pursue my entrepreneurial dream, that’s when Katha Joint was born
What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career?
I am a third-generation entrepreneur and trace the roots of my business acumen from my family business of oil brokerage, going to the office during college days is what taught me a lot.
From serving plates to dialling numbers, to back end excel sheets and interactions with the clients; this made me want to pursue my own venture and here I would want to make a mention of my father and sister who not only made sure I learnt how to stay grounded but gave my dreams the flight of fantasy with all their support.
The freedom to create, the independence of decision making and taking up the onus to delivering quality to the client is what made me want to start Katha Joint. It was never about just leading a team or being the creative head; the dreams to create a team of “like-minded” individuals who believed in ‘rolling’ memorable experiences for the client.
THE MOST IMPORTANT WAS THE RISK TAKING CAPACITY AND SELLING EXPERIENCE WHICH MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
‘Katha Joint’ 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 with the help of your startup?
The idea came up over a cup of ‘masala chai’ after going through over 250 names and scrapping every one of them, Katha Joint stood at par with another name – Story Sutra.
The latter has a global reach as its entirely English and is simple to pronounce, but Katha Joint is what struck me and I immediately connected with it as the name completed our core idea of “rolling memorable stories for a client in the form of events/weddings/digital content. Yes, people have mispronounced Katha at times and it may not be a full English name but it is what WE stand for, global in reach with an Indian appeal’ or as we fondly say giving Global Stories an Indian High.
Katha Joint is the “joint” where creative ideas are “rolled” into an experience (event/wedding) or a digital story which gives the ultimate “high” to TG/guests.
As a company, we are dedicated towards creating customized brand experiences and stories which are not only impactful but also leave the target audience asking for more.
During this COVID-19 crisis, what are the measures you have undertaken to continue your business without disruption?
Look, every business is different and thus there is no 1 key that fits all, so as a team we had taken steps since inception which allowed us to keep fixed costs low. The team is small but high on experience so that has always allowed us to deliver quality events with precision; also, the freelance model for event management has helped us.
But learning never stops and every business has to evolve so did Katha Joint; we observed industry trends, headed to the words of our mentors and moved towards the VIRTUAL world with virtual LIVE events and began rolling experience there. Over time we have come to exist as a PHYGITAL company which tackles events smartly – a tantalizing of mix pf physical experience and breath-taking virtual stream.
Yes, keeping the team lean is what has helped us get through these tough times and one mantra – WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. STRONGER TOGETHER.
What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story?
At Katha Joint, it is never about I or Me it is always WE so yes teamwork is the core, we are stubborn and do not want to give up and most importantly be grateful at every opportunity presented – no event is too small that you leave it and none too big that you cannot execute.
How do you manage yourself and keep on going despite the challenges? What drives you?
The opportunity to create memorable experiences, be it for corporates or families through weddings and parties is what drives us. Just imagine the responsibility being handed over to us as we become custodians of a brand or a family’s legacy; the opportunity of converting those designs into reality, scripting a dreamy wedding, bringing a smile on the attendee’s face and CREATING some NEW every single TIME is what keeps the fire burning.
We love the CHAOS and it CALMS us, We love adding our METHOD to the MADNESS.”
In your opinion – what is more necessary: Idea or a good team for a successful startup?
Explore. Evolve. Empower
Explore the world and opportunities, evolve with time and empower the team to align their vision to the company’s mission.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned building your startup?
1 – Stay humble
2 – Be transparent
3 – Never Say Never
Please share with us – what has worked well for you so far?
The blessings of the Almighty and family members is what has definitely helped us always; the fact that the company reflects our ethos and we stand for the company is what has created this surreal bond and allowed us to face every obstacle with a smile.
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
They call me a “stubborn BULL” and I take it as a compliment because seeing Katha Joint grow is what keeps me going and I will not stop. The company completed 3 years on November 21st and we have come a long way, we are small and there’s the world to explore.
Just imagine, two families entrust you with the responsibility of planning and managing a wedding where there’s a lot at stake, especially the legacy and after all the chaotic meetings, discussions, sleepless nights, corrections and madness the event come to life with serene floral décor, music, some memorable clicks, great food and above all SMILEs on their face. These smiles at the end of it all are what keeps us going.
We would love to know your advice for all those starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur?
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.
