As part of our ongoing endeavour, we interviewed yet another promising young entrepreneur, Nakul Kundra – Founder at Fourtek. Nakul is a tech enthusiast, passionate entrepreneur and change enabler. Fourtek has been in the industry of Information Technology for more than a decade, holding a core motive to make a change in the world by providing solutions perfectly crafted with intelligence and creativity. Let’s read more about his journey, way forward and his advice for others!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Nakul:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey, please;
I did my Masters in Marketing and Finance. I am passionate about marketing since this profession allows me to connect with change-makers who are passionate about building the next big thing by providing them with the right guidance and partnering with my clients to bring those ideas to reality. I bring customer-centric mindfulness that enables my company to constantly serve, innovate & thrive in this competitive domain. I have been a proud member of the Technology & Marketing industry for more than a decade now but my intellectual curiosity drives me to be a lifelong learner.
My real entrepreneurial journey started when I founded Fourtek IT solution, an India based software engineering & application development company with offices in India and Japan.
Fourtek is headquartered in New Delhi, India. I started Fourtek 11 years back. Majority of the business for us comes from the USA and Japan. Being a technical enthusiast, my interest is always bent towards technology. I am always up for a coffee to discuss the technical challenges faced by the corporates and startups. Being people’s person, I always wanted to do something for society to make them feel HAPPY.
During my journey as an IT consultant, I realised that 88% of India is not able to converse in English, however, the usage of technology is only in English, which is, of course, a big gap. So, I along with my co-partners came up with an idea of doing something in languages. Hence, we started Devnagri – which is an AI-powered human translation platform. We translate the content in Indian languages using our Machine Learning along with human intervention which produces contextual results. In order to empower Devnagri, I also created a community of translators wherein we have 5000+ translators available translating the content in Indian languages.
I realised that I should help the society in a way that they all should feel equal and there should not be any disparity in terms of languages. I actively invest in my growth as an individual and this enables me to keep my critical thinking skills sharp which in turn helps individuals in my team and the entire Fourtek organization at large. I always focus on developing skills necessary to drive healthy and growing businesses including leadership, communication, skills, social media, digital marketing and thought leadership.
I strongly believe that work ethics play a crucial role in your growth and there is always a smart way to work hard which is far more important than the number of hours you are in the office a day. Intensity, curiosity, focus and, impatience (when necessary) as well as being fiercely loyal are all characteristics that have enabled me to achieve success inside & outside the office.
On personal front, I enjoy trying out new cuisines and travelling my way around the world, I spend my leisure time playing table tennis & talking about technology, languages & marketing. I love to connect with people and explore new technologies out there in the market and how I can leverage that for the betterment of our society.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
Oh! I just love entrepreneurship. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset. I wanted to make an impact on other’s lives. I selected technology which is, of course, making people’s lives easy. My other startup is technology and languages, which is again creating an impact. We are making technology talk to people in the language they speak over the language they understand.
These things I would have never been able to do in a JOB.
You see – I am not a 9 to 5 person. I love challenges and the excitement it brings along every single time.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
I want to make lives of people much easier in any which way I can. I want to see people from Tier-3 cities to order online OR apply for a medical subscription without anyone’s help. I want to see people independent and confident while using technology. I have a strong belief “If technology product cannot ease your life, it is useless”
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
Creating a great team is always a challenge. We cannot achieve more by working single-handedly. You have to have a team who can look into your vision and stand with you to make it their vision. A company without a vision and team without skills is useless. Great skilful team is an asset and unskilled team is a liability. We have come a long way to solve that problem.
What comes first for you – money or emotions?
Money is always a Bi-product. We should believe in what we are doing. Following your Vision is more important which will make you happy.
Break your vision into small achievable missions which makes you walk through the path you have selected.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
My assertive attitude towards getting the things is always a key to manage the stress.
As an entrepreneur one should always be prepared to get real-time challenges and getting panic or stressed will never help.
The team is always looking up to you and as a leader, you should sail the boat out of every up and down.
Doing regular workouts, spending time with your family and travelling will always help you to manage the day to day pressure.
What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person?
For me, dedication, commitment and believing in what you are doing will always clear the path
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Network shows your net worth.
Have an aggressive growth mindset to get the things done.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Think of an idea which solves the problem of society and not yours.
Validate the problem statement and its solution with your close group of family and friends
Remember, they are your first customers. If they accept it, try the same in your society and then expand it
Every brilliant idea was never accepted to go. People will retaliate and demotivate you. It’s only you who can motivate yourself. This will only be possible if you have a strong instinct and belief in your idea.
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.
