As part of our endeavour to bring compelling stories from the start-up ecosystem, we invited yet another passionate womanpreneur Neha Chitkara Sharma for an interview with us to understand more about her entrepreneurial journey. She is the Founder of ‘SkillDosti.com’ and ‘Qlasses.com’. Let’s learn more!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Neha:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your start-ups, please?
I am an Engineering Postgraduate and before plunging into entrepreneurship, I worked in the IT industry as a software developer for over 4 years in the Big Data domain. I always had an urge to work towards the development of the creative industries and fulfil the requirements of the upcoming youth and generation. For this, my partner and I started ‘SkillDosti.com’ and ‘Qlasses.com’ – both working towards the development of the creative sectors.
SkillDosti.com is a hiring platform exclusively for the creative industries. Recruiters can connect with prospective candidates in creative industries like fashion designing, performing arts, media, entertainment, designing, animation, architecture and interior designing. Both jobs and freelancing opportunities are listed on the platform.
Through Qlasses.com, candidates can connect with top experts and learn creative skills like filmmaking, music, animation, photography, art, dance and many more through the inbuilt live virtual classroom. We believe that online learning is incomplete without human connection. With Qlasses, the candidate enjoys the liberty to clear his/her doubts, interact with the instructor one on one at his/her preferred time and place.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
From the very beginning, I was very passionate about solving problems and making an impact on society as a whole. It has always been my dream to add value to the lives of people and there is no better way than developing people and their skills.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of
motivation?
The very fact that we’re trying to solve a problem which no one else is, gives me and my team immense motivation and zeal to keep moving forward despite the challenges and obstacles.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
The initial challenge was to understand how creative industries work with respect to their hiring ecosystem. Each industry is different and so are their hiring processes. Some of the creative industries still rely on traditional methods to hire. Their hiring processes are very different from hiring in the IT industry, which is now quite organized. Understanding the requirements of creative professionals was altogether another challenge. My team and I are still working on these challenges and have made significant progress.
What comes first for you – money or emotions?
Emotions. It gives me immense satisfaction and pride when we are able to bring a positive impact on someone’s career or life and this is what we, as a team, are striving for.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
When you start to pursue something like this, pressure and stress are complementary. Whenever I am low or in stress, this adage infuses motivation in me – ‘When You Feel Like Quitting Remember Why You Started’. Also, when you are extremely passionate about something, you need only one reason to go on.
What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person?
I believe, to succeed, one must know what he wants to achieve. If the goal is clear, so will be the path to success. I always carry my notebook with me and whenever I get an idea or a supporting idea, I write it down. I think about it and if I feel it is viable, I try to execute it. This strategy has helped me grow in my professional as well as in my personal life.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
1) Persistence
2) Not Quitting (Never give up on your goals)
3) Embrace who you are and your divine purpose.
4) Deal with every hurdle with enthusiasm and zeal. It will surely help in achieving all your endeavours.
What advice would you give to someone starting, particularly to aspiring entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurship is fascinating, but it also has a dark side to it. My advice to people out there would be that don’t just jump into it unless you are very passionate about it. Be mentally and emotionally prepared to go through ups and downs. If you opt for it, embrace it and be strong as a rock.
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.
