At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Shreekala Kurup for an exclusive interview with us. Shreekala is an Entrepreneur, Leader and Co-Founder & COO of Crackverbal. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background, and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Shreekala:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I lived the first two decades of my life in Gujarat. And when you are surrounded by enterprising people you just become like them. I guess this was my exposure to entrepreneurship.
I started my career with a startup based out of Mumbai, where we were developing a product similar to Oracle to assist businesses. Subsequently, I got an opportunity in a similar space at Hewlett Packard. This was the time I moved to Bangalore.
My journey at HP was incredible—I gained extensive industry exposure, worked with some exceptionally sharp individuals, and had great experience working with customers worldwide. HP taught me about processes, technology and everything I needed to know to grow in a corporate career.
“Moonlighting” is a concept that has been spoken about a lot in the last couple of years. I was “moonlighting” 15 years ago! It also started with my co-founder Arun’s passion for teaching and people reaching out to him for advice. Then we thought why not do something about it.
We started with GMAT workshops on the weekend and the other 5 days I was putting in my best at work. Did that for almost 4 years to finally leave my full-time role with HP to start Crackverbal. Then as they say rest is history!
‘Crackverbal’ 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?
My Co-Founder, Arun Jagannathan, was a well-known contributor to a forum called “Pagalguy.” He had a significant fan following and maintained a very popular thread titled “How to crack verbal?”
We were based in Bangalore, and every aspirant we met was primarily an engineer—proficient in quant but struggling with the verbal section of the GMAT. When it came to naming our company, our research showed that there were already 85 institutes in Bangalore featuring “GMAT” on their signboards and a “career” prefix in their name.
We wanted a name that would make people stop and want to learn more about us. Additionally, we aimed to address a significant customer pain point with these tests—hence, Crackverbal. However, over the years we have evolved and so has Crackverbal.
“We help people make smarter career decisions” So if you are at a juncture in your career where you are confused on which career path to take and want to understand whether management can be a career you would like to pursue. Then we can help you evaluate and also suggest the next best option.
If you choose to pick management – we help you with the test prep and also plan out your whole journey to get into the Top Business Schools across the world.
What is your vision for the future?
In envisioning the future for Crackverbal, my primary focus is to not just stay aligned with the evolving educational landscape but to actively shape it.
We aim to expand our offerings beyond test preparation, incorporating more holistic career services that cater to diverse professional aspirations. This includes developing more personalized learning pathways and integrating ways to enhance learning outcomes.
My role, as I see it, is to steer our team towards these innovations while ensuring that our core values of empowerment, excellence, and integrity remain at the heart of everything we do.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Well, there is no job that doesn’t have challenges! And what’s the fun if you don’t have challenges 🙂
I strongly believe every problem has a solution – we just need to find one! Picking your battles wisely. You cannot do everything, so pick what’s important for you and your business.
I strongly believe in “waqt se pehle and kismat se zyaada kisi ko kuch nahi milta” – so patience is the key – just keep doing the right thing.
Please share with us your leadership philosophies;
My leadership philosophy is deeply integrated with the core beliefs we uphold at Crackverbal: ‘Know the why, measure what matters, and communicate with empathy.’
Know the Why: Understanding the ‘why’ behind what we do at Crackverbal is crucial. It helps us stay focused on our mission and inspires our team to work with passion. This is about connecting every task, every project to a larger purpose, ensuring that our team not only knows what they are doing but also why they are doing it. It’s about instilling a sense of purpose and driving motivation across the organization.
Measure What Matters: We firmly believe in the power of data-driven decision-making. By measuring what truly matters, we can keep track of our progress, understand our impact, and make informed decisions that propel us forward. This isn’t about getting caught up in numbers but about using them wisely to guide our strategies and improve our offerings continuously.
Communicate with Empathy: At the heart of our interactions within the team and with our clients is empathy. This means listening actively, understanding others’ perspectives, and responding with consideration. Effective communication is not just about exchanging information; it’s about building trust and relationships. This pillar is vital as it influences how we resolve conflicts, how we manage feedback, and how we support each other in achieving our individual and collective goals.
Even today we have our clients who worked with us almost a decade ago still in touch with us and connected with us in every part of our journey.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
There is no perfect career. You will have to keep trying out new things to get to what you really like to do. Only people with a growth mindset succeed.
In today’s world of AI – learning new things is extremely important. You cannot progress with the knowledge you already have. You need to keep learning.
When you try out new things, you get to know what you don’t like and then finally you will get to what you like. Once you like what you do, you will excel in it and that will help you succeed.
Last but not least, what would be your advice on balancing Life and work?
At Crackverbal, our approach to balancing work and life is rooted in trust and autonomy. We believe that micromanagement is the antithesis of productivity and personal satisfaction. Instead, we operate on the principle that ‘everyone is the owner of what they do.’
This philosophy extends across our entire team, ensuring that each member feels empowered to take charge of their responsibilities. Whether it’s our academic team, who are encouraged to develop and utilize their unique teaching styles, or our administrative staff, who are given the freedom to innovate in their roles, everyone is trusted to know and do their job well.
We emphasize the importance of personal responsibility and professional freedom. By not prescribing scripts and allowing for individual teaching styles, we ensure that our mentors remain passionate and engaged, constantly updating their knowledge and refining their methods. This freedom translates into a work environment where team members can balance their professional obligations with personal well-being effectively.
Moreover, we recognize that giving complete credit where it’s due and providing a free hand in decision-making not only fosters professional growth but also personal satisfaction. This culture of acknowledgement and empowerment helps everyone at Crackverbal manage their time and responsibilities in a way that suits their personal life, without compromising on work quality or professional growth. It’s about making sure that work is a rewarding part of a well-rounded life, not a separate or dominating force.
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.
