Rukmini Iyer Founder of Exult! Solutions
Q. Tell us something about yourself?
A. I am an entrepreneur and I run Exult! Solutions (www.exult-solutions.com) that was established in 2008. We work in the area of organizational transformation, learning and development and conflict management. Academically, I am an organizational psychologist and a conflict resolution specialist. Before beginning my own venture, I was employed in India and Singapore in several leadership roles. I enjoy reading, writing and travelling, among other things.
Q. Tell us something about your startup / business.
A. Exult! Solutions (www.exult-solutions.com) is a performance consulting firm. Our mission is to create compassionate organizations. We do this through our work that revolves around organizational transformation, change management, leadership training, coaching and e-learning, among other things.
At the core of our business is our goal to contribute towards conscious capitalism. We believe that conscious business will eventually help us co-create a more peaceful world that is respectful towards our planet and people.
Q. What is your philosophy towards work?
A. Our business works on the values propounded by these two philosophies:
Appreciative Inquiry (the language of hope): Every need for transformation brings in an opportunity to capitalise on human strengths
Non-violent Communication (the language of needs): All actions ultimately emerge from a space of humane need and all needs are valid.
While both of these are deep philosophies propounded by David Cooperrider and Marshall Rosenberg, respectively, they ground us every day and we continue to study these theories in our personal and professional spaces. They have transformed us as human beings and we look forward to share our experience with the world.
Q. Whom do you admire as your role model? And why?
A. There are several people that I admire for various things they bring in to the world. If there were a common thread among them all, it would be the trait of depth - the willingness to look within, let go of one's identity in a quest to be better, the need to continue learning through life.
Q. "Management is core to every individual, organization & society." Give your views on it.
A. Management is an integral task of everyone's life. Even as a baby, we learn to manage our hunger by crying out loud for food. Therefore, establishment of a goal (acknowledging hunger), identifying an action plan (crying) and executing the plan (drinking milk) is instinctive to us as a living species.
As an academic discipline, I believe it is something that needs to be taught as a life skill right from primary school. While some good business schools help adults become better at managing organizations, we need a higher awareness of management as a concept in all walks of life to create a better society.
Q. Name 3 qualities of prime importance that an entrepreneur should possess.
A. I think the 3 qualities that are immensely important as an entrepreneur are:
Self-awareness: Knowing one's own strengths and capabilities is very important since one needs to draw upon these from time to time and plan the business in a manner where one can capitalise upon these.
Commitment: There will be ups and downs, but it is important to stay committed to one's mission and one's people. Commitment builds trust and eventually leads to success.
Financial acumen: At a practical level, this helps a lot. Business is not only about making money, but also managing it prudently so as to operate smoothly.
Q. According to you, what are the challenges for Entrepreneurship today?
A. The challenges depend a lot on the sector you are working in. Unless you are operating in a niche market, competition is a challenge that is common. It is important to believe in your vision and work towards achieving it, regardless of the deterrents around.
Maintaining a good cash flow is critical for all business - this can make or break the business; so it is important to plan very well.
Another challenge, that is also a great opportunity is to keep the business offerings relevant in the context of changing technology, lifestyles, etc. This means one needs to expect and enjoy change as a routine part of life.
Q. Can Entrepreneurship be taught in B-Schools/Management Institutes/Colleges?
A. The operational part of entrepreneurship can be taught in business schools, or even self-taught. The spirit of entrepreneurship is something one can only find in oneself. Therefore, no matter how well known a business school is, some students may never learn to enjoy entrepreneurship, if they approach it purely from a management perspective.
Q. Do you think today's economy is conducive for a new venture to start upon?
A. Yes, today's society and economy are looking for good ideas and ventures that add value to life are certainly appreciated. Technology has enabled entrepreneurship in a big way.
Q. "Earning more & more is the motive behind any business." Is it justifiable?
A. I come from a school of thought that says the purpose of business is to create value for the community it operates in. If the community does find value, it will reward and sustain the business with profits.
Q. Share with us the most enjoyable moment you had experienced at work.
A. Several instances of my own personal transformation through work have kept me motivated over the years. To add to that, there have been moments in our consulting/training work when we have seen huge shifts happening for other individuals - these are moments of sheer joy for us.
Q. Share with us your failures and milestones of success
A. We continue to learn from operational failures from time to time in the area of scheduling, working capital management, etc. In terms of success, acquisition of big corporations and governements as clients in India and abroad, only through word of mouth (since we began, we have never invested in business development/sales) over the years have been great motivators.
Q. How did you come across this startup idea?
A. While I was employed, my focus was primarily on people development through training and coaching. In this process, I realised that while on the one hand, individuals grow through learning, organizations also as a collective need to learn and grow. Systems thinking as a discipline fascinated me and the more I researched and studied it, the more I understood its value. Exult! Solutions was born in an attempt to bring in this value into the corporate world.
Q. 3 Things a graduate who wants to work in your startup should know
A. If you wish to work with us, here are three things we look for:
- Be ready for personal transformation. We believe that the integrity of our work is only when we can do what we advise our clients to do. If you wish to help others transform, you need to work with yourself first.
- Be committed to learning. Our work involves continual learning. We only work with people who are curious, interested in learning (academically and practically) and have a zest for life.
- Be innovative. Our consulting challenges are all about presence and originality. It is important that you are aware of current business challenges and can come up with relevant, practicable solutions that can help our clients sustain and grow. Focus and business knowledge is key, even as we generate workable ideas.
Q. Your feedback for Managementparadise.com?
A. It is a great resource for management students and aspirants. I am sure a lot of them benefit from the resources and the networking forums provided by the website and the associated social media pages.
~ END ~