Often described as a visionary leader, Vinayak has always put his money and strong belief in 3Cs- Content, Connect and Commerce. Entrepreneurship has been in his veins ever since he completed his college. Over the years, he has worn many hat, which include manager, marketer, editor, consultant, founder, and social entrepreneur. He always has an optimistic attitude and does not care about who gets the credit. He is a true believer of innovation and improvisation.
Having an Honors Diploma in Sales & Marketing Management from NIS, he started his long career, gaining ample experience and undertaking several roles. His latest venture JoGiv is a for profit social enterprise based out of Bangalore which addresses the pressing needs of individuals and communities through social campaigns. It is rather a drive to make the “Joy of Giving” a part of life for others social goodness.
Vinayak’s positivity, effectiveness and ability to establish mutual trust with employees, team members, and peers have given him much needed respect. He is an extremely knowledgeable and incredibly motivated individual.
Please provide a brief overview of your product/ service.
JoGiv is a for profit social enterprise start-up addressing the growing Electronic Waste (E-waste) menace in India using innovative, out-of-the-box technological and sustainable solutions resulting in impact on environment and human health.
JoGiv’s dream is to champion the E-Waste awareness, sourcing & collection mechanism for eco- efficient recycling in India.
It is estimated that India would discard 1.7 million tons of E-Waste in 2015. Till date 7-8% of E-Waste is recycled and the rest are either lying as junk or dumped in to municipal landfills along with regular waste. The arsenic metals from these dumped E-Waste are seeping in to the under water table thus affecting the quality of water, be it for irrigation or domestic use, which is directly impacting the human health and environment.
What inspired you to build the above product/ service?
My inspiration came from an article I happened to read from United Nations Environment Program – UNEP. The info-graphics in the article did really scare me, but at the same time my thoughts spun to evolve a solution to this silent killer. My years of research in free time on the volume of E-Waste and methodologies available for ethical disposal shocked me and I decided to start this venture to save the environment for future generations.
What is your life mantra?
Nothing is mine, everything is ours!
What was the most challenging part of your journey till now?
The most challenging part of my journey always is definitely the beginning of a new venture. My thirst in exploring a unknown domain and acquiring the basic knowledge is a tough animal to fight. The challenge gets bigger once you start identifying and building a team who can share the same passion and align to the vision and mission of my venture.
How did you overcome those challenges?
Taking these challenges head on is the right way to overcome. My love to meet people makes it easy! Irrespective of age, gender and interests, I carry on with ease thus creating a comfort zone to even a stranger. Every person has an urge to do something different at some point of time. Converting that “some point of time” to “why not now” is real fun. I think it is my attitude that has partnered with me and my past & present partners from varied backgrounds to create ventures successfully.
Share some details about the investments that you have been able to fetch for the business till now.
We are a early stage start up and we have self funded the project till date. We are in the final stages of raising funds through family and friends. As the cause and the opportunity is huge, we are looking for the seed investors too who can understand the impact side of the venture before we knock the doors of VC’s.
How do you protect yourself from the problem of Brain Drain?
We are a start up and are in the process of building the team. Attrition control practices are too early to comment for this venture.
However, Brain Drain is a boon to humans. Draining the brain makes way for the new thoughts to emerge.
According to you, what are the three qualities an individual must have to achieve success?
- Imagination
- Improvisation
- Innovation
Which online tools/ services/ apps do you use the most and would like to recommend as well?
- Whatsapp, Facebook for Personal and Social connect
- Twitter and Linkedin for Professional Connect
Share any one habit which you think makes you more productive.
Keeping the goals small and achievable is very important to keep moving while exploring new ventures. I am a strong believer of dream big, start small!
Share any one habit which you wish to change in yourself.
Well, that’s a very tricky one:-) But still I have a habit of expecting my team members to catch up with my pace soon, I guess, I should pull back a bit on that!
Answer in less than 50 words
One tip to success:
- Knocking on doors is a daily way of life. Some doors open and some keep shut. Keep knocking harder so that the shut doors open too.
- Being hands on is a very key component to success.
- Wearing different hats in an entrepreneurial journey is equally important. It keeps one involved and informed.
One mistake you believe every individual must avoid:
- Do not RUSH… Speed Kills!!!
One most important lesson that you have learnt till now:
- Getting a great idea to market fast, really fast is dangerous. If one can’t stop to look around, they might miss a lot.
- Most individuals believe that delaying is death. Keep moving forward and stay alive first.
What are your plans for next 3 years?
We wish to make Jogiv – “Joy of Giving” a way of life. We would define the E-Waste sourcing and collection mechanism by enriching those who receive, without making poorer those who give.
If you get a chance to start your career again what would you do differently this time?
I may not hesitate to give a try in politics:-)
What are your top three getaway destinations?
- Coorg / Medikeri on a short notice
- Halong Bay on a short trip
- Alps on a long vacation
Share a quote that inspires you the most
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” ― Albert Einstein