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www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

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www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

It’s autumn’s first month and here is our exclusive edition to revel in! We welcome you to our are exclusively created edition for September month that will leave you amazed with some exceptional success stories. As this time ‘change’ is the focal point, business leaders driving the ship of revamping change have been featured here with a mix of some marvellous entrepreneurial insights. Indeed, the world is heading towards an abysmal change and we all have to be in sync with it for our integrated growth— is the core ideology for this issue. When talking of change, our staunch team has also made a few alterations to the design and presentation of this publication. Like for the cover page, we have depicted a freewheeling interview session with Dr. Jeffrey O who is a globally reckoned business leader. He is known for being an exemplary leadership expert, educator, CEO, author, and motivational coach. Here, he has shed light on his exceptional stewardship techniques while serving as the President of International Hospitality Institute(IHI) side by side being the Chairman of Board at Telecoach which is a coaching, therapy and advisor platform. He has also authored and published several fictional as well as non-fictional books where motivation, leadership and business have been the key elements of the discussion. So, dive into this fascinating read comprising of some diversified and stupendous insights that we specially crafted for our readers. As they say future is full of uncertainties that we have no control over, and hope is the only motive force that keeps us moving ahead seeking a radiant tomorrow. Today, though we are not walking on the land of Mars, comparatively, the human race is in so much better place than ever before. And we will keep getting better and better with the passing time, carving better prospects for ourselves undeniably. Businesses are also steadfast on this philosophy where their respective leaders have high expectations as the clouds of crisis seem to be clearing up. We also, being a prominent player in our niche space, put high hopes on the future and strive to strain every nerve to ensure an exemplary future for ourselves. Hence, our teams have been putting in diligent efforts to bring the best-in-class read for our global community of readers, and the resultant is this special issue! This unique edition has a collective of your favourite sections that are enriched with some stimulating content to boost your entrepreneurial spirits. A mix of some enticing success stories where the triumphs of each company have been spotlighted excitingly to establish better engagement between the publication and the readers. So, look into our extraordinary picks from the business fraternity, that have been flagging their names in their respective space while inspiring the aspiring entrepreneurs as well as the business community with their optimism, insights, leadership, values and a lot more. Also, we are sure that the inclusion of some informative articles will keep you glued to this magazine for long hours. Business Connect believes that it is doing justice to its mission to seek and publish triumph tales of discerning leaders, energetic doers, pioneers, etc. while providing motivational insights on a variety of subjects. Let us know how we are doing with your precious feedback!

Kajal Dobhal Kajal@businessconnectindia.in

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www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

International Hospitality Institute DR. JEFFREY O Dr. Jeffrey O is

a globally renowned leadership expert, educator, CEO, author, and motivational coach. Page No. 10

COVER STORY

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SUCCESS STORY 18 Craig Federighi A key driving force behind Apple’s whopping growth

THE DIGITAL FIFTH 36 A Catalyst For Digital Transformation In Financial Space

The Go-To Guy! 20 Redefining Digital Marketing In The New Normal

EUPRAXIA TELECOM 38 Revolutionizing Telephony Experiences

RISE HOLDING GROUP 24 The Stepping Stone To Crescendo

HEALTH 40 How To Survive The 14 Days Hotel Quatrains

GROWTH 28 How new-age business skills can aid you to become a better entrepreneur

INSIGHTS OPINION 46 Striding On Through The Lockdown

SUQUINO 30 A Reknowned Name Offering Sterling Services In The Iot Healthcare Domain

EDUCATION 48 Education Has Put off Physical Classrooms and Shifted to online classes

INNOVATION 32 Mushroom Cultivation A Sustainable Agribusiness In India

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International Hospitality Institute PROFILE OF DR. JEFFREY O

Dr. Jeffrey O is a globally renowned leadership expert, educator, CEO, author, and motivational coach. Kajal Dobhal | Business Connect He currently serves as president of the International Hospitality Institute (IHI) where he oversees IHI’s global operations. He is also Chairman of the Board at Telacoach®, a coaching, therapy, and advisor platform. Photos by Natalie Roberson Photography

Dr. Jeffrey O has published several books of fiction and non-fiction, including books on motivation, leadership, and business. His social media posts have garnered over a quarter million followers. His high-energy presentations have inspired and activated audiences from different parts of the world. His mission is to walk with people and companies on a journey of discovery to help them uncover their purpose and find deeper meaning. He is the creator of the START Model™, a goal-setting, goal-tracking, and problem-solving model developed for business executives and coaches. An acclaimed business executive and thought leader, Dr. Jeffrey O has held leadership positions such as CEO, COO, and Divisional Vice President, and has managed annual portfolio revenues exceeding $250 million. He has served as a Board Member on Marriott International’s Rooms Advisory Board. He has served and currently serves on several boards and has coached senior executives on public speaking, executive presence, and strategic leadership. Dr. Jeffrey O earned his PhD in Leadership Studies from Johnson University. Our interview with Dr. O touched on both his professional and personal life.

DR. JEFFREY O | Founder

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Cover Story

Photos by Natalie Roberson Photography

INTERVIEW WITH DR. JEFFREY O, PRESIDENT & CEO, INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY INSTITUTE

Dr. O, thank you for finding the time for this interview. Thank you for the invitation. It is an honor to speak with Business Connect. We are curious about your name. You are known worldwide as Dr. Jeffrey O, but no one seems to know your full last name. Dr. Jeffrey O sounds like the name of a mysterious character from a James Bond movie. Would you care to share your full name with us? As a child, I read several of Ian Fleming’s books. I have caught a couple of the movies based on his books. My last name is Obomeghie. I think people find one syllable easier to manage than 4 syllables, hence Jeffrey O instead of Jeffrey Obomeghie.

Thank you for sharing that with us. Can you share some information about your professional background with our readers? I will be glad to. I am currently the President and CEO of the International Hospitality Institute, the leading training, advocacy, and standards organization for th e global hospitality industry.

I have worked in the hospitality industry in various roles. I started in the industry as a front desk agent and worked my way up to General Manager, Vice President, COO, and CEO. I have led several companies as CEO. In addition to the International Hospitality Institute, I am the Chairman of the Board at Telacoach, a coaching, therapy, and advisor platform. As CEO, I have overseen an asset base valued at over one billion dollars with annual revenues of over 250 million dollars. Along the way, I have also worked as a Leadership Coach helping leaders become better versions of themselves. I have spoken to large and small groups from different parts of the world as a motivational speaker. I am a published writer.

How do you manage to find time to juggle these different projects? I like to keep busy. I like to live by Benjamin Franklin’s quote: “Leisure is the time for doing something useful.” I must admit that I need to get better at finding time to decompress. I am a work in progress in that regard. We live in a society where it has become a badge of honor for CEOs and business leaders to work 80 hours a week.

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I have some CEO friends who brag about functioning on only 4 hours of sleep per night. I used to do the same thing. There is something wrong with that picture. Some of us really need to change our thinking. We need to prioritize our time and spend more time with our families, doing the things that truly enrich our lives. No one is handing out medals at the cemetery. “Work-life balance” should not be dirty words. We need to stop judging people by the number of hours they work, instead we should judge them by the number of lives that they touch. For many years, I was a part of the problem. Now I want to be part of the solution. I am helping people think about time in terms of fungibility, in terms or real value, in terms of perishability. I need to do better for the sake of myself and my family.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND I earned my bachelor’s degree in political science, my master’s degree in human resource training and administration and my PhD in Leadership Studies. My family is trying to dissuade me from doing additional degrees. I can understand their position; my children cannot inherit my degrees! The truth is, I love to read, I love to learn. I love the learning journey. I would undertake the journey even if there were no piece of paper waiting for me at the end.

Can you share the titles of some of your books? My published books include; The World According to Jeffrey O; Get Rich, Get Happy, Get Love; There are One Million Drunks in New York City; Dead or Alive; The Collector of Butterflies; Abraham Lincoln is Not Dead; and The Woman Who. I have published fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

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I made costly mistakes. Thankfully, I had an awakening and did a volteface. I started to listen more, to be more patient, to be willing to take the back seat, to shut up when I did not need to speak. Those were hard lessons but they proved to be rewarding lessons.

What advice do you have for young professionals in the hospitality industry who aspire to make it to the C-Suite?

Which one of your books is your favorite book? That is not a fair question! That is like asking a parent to name their favorite child.

Okay, let’s ask the question a bit differently. Which of your books has been your readers’ favorite? Based on sales, that would be Dead or Alive, a fast-paced thriller that was published years ago. The book has been something of a bestseller for me. You can find all my books on my website at JeffreyO.com. They are all available via Amazon and other booksellers.

What is the biggest mistake that you have made professionally? Let’s pluralize! I have made many mistakes. There have been points in my career where I displayed a lack of humility. I thought the world revolved around me. I was arrogant. Arrogant people often make mistakes. Instead of being patient, and learning from people around me, I dominated conversations, took charge, and led from the front. I was like a bull in a China shop. Winston Churchill once talked about John Foster Dulles as “the only bull who brings his own china shop with him.” That reminds me of myself.

Learn as much as you can about your chosen area. Be receptive to new learning. Find a mentor. Network like crazy. Be humble. Learn to be confident, but not arrogant. Learn to listen more than you talk. Be quick to give credit and slow to take credit.

What was your Eureka moment as a CEO? Coming to terms with my own elitism and arrogance. Realizing that I needed to be more compassionate toward others. Realizing that I needed to listen more, and talk less.

a real sense of fulfilment in being involved in all of those projects. I believe that I am giving back in my own small way. I have a bunch of original inspirational quotes in two of my books, The World According to Jeffrey O, and Get Rich, Get Happy, Get Love.

What regrets do you have?

One of my quotes goes:

This question came up in a recent interview. I don’t like the word “regret.” I would rephrase the question as: If I had a chance for a do-over, a retake, what would I do differently? My answer? I would have focused less on making it to the C suite and more on doing work that would make a difference to people’s lives; work that is noble. I have been able to redeem myself somewhat the past several years with my work as a coach, mentor, educator, and my involvement with Telacoach. I find

When you have made it out of the dark, don’t forget to leave the lamp on for the people coming behind you.

Tell us about the International Hospitality Institute? The International Hospitality Institute is the leading training, advocacy, and standards organization for the global hospitality industry. Our global community has over 200,000 members from all over the world. We have partners and a presence in various countries. IHI’s mission is to democratize hospitality training and help improve wage and work conditions for hospitality practitioners worldwide. We offer various certification programs for the hospitality industry. IHI has also created the Hospitality Code of Ethics (known as the HCODE) for the hospitality industry. The HCODE is available to hospitality practitioners all over the world. The HCODE is the first and only hospitality code of conduct for the global hospitality industry.

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IHI is also the publisher of the annual Hospitality Power Index™ which recognizes the Top 50 Most Influential Leaders in Hospitality in the USA and the Top 50 Most Influential Leaders in Global Hospitality. IHI is the organizer of the upcoming Global Hospitality Summit, a virtual event scheduled for November 9th and 10th, 2021.

Dr. Jeffrey O

What is the Global Hospitality Summit? The Global Hospitality Summit is the biggest hospitality event of 2021. The event will bring together 50 of the world’s most respected thought leaders in the world of hospitality. The event will take place on November 9 and 10, 2021 and will be streamed live to thousands of hospitality professionals. IHI will record the event and share the recorded content with over 1 million professionals worldwide.

Do you have a keynote speaker? I am glad you asked. Our keynote speaker is Horst Schulze, the Co-Founder of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, a man who is widely viewed as the leading hotelier in the world. Mr. Schulze is a selfless man, a torchbearer who has done great work for the hospitality industry. Our speakers are drawn from various sectors of the hospitality industry, including business, academia, and non-profit.

What is the registration fee to attend the Global Hospitality Summit? The event is free to all attendees. The International Hospitality Institute is organizing the event as a benefit to the global hospitality industry. Our goal is to work with industry thought leaders to uncover solutions to the topical issues facing the hospitality industry.

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You just mentioned topical issues facing the hospitality industry. Can you name some of these issues? Labor shortage. Training challenges. Technological challenges. Leadership challenges. I must tell you that these issues are not isolated to our industry. Industries worldwide are contending with similar issues. However, the universality of the issues does not mean that we can ignore the issues or treat them with insouciance. Practitioners need to rise to the challenge and take effective action. In order to be able to figure out lasting solutions, we need to first develop an epistemological understanding of the issues.

What are your hobbies? Reading, writing, traveling, running long-distance.

What is your favorite hotel brand? There are so many great hotels brands. It is tough to name one.

Okay. So how about some of your favorite hotel stays? This is an easier question. The Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Hawaii, comes to mind. The Hotel Arts, Barcelona, Spain. The Boca Raton Resort, in Florida. The Royal Plantation Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

What do you do when you are not working? When I am not traveling for work, I am traveling for leisure. I am reading, writing, and running long distance.

What do you wish you had more time to do? I wish that I spent more time on volunteer work. I have been incredibly blessed. I need to do more in giving back. I could make the excuse that I am too busy but that would be a lousy excuse.

What would be your advice to your students at IHI and anyone who follows you on social media?

DR. JEFFREY O Founder

I would challenge them to ask themselves this question at the end of every week. “Have I done something positive for somebody this week, something for which I expect to get absolutely no reward, praise, or recognition?”

What are some of the educational programs at the International Hospitality Institute? IHI offers many certification programs including the Certified Hospitality Expert (CHEx), Certified Training Expert (CTEx), Certified Hospitality Leadership Coach (CHLC), Certified Hotel General Manager (CHGM), Certified Food and Beverage Manager (CFBM), Certified Rooms Division Manager (CRDM), Certified Hotel Operations Manager (CHOM), Certified Revenue Management Specialist (CRMS), Certified Executive Chef (CCHE), Certified Front Office Manager (CFOM), Certified Hospitality Finance Director (CHFD), Certified Hospitality Housekeeping Manager (CHHM), and many others.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully retired and hanging out in Aruba or Valencia, Spain, two of my favorite places.

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Success Story

Craig Federighi Engineer

Craig Federighi

A key driving force behind Apple’s whopping growth

Craig Federighi, also known as “Mr. Hair Force One himself”, oversees all major development, such as Mac, IOS, and IPadOS. He is positioned as Apple’s senior VP of software engineering. Craig carries an enthusiastic and funny nature, as we have seen his popular presentations at WWDC and other Apple Events. He has more stage time than others, including Tim Cook. In 2016, he reported, owning over 500,000 shares of Apple stock worth about US$180 million in 2020. Away from the public functions, he is reportedly a great communicator in private. In 2013, the wall street journal said that Apple employees must consider him a responsive executive, someone who replies and reacts to internal emails. His profile has an impressive “rising star” reporting that he tries to build consensus within teams all across the company. EARLY LIFE Craig was born in 1969 in San Leandro, California. After holding an undergraduate degree from Acalanes High School in Lafayette, California, Craig attended the University, Of California, Berkeley, where he earned a bachelor’s degree from the electrical engineering and computer science branch. Also, he did his master in science stream from the same university. Craig got married in 2014. Now he has 4 children. CAREER Craig Federighi was working with Steve Jobs at NeXT, where he led the development of the Enterprise Objects Framework (EOF) – it

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was a software tool for large companies by letting their regular computers connect to the enterprise database. In 1996, Craig started working with Apple when it acquired NeXT. Omni Group Co-founder Will Shipley was working with Steve Jobs at NeXT at the time, and later he wrote that he had not anticipated to like Craig Federighi. in 2011, Will Shipley mentioned in the blog, “In-comes Federighi -the new guy- and he is like seven feet tall and gameshow-host handsome and he’s smiling like a used car salesman,” further, Shipley added, “I will admit it; I was prepared not to like him.” “You naturally expect a tall, handsome guy to be, well, kind of a jerk,” He said “Like his ideas are more important than yours. But what struck me so hard in that first meeting, so much so that it’s still in my head 17 years later, is that he was there to listen. And not just to passively listen – he wanted to make sure he understood what we were saying, yes, but also to get to the heart of it.” In 1999, Craig quit Apple for corporate software company Ariba, where he was appointed as CTO (Chief Technology Offer).

By the time in 2009, he left Ariba and returned to Apple to work on macOS. His first physical appearance was at the WWDC event to give, what Craig called a sneak peek of MacOS X Snow Leopard. In 2011, Craig Federighi succeeded Bertrand Serlet (Previous Vice President) as VP of Mac Software Engineering. In 2012, he was promoted as VP Of Mac software engineering at Apple. As Craig’s responsibility increased within Apple, his stage time at events improved more quickly. He now looks more confident, enthusiastic, and calm while being on stage. However, not all presentations went well. In 2017, when Craig was introducing Apple’s new face ID feature, it embarrassingly failed to work on the first attempt. Before the event, several people had used the new iPhone. This is why during the demonstration, the face ID asked for a passcode because of several failed attempts, later Craig explained. It’s really embarrassing even it was not a failure. However, Craig headed straight onto a backup phone without being worried.

“

CRAIG FEDERIGHI ONCE MENTIONED,

We are showing the way to the industry, to the customers, that they can demand more – they should expect more- about the protection of their privacy, and that we can move the industry into building things that better protect privacy.

Craig Federighi is one the very few famous faces of Apple, who has been delivering such great products along with his teams. Apple has really great products, and when Craig introduces upcoming Apple products with his cheerful nature and explanation skill, it becomes more interesting to see.

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Redefining Digital Marketing In The New Normal Kriti Anand | Business Connect Over the last few years, the company has helped build 100+ brands across the USA, Australia, Middle East, and India. They have worked across 15+ industries to build brand identities, activate presence & engage consumers - Online, Offline, Social & Mobile. The company was launched in 2018 by Mr Ajay Kulkarni and Mr Dipankar Ghosh. Ajay & Dipankar met at a gaming company in Hyderabad where Ajay was heading the marketing division and Dipankar was heading the branding division. Their complementary backgrounds helped them grow the company together handsomely as they could see the bigger picture together. They shared a great working relationship back then and always wanted to start something together as they both valued each other’s unique and distinct skill sets. Both moved on to work in leadership positions in different companies. Dipankar decided to take the plunge first in 2015 and started The Go-To Guy! as a boutique brand agency where he used to get attached as a consultant with organizations that had brand building needs. Back then, he used to work with a freelancing team to get the execution done.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

The Go-To Guy! is a brand under Disrupvation Digital Pvt. Ltd. and is the services arm of the company in the business of providing brand and marketing services. Rebranding Experts & Marketing Evangelists, The Go-To Guy! is known for providing tailored solutions that incorporate the different needs, budgets, and goals for the clients.

Consultants have made – “Strategy” – Overrated “Marketing” – A complicated myth and “Branding” – An untouchable convict.

Fast forward to 2018, Ajay who by then had a fabulous career and had served in several leadership roles across gaming, media and technology companies joined Dipankar and together they co-founded a 2.0 version of The Go-To Guy!, which was now a full-fledged end to end brand marketing agency with branding and digital marketing expertise. They positioned themselves as “The No Nonsense Executionists!”.

We, at The Go-To Guy! are attempting to break this norm and surprise the world every day! We are “Your Idea Execution Agency”. If you have an idea, we will take it to the world.

The company has a multi-layer review process before every deliverable is rolled out. There are checklists in place that ensure a thorough review happens. They have also launched a STAR Rewards program that recognizes employees who do quality work. They have a very

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transparent policy in terms of recognizing efforts. Every good effort, small or big, is acknowledged in the form of ‘Stars’. Person with the maximum stars every month becomes the STAR of the month and is recognized with an instant cash reward. This two-pronged approach of a multi-layer quality review, coupled with the incentive of STAR rewards program helps to ensure that their quality is top notch.

A CLIENT FAVOURITE COMPANY “We build relationships, not clients.” Over the last few years, The Go-To Guy! has worked with clients across fifteen industries. Understanding the unique challenges they face, they provided customized solutions to them. The company has retained most of its clients through the years. The length of the relationship with their clients is a testimony of the good work that they have done. The company works with startups, SMEs, as well as large corporations across the USA, Australia, Middle East and India. Based on what stage the companies are in their company life cycle, they will have different needs, budgets, and goals. The Go-To Guy! understands that and having worked across companies of all sizes, it has acquired the expertise to market the company of any size.

complement each other so well, and make The Go-To Guy! a holistic expert. This is not the case with most of the other agencies, they are usually good in one field. And hence they get the advantage of being a solid one stop shop for a client when it comes to building, activating, and engaging a brand.

FUTURE PLANS

The Go-To Guy! was on the cover of Silicon India as one of the Top Marketing Startups. It is now in the process of setting up an office in Mumbai targeting the national big brands, and also, is setting up an office in Dubai, UAE, as they see great opportunity from that region. Dubai is a gateway to the world and all the big brands across.

The company provides end to end brand marketing services, so companies need not run around and partner with multiple agencies, it’s got them covered. This ensures a single point of contact for delivery and consistent messaging across mediums.

PARTING WORDS “The pandemic has taught us all several lessons, the new normal, the importance of health, the need of actual socializing with family and friends and appreciating life while you can.

Dipankar was the youngest brand champion at Deloitte across the world, and Ajay built India’s 3rd largest Rummy gaming company from scratch in less than 16 months as their Business Head – these are skills that come with their principals and bring The Go-To Guy! its edge – their Branding & Marketing expertise

We would just say that “inch wide, mile deep” focus is the need of the hour, and making sure you move the needle every day is the key to success. Big successes are great to come by, but small developments also should be acknowledged, because that is what will help you keep going. We always say one thing to everybody we meet; we entrepreneurs survive on ‘hope’. Every new morning brings in a new ray of hope, so keep the hope always high, and you will find the energy to drive yourself forward, no matter what the situation is!”

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Dr. Lina Alshelh Co-founder & COO

Dr. Mohamad Ali Mishly Co-founder & CEO

RISE HOLDING GROUP THE STEPPING STONE TO CRESCENDO Indranil Roy | Business Connect Even amidst the present impediments and transfigurations, entrepreneurs’ drive to reach new heights remains unbent. With relentless passion and vigour, such individuals have made breakthroughs - that are - needless to say, acclaimed across the vertical. But, success is not a one-man journey! It is an amalgamation of ideas, training, innovation and much more that goes behind the curtains. These background factors have also gone through scenic transformations. Nowadays, People seek out a single point of contact for everything, and the trend has birthed numerous turnaround specialists. RISE Holding Group is a prominent name in the assemblage. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, RISE works with SMEs and Startups in a multitude of verticals, helping them lead their respective fields. It leads a league of subsidiaries (SchemaZone, QuietClicks and Reach Academy), which is wellversed in propelling businesses to new heights of success. www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

THE START OF A LONG TREK RISE is the ideation of two Genius entrepreneurs - Dr. Lina Alshelh and Dr. Mohamad Ali Mishly. Dr. Alshelh commands a notable experience across Big and Small firms in Canada, followed by a prominent tenure in a Big 4 Firm. Also, she has commissioned several startups, which currently holds utter prominence in the industry. Dr. Mishly has also founded and co-founded several startups in a multitude of verticals. Furthermore, he has amounting experience in business analysis, project consultancy, and as a production manager - at two sites in Europe and Hong Kong. Both of them are well-versed in industrial strategies and accomplished alumni as well. They have PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Europe; and it was here - their journey began. 24

In 2017, the duo founded SchemaZone, a single umbrella for industrial training & management consultancy. And within a short period, the venture became a rewarding project. Celebrating the success, they aimed to foray into software development and digital marketing and developed QuietClicks. Upon entering the technological ring, the pair envisioned a techenabled foundation that nurtures talent through customized programs and offers unique training programs, putting Reach Academy on the map. The model put forth a fantastic potential - all it needed was a single point of contact. Therefore, Dr. Alshelh and Dr. Mishly incepted RISE Holding Group in 2020. Bringing all under a common banner, RISE strives to attract the positive attention of the industry. Its goal is to expand globally by entering new verticals and working with its subsidiaries to help them establish themselves. A GLANCE AT THE SUBSIDIARIES As previously mentioned, RISE stays in the race with a threeheaded business plan. To understand how each entity adds value, let’s take a closer look: 1.

• •

SSchemaZone: SchemaZone is a pioneer in training and consultancy - both within and outside of Canada. Equipped with talented teams, advancements and modern practices, it offers world-class service. In simple words, it is offering result-oriented solutions that guarantee sustainable growth. The Consultancy Services covers prominent areas of the business cycle, such as Project Management, Strategy & Growth, Human Resources, Operational Management, etc. SchemaZone helps clients in refining their business models to enhance performance and conquer obstacles. It also partners with institutes and industrial bodies to design customized training programs that meet the requirements of individual professionals and corporates. SchemaZone serves all the prominent verticals, from Financial Services, Real Estate, Food & Beverage to Public Sector, Manufacturing, e-Commerce, Technology, Healthcare, Education, Energy, and Retail as well.

• •

School of Education: Suitable educational programs for aspirers willing to grow and create impact within the education realm School of Engineering: Comprehensive diploma programs that drive solutions to resolve global issues and create futuristic engineers

All the diplomas and programs have close integration of theoretic and pragmatic concepts and are certified by Accrediting Agencies of Canada (AAAC). The Academy also run - in partnership with companies - number of bootcamps, workshops, seminars and other activity-based methods, and are provided in special training centres. The Academy is nurturing more than 500 students across the world and are present in 50+ countries.

QQuietClicks: If you are seeking integrated software solutions or a well-defined and connected marketing campaign, then QuietClicks is the right choice for you. A proper blend of tech and marketing offerings play a critical role in a company. As such, the Company adopts the best tools and techniques to formulate solutions that meets your requirements. Its portfolio includes Web Development, Mobile App Development, Software Development and digital marketing solutions. QuietClicks is an ecosystem of tech and marketing experts whose unique wisdom drives results and sustains solutions. The Company has a presence in every vertical that believes in digital optimization. And its services go beyond borders to nations like KSA, USA, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and more.

With such commendable solutions, ensuring the holistic development of individuals and companies, RISE has established a notable presence across the globe. It has dominant presence in USA, Canada, KSA, UAE, Qatar, Jordan, India, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Kuwait, Egypt, etc. With time, RISE looks forward to expanding its spectrum of solutions and footprint, to build a larger and a more engaging client base.

RReach Academy: The third and most recent venture of RISE. Reach Academy is a cornerstone to individuals looking to master a new trade to have competitive advantage in the industry. The Institute has uniquely designed curriculums to scale credibility and viability in individual’s area of expertise. The education model is categorized into four distinct Schools:

SIGHTS SET TO REACH THE PEAK Build on the values excellence and integrity, RISE has exemplified a seismic growth through its subsidiaries. “Most companies dream to be the best, we are working hard to make this a reality”, affirms Dr. Lina Alshelh. And to continue doing so, RISE welcomes like-minded investors to be a part of its global family. With partnerships, RISE promises a dynamic growth, expansion beyond borders, result-oriented solutions and a wellestablished network. Through these inorganic developments, RISE not only seeks to cover more markets and raise its revenue graph but also offer SMEs and median firms the spotlight and reverence they deserve.

School of Business: Quality education framework that focuses on the premier aspects of business with look into future School of Technology: Holistic courses and programs encompassing tech-relevant topics, such as data science, software development, information security, and more 25

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www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Growth

ow new-age business skills can aid you to become a better

Have no idea when the Covid – 19 pandemics is going to end, it might seem like not a good time to be an entrepreneur. However, in reality, 2021 has turned out to be a fruitful year for startups recording the highest number of unicorns in India. Indian startups have been doing far better than ever these days, and as an aspiring entrepreneur, the opportunity is there to be seized. So, now the question is, how does one stay ahead of the game in such a scenario? In the digital era, where market dynamics often change overnight, MBA may no longer be enough. In the post-pandemic world, businesses are dealing with unprecedented scenarios and shoe-string budgets. While innovative thought has helped entrepreneurs deal with this crisis situation, they have also realized the real power of digitization. With businesses moving online, it would only bode well for you as an aspiring entrepreneur to get familiar with concepts, including data science, AI, digital marketing, and Fiance. These can help you to boost your business growth.

www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most powerful technology that has become an integral part of businesses in the world, and is no longer something confined to the field of science and technology.

With India set to overpower China in terms of the number of the netizen, the cost-benefit analysis of using digital marketing for startups is surpassingly favorable. Digital brands with no physical outlet office have been successfully generated a wider brand recall, frequently with a small budget for marketing. Paid ads can be targeted to the right audience.

AI can support the three most important business needs – automating business processes, gaining insight through data analysis, and make relationships fruitful with customers and employees.

In short, to grow a business, an entrepreneur needs to gain digital marketing knowledge.

Giant E-commerce companies like Amazon and Alibaba use AI to predict their customer buying preferences. Apart from the voice assistants Alexa, Amazon recommends items to their customers by analyzing customer purchasing behavior, and it all gets done by AI.

DATA SCIENCE “Without data, you are just another person with an opinion” Data is the fuel that can be used to grow the business. So, you might have a question, what does data science have to do with businesses? In short, the analysis of data decides the business performance and will predict the future.

AI can automate most of the repetitive tasks, it frees up the human workforce for more meaningful tasks. Many reports have shown that a lot of organizations are dealing with the limited AI talents issue.

A data science skill enables an entrepreneur to predict trends and understand customer purchasing behavior and move accordingly.

An entrepreneur needs to learn if you can understand the technological know: How you will be able to find the right opportunity or a gap, How streamlining your business to make it more efficient.

This is a skill that helps to solve real problems, which makes your business grow faster. By helping to build customer’s personal profiles, a business can combine data points to create insight, which targets the audience more effectively, meaning, services and products can be tailored to a specific group of people.

DIGITAL MARKETING No amount of technology can grow your business unless the product reaches the right customers on time. The future of a business relies on - how well the brand engages with its targeted audience online today, or rather, on its digital marketing strategy.

Nowadays, an entrepreneur needs to have knowledge of data science, it helps to conduct more precise performance appraisals of their employees. In fact, the identification of true candidates matched for the company also relies heavily on similar tech.

Digital marketing is not only more affordable than the traditional concept of advertising, but it also produces outcomes fast.

FINANCE: A VERY CRUCIAL AND CORE SKILL Apart from these skills whether you have a startup or a corporate giant, knowledge of finance has been always helpful for both your business as well as your life.

The moment you advertise your product on Facebook or Instagram, it reaches millions of users, whose response can be examined using free services like Google Analytics.

As an entrepreneur, you need to know how to raise capital and manage your own money. Imagine, if you don’t know how to manage your own money, how are you gonna manage somebody else’s one, that’s why a good understanding of fiancé and business accounting is so important. It doesn’t mean that degrees are devoid of value. The startups ecosystem has always asked for more than a degree on the resume. There are scenarios where a conventional MBA from a top-tier institution can bring opportunities for you faster. Degree establishes credibility when you introduce yourself to clients as a startup. But more than anything, it’s often the network you build in college, which eventually help shine your career rather than the degree. In the end, we would suggest you take a look at your business and identity which area you need to be an expert in or have a clear understanding of. And then work on it.

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A REKNOWNED NAME OFFERING STERLING SERVICES IN THE IOT HEALTHCARE DOMAIN Avishek Singh | Business Connect accuracy, and recovery. This unique platform is vendor-neutral, HIPAA compliant, and secure as well. Providing a suite of biometric measurements(basic vitals, waveform, and imaging measurements) with real-time consultation, it is assisting the physicians to employ the right support to patients.

Ravi Amble | CEO & Founder

he Healthcare industry is assisting society with its standardized products and services by rescuing people from adversities put forth by the global pandemic. Creating harmony in the processes with the latest trends of the market, many players have pioneered in the relevant field providing exemplary services to their clients. Aiming to revolutionize the healthcare industry with its uniquely ubiquitous offerings, Suquino, Inc. is transforming telehealth with ‘Saffron’, which is a Machine Learning/ AI driven PaaS platform. The Company offers this exclusive platform, that integrates with the third-party medical devices, systems and software, to enable holistic and remote care in real-time within a connected care ecosystem. EXCLUSIVE OFFERINGS- PROBLEMS THEY ARE SOLVING There are many disparate systems of patient care-provider, caretaker, specialist, payor and many more, that can slow down the process of diagnosis and caretaking, impacting the understanding and treatment of patients. Alongside this, a fragmented ecosystem emerged from the outdated legacy systems and silos of data from multiple devices, failing to offer a solution for the holistic needs of people, including access to physicians and caretakers and more personalized medical care. The rising healthcare costs have impacted the health and productivity of the workforce and population adversely. Saffron helps to enhance patient’s health, diagnosis speed and

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ABOUT THE KEY OFFICIALS AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS VENTURE Being an accomplished business technologist and entrepreneur, the Founder and CEO, Ravi Amble acquired more than 15 years of experience in building telehealth networks in the IT industry. He has been well-recognized as a pioneer-entrepreneur in Telehealth domain springboarded by NASA, by building one of the the largest telemedicine networks in the world with the opportunity provided by the Indian government and ISRO. The success of this led to building the Pan-African telemedicine network as well. The ubiquitous, diagnostic-level PaaS platform constructed by him- Saffron, represents a next-generation telehealth system that brings interoperability among legacy systems and third-party medical devices to global healthcare networks. Global VP of Business Development, Meredith Sossman has more than 20 years of experience in health care device legal defence, FDA regulatory consulting for early-stage medical device and pharmaceutical companies, and international legal experience in health-related risk management. Meredith holds a telehealth facilitator certification from Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. Her strategic planning in execution has been praised by client organizations as “authentic, results-driven, and insightful.” After experiencing struggles in personal healthcare and family losses, the adept team of Suquino became focused on making a platform that is durable and can

serve the chronic care to the ageing population. Their efforts were converged on to render care with dignity and offer a better quality of life. The unique architecture of this platform allows it to fit seamlessly into any healthcare ecosystem and bring together, not only the software and medical devices, but it also allows doctors and caretakers to connect with patients anywhere in real-time to deliver diagnostic level of care. This platform can utilize biometrics and its evolving AI/ML engine, Ginger, provides physicians and healthcare professionals with immediate data processing at the time of treatment to assist in diagnostic and care plan decision support for better. ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL FACILITIES The whole world has been hit adversely by the COVID19 pandemic and amid this alarming situation, it is the need of the hour to come up with some exclusive healthcare solutions. The ace Founder of the Organization says, “The COVID-19 crisis has forced the world to witness a global expansion of telemedicine, but Saffron is a unique solution that allows patients to remain safe at home and still receive a holistic and personalized diagnostic level medical examination from the relevant physicians. Patients, who otherwise would have been forced to go to hospitals and risk exposure to COVID-19, are prominently using the Saffron system to remain safe at home, and receive full medical examination and treatment without any risk involved. It is a ubiquitous, diagnostic-level platform that can interact and bring together the myriad of medical software, third party devices, mHealth wearables and put that data in one place for seamless, secure sharing and transfer of information about a patient. Doctors can now stop performing data entry in multiple areas and have one place to bring together the holistic view of their patients to drive better diagnosis and care options for their patients using Saffron.” Ravi Amble, Founder & CEO

Meredith Sossman | Global VP of Business Development ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED OF R&D The Founder understands the significance of Research and Development that can efficiently help the organization in scaling the heights of success. AI/ML is an evolving arena and the Firm has recently learned a great deal about the ethical use of machine learning, especially in medicine. The team is committed to offering a worldclass diagnostic support engine, but knows that no computer will or should replace the judgement of a doctor. AI/ML could serve as the decision supporters but not as the decision-makers.

The Founder says, “We believe that there is no better calling for us than to provide this service to the healthcare global community to serve humankind.”

ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO BOAST OF Suquino has efficiently expanded its dimensions by earning global co-creation partnerships with Microsoft Corporation and has also been featured at their ‘Inspire 2019 Conference’. The team of the Firm is privileged to see the Saffron system that is displayed at the headquarters of Microsoft in its Customer Experiences Center. Along with this, Suquino has also earned global partnership with Advantech and also provided an RRK ready solution for Intel. In March 2020, ‘Saffron’ won the ‘Peer-Reviewed Health Value Award’ from the Validation Institute.

The intelligent platform- Saffron can converge disparate medical data stored in systems that do not, or cannot easily communicate. Saffron’s ability to act as a medical data information system allows physicians, researchers, pharmaceutical trials and other healthcare professionals to bring collective learning together to serve patients and our community to improve outcomes and share important health insights.

WORDS TO CONVEY “Nothing compares to the value of your team, their dedication and willingness to turn the impossible into possible. The dedicated team of Suquino knows that vision, hard work and perseverance will ensure our mission of providing affordable, on-demand, outstanding healthcare for everyone, everywhere comes to fruition.” Meredith Sossman, Global VP of Business Development

INTENDING TO SERVE MANKIND With a team that has more than 150 years of experience in healthcare and technology, the Firm has professionally and personally invested in helping everyone to have access to on-demand, affordable healthcare.

www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Innovation

MUSHROOM CULTIVATION

A Sustainable Agribusiness In India “One of the major agricultural industries on the earth is mushroom processing.” Agriculture is vital to the Indian economy. According to the Economic Survey 2021, the share of agriculture in India’s GDP has increased to almost 20 percent in 2021. Farming in the traditional way is no longer a guarantee of profit. Through innovations in farming, farmers can increase their income if they wish. Recently, the Indian Government’s industrial policy and innovative creativity have encouraged research and entrepreneurship in mushroom cultivation. It has a lot of potential as a money maker. It is light-independent, feeds on organic matter, and does not require fertile soil to grow.

India’s unemployment rate has risen to 6.8 % and the youth is no longer confident of jobs. In such a situation, the interest of the educated youth has shifted more towards sustainable agribusiness. Farmers are making good profits in small areas by doing mushroom cultivation in a modern way. The Mushroom Cultivation Market is projected to be worth USD 16.7 billion in 2021, rising at a CAGR of 4% from 2021 to 2026, to hit a value of USD 20.4 billion. Rajkumari Binita Devi, a mushroom cultivator from Manipur, is a great example of someone who was influenced by experience and was able to make a fortune and receive awards despite being an unskilled mushroom cultivator.

WHAT IS A MUSHROOM?

A mushroom (Kukurmutta in Hindi) is a fungus’ umbrella-shaped fruit. It is a tasty food that is enjoyed by both children and elders all over the world. It’s also known as “the future vegetable,” as it’s a guarantee against food shortages, hunger, and medicinal value. With the increasing population across the globe, Mushroom demand has risen recently, because mushrooms meet the needs of health-conscious consumers and are a desirable alternative food, especially for vegetarians. www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Final Thoughts Mushroom cultivation is now India’s most active and profitable sector. It is rapidly gaining popularity in India because it turns farmers’ hard work into benefits in a short period. Agri-entrepreneurship programs especially in mushroom cultivation that involve capacity building and access to funds for youth should flourish to solve India’s brain drain issue. What today’s youth lack is the inspiration and entrepreneurship to see agriculture’s promise and prospects?. Youths are a source of creativity and a strong source of inspiration for others.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF MUSHROOMS

Mushrooms have a low-fat content and are high in simple carbohydrates. They’re also rich in digestible protein, high molecular weight polysaccharides, and a decent source of fibre, among other nutrients. Mushrooms also contain unsatu rated fatty acids, which account for more than 70% of total fatty acid content, as well as essential fatty acids, are low in calories, and high in vegetable proteins, minerals, and vitamins. They also contain a lot of secondary metabolites, which may be useful in nutraceuticals, pharmacology, and medicine. Some mushrooms have anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent diseases like hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, and cancer.

HISTORY

About 600 A.D., the first mushroom, “Auricularia auricula”, was cultivated. “Flammulina velutipes” is later cultivated in China around 800-900 A. D. Commercial mushroom farming has only recently begun in India, with Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka leading the way. Andhra Pradesh is a big producer of mushrooms. Training of Mushroom cultivation in India Various government and 33

non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in India provide mushroom cultivation instruction. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar and National Research Centre for Mushroom (NRCM), Solan, Himachal Pradesh are pioneer educational institutes. A “Mushroom Cultivation Technology” online training program is also available. Farmers, as well as entrepreneurs, would benefit from training programs. It is possible to have mushroom production three times a year because the length of 45 to 60 days is adequate for mushroom production. Diabetes flour, pickles, cookies, papad, and protein diet powder are made from mushrooms.

TYPES OF MUSHROOM

Button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and paddy straw mushrooms are the three primary varieties of mushroom harvest. These mushrooms are important in their own right, and they develop in different ways using different techniques and methods. To grow mushrooms, a special bed known as a compost bed is prepared. Cost of Mushroom Cultivation in India In India, the total cost of mushroom cultivation is around INR 1,50,00 0. Scrap Wooden Shelves (Rs. 20,000), Room Construction Costs (INR 1,25,000), and other Miscellaneous Costs are included (Rs. 5000).

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THE DIGITAL FIFTH

A CATALYST FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN FINANCIAL SPACE Smita Choudhary | Business Connect A CONCISE INTRODUCTION With the fintech space evolving rapidly, The Digital Fifth has come to light as a pioneer in fintech consulting, catering its solutions to the BFSI segments such as Banks, NBFCs, Fintechs, Wealth Management, and Insurance Firms. The firm is dedicated to building and rendering smart solutions to financial institutions and fintech start-ups. “We help our clients seek appropriate alliances, implement product roadmaps and acquire a customer base. Our committed services have made us the go-to solution providers for major BFSI organizations and game-changers alike,” asserts the ‘trio.’

KNOWLEDGE PARTNER FOR INDIA FINTECH AWARDS IN 2019

n line with listing trusted financial solution providers, these two pages of our exclusive edition are dedicated to the triumphs of an exceptional Digital and Fintech consulting venture– The Digital Fifth. Backed with futureready dexterity and a zealous drive to make a difference, this firm has facilitated a harmonious union of Finance, Technology, and People across the financial landscape. To learn more about the multidisciplinary aspects of its business portfolio, our ardent team arranged a virtual meet with the three co-founders of the firm– Sameer Singh Jaini, Shashank Shekhar, and R. Sreekant who spotlighted some exemplary business insights.

TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR BFSI PROFESSIONALS

www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

The three key luminaries are well-connected with the Indian Startup and BFSI giving them a leading edge with unparalleled services as one of the leading fintech consulting companies. AN ESTABLISHED VISION AND THE STAUNCH MISSION The vision propelled by the triad is majorly focused on creating maximum impact with minimal disruption. Thus far, driven by this vision, The Digital Fifth has propelled several businesses through exponential growth. The exclusive mission for the firm was actuated by the key officials’ decades of industrial experience in designing effective solutions for leading banks with national as well as international repute. They are keenly aligned with digitalizing the fintech ecosystem by facilitating modern business methodologies. Moreover, the company provides its collective experience and tools to empower organizations aspiring to transform the fintech space. THE CORE SERVICE OFFERINGS In the past few years, the BFSI domain has moved at a breakneck pace. The Digital Fifth’s purpose is to help businesses stay ahead of the curve as well as encourage professionals in this space to steer their organizations in the right direction via their deep-dive training. The Digital Fifth has a broad spectrum of services to offer its clients with – • DIGITAL CONSULTING– ‘Simplifying customer journey’– Where they assist clients in shaping a unique digital and fintech strategy. On the one hand, the digital facet of this service vertical includes Digital Strategy & Transformation, driving Digital Initiatives, Open Banking Strategy & Rollout, Program Management, Setting up innovative frameworks, and Digital Maturity Model & Assessment. On the other hand, Fintech Strategy is all about connecting established BFSI entities with appropriate tech-forward fintech. 36

SAMEER SINGH JAINI Founder & CEO

SHASHANK SHEKHAR Co - Founder, Head of Consulting

•

PARTNERSHIPS – ’Finding suitable partners for businesses’– With their deep connections in the ecosystem, The Digital Fifth connects its clients with the businesses best suited to their requirements. They have successfully built and executed India Entry Strategy for multiple international startups and helped in getting business engagements. Within India, they have accelerated multiple startups through their unique market outreach approaches. Fintech Bazaar is a one-of-a-kind, one-day focused matchmaking event with 20 minutes of a one-onone discussion with customers and enablers. So far, they have hosted 14 fintech Bazaars where 225+ customers and 150+ enablers actively participated in more than 1800 meeting sessions.

•

FINTECH TRAINING – ‘Providing subject matter expertise for seamless execution and implementation of strategies’ – Where they train the professionals in the BFSI sector in various segments such as –Open Banking, Digital Lending, Digital Banking, Digital Payments and Cybersecurity through their masterclasses that they conduct for corporate as well as retail entities. There are a total of 25+ certification courses offered under this service vertical. Till now, they have trained around 4,000 BFSI professionals via 1100+ hours of training sessions. Moreover, they have also brought 30+ industry leaders from various fields for their exclusive training programs.

•

RECRUITMENT- Fintech is still a relatively new segment, and recruitment in this segment is complicated. The Digital Fifth handles this process on behalf of its clients and sources its candidates with the great caliber and thorough industry insights.

The Digital Fifth takes immense pride in its core competencies to optimize tedious & cumbersome processes that allow seamless workflows and overall swift business transformation. UNWAVERING EVEN AMID THE ‘CRISIS LIKE NO OTHER’ No doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic took a big toll on businesses but, The Digital Fifth promptly shielded itself by making its business model agile and flexible. Additionally, with people being locked indoors, the need for digital solutions peaked tremendously, motivating more entities to approach their digitized solutions. As a result, domestic as well as international companies, ranging from the US, Middle East, and Southeast Asia, approached them for efficacious solutions that helped the company adeptly navigate the adverse effects of the pandemic. “Owing to our proactive approach and swift turnaround, we are successfully growing at a rapid pace even amid the unprecedented times,” conveyed the co-founders.

SREEKANT RUDRABHATLA Co - Founder, Head of Sales & Partnership

MEET THE BRAINS BEHIND THE DIGITAL FIFTH • Sameer Singh Jaini laid the foundation stone for the company and is leading it as the CEO. The recipient of Best CIO and Innovation Awards, Sameer was the founding member of Kotak Mahindra Bank and played a crucial role in setting up Bharatiya Mahila Bank and led digital payments and core banking initiatives at Citibank. He has also implemented major banking initiatives for ‘Finacle’ across the USA and Europe. He has been recognized as Fintech Asia Top 100 by NextMoney.Org. • The Head of Consulting, Shashank Shekhar, is a veteran in designing and executing digital strategies and transformation processes. His over 19+ years of enriched experience in leading technology set-ups and security & governance functions has allowed him to bag IDC Award for Omni Channel Framework. • R Sreekant, the Head of Sales & Partnerships, is driving revenue via regular sales and sponsor sales for the B2B and B2C events. His portfolio is filled with years of experience managing digital marketing processes for his esteemed clientele hailing from automobile, consumer durables, lifestyle products, and BFSI sectors. With more than two decades of extensive experience in Sales and Business Development, he efficiently manages the sales & partnership operations at The Digital Fifth.

CONDUCTING VIRTUAL SHORT TERM & LONG TERM COURSES www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Eupraxia Telecom Cloud Telephony Solutions

EUPRAXIA TELECOM

REVOLUTIONIZING TELEPHONY EXPERIENCES Avishek Singh | Business Connect

COMPANY OVERVIEW Eupraxia Telecom, incepted in January 2012, provides Cloud Telephony solutions that enhance the telephony experience of organizations, and enable them to improve efficiency in their area of work. They help derive cost efficiency in telecom expenses for corporations each month. They offer both private and public cloud solutions that connect multiple offices/locations through a single telephone number, thereby increasing the Top of Mind recall for the Brand. Apart from Office IVR & Call Center Solutions, Eupraxia Telecom also offers Auto Dialer, IVR Blast, Missed Call Auto Call Back, and Audio Conferencing Solutions. Eupraxia Telecom has helped MRF Vapour Cure Paints, TVS Motors, Redington, Medall, Apollo Hospitals and a number of share and commodity trading companies, SMEs with multiple branches, connect with single number. They are reputed for selling not products but solutions that solve the pain points of their customers, resulting in increased efficiency, productivity and profitability of the organisation. Each implementation of theirs is different from the other but closely tied to the business process of the organization. The core team at Eupraxia Telecom is headed by Dr. K P Ganeshraj, Founder and CEO, www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

who is in-charge of Strategic Technology Selection and Sales. He is a Doctorate in Telecommunication with about thirty-two years of experience in the technology industry. Eupraxia Telecom is a pioneer in Cloud Telephony Application Interface and specializes in lowmaintenance rural BPOs and providing cost-effective toll-free solutions. They are also known for developing single-number solutions for organizations which have multiple offices or outlets within the city or across a state or across the country. This is to drive a strong customer memory hook with the organization with a single outfacing number to increase the business and also to reduce marketing and telecom expenses. Eupraxia products are based on GSM SIM Cards, PRI and SIP trunks. Their cloud telephony solutions are aimed at providing enterprise grade telecom features to small and medium entrepreneurs connecting their telecom infrastructure. Eupraxia cloud solution, Receptionist In Air (RIA), puts a layer of intelligence over the existing telecom infrastructure. This results in a rich heuristics to analyse the existing telecom patterns and also to “Never to miss a business lead” with the call hopping functionality. The company has been involved in R&D of various TAPI Solution with a number of organizations interfacing their existing ERP and CRM. 38

The Eupraxia development team specializes in design, development and implementation of telecom solutions that are based on GSM, PRI and SIP based technologies. Eupraxia’s solutions are aimed at bringing an convergent communication platform which will enable multimode communications with seamless ease to enhance productivity and efficiency of the organization. Eupraxia guarantees high ROI for its clients. Companies spend a lot of money on digital marketing and receive only 10 to 20% conversion. Eupraxia Telephony products help increase the ROI by increasing the prospect conversion by a minimum of 60% with their telephony productivity tools. Eupraxia empowers enterprises to make their phone number as their brand identity. DEALING WITH COVID-19 Eupraxia had ‘work from homeready’ products from day zero. The company continued with business as usual with an extra focus on product development during the nation-wide lockdown. They always had remote working options available for employees as they have clients who work round the clock and run mission-critical applications. They helped all on-premise clients to migrate to work from home call centers. In places where there were issues with internet

connectivity, they provided dual-leg calling solutions which got them additional business. Keeping with the demands of the pandemic, no one was at the company working from the office. All were on work from home. Most of their employees were out of town, and those in town were not called to the office. They tied up with partnered IT support firms to give them onsite support in case of physical equipment failures. Occasionally, Mr. Ganeshraj had to personally visit some of their clients to provide uninterrupted support. Because of their carefulness and by God’s Grace, no one at Eupraxia tested positive. Even though it had no effect on their business operations as their products are designed for work from home, it did have a marginal effect on new acquisitions, as a few industries are going through tough times due to Covid. They concentrated on digital marketing and stayed regularly in touch with existing customers. Most of the business they acquired during this time was repeat orders from existing clients or their referrals. Their business is predominantly based on a pay per use model, which enables them to manage the working capital. Their several friends and partners that are in the IT hardware industry helped them out by supplying the material directly to their client sites, as needed. As their business operations were continuing more or less normally through work from home, they were

able to fulfill all their contractual obligations. They are continuing their service for the clients and accepting deferred and part payments to enable them to continue their business as usual. They distributed face masks to the needy, proving their mettle in these tough times. “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.” For Mr. Ganeshraj, the day starts and ends with video conference calls with all employees. The task for the day / status updates are shared with all in the morning and reviewed in the evening. Every week one employee is made to present 39

their personal and official talents and accolades which have improved the bonding. Due to the current pandemic, certain verticals of business have closed down. Having a contingency plan in place, Eupraxia is opening up new verticals like video conferencing to sustain the business revenue. “This year just surviving is a great profit. We will make millions as soon as the sky becomes clear.” Dr. K P Ganeshraj, Founder & CEO, Eupraxia Telecom www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Health

How to survive the 14 days HOTEL QUATRAINS (both mentally and physically)

ear traveler, there are 14-15-days isolation required at your next destination. Today we will be sharing tips to survive the 14 days hotel quarantine. In the post-pandemic world, hotel quarantine has become compulsory in almost all countries – including India – and whist staying in a hotel for days on end may have previously sounded like a dream, it is actually a lot more challenging than it looks. Many popular destinations like UK, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, and many others have implemented a compulsory quarantine rule. Tourists have to quarantine in a hotel for anywhere between 14-21 days, at their expense. So, if you are one of the travelers who want to visit a specific country, here are some tips that will help you survive your stay in a hotel quarantine.

Book a room with a view While the thought of spending your quarantine period in a single room may not be pleasing for most of you, booking a room that has greenery or mountain views or some such nice view can help. Out of the list of quarantine hotels, select hotel and hotel’s room wisely where you can feel good about spending your quarantine. It would be great if the room comes up with a balcony, where you can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee.

Wake up with purpose Some people will be in quarantine for 14 or other 21 days- it depends on country to country. So, plan how you will be spending each day in your room. Start your day with some physical exercise, followed by a pampering session in the shower – try to accomplish something, even the smallest task is countable. You may also make a to-do list before you hit the sack and start next days on purposeful not. Also, going to bed early and waking up on time save the tone for your day. Taking a good sleep 7 to 8 hours is better for all of us, especially when you quarantine yourself in a single room. This doesn’t just give you directions but also a certain degree of control over your day.

Do some exercise In this post-pandemic world, physical activity must be a part of your daily routine; it helps you to kill two birds with one stone – it keeps both the blues and flab away. Physical activities are known to release happy hormones – endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine. So, choose the physical activity you enjoy and can add in your quarantine periods. Dancing, acro yoga, aerobics – choose from several options you can practice to stay fit and happy. www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Soak in some vitamin D Catch early morning sunrises; you can also meditate or practice yoga while you get vitamin D. So when you are making a hotel booking, try to get an east-facing room. The coming sunlight through windows to your face will instantly cheer your mood and energize you to face the day. It is also good for your health. Stay connected. It has become very important, especially as the world combats covid-19, that we stay in touch with someone who cares about us. Use the hotel WIFI and make some time every day to talk with family, friends, and partners during hotel quarantine. Whether it be through chat, a phone call, and a video call. I recommend you make a phone or video call, in this, you can connect with their emotion.

Digital detox Fixing eyes on your phone or TV screen all day is harmful to our brain and eyes. So, keep your eyes away from your phone screen to give some rest to your mind and of curses your eyes. Lesser screen time shearing offers benefits which include improved sleeping quality and attention span. Many research also shows that people who abstain from using social media are less likely to have anxiety and depression. Instead of scrolling – screen smartphone, solve a puzzle or read the book, keep in mind that books must be paperbacks.

Eat healthy food As you are in hotel quarantine, try to choose healthy food options when it comes to your meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinners – once in a while is fine. Self-isolation has made us seek comfort in junk food, but it will be wise to not let this time ruin our healthy eating habits. Junk food and processed food in your diet have many disadvantages, including obesity and leathery, make sure your meal (from morning to night) satiates your hunger and nourishes you during your quarantine time. If you are bored with hotel food, you can also look for online delivery services, which will offer you some healthy and tasty options.

Cultivate a skill With quite some time in your hands, why not develop a new skill during your quatrain period? There are tons of options available on the internet at affordable prices, from dancing classes to cooking courses. You can start something doing something, which was on hold for a long time because you weren’t able to find the time. As you finish your quarantine period, do not forget to follow a basic rule, wear the mask, sanitize your hands or wash them- when you touch something, and maintain distance as much as possible. 41

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INSIGHTS OPINION

Striding on Through The Lockdown Indranil Roy | Business Connect

COMPANY AT A GLANCE Insights Opinion is a reputed research consultant with expertise in research outsourcing and offering expert data collection services to large research and consulting firms. In times as unprecedented as this, Insights Opinion has proved its mettle by handling the crisis with forethought and efficiency. With a dedicated and proficient team of experts with multilingual communication capabilities, the firm has risen to fame in the field of Market Research. The dedication and enthusiasm of the team to accomplish the assigned tasks perfectly has contributed to their astonishing success and a dynamic growth in around a hundred countries across the globe. The team at Insights Opinion is distinguished for its unmatchable passion, ability to serve in more than 60 languages, and customized services. The team has earned the valued trust and appreciation of their clients. The company serves in a wide range of topics like infographics, scripting, telemarketing, content syndication, diagramming, multigeological and multilingual studies, computerized advertising, lead generation, and white-paper announcing. Insights Opinion is headquartered primarily in the US, the UK and India. Insights Opinion is valued by its clients worldwide for its high standards and excellence. The team makes it a point to never compromise with quality. The contemporary and exclusive research and data outsourcing potential of the company helps the customers to settle on more intelligent choices for their business needs. Security, Simplicity and Speed are the three maxims followed at Insights Opinion to provide exemplary research material for their clients. Their market research is based on domain expertise, exposure and scientific methodologies, ensuring that they provide reliable results every time. THE SERVICES INSIGHTS OPINION OFFERS INCLUDES: • Quantitative Research • Qualitative Research • Global Panel • Mystery Shopping • Survey Audit • Programming & Hosting • Translation • Data Processing & Analytics • Online Community Building THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 Insights Opinion is one of the few companies that is focused on looking for viable possibilities at the time of a global crisis. An emerging global leader in Market Research Consultancy, Insights Opinion is determined to transform its processes to meet the demands of the changing times.

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SHAROZ GHAURI

Director, Client Services

As the pandemic escalated worldwide, Insights Opinion predicted the national lockdown and before it happened, were ready with remote working options for their employees. They took immediate action by adapting a cloud-based system so that the staff could work from home without hurdles. They also took extra measures to ensure data protection and security. Work from home was a viable option and Insights Opinion made the best use of it. The company, under the leadership of Sharoz Ghauri (Director), is trying to gauge the impact of the resulting dip in the economy and the effect it would have on the attitudes of the people. The impact on the economy that the lockdown will have will dictate the market behaviour of people all over the world. As a market research venture, it is a challenge and opportunity for Insights Opinion to understand these mindsets. Not only does the lockdown come with future challenges for the company, it also resulted in sudden changes within. As a market research firm, they had it relatively easier than other businesses as most of the work happens online or via telephonic approach. Therefore, they could expect their employees to cooperate and work remotely while sticking to the self-quarantine guidelines. Fear and panic were the common reactions that most of the employees experienced. However, Insights Opinions did their best to keep them motivated during the tough times and while assuring them that the changes are going to be temporary. The company paid full salary to the field/ support staff who couldn’t work from home as their nature of work doesn’t allow them to work remotely.

There have been some ups and downs, but market research is an ongoing process, even amidst a pandemic. Through constant communication through conference calls, emails, and text messages, they were in touch with their employees to derive similar output as they used to, prior to the lockdown. With the lockdown, funding becomes an issue for most newly-launched enterprises. Investors are expected to be more vigilant and cautious while making funding decisions due to it. However, it is important to note that the market manages to revive itself after every economic downfall. Meanwhile, Insights Opinion is ready to approach the existing investors for additional funding, as needed. In addition to being prepared for obstacles themselves, the company continued their CSR activities during the crisis. Insights Opinion has always been proactive in supporting the local community. Their focus was to ensure they support the migrants. The company was feeding 100+ migrants everyday during the lockdown.

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The coronavirus pandemic has brought new sets of challenges to the business; however, these challenges could also be seen as opportunities. Hence, rather than giving into the panic and fear, it is best to appreciate this silver lining and come up with revised goals and strategies to achieve them.

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The pandemic and the resulting lockdown has impacted every enterprise in one way or the other. A number of companies are now struggling to make it through this lockdown, and looking for ways to survive the resulting dip the economy has taken. But Sharoz looks at it as a chance to innovate and grow:

With gradual relaxation in the lockdown guidelines, they were able to bring back some flexibility while keeping the social distancing protocols in practice. Of their workforce, 30% could report to the office, while the rest worked remotely. The welfare of the employees as the topmost priority, Insights Opinion took every necessary measure to ensure the same. While in the office, strict measures for wearing masks, using sanitizers, and ensuring 6-feet distance were implemented for the safety of their employees.

www.businessconnectindia.in | Vol. 4 | Special Edition September 2021 INDIA

Education

Education Has Put off Physical Classrooms and Shifted to ONLINE CLASSES The best days were when schools and colleges were open and students were seen rushing to school in neat and tidy uniforms with bags in their shoulders and sometimes running with those heavy bags to not get late. After reaching school, to stand for morning prayers and then some physical activities, after that straight to the classrooms filled with our classmates. The same way for college, when students were always confused with what to wear today, what period to bunk and go to the canteen, etc. Those days now seem to be just a memory to cherish. An education center is the best public policy tool available to raise skills. While school/college time can be fun along with raising social skills and social awareness if we look from an economic point of view the primary point of being in school/ college was that it helped in increasing a child’s ability. But the arrival of COVID-19 has led to the departure of students going to education centers. Well! we say a coin has its two sides, the same way this too has both good and bad impressions but let’s just go for a positive version because 2020 has brought us enough negative things.

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Whatever the condition comes, one should never stop learning, and if one way of going to an educational center is closed than open another way of e-learning. The arrival of Covid-19 has forced schools and universities across the world to put off physical classrooms and shifted to online classes. While the faculty deals with the new ways of managing this sudden transition to online education, students are left clinging on to their mobile phones and computer screens.

FUTURE EDUCATION SYSTEM The new way of learning where courses are conducted online, examinations are conducted online, assignments are submitted through email. For India, this seems to be a good opportunity to strengthen internet connectivity across rural India. It will help every village and town to be digitally connected for the better interaction between the students and teachers. When it comes to the students some are quick at adapting this system and some take a little longer time to acquaint with this system. Fundamental structural changes should be made in the curriculum/syllabi and programs should be a part of the curriculum in engineering and science degree programs. This will help in creating future entrepreneurs and this can be one way to help beat unemployment and increase business skills amongst the youth. The business community should play a foremost role in this new educational system.

Higher education in India needs to be more international but more locally connected and socially responsible, more flexible(curriculum), should be innovative and open for more collaboration. Innovative models should be introduced, Universities/institutes could be online that would provide internet-based flexible offerings. The Post Covid-19 is an opportunity we look forward to transforming the higher education system. Institutes/Universities should definitely utilize this opportunity to transform itself. the focus should be more on internationalizing higher education as today we are facing Covid-19 but no one knows what lies ahead in the future for millions of youngsters.

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Learning is more effective when it is active rather than a passive process

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KURT LEWIN 49

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