Money, knowledge and expertise are not the only things required to start something new and big.
After building a successful career in Finance, Jas Kaur decided to tread the path of entrepreneurship and started working on QuikConsult, an online consultation platform that connects top industry experts with people in need of expert advice. The idea emerged from the personal experience of hiring a consultant and evolved into something bigger.
Jas works closely with the development and marketing team to make QuikConsult the most trusted brand in online consultation. She, along with her co-founders, played a crucial role in evolving features that will enable secure chat & email consultation between consultants and seekers. He also uses her corporate experience to evolve strategies that help her in retaining the best talent for her startup.
Under her watch, QuikConsult has reached thousands of consultants and brought industry experts with over 20 years of experience on board from industries as diverse as real estate, technology, business, health, fitness, law, fashion, spirituality, taxes, events, parenting, travel, and immigration.
An MBA in Finance+SAP in finance and controlling, Jas wants to change the way people get expert advice online through her online chat and email consultation product. In the next 5 years, Jas aims to make QuikConsult the go-to platform for discovering and consulting industry experts anywhere across the globe.
Where did the idea for QuikConsult come from?
The old proverb, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ fits here perfectly! I came across an accounting query back in 2015 and went on a search spree to find a qualified advisor on the internet. It took me many days of searching to locate experts. Even after speaking with many CAs, I wasn’t sure if I’m hiring the right guy or not. This gave me the idea to build a platform for people seeking expert advice. I started working on QuikConsult in early 2016 and it is slowing evolving into something big.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I juggle a lot of hats to make QuikConsult the most trusted platform for consultants and industry experts. I’m working closely with my team to make sure that everything comes up as envisioned. So, team coordination takes a lot of time. A lot of time goes in discussions and planning to further enhance the QC experience.
I make my workdays productive by following a strict office routine and prioritizing work through tools like Google Keep. Its features like Notes and Reminders help me focus on the tasks that are most important.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Bringing ideas to life for me means surrounding myself with people who know their job. I believe building digital brands requires diverse skillsets and pretending you can do it all will only lead to disappointment. In addition to that, I don’t believe in gut worshipping. I believe in research and idea validation before making an investment. I did the same for QuikConsult, and so far my calculations have been correct.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
The way technology is connecting people and opening up new job opportunities excites me a lot. Startups like Uber and Homehero solved much felt problems and also created new job opportunities. I guess entrepreneurs should focus on creating products that change lives for the good. Also, the speed with which online businesses are growing. I mean when was it possible to build something that could get billion dollar valuation in few years?
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I never let negativity affect me and always look on the brighter side. Setbacks are part of everyday life for entrepreneurs, and if you want to hit goals, you cannot let them bring you down. This directly improves my productivity while working with my team. My never-give-up attitude helps as well.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’m very organized presently but this was not always the case. So, I would tell my young self to get organized early.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
Money, knowledge and expertise are not the only things required to start something new and big. You will also need support of your loved ones to make important decisions of your life. Without people who believe in your ideas and are willing to walk the mile with you, it is really hard to keep going.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Do a market deep dive before putting in the money. Entrepreneurs are often so possessed by their ideas that they don’t spare the time to conduct in-depth research. This is a big reason why majority of the startups shut down business within new years of operations. So, I always validate my ideas with solid numbers.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Sticking to the plan and tireless execution. Building a marketplace can be a real challenge. Bringing initial base of consultants on board was an uphill task that required detailed planning. My team deployed the right strategies to reach consultants from different industries and also dedicated efforts on brand building. This helped us a lot in building community trust. I shared our experience through blog posts on Entrepreneur.com and Yourstory.com
I’m surrounded by entrepreneurs and all of them say that there comes a time when you just want to give up. It is at such times that you have to stay strong and keep the right attitude.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
As an entrepreneur, I have really struggled to find the right talent for my product. This is perhaps the biggest challenge when you are building a technology driven product. I did my share of mistakes but I learned from them and gathered a group of people that were as passionate about QuikConsult as I was. I guess falling and getting up part of getting mature as an entrepreneur.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A product which will simplify job search for manual labourers and unskilled/semi-skilled workers. It cannot be a regular job search website or app since the audience would find it hard to use. It has to have an offline element to it. Such a solution would make a big social impact, especially in developing countries where majority of the people are employed in unorganized sector.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I bought a birthday gift for my mother. She has been very supportive and understanding of my goals and choices in life. So, it was a small gesture to show my love. Life is unbelievably short and you should always find time for your loved ones.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Google Keep is the secret of my productivity. It has amazing sharing capabilities that keep me connected with my team and hit milestones. I use it to create notes related to most important tasks and schedule reminders. Being a Google product, the search is really powerful and gives you exactly what you are looking for. I’m can’t even imagine working without the application.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
“Business adventures” by John Brooks
What is your favorite quote?
The best view comes after the hardest climb.
Connect:
Jas Kaur on LinkedIn:
QuikConsult on Facebook:
QuikConsult on Twitter: @quikconsult
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.