Become an asset to the organization, be dependable and become a responsible citizen. Never compromise on credibility, and always let the eminence in your work speak for itself.
Sunil Sathyavolu holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Applications from Osmania University & Post Graduation Certification in Business Management from XLRI Jamshedpur. A passionate IT Professional and enthusiastic towards field of education who strongly believe every individual is a student throughout his life.
He has strong determination and desire towards making positive impact to the society, he strongly believes technology can improve human’s lives immensely if it’s used and limited to its purpose.
Over 17 yrs of Insightful and Enriching experience in IT Services industry in both product based and service based organizations and opportunity to work for start ups to industry leaders in services and software domain positions him a strong leader. It is a strategical move from organization to organization in the thirst of acquiring knowledge on diverse domains. His understanding on BPOs, Banking, IT Services, Manufacturing & Supply Chain Business & Software Development domain on IT Side of the business helped him establish a deeper knowledge on each of these domains.
Being a customer obsessed IT Professional Sunil thinks every problem in life is an opportunity and inability to use a skill spontaneously is more than illness.
He is social and talkative, his friends call him entertainer, music and movie freak. He hails from 400 yrs old Historical city of Hyderabad and this also happens to be his all-time favorite city. Besides his work he is a Lake Conservationist and Eco Activist, currently he is working towards remediating a 90 Acres lake in Hyderabad for its remediation
Education System in India has been a topic of concern and discussion for ages, yet very little has been done for it. Almost every aspect of life today, has been modernized with changing technology, but something as critical as education, stayed far from its shadows, still clinging to the same old arrangements that didn’t stay on par with the current generation’s needs. Although technology did make its way into schools, replacing blackboards with smart screens and note books with laptops, it failed to infiltrate into what truly mattered – learning.
Having noticed the vast gap between the learnings offered and the learning potential available at large, We – Kiran Jupudi, Founder & CEO, Sunil Sathyavolu – Co-Founder, Vijay Pothula – Co-Founder, and Vivek Chandramohan – Co-Founder, all hailing from Hyderabad, Telangana, holding several years of rich experience in technology domain, decided to bring about a change in this obsolete education system, that has been in a dire need for change, with our start-up “EdSense”, an educator’s digital strategy partner.
Where did the idea for EdSense come from?
EdSense is educator’s digital strategy partner, which means we take a holistic approach of student’s higher achievement and teacher’s effectiveness, which is the Essence of Education – hence the name EdSense came into picture.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I usually plan things at least a week ahead, however my day starts with taking a look at my calendar to determine how my day would look. I finish all the strategical part of my work in the first half of the day, say before 11 AM, and then have my meetings with the team and customers. I plan my week to assign Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday for customers, and Thursday, Friday for my own self. Although this schedule isn’t rigid, I like to make the demarcations for better productivity.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Any idea that does not excite me for long, or does not allow me to validate its sustainability post implementation, does not incite me to take it to the next level. I am a great believer of the concept that ability to implement one idea, is a greater success criterion than having too many ideas. From my experiences in life, I have learned to “Fail Fast”. Failing fast implies you don’t wait for years together to build a world class solution. When you have an idea, build an MVP, go to users and start working with them real time to fine tune the product. It’s complicated to think simple, but easy to think about complicated ideas.
What’s one trend that excites you?
People who spread incredible happiness through great ideas exhilarate me. It can be through an innovation, service or just volunteering. The world needs more people who are doers, and also more energy from positive people in influential positions.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
My social skills help me lead and excel. I do not hesitate to pick up a quick conversation about things which need attention, or start conversations relevant to work, without waiting for a designated slot/time. I believe communication is the key to any progress. It’s important to be a good listener, since effective listening is the foundation of communication. Attentive listening helps you respond, and not just react, ensuring your words and message, are clear and precise.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Believe in yourself, there is no shortcut to success. Being at the right place at the right time is key, so network. Become an asset to the organization, be dependable and become a responsible citizen. Never compromise on credibility, and always let the eminence in your work speak for itself.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I am very reserved and inhibited by nature. But thanks to my acquired social skills, people find this hard to believe.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Be very clear about the difference between decisions taken by your heart and mind. Never let one overshadow the other. Timely decision making is imperative. Standing for what you believe, is key characteristic of an entrepreneur.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
It’s true that decision making happens at the top, but you need to go through the loop to know people that impact the process. They may not get you a deal, but they sure could stand in the way of getting a deal. Know your customer very well before you start business conversions with them.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Arriving at elevator pitch, I struggled a lot to tell people what exactly EdSense does, I had to practice a lot and face many questions to finally arrive at my elevator pitch.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Have a kiosk which will let consumers validate the product genuinely. This system should talk to manufacturing unit / approving authority to confirm that the product is original and not a duplicated product added in to the lot. This is needed to bring discipline among stores, as many a times the greed of some, ends up endangering customer’s cost life/health. Having a check point for this at both entry and exit level would help.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I happened to meet a Govt. School Principal in a meeting, who came for fund raising of books and slates for 300 children in his school. $100 could buy me a jolly ride in an adventure park, or an expensive dinner in a fine place, but gifting education to 300 children for a year, made me incredibly happy, much more than any ride or dining could.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Microsoft Outlook. It helps me communicate seamlessly, organize my tasks and meetings and most importantly works fantastic in prioritizing my emails and relevant activities.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Bhagavad Gita –The Bhagwad Gita is a manual for life and living. The Gita presents the laws and principles on which life works. Before there was any concept of ‘Hinduism’, thousands of years ago, our ancestors called themselves the arya putra or noble race, or Bharatas (bha – light and rata – revel), those revelling in the light of consciousness. The result of this philosophy was prosperity, harmony and spiritual growth. The philosophy created a conducive environment for people to reflect on higher pursuits of life.
What is your favourite quote?
“Lead, Follow or Get out of the way” by Christian Williams.
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Carlyn runs the day-to-day publishing operation here at ideamensch and interacts with our awesome customers and entrepreneurs. She is likely editing this with a cat on her lap.