Author: theciotimes

Robert Hanna is a legal recruitment community building genius. He is based in the UK and is the Founder & Managing Director of KC Partners, an innovative world-leading legal talent solutions, and careers firm. His firm specialises in placing qualified lawyers across the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia-Pacific & US. He has over a decade of recruitment experience having built and scaled multi-million-pound revenue-generating teams. He is ranked on LinkedIn in the top 1% of recruiters in the world and is also a strategic advisor & investor to Recruitment related & Legal Tech startups.

Apart from being a phenomenal entrepreneur in his field, he is also a high-profile podcaster. He is an active networker and content creator. In 2021, he was named among the LinkedIn Top 100 Rising Stars & Influencers on the platform. He is a regular Speaker and the Host of the Legally Speaking Podcast which sits in the top 2.5% of all podcasts globally. The show removes the bore of the law with inspiring stories and experiences and converts that into educational and entertaining content having hosted guests from around the globe ranging from celebrities, top entrepreneurs, legal tech pioneers, law firm partners, diversity, equity & inclusion advocates, mental health champions, international policy change-makers and lots more.

He is passionate about normalising the conversation when it comes to mental health and promoting more diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. His mission is to disrupt the global recruitment industry and build an inclusive global community where recruiters add more value to their candidates and clients through embracing authentic relationships, Tech & AI, and kindness. 

THE INCEPTION OF HIS CAREER

He started his career in the City of London during the 2008 financial crash. The crash had changed the economy and new faces were rising and new ideas were being accepted. Being surrounded by entrepreneurs who were setting up businesses, his entrepreneurial instincts motivated him to venture into the unknown. Having acquired enough skills and knowledge, he was offered several positions. He was headhunted to join a boutique recruitment firm in the City of London and help scale that business. He thought he was ready to take the plunge and set up his organisation. His passion for being connected to the legal sector stems from his family background as he wished to continue his grandfather’s legacy as a main driving force. His grandfather founded and ran a prominent law firm in the UK in the 1950s.

Robert’s business was founded in 2016, as a challenger brand to the larger recruitment agencies. Today, KC Partners has built up a stellar reputation for helping law firms with key legal fee-earning hires and practising lawyers at all levels with career decisions.

KC Partners continues to provide unrivalled access to the best legal opportunities & highest calibre legal professionals in the market. They specialise in placing Newly Qualified Lawyers, Associates, Senior Associates, Legal Directors & Counsels globally.

They are proud to have a market-leading 99% retention rate of all lawyers placed with their law firm clients as an example of KC’s commitment to long-term relationships, both with clients and candidates.

THE UNIQUENESS OF HIS ENTERPRISE

Whilst recruitment remains at the heart of KC’s day-to-day operations, they do so much more than legal recruitment. KC recognises the need for more value adds on top of their bespoke legal talent solutions services.

They offer law firms & lawyers their world-leading Legally Speaking Podcast – designed to cover a range of expert insights into the legal & wider industries through knowledge sharing & inspirational stories. They actively indulge in Networking & Bespoke Events, Careers Guidance, Newsletters, Vlogs, Market Research, Personal Branding Advice and Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives. They offer CV Reviews & Interview (including Video) Training and Collaborations with High Profile Legal Societies and Wider Philanthropy.

In 2019, KC Partners became the first legal recruitment firm in history to sponsor a high-profile networking event at the UK Supreme Court, which was organised in collaboration with the London Young Lawyers Group (LYLG). KC Partners also co-hosted the landmark 25th Annual Asian Legal Awards, which also celebrated 100 Years of Women in Law.

ADVICE TO MODERN AGE ENTREPRENEURS

Robert is a fearless disruptor; he is prepared to put himself out there to achieve his mission. Robert has a unique set of skills as a recruiter-entrepreneur-investor-podcaster, he advises companies and firms on how to grow, diversify, or consolidate their market share. He advises individuals on career moves, social media & social audio strategy, confidence building, personal branding, and business development. His own company, KC Partners, is a case in point. He has found success by drilling deep into his niche-within-a-niche and developing a right-sized boutique agency which can leave a lasting impact and global domination in the legal industry. Hanna’s Legally Speaking podcast has a global reach and provides the international legal community with topical information and advice.

Robert is an active podcaster. He appears on various platforms and offers his genuine human insight. His podcast is a huge success. He believes that podcasting helps his company stand out. “At the moment, every business needs to be producing quality content to their niche market audiences,” Hanna says. “It’s not enough just to be a reactive service. I think you have to proactively give to your marketplace to build a brand, to be known as thought leaders, and to be seen as people that are doing more and care!”

INTERESTING FACT

Robert believes it is important to share your authentic voice, the ups and downs of business through educational and entertaining storytelling along with showcasing aspects of your personal life. This helps with building community through relatability! On that note, Robert shares lots of stories and content with his partner in crime Otto…his milk chocolate miniature dachshund! 

Quality Intelligence Profitable Business and Better Life 

As consumers, when we purchase or use a product or service, however big or small, its quality is of utmost importance. For only if the quality matches our expectations and is as promised by the provider will we be willing to use it again and again. And at times, the quality of a product or service can be a life-changing experience. Quality is critical across products, markets, and industries. Quality control, as a function of companies, helps them meet the required guidelines at all times to ensure successful production and timely delivery to the end consumer. For life sciences companies the regulations are all the more complex making quality even more crucial.

When Michel E. Moravia started his career, it was more out of his love for biochemical sciences and his perspective that science can help him drive innovation in healthcare. He pursued his first corporate role at Novartis, where he led upstream DNA assessment, optimization, and quantification for a companion diagnostic assay for Fragile X Syndrome. The Novartis Companion Diagnostic business unit launched the new assay in six months with unyielding focus, Quality, and cross-functional collaboration. Nonetheless, the quality department was the center of all critical tasks and the assessors of success since they ensured the product was safe and effective. It then dawned on him that Quality’s role is to reflect the goals of the FDA and other regulatory bodies to ensure safety and public health by mandating that companies function in a compliant and reliable manner. This is when Michel saw Quality as a gateway to give back on a global scale and make a real impact in his community.

Making Quality his Goal

Consequently, Michel became an avid learner of Quality – obtaining many certifications (Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified Lead Auditor, Danaher Problem Solving Process Expert, to name a few) and growing in the field through a series of hands-on roles. While continuing to build his experience as a quality leader at SCIEX, a Danaher Company, he decided to further his formal education by pursuing a dual master’s at Boston University (BU), graduating with a Master of Science in Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) concentrating in Health Sector Management.

Michel subsequently pivoted to work for a couple of prominent electronic Quality Management System (e-QMS) software vendors as a Product Leader bringing the new application to the field to help the scientist and engineers, he once worked with at several Fortune 100-Biotech and Medical Device companies. His career trajectory was strong, and he loved what he did, but felt something was missing. Michel saw many gaps in the industry that he knew he could solve – so he decided to launch Quality Means Business (QMB, LLC) to address them.

The mission of QMB is to help companies overcome the hurdles of the FDA and the likes to get drug delivery systems to market. QMB, LLC is a quality consultancy with proprietary technology that provides a sustained competitive advantage in the medical device industry. Ultimately, QMB is a strategic partner that transforms Quality and Regulatory business units from cost centers to profit drivers. The firm’s Quality Intelligence solution, Quality, automates Quality processes, streamlines and improves approval rates of regulatory filings, and enables predictive insights and smart actions that lead to goal-driven decisions, optimizing time-to-value realization.

Facing Challenges along the Path

Defining a new industry comes with challenges that require a growth mindset. Michel feels that he is constantly learning and iterating when it comes to building QMB. In 2020, when QMB was in complete infancy, he applied to the Mass Challenge Health Accelerator with his bright idea but was rejected. “I now understand that I needed more than ideas; I need a complete plan with details on my business problem and overall solution. While defining a new industry, you often have to be creative in coming up with solutions when faced with setbacks. I face challenges with excitement, knowing that each new challenge is a learning opportunity and an occasion to be innovative,” he says.

Another challenge he had to face was when he had to make a strategic decision to undergo organizational restructuring, including bringing on new talent with a specific skill set that would allow him to build a disruptive product and scale the company faster. This decision required much planning as it impacted the team and required revisiting the budget. Finally, Michel decided to cut the C-Suite guaranteed payments, including himself, by 50% to reinvest in building the product. “All in all, I had to weigh the risks and the benefits, and I’m ultimately happy with the decision to invest in the recent reorganization to grow the company and have a more significant impact on the community,” he recalls.

Focusing on R&D

QMB has developed a proprietary solution that enables companies to have smart insights throughout the R&D process, anticipating any potential setback and adjusting accordingly. It allows them to save time and money while developing a quality product in line with FDA and other regulatory requirements or specifications. For example, they ensure strong technical files for a 510 K submission or an NDA by leveraging Real World Evidence and insight from regulatory databases and guidance documents. QMB’s solutions also empower clinical trials by illuminating clear paths to desired endpoints while ensuring patient safety and advocacy.

The Covid Aftermath

Michel rightly says that COVID has disrupted our personal lives and the life sciences industry. With the pandemic, there was a sense of urgency to get much-needed vaccines and treatments to market quickly without compromising patient quality and safety. There was now an even greater need for QMB’s solutions to help clients adapt to this changing landscape. Emerging diseases require large molecule synthesis in biologics, cell gene therapy, and monoclonal antibodies that require comprehensive quality control. The pandemic forced the industry to think outside the box to help clients get their products to market faster and quickly adapt to changing industry standards, regulations, and requirements.

Advising the Young

To the young entrepreneurs, Michel says

“Being an entrepreneur requires sacrifice and relentless pursuit of providing value-added solutions to our communities’ problems. Know your why and build a team that believes in the company’s vision. With the right motivation and support, you can navigate the unpredictable entrepreneurship landscape and build a successful business. Lastly, any budding entrepreneur must embrace a mindset of continuous learning. There is no formal curriculum to become an entrepreneur. Being open-minded to learn and develop your skills to address gaps while building your business will set you apart from other entrepreneurs.”

Creating a workplace for all

Michel’s working style embodies a combination of creativity and discipline with a growth mindset. He believes in having ambitious deadlines without compromising innovation.

One of his proudest accomplishments as CEO of QMB is recruiting a diverse team. “We foster a workplace of inclusion from the top down at QMB. Our C-suite brings in various perspectives, which makes our company stronger. We come from different backgrounds and are leaders in our former industries. Together, there is no obstacle that my team cannot tackle,” says a proud Michel.

Through this questionnaire, our aim is to accentuate your organisation, the services/products you offer, the problems you solve for your consumers, your contributions to the society, and your strengths in the national and international markets. We are looking for crisp and perspicacious answers between 900-1200 words for the same.

• Kindly enlighten us about the inception story of your business.

I lived in China for two years scaling one of my US businesses there. About 6-months before coming home, I made a list of the first things I had to do when I returned. As my California Driver’s License had expired while I was out of the country, that was the first thing on my list. And I wondered why that was? How had that made #1. I still knew how to drive. But it was #1 because it was no longer valid as an ID. That made no sense. I’m still me. So, I was only “valid” if the California Department of Motor Vehicles said I was? That’s insane. I thought, “how did my grandparents’ function without walking around with ID’s?” Further, “How was he able to get a loan,” or whatever, “without a wallet full of government ID’s or even a credit score?”  He was able to do it because his banker, for example could say, “I know you!” The banker knew my grandfather’s story.

And where is that story being told? Social Media. Neener Analytics was born.

• What are the various products/services offered by your enterprise, and how are they unique or different from the existing products in the market?

We look at it this way: “What if you could sit each customer down with a psychologist and ask them, “are you really going to pay us back?”  Because that’s the question, right? The question is not CAN they, the question is WILL they.

What we’ve developed is a regulatory compliant 1-click cognitive AI-based 100% consumer opt-in financial risk decisioning technology using Human-Data Science™.  Using Cognitive AI, Neener Analytics has cracked the code on Small Data to recapture on average 22% of a lender’s rejections without increasing the lender’s current risk threshold. This is cognitive AI, not machine learning. Huge difference.

Better decisioning is not a “data” problem. It’s a “Human” problem. Lenders don’t want to know if the consumer’s “data” is going to pay them back . . .they want to know if the consumer themselves is going to. Which is why we have pioneered Human-Data and created the branch called Human Data Science™

We’ve got 2 product lines Click-based & Chat-based. 5 result products: Default Risk, Transactor-Revolver, Risk Alignment, Veracity, Resiliency. ARIA (our AI) produces binary outcomes, just like human beings make decisions about other human beings. All delivered in a Json. Our solution takes <15mins to implement, can be integrated with any core, and if used ONLY at Rejection Recapture no core integration is needed. We are in 11 countries, and average 87% opt-in rate (99.98% @ rejection). Consumers want this.

We are Small Data, not big data. We’ve cracked the code here and developed the most advanced AI & Deep Learning to crack the code on Small Data. Everyone to this point have been using Big Data: aggregations and pools of affinity to create correlations masquerading as an “individual” prediction. Our AI & Deep Learning creates and individual matrix on each consumer that manifests in binary Outcomes, not scores or behaviors.

Our system is making decisions about the applicant the exactly the way humans make decision about other human beings. Not based on what they talk about (big data), but rather how they talk about those things (small data). Exactly, like humans… except better, with higher accuracy and less bias.

• In a highly consumer-oriented market, how much importance do you pay to quality and authenticity?

We are always focused on that. This business didn’t start as a great way for banks to make more money.  It started because 88% of global consumers are thin-file, no-file and credit challenged. 88% globally. These are the invisible consumers; invisible not because they are high risk, but rather because current risk assessment systems simply don’t work for them. This is a massive problem. I contend that this is the biggest problem in the world. You cannot build a middle class or improve the standard of living for a society or individual without access to financial products and services. And you cannot deliver that access if the risk of the engagement cannot be assessed.

• According to you, what are the most important qualities an entrepreneur should possess?

• Share the Vision: Great entrepreneurs have a way of getting great people excited about the future; the ability to inspire.
• Create a Mirror: Always make sure the team sees that you are willing to give as much as you demand from them.
• Chart the Path: Great entrepreneurs can see the path before them and can show their team that it’s real. Pretty important: A vision with no path is just a fantasy.
• Empower Execution: Great entrepreneurs allow great people to get things done. Sounds simple to say, but bad entrepreneurs are control freaks. Great entrepreneurs question, and course-correct
• Do you believe there is a winning formula for becoming a successful entrepreneur? What is yours?

Think differently – constantly. Attack the status quo – daily. Only then you will make room for new ideas and better ways to do things; only then you move beyond ‘nuance’ and into full fledge disruption.

One of the things that has made Silicon Valley so success is that failure is encouraged.  That sounds odd to some, but you don’t advance without lots of mistakes. When a start-up goes out for venture funding, the 2 top questions the investor wants to know are 1) tell me all the good stuff that is happening, and 2) tell me about all the mistakes you have made.  They WANT you to have made mistakes . . .with your own money, not theirs.  If you tell them you haven’t made any mistakes . . . they will show you the door right away.

So, living in an where failure is embraced as a potential outcome moves things forward. That doesn’t mean we hope for it, it means that the fear of failure isn’t an obstacle because in any technological advancement, a lot of failures occur. And, when people aren’t afraid to fail, things can move very quickly.

If you are only focused on “winning”, you are not focused on the things it takes to win.

• Mention some awards and recognitions received by your company.

BEST OF SHOW: 2017 Finovate Silicon Valley

https://finovate.com/videos/finovatespring-2017-neener-analytics/embed/#?secret=1BtoNETn7L

BEST OF SHOW: 2019 Finovate Silicon Valley

https://finovate.com/videos/finovatespring-2019-neener-analytics/embed/#?secret=rovHLl5MVd

#1 IN WORLD FINANCIAL INCLUSION:  2019 Finovate Global Awards 

https://finovate.com/drumroll-finovate-awards-winners-announced/embed/#?secret=XmMRE9tjNK

FINALIST: TOP 8 AI IN THE WORLD: 2019 Finovate Global Awards 

https://finovate.com/finalists-announced-for-the-first-ever-finovate-awards/embed/#?secret=pHRlwPm6mW

#1 RISING STAR AWARD:  2019 India Fintech Awards

https://www.expresscomputer.in/news/india-fintech-forum-announces-india-fintech-awards-ifta-2019/44263/embed/#?secret=XVIM9RBRg1

2021 Fintech Americas Conference: Silver Award, FINANCIAL INCLUSION (For our partnership with Invex Banco, Mexico)

Winners

https://www.fintechamericas.co/winners/embed/#?secret=J5DoG23mkN

• The market is extremely volatile, what is the current scenario of the industry you are involved in? Where do you think we are heading towards as an economy?

The global economy fluctuates indeed, but only certain sectors should be considered volatile. 2020 was an outlier. A slow-down that was man-made instead of market made. That’s never happened before. That decision made the entire economy appear volatile because of the overt uncertainty it injected. As a result, we had lenders just stop lending. It was crazy stuff. But around October, November 2020 they were all ready to get back to it because they collectively understood, as I said, this was not a market cycle but rather an overt decision. We are really starting to see that uncertainty lifting and everyone getting back to business as usual, as they should.

• Where do you see your enterprise in the next ten years?

We are really pioneering the idea that the consumer is their own data. And the consumer as their own source of data is the future of all consumer engagement. We are currently in 11 countries, and I see us owning specific market regions in the next 10 years. We’ve already built out 2 product lines, third one coming in Q4/2021 each delivering 5 decisioning products and are on track for a new line each of the next 5-years while continuing to expand our decisioning capabilities.

• What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?

I could write an entire book on this question.

Building and scaling a company from only an idea will be the most difficult thing you will ever do in your life. And it will also be the most professionally satisfying. It’s not a hobby, and its not a job. It’s a passion. You can’t play-act it. You have to live it. And you should be ready to sacrifice for it. I always say that if you are in a personal relationship at the time, a successful entrepreneur should always have a loving partner at home that also understands the sacrifice. If that person at home is a source of angst (because of the consuming nature of the endeavor) . . . the business OR the relationship will fail.

The CIO Times interviews Joseph Chan – Founder and CEO – AsiaPay Group 

• Kindly enlighten us about the inception story of your business.

I spearheaded AsiaPay with a sole drive of bringing safe and convenient payments in different Asian markets and industries. My visionary takes on electronic payments has started as a Hong Kong -based firm back in 2000 and is now operating worldwide.

Before building my mark on the industry, I always aim towards delivering the consumers their desired payment methods and merchants’ integrated settlements, which stands as key factors why AsiaPay is built. The award-winning payment solutions that I started, eyes for the future generation’s potential for card and mobile-based financial settlements.

• What are the various products/services offered by your enterprise, and how are they unique or different from the existing products in the market?
• AsiaPay provides multi-payment methods ranging from one-stop comprehensive credit and debit cards, eBanking, QR payments, and P.O.S. It also comes with a multi-currency payment feature that accepts payments from cross-border countries. AsiaPay also runs a multi-channel platform that allows convenient payment transactions from any web-connected device. AsiaPay enables merchants to securely accept the most popular digital payment methods from credit cards, internet banking, and more on a single platform.

• Award-winning one stop payment management (Single platform for multi-card, multi- currency, mutli-acquirier processing and settlement controls)
  • Comprehensive payment coverage (Widest range of credit, debit payment options and acquirers, covering 100+ banks and payment brands)
  • Multiple Payment Channel Capability
  • Comprehensive Risk and Anti-Fraud controls (PCIDSS compliant since 2006, with built-in anti-fraud and risk management system)
  • Robust and Certified Technology (3-D Secure and Digital Wallet Vendor for Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover Global Network and UnionPay in Asia-Pacific)
  • Reliable and High Availability + 99. 9%
  • Flexible and Highly Customisable
  • Extendable and Expandable
  • Proven Track Record and Solid Industry Expertise
  • Broadest World-class Enterprise Service in 13 operative offices in Asia-Pacific
• In a highly consumer-oriented marketed, how much importance do you pay to quality and authenticity?
• AsiaPay values every merchant as a partner to support their business growth in financial terms. As part of our goal to innovate, we newly launched as:

• SDK to facilitate a secure interface from merchants’ mobile APP to our gateway.it supports in-app payments for iOS and Android operating systems.
• AsiaPay AppPay serves as a convenient APP tool to merchants that can offer seamless ePayment to their customers by completing their ePurchases on the go via mobile devices. generate the payment links or QR codes and share with your consumers and get paid. Merchants can maximize their business productivity and generate more sales and profitability.

• Retailers can strongly initiate an eWallet payment such as SmartPOS that can drive your in-store sales performance, powered with valued added functionalities just like what AsiaPay has to offer.
• Communication, AsiaPay provides guideline & Training to Merchants on how to use our payment platform & system. meantime organizes Training Workshops for merchants regularly.
• Convenient, we newly launched Revamped Merchant Admin Portal, this update is part of a larger effort to modernize and simplify the administration experience for our valued clients.
• According to you, what are the most important qualities an entrepreneur should possess?

• Innovator
• Builder
• Communicator
• Do you believe there is a winning formula for becoming a successful entrepreneur? What is yours?

• Embrace changes and technological evolution. Effectively implement the vision with a like-minded professional team;
• Be aggressive and stay agile;
• A clear vision of what you want to achieve
• Sustainable development: an important driver of enterprise growth
• The internal driving force of the enterprise: market competition, promote the enterprise to continue to innovate, improve technology and management, improve the core competitiveness of the enterprise
• external driving force: implementation of the national development strategy, the scientific concept of development requires the implementation of innovation-driven strategy, strengthen scientific and technological innovation

• Mention some awards and recognitions received by your company.
• Best Digital Payment Solution Provider Singapore 2020 by Finance Derivative
• FinTech Awards 2020 in Corporate / Merchant Payments Initiative – Outstanding Online Digital Payment Solution by etnet, 2021
• The 10 Most Disruptive Tech Entrepreneurs to Look for in 2020 by Mirror Review
• Stars of China 2020 – Innovation in Payments by Global Finance
• Retail Innovation Award 2020 by Hong Kong Retail Technology Industry Association Ltd
• Best Payment Solution Provider Asia Pacific 2020 by Global Banking & Finance Review
• FT: High-Growth Companies in Asia-Pacific by The Financial Times
• The market is extremely volatile, what is the current scenario of the industry you are involved in? Where do you think we are heading towards as an economy?

Digital transformation is constantly upgrading. AsiaPay is on the move toward digital innovation and disruption that can change the way we live and do business for the better. In Covid-19, a consumer using digital payment more, our company do cope with this opportunity

• Expand and focus more on other “distribution channels”
• Retailers with more aggressive online sales home delivery/ consumables
• Heavier sales and promotion activities on social media
• We launched Retail Payment AsiaPay AppPay
• Value-added Payment Solutions
• Mobile Payment: Mobile in-app SDK
• Comprehensive data Analytical tools for digital merchants.
• Keeping one eye on the road ahead could allow us to exit the crisis with a more customer-focused, efficient, and resilient payments industry

At AsiaPay we

• strive our best effort to take advantage of the latest digital payment and commerce technologies to generate new values and opportunities to banks and merchants in Asia, that enhance customer experience, business growth, and competitive edge especially under the current uncertain times.
• We create Business innovation to provide a good customer experience.
• Digital currencies have the potential to extend the value of digital payments to more customers
• We want to help shape and support the role that digital currencies will play in the future of currencies
• Where do you see your enterprise in the next ten years?

Clear Strategic direction

we strive to provide secure, integrated, and most comprehensive payment processing services for businesses, charities, and associations, and payment solutions blending the latest technologies for the financial / banking industries that readily enhance one’s quality of life and maximize business opportunities, efficiency, and productivity.

To become a trustful payment service provider, we have communicated and encouraged R&D colleagues to continuously refine and upgrade our payment products over time, enhance our security technology, introduce new products according to customer’s requirements and needs.

What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?

-Demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity and overcoming obstacles.

-Demonstrates strong leadership skills and an unflinching desire and determination to be successful

-Balance the concepts of effectiveness and efficiency of business plans.

-Be open to learn from others and gain experience.

-Show the capacity to be an independent thinker and to take on and manage risks in the face of uncertainty.

-Always have a mindset that adjusts to the constantly changing demands of this modern generation.

“You don’t have to be a hero to accomplish great things – to compete. You can just be an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals.” – Sir Edmund Hillary.

More often than not, the heroes in our lives don’t wear a cape. Though we do think some of them deserve it, at least an invisible one! They roam around us as common people only showing their heroic side when the moment arrives. And once done, they like to slip back into oblivion. They can be anyone, parents, friends, and sometimes, even complete strangers. They become the reason we hope for help, restoring our faith in humanity and human values.

What makes these individuals real heroes is that they serve humanity, not for their own interest but for the greater good. They are self-motivated and often start alone on their path of service. But they are also keen to pass on the baton and create more heroes out of common people. In 2007, when Dr. Mahesh Parameswaran Nair started his career as an IT Engineer in a leading MNC, he found a lacuna in his otherwise exciting routine. He noticed a regular rhythm to his life which revolved only around the electronic hum of computers and gadgets. He badly wanted to try something different in parallel which could yield him more happiness, positive vibes, emotional gratification, and possibly could change someone’s life on a positive note. 

Realizing that it is not just a passing feeling and that he needs to back his emotions, with action, Dr. Mahesh set out to start his NGO HOPE (Hold On Pain Ends). His NGO aims at working for the welfare of the underprivileged, raises relevant social issues, and also cares for nature, birds, and animals. Thus began his Social Entrepreneurship journey in parallel with his IT career. Since then, his social experiences have been widely shared with the youth. He also took up motivational speaking and has mentored many school/college-going students. 

Changing the mindset

Dr. Mahesh, through his work, aims to create change agents across the globe who could dedicate their time, energy, or resources towards Nation Building Process. He considers the youth to be the future of the nation. He firmly believes that the creation of opportunities in India is necessary to retain India’s talented youth. Once they are here, they get to see the various facets of society. This will help inspire them towards projects or activities which could not only bring out their hidden potentials but also empower the less privileged categories of society. Showcasing the issues prevalent in society is necessary to bring them to the mainstream and be acted upon. 

Creating Long-Term Solutions

Dr. Mahesh is aware that no matter what, people will eventually get bored off with a particular routine. So Innovations and Experimentations are required for overall sustainability. The working of an NGO is no exception to it. For instance, when they were cleaning Vellayani Lake, one of the freshwater drinking resources in Thiruvananthapuram district, the problem was more than what was apparent. The increase in the number of water hyacinths was creating drinking water scarcity and affecting fishing. His team started experimenting with the roots of water hyacinth and started producing eco-friendly sanitary pads. This not only helped them avoid the dumping of plastics in nature but also created job opportunities for single mothers, the elderly, and differently abled ladies. 

They reduced food unavailability issues through Community Refrigerator where excess food from homes or family get-togethers could be placed to feed hungry homeless people. They have also developed a mobile application named “KINDSERV” to convert all humanitarian offline services to online on a single fingertip click.

Spreading HOPE

Dr. Mahesh has always focused on creating a unique identity for HOPE. His primary focus on client satisfaction and trust has led HOPE to develop into an NGO that clients relate with and choose for humanitarian projects. The team always hits schools and colleges to build new networks. Adaptation and flexibility have been two must-have qualities required to bring everyone under a common umbrella. Opinions do vary from person to person in the team as is in every sector, but being the final decision maker Dr. Mahesh has always been cautious. He tends to think and have Plan B and Plan C also in place before executing Plan A. Foreseeing the risk factors (especially after the Pandemic) has been important for proper planning and execution.

Through his work and his style of working, he has always wanted to pass a message to his team, students, social media followers, or aspiring young Social Entrepreneurs that if a normal person like him could change someone’s life or bring a social impact, we all could collectively bring a huge positive social impact. “There is a leader in each amongst us. The platform is open and is all yours. The quality of work done was more important for me than the number of people involved. Many people aspire to do something good but always halt as they don’t know the answers for many of the questions like how, why, when, where, and what to? Being a mentor, guiding them to these answers, and showing them the right direction was my only responsibility. Creating independent change leaders across the country for a better India was my primary happiness. I believe the word “Charity” itself needs to be rephrased to “Social Responsibility”. I was always in search of fresh minds and young legs who could explore this platform and yield the best outputs. Self-improvisation and learning was always a part and parcel of this Journey and am still trying to improvise,” says Dr. Mahesh.

The pandemic and its lessons

Being a Software Engineer, Dr. Mahesh was always keen to brainstorm and do innovations, research, and add professionalism to the works or Projects he implemented through HOPE. This Pandemic era had a huge bad impact on many sectors worldwide but created new opportunities too.  It was during the pandemic that the team thought of taking up their services online. Individual donors or Institutions could connect with needy beneficiaries from anywhere in India and at any time for fulfilling blood, food, dress, book, toy, or various other requirements by using a mobile application. “We speak of Digital India and services too need to be digitalized in various sectors especially in rural and tribal areas also. Various social media platforms available today make it easy to connect with like-minded people, Entrepreneurs, Investors, Corporates or Volunteers across the globe,” adds Dr. Mahesh.

Message for Budding Entrepreneurs:

To all young entrepreneurs who wish to kick start – Opportunities never knock on your door. Rather rise, have short-term plans/milestones, and keep progressing towards your aim. If you don’t have an aim, have it first. Ask yourself. Know your boundaries. You may progress slow or may fall. But never stop. Learn from your failures. You can’t do things satisfying everyone. Feed your hunger, passion, and soul. Have answers to how, why, when, and where before actioning. Improvise, Learn and Innovate each year. Upgrade your skills and win trust. It’s not going to be easy. But make it look simple. Mark your presence and activities on social media platforms and indulge the public and institutions. You don’t have to search for opportunities. Be a sugar so that ants would surround you in large numbers. Never postpone good things because the time which has passed away Never returns. Be productive every second. You become what you think and act. Best wishes.

The road ahead

Dr. Mahesh has brought HOPE to its current stage through his passion, hard work, commitment, and dedication. He has been transparent in his working style and in constant search for new opportunities or innovations to bring a difference to the NGO and/or its deliverables. Going ahead, he wishes to create like-minded change agents across the globe who could devote their time and energy to uplifting the underprivileged and bringing a positive impact on any social issues. He dreams of a world free of any NGOs or Charity Organizations and everyone is made independent and self-sustainable. It’s each and everyone’s social responsibility to Emerge, Empower and Evolve for a better nation. “I dream of a developed India and see more exports happening from India than imports. I dream of an India where foreigners would love to come, earn, settle and invest. We are rich in natural resources, cultural heritage, and diversities in art, culture, etc still are unaware of how to use this efficiently for better output. Corona and Drastic climate changes are a huge threat or could take away from us the real pace or momentum. The regulations set by WHO or Government could affect the progress but being a service providing NGO we are bound to accept these challenges,” concludes Dr. Mahesh.

Accolades:

• 2022 Inspiring Indian by Book of Records.
• 2021 India Book of Records Holder for feeding maximum homeless across streets of India
• 2021 Dettol India COVID Protector Title
• 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Excellence Award from Smt Chinchu Rani, Honorable Minister of Diary, Government of Kerala.
• 2021 Social Service Award by DLSA (District Legal Services Authority) Kasargod, for the upliftment or empowering works towards SC/ST people.
• 2020 India Star Independent Award for

Philanthropy and Services

• 2020 Shortlisted by Better India amongst top 6 Indians for COVID WARRIOR title
• 2020 Man of Excellence Award by IAF
• 2020 ICF Humanitarian Award from Shri. Pradeep Tamta. (Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha)
• 2020 India Star Award for Philanthropy and Services
• 2019 SevaKendram Award for Humanitarian

works

• 2019 Art of Living Sevaretna Award
• 2019 Indian Icon Award from Bollywood Actress Dia Mirza
• 2018 TNF Indian Icon Award for Charity
• 2017 Nirbhaya Debating Society Youth Icon

Award from Dr. Shashi Tharoor Member of Parliament

• 2016 Best NGO Award for HOPE by Padmashree Jayaram

Since 2010, Influitive has pioneered advocate marketing and built an easy-to-use SaaS platform that enables companies to engage their customers to promote their brand, adopt new product features, and become loyal advocates. Influitive accomplishes this by creating a destination for the customers’ advocates, which includes personalized journeys with advanced targeting, game mechanics, and rewards. Since the inception of the organization, Influitive has collectively recorded more than 100 million acts of advocacy and powered more than $1 billion in ROI value for its customers. 

Led by CEO Dan McCall, Influitive is headquartered in Toronto, Canada with employees across North America and Europe. Global brands such as Adobe, Cisco, IBM, Mountain Dew, and SoFi rely on Influitive to help foster collaboration, build trust and deepen relationships with customers for top-line growth and bottom-line profits.

AIMS, VISIONS AND IDEALS OF THE ORGANIZATION

Influitive’s vision is to set the standard for creating engaging digital journeys that drive a positive change. Influitive’s software is the foundation for its customers’ digital experiences to increase engagement, improve relationships, create better outcomes and provide actionable insights. 

Influitive has three core values:

• Customer First: Everything said and done is in the eyes of the customer and their best interests. Customer issues and concerns are the top priorities, and their success is the responsibility of every Influitive employee.
• Win as a Team: The greatest results are best achieved through teamwork and diversity of thought. Assume positive intent, insist on the highest standards, and support collective growth.
• Take Ownership: Be held accountable every day to focus and deliver on what’s most important and needed for forwarding progress and resolution. Act as leaders and agents of change.

PORTFOLIO OF SERVICES OFFERED

Influitive’s flagship product is its customer advocacy, community and engagement platform. An industry leader, the Influitive platform gives businesses a better way to mobilize customer advocates by combining powerful tools and expert services and leveraging the authentic voice of its customers to drive growth. 

Influitive’s core platform comes in two packages: Customer Advocacy and Digital Community. The customer advocacy package is ideal for mobilizing customers to drive social proof and gather vital feedback to efficiently grow, while Digital Community helps businesses mobilize and engage all customers in a community throughout their lifecycle to enhance their lifetime value and experiences.

Influitive also offers Virtual EventHub™, a fast and easy way to create a live digital event for unlimited attendees. This all-in-one virtual event platform contains the same features and functionality as Influitive’s core platform, and customers with existing Influitive communities can either extend their existing hub to support a virtual event or create a separate event-specific hub that seamlessly connects to their community hub.

Influitive practice leaders and consultants offer a wide variety of services to help customers plan, design, implement and maintain their customer community. Packaged and a la carte services include program strategy, discussion, moderation, content development, graphic design, data analytics, project management, and administrator training. 

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY

At its inception, Influitive pioneered advocate marketing and has been a long-time leader in customer advocacy software. In recent years, Influitive has become a leader in online community management and a major player in customer engagement. 

Every part of Influitive’s platform is targetable—including all the zero-party data it captures through member activities and feedback. This enables brands to create personalized experiences and unique journeys at scale that generate extreme customer and channel partner engagement. The platform’s four unique and core features are: 

• Targeting: Influitive’s powerful segmentation engine lets you target content and activities based on all kinds of criteria. The platform allows you to build guided customer journeys for groupings like geography, business function, management level, product usage, NPS score, and much more.
• Personalization: Its scalable platform lets you personalize every aspect of what members see and do in your Influitive-powered hub, providing a fulfilling experience based on each individual’s needs, interests and behaviors. Plus, their team of experts is always reachable to lend a hand.
• Gamification: Influitive’s platform features best-in-class gamification that uses friendly competition, points, and badges to create authentic and effective customer engagement. It’s a sure-fire way to drive interaction, collaboration, awareness and learning.
• Rewards: Rewards go beyond catalogs and swag. They go deep into your brand and what you stand for. They help you bring together what your customer’s value and are motivated by leveraging proven methodologies from both B2C and B2B rewards/loyalty programs.

NOTABLE AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS 

For 14 consecutive quarters, Influitive has been a G2 leader in Customer Advocacy and Online Community Management and has been recognized as a leader in Community software by its customers on TrustRadius, Gartner Digital Markets and Featured Customers. 

In 2021, Influitive was recognized as one of the Top 100 Software Companies of 2021 by The Software Report and became Great Place to Work-Certified™ in Canada.

EFFECT OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE CHANGES IN THE MARKET

The pandemic significantly impacted the tech market in Canada, where organizations industry-wide needed to consider cutting software from their martech stack. Amongst their customer base of customer advocacy and marketing managers, Influitive saw four consistent trends: 

• A significant re-prioritization on long-term customer engagement
• Increased focus on educational resources and nurturing customers
• A need to give customers a break with a bit of fun content like trivia, pop culture quizzes and recipes to try  
• Increased interest from multiple business units and c-suite executives

At their 2020 B2B Summit, Forrester said that “customer-obsessed companies will prioritize customer engagement over net new acquisition to survive the COVID-19-induced downturn and that tech investment will follow to scale those early CX successes.” Influitive worked closely with its customers and prospective customers who needed a way to engage virtually with their customers and employees. Further, many Influitive customers experienced hardship with the cancellation of in-person events and conferences. With experience in event services and the right technology, Influitive offered clients its Virtual EventHub platform for free along with strategy sessions to help them get up and running quickly. 

THE COMPANY’S VIEWS ON THE POST-PANDEMIC MARKET

The industry trend is clear and indisputable: Customer’s want omni-channel, personalized experiences from their vendors and business partners. Customers expect every interaction to be guided by “what came before” and there are enough companies that have successfully made this digital transformation that disconnected experiences have become an enrager. 

The post-pandemic market has not only accelerated this trend, but it has also rebalanced marketing’s focus and budget on attracting new customers and mobilizing customers into advocates. The future will have customer engagement as a core business strategy that encompasses the entire lifecycle journey: from prospect to customer to loyalist and then finally to advocate.

From onboarding to advocacy and everything in between, Influitive allows customer-obsessed companies to serve up personalized experiences, supercharge activities across multiple channels and use cases, allow for branded sub-communities, and deliver next-generation gamification to audiences wherever they are online. 

As the worlds of customer advocacy, loyalty, community and engagement collide, Influitive is in a unique position to bring those worlds together and support the customer marketing, customer success, and customer experience departments who are working together to make it happen.

ADVICE TO BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL SECTOR

No matter what technology you are trying to bring to market, it matters not what you think, but how you make others think of you. Listen intently to and engage frequently with your customers—whether they are detractors or promoters—and take action to address their concerns or desires. In doing so, your customers will turn into loyal advocates and become your best (and most cost-effective) marketing and sales weapon to attract new customers and ignite growth.