An entrepreneur grows up with the cyberworld
Anticipate the turns the industry would take. Position oneself and make the most of the opportunities, build your business. No big deal, you insist.
But for K. G. Sajith, a 33year old first generation entrepreneur, it was a tough task 10 years ago. But he accomplished it in style, taking his ISPG Technologies from a metoo website maker to one of the few Indian product companies on the e- commerce space.
Today, he employs 250 people in his development centres in Kochi, Bengaluru and London; sells his products all over the world, and has launched a marketing office in Dubai, one of the most competitive markets for software products.
Sajith, a diploma- holder in engineering, tapped his entrepreneurial instincts early in the career, setting up a marketing company. Later, he latched on to the e- world, making websites, an emerging marketing tool then.
He took the plunge in all earnestness, setting a grueling work schedule for himself: going around companies during the day, convincing people about the advantage of a website, working on the project in the night. Like all website- makers of those days, he too started making decent money.
The first turn came when he decided that the websites that he makes must make a difference to his customer’s business. He went back to them, asking whether it worked for them or not, and if it worked, what was the key point.
He derived his own data on their efficacy, and incorporated them in the new websites he made. This made the customers a happy lot.
The next turn came when, after analysing the factors that made some websites a success, he made a product of them.
Despite being a newcomer in a market flooded by products with a lineage, Sajith succeeded on the mere strength of the product. The success of the first product strengthened his belief in the idea of products.
He launched seven products one after the other, and each of them was a success. They include ecommerce solutions, an enterprise social networking platform, one for re- al estate websites, a cloud- based customer data platform, a social media monitoring platform, and a tool for search engine optimisation.
ISPG took the most decisive curve last year when it decided to stop its bread- and- butter business making websites, and concentrate on the products. Today, it’s a product- only company, a rare distinction.
About 250 people work in his development centres in Kochi and Bengaluru. Apart from the Indian market, ISPG is now seeing a big opportunity in the gulf market and has opened a marketing office in Dubai.
“From the beginning, I believed internet was going to be the biggest business tool, and planned the business accordingly,” says Sajith, adding, “I think we are in for more interesting times ahead.”
Despite his busy schedule shared among his offices in Kochi, Bengaluru, London and Dubai, Sajith remains a fitness freak, a connoisseur of
food and a film buff.