From bedroom in India to 760 million mobile users in 165 countries: The InMobi story (2)

06-18-2014 10:04 AM #1 cmdeal (Veteran Member)
From bedroom in India to 760 million mobile users in 165 countries: The InMobi story

What was the inspiration for creating InMobi?

My key inspiration for forming InMobi was to create and make a global impact. When I was advising clients at McKinsey, I realized the impact those founders have had in the world. I also wanted to create something that could change the world.

What excites you most about leading it?

Creating something meaningful and impactful that can change the world using technology. I am equally enthused about building a successful product company in India, and putting India on the global map for entrepreneurship.

When you founded InMobi in 2007, did you have any idea that it would be the global success that it is today?

We certainly were working toward creating a successful company from the start; however, I did not account for the speed at which it happened. The core team showed remarkable foresight in several aspects, such as choosing to build a mobile-first business, and even deciding to shelve our earlier business of text-based search. Other decisions – like choosing to build our business from the East to the West, and predicting the rise of smartphones – were bets that worked out well. Finally, I wouldn't really discount the role luck has also played in our journey.

What skills did you gain when you were at McKinsey that helped you build the company?

While at the Firm, I made significant strides in areas like structured thinking, approaching problems analytically, and conveying a story well. I would say the most important things I learned were the importance of hiring the best – which I have emulated at InMobi – and of living by a set of values and creating a culture that works best in our environment.

You previously started up a nonprofit to build schools in India. Can you tell us a bit about that?

The background to founding India School Fund (ISF) was a trip to India that I organized for about 100 students from Harvard Business School in 2005. As part of that trip, we visited a village called Rajugela. Our experience there moved everyone so much that we all decided to bring about a change and uplift the village through education. Once the group decided to contribute to providing education to the villagers, I took the lead in making sure that it was done in an impactful and sustainable way. Today, we provide quality education to about 500 children in two schools. The main center is in Rajugela, and there is a branch in the nearby village of Samarua.

What are some differences between starting up a nonprofit and a for-profit company?

The main difference – and challenge – that I found was in attracting talent. While at a for-profit one moves towards decentralization with high-quality talent, it is exactly the opposite at a nonprofit. Thus, scaling is much harder.

What were some of the unexpected challenges you faced in building InMobi? How have you addressed them?

All start-ups that become a success have a story to tell. We were a bunch of youngsters with a PowerPoint presentation. We worked out of a bedroom in an apartment and used our personal credit cards to finance the business when we ran out of money. In deciding to become an entrepreneur you commit a part of yourself to the possibility of failing publicly. I used to go to bed every night thinking the next day would be the last day of our business. That is one of the biggest fears – and one that I still have. The whole experience is far more humbling than it might seem to an outsider, because of the number of times one is shown the door. That has a brutalizing impact initially, but slowly it teaches you to become far more humble. Everything else is really just a lead up to it – whether it is scraping up cash, pitching investors, converting the first customer, or convincing the first few employees.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

We are building a global technology company. I envision getting to a stage where InMobi is considered one of the most impactful global companies.

What advice would you give to other alums who are interested in launching their own venture?

Think big! Entrepreneurship is about believing in challenging the status quo when everybody else tells you otherwise. Most importantly, invest in building a rock-solid foundation of people and technology.

08-04-2014 09:08 PM #2 sleenirvana (Member)