Start Young, Dream Big! Ryan Vaz in Conversation with Prem Patil PBN BHARAT EP 28

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[00:00:01][music] >> This is Ryan Vaz along with PB and Bharat. We have launched this podcast to inspire young students to look at entrepreneurship as a career option.

[00:00:28]Today we have a gentleman uh who while other people were using WhatsApp for chatting started wondering why can I not use this for business?

[00:00:38]He started wondering what if founders could run their businesses using WhatsApp. While studying his BCA at Rosary College, he started building Node, a system that is designed to help to help CEOs and business leaders manage their teams without complicated software. And while still in college, his idea has already reached major innovation platforms including IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Jammu, and IIT Patna.

[00:01:06]At an age where many students are still searching for direction, he's already building technology for decision makers.

[00:01:14]Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Prem Patil.

[00:01:18]Prem, welcome to this uh welcome to the show. Thank you, sir, for the warm introduction. Uh thank you for inviting me having me here. A absolute pleasure, uh Prem.

[00:01:26]Um uh using WhatsApp to manage your business.

[00:01:31]Um how does one get an idea like this?

[00:01:34]People are so engrossed in WhatsApp for communicating. What made you think slightly differently?

[00:01:41]So, while wondering, WhatsApp is a good place for communication. But, WhatsApp becomes too hectic for heavy users.

[00:01:48]Like, if you are using for in some for some industries in Goa who doesn't use the professional software tools for managing their work, they rely completely on WhatsApp. And WhatsApp is quite efficient and good, but for business-related deals or things, it becomes very hectic. They were like a long message threads don't get get you the perfect information about how what is being done or where work is getting leaked. So, I came up with this simple analogy that people don't get frustrated because of a no.

[00:02:16]They get frustrated because there is no answer. Not because the answer is no.

[00:02:19]So, that's how I came up with Nod.

[00:02:22]Nod is a platform, a system, in fact an environment which provides startup owners, founders, and their team a comfortable place where they can discuss without changing their usual behavior. Because adoption takes place best when user doesn't need to change their usual behavior. So, that's how we came up with Nod as environment which provides founders and startup owners a environment in which they can confidently and comfortably Nod. And get their work work done. Right. So, how how do how does one do this? As a business owner, how do I use my WhatsApp to generate to manage my business? So, simply uh talking about Nod uh you will have to first register on our web app. You get a Nod system number. Just place that number or add that number uh into your group WhatsApp group where your team is working. Okay. And then everything will be managed by Nod. What it tracks, what it does, it takes uh it reads your conversation and uh like positions it or structures it into what is to be done. Who is uh allocated what work, and also how many hours your team is wasting just on discussion. So, you can uh come up with some ideas to bridge that gap. Bridge that gap. So, so basically if I have assigned a task to one of my teammates, uh Nod will uh Nod will capture that and then turn that into a into a task, right? And then monitor it.

[00:03:47]Yes. So, Nod will monitor on what are the parameters that it monitors? It monitors uh It monitors on how your team how your team is performing.

[00:03:59]What is the vibe of your team? It also tells what is the team motivation levels and who is been assigned that work by when that person is supposed to finish it.

[00:04:08]>> Finish it and when he has actually finished.

[00:04:10]>> Yes. Very good.

[00:04:11]>> And if also that task is not finished or the person has not been updated like whether he has done it or he whether he needs extra time. Not also tells if that task is stress stagnant. And all this info What do you mean by stress stagnant?

[00:04:24]>> Uh stagnant like the task is pending or halted. Okay. So that founders can know that why or which point the work is lagging.

[00:04:31]And all this info uh goes near the founder in terms of notification. And >> Okay. one tap action cards. What do I mean by that?

[00:04:39]For example, if your team last like a notification card will tell your team last week wasted so many hours or completed so many decisions. Okay. So that founder can decide by a tap like how we tap yes, no, or emoji symbol on WhatsApp notifications. So similarly, nudge your team, set reminders on calendars, or draft an email. That kind of options founders get. Okay.

[00:05:03]So um why did you think of this?

[00:05:08]Why did I because uh personally I use WhatsApp like I have lot of groups of my friends and everybody. I see. Like college students or college like all official groups in which we spam messages and like do various activities. But later on when it's time to like actually discuss about who has done what task or how the task was allocated or how it was managed, that time there's no proper track of the things.

[00:05:36]So Yeah. I came up with this and yeah, that's how it started. Prem, tell me about your family.

[00:05:42]Uh there are four people. Me, my sister, my and my mom my mom dad.

[00:05:47]And uh you are all I think originally from Goa you have come Oh, we are from Maharashtra. You are from Maharashtra. Which part of Maharashtra?

[00:05:56]And near Kolhapur. I see. And since when are you in Goa?

[00:06:01]Or rather Why is it that you came I mean when did you all come to Goa and for what?

[00:06:06]We came in Goa in 2007 something mostly for education purpose. For education but Kolhapur has got good schools. Uh yes but still we thought like uh let's shift and let's like So you must have been very small when mom and dad shifted here.

[00:06:23]And what does your dad do? Uh my dad is a spare parts manager in Tata Motors.

[00:06:27]Okay. And my mom is a housewife. Okay.

[00:06:30]And what do you do in your spare time Prem?

[00:06:33]I I try to build systems related to AI.

[00:06:36]Like I'm very much curious in building something which through AI AI related technologies. Like there are some software tools like any tech and or maybe make.com which people are not aware of. Right. And I just build technologies related to those AI related systems.

[00:06:53]And that's what I love doing in my free time. What what's your typical day like?

[00:06:58]My um So when you get up in the morning what do you do?

[00:07:03]So I get up around 6:30 in the morning.

[00:07:05]After that um uh I have my bath I I do the morning prayers I have my breakfast and then I proceed to for college. For college.

[00:07:14]After that after coming from college first of all um I do what related uh like I take a time for noting down things to improve Nod or to scale it further. So you are so passionate about Nod everything is about Nod for you? Uh no.

[00:07:31]Nod actually was my credibility cow. Like how I put it you know like I'll tell you a story. Say that again. Credibility. Credibility credibility cow. I see.

[00:07:42]Or like kind of a Trojan horse.

[00:07:44]So, in last year in December, I took part in a competition uh Fund My Crazy. Okay.

[00:07:51]>> It was in collaboration with IIT Bombay and Google. Okay.

[00:07:53]>> So, in that competition, I had given an idea of startup because I'm very much passionate about startup. So, I gave an idea of startup uh which did not selected. And that time I realized one thing that in early stage of startups clarity beats intelligence Right.

[00:08:06]>> in early stages. Right. So, I came up with a so such simple idea which uh majority of the mass audience suffer and they don't have like it's so niche but it's so very important that they don't think of solving it. Like they being too lazy to solve it. Okay.

[00:08:21]>> came up with this idea Nod to to get the validation to get to get into that zone.

[00:08:27]I see. You you can't like look at a swimmer and learn swimming. You need to get into the water to learn swimming.

[00:08:34]>> So, I started learning by doing things.

[00:08:37]And I came up with Nod. It was so simple that it was so simple yet important that no one could reject it in IIT IIT startup summits. Right.

[00:08:44]>> So, which gave me an gave me an opportunity >> opportunity to get into that zone to learn from the people who are already doing such kind of things. Mhm. And that's how I came up with this.

[00:08:54]Very good. So, you've you presented yourself at IIT Delhi, Madras, you know, so many Jammu. Uh why how did you get to so many IITs?

[00:09:08]How did you get a chance to present to so many? And what is the idea behind going and doing this presentation there?

[00:09:16]Uh so, like I had got selected for multiple IITs but I have just visited till now IIT Madras. Okay.

[00:09:21]>> Rest I had skipped for like for being focusing attention on one thing. Okay.

[00:09:27]What I wanted was But you presented to those people. Yes. You have presented to all these IITs, yeah. But not in person.

[00:09:33]>> Not in person. That's fine. That's fine.

[00:09:34]So, the thing is uh ma- majorly all the IITs uh uh how I put it is majorly all the IITs have a pattern or system in which they pick ideas. I see. There's a system like where where where where there's a system there's a pattern.

[00:09:50]So, uh no matter how big an IIT is, they look for some key points for selecting a idea or entry to get shortlisted.

[00:09:59]Hm. So, I was just trying to build on perception and positioning. Like how I can position myself better. Hm.

[00:10:05]>> Like there there might be similar ideas, but how can I position uh uh yourself better? Yes, in such a way that their their perception is built in my favor.

[00:10:14]Right.

[00:10:14]>> The way I wanted it to build. Very smart. Okay. So, that's how I And how did you do that?

[00:10:19]Uh by first of all, by see, there are multiple uh like for example, I'm a IIT judge, I'll get thousands of entries.

[00:10:27]So, I won't sit and go through all 1,000 like PDFs like uh scrolling each page.

[00:10:32]Right. So, they they mostly take 30 seconds to 1 minute for one PDF.

[00:10:36]So, I need to get clicked my click my idea to them or convey my idea to them in that 30 seconds itself. Right. So, I try to build a PDF in such a way or like my uh thoughts in such a way I align my thought self in such a way that uh my idea gets click in those 30 seconds first 30 seconds. Wow. So, that's how it's generally. Wow. Would you would you mind sharing how did you do that also?

[00:10:57]What is it that you focused on? I focus on as I as I already told, I focus on clarity. No matter how sharp or how analytical you are, if you need to get through something, you need to convey yourself in such a simple way that that they they get aligned yourself. For example, uh I had I told you, I do this four thing I this I follow this loop to make myself like convenient to others, which is reflect, adapt, refine, introspect. Okay. Reflect what what's been going on by learning by doing things by learning.

[00:11:28]And similarly, adapt to the situations.

[00:11:31]Because like there might be some situations in which you are not familiar with. So you need to open you have to be open your open-minded to adapt to those situations.

[00:11:40]>> situation.

[00:11:41]>> uncertainty, to unfamiliarities.

[00:11:42]>> So reflect, adapt >> Refine, introspect.

[00:11:44]>> Refine is? Refine is after adapting, how you can like that adapted quality how you can refine it in your own way. Like you don't need to be someone else. You can you can adapt that quality being yourself. Okay. And the last one is?

[00:11:57]Introspect. Like what is the result of what you have put through.

[00:12:00]Where you went wrong or where you could have where where could have there been a scope of improvement. So this you picked up from somewhere or you developed it on your own? I developed it on my own. Like by by being there, by facing difficult situations. So that's how you build it. So I love that I'm having this conversation with you because I think that this framework that you have created is probably bigger than Nod.

[00:12:22]If you are able to work on it in a nice way. But we'll have that conversation maybe offline.

[00:12:30]This is something really interesting that you have done. And then you have to Let's see how we can how you can use this as a business opportunity maybe in your future.

[00:12:43]Very good Prem.

[00:12:44]Prem This framework that you have now built is it that is it that that framework that you're using for all presentations?

[00:12:54]So far? Oh yes. No matter which presentation it is IIT level, school level. I try to implement it because when you implement, when you try that time you learn. Like there might be people who know who don't notice it. Like they see like it's normal presentation and that guy is doing very good.

[00:13:09]They might say this is a confident guy and he's performing very well. But behind that they they I always try to figure out why so such thing has happened such way. Like in in that particular way itself. Why can't it be changed? So when you think of when you question yourself, that time you get a better solution. You you can't just fall in love with your idea. You need to question yourself.

[00:13:29]Brilliant. Now, and you know, there are so many points that you're pulling out over here. One is that simple share that you can't fall in love with your idea.

[00:13:36]People get so obsessed with the idea that they'll make 83-page presentations.

[00:13:41]Who has the patience to go through the 83 pages? Well, people get so so much in love with their idea that they will to sell into the presentation what they want to tell, not what the judges want to hear.

[00:13:53]>> Exactly. And what I'm listening from you, what I'm hearing from you, is the difference that you are not talking about what you want to tell the judges, but what the judges want to hear.

[00:14:04]Brilliant brilliant thing.

[00:14:09]Have you been looking for investors to take your business further?

[00:14:14]What stops you from growing?

[00:14:16]Currently, as a currently we are at pre-tech pre-traction validation phase.

[00:14:21]Okay.

[00:14:23]I I have presented my idea to some of the big go and giant CEOs and startup founders to know their perspective as well. Okay. So that I can adapt and refine myself better and present it to a mass audience or scale it in a better way without holding a without letting my ego come in between.

[00:14:40]So, that's how currently we I have managed to get a team with a Python and full stack developer.

[00:14:49]AI intern from GEC college.

[00:14:51]>> Okay. And I'm currently currently negotiating with the guy from IIT Bombay. Wow. We have an interview on 8th of this month in which I'll be offering him co-founder seat for his experience and for his skill set. Okay.

[00:15:09]And that is through that is through a Finqof portal. That is also online portal which I have in which we register our ideas and if we are selected, they tell us to like make a job portal job portfolio and post it on their Think of portal. Okay. So, after you post it there, if the students want to do internship freelancing or co-founder post, they like nudge you and then you can have an interview with them and you can >> Very interesting and this is available for anybody who's got ideas. Yeah.

[00:15:39]Many I don't think anybody's heard of this. I mean, at least in my circle, you're the first person I've heard talking about this. Very interesting.

[00:15:50]You spoke about a co-founder coming in.

[00:15:52]Yeah.

[00:15:54]Pardon? Maybe. May come in. Okay. As co-founder may come in. Aren't you worried that a co-founder coming in may dilute your idea or may change your idea or may take it in a different direction altogether? Oh.

[00:16:06]That's why I said may come in. So, first of all, I look for like whether we align on the ideas of where his vision is like where he's looking at looking for him after few years. Right. Or what he wants to actually do or what are his expectations from the company or from the system or from Nord. So, in that case, like if I if I have if I for example, if I have 100% of something which doesn't have value, 100 into zero still becomes zero. So, if I can give 10%, 20% to a person who can who can really bring quality to this work and can help me to scale it, why not? I love the way that you have said that.

[00:16:42]100 into zero is zero. Yes.

[00:16:44]>> [laughter] [gasps] >> So much effort has been gone. I mean, you spent now how how long? About a year in developing this?

[00:16:58]So, four months of obsessive development and you have grown so fast.

[00:17:07]You've been going and talking to different CEOs with your ideas.

[00:17:12]When you talk to these people as a student going and talking to uh senior and experienced people. How has the experience been? How do they perceive you and uh what gives you the confidence to pitch to them?

[00:17:25]As of they perceiving me, uh they have been very friendly and very supportive.

[00:17:30]They have given their valuable insights without holding back anything to them.

[00:17:34]They've been very open, very supportive, and very structured uh structured point of views of where I can really position perceive or grow myself better. And that's what have helped me.

[00:17:46]And about me pitching them, it was a good experience because uh like about as I told you, I try to work on perception and positioning. So, perception like I what I usually do is uh use my prior achievement to get a bigger one and get that achievement to get a more bigger one. Mhm.

[00:18:04]>> So, uh like that's how it got started. And then when I talked to them, I'm not just saying that I have an idea, please hear to me. I when when I go near them and ask for their time, I usually say that I have been a Google Student Ambassador. I have represented in so many IITs. I have an idea. I have so so so much validation and that's I want to refine it and I want your perspective to it. Interesting.

[00:18:27]>> So, it forms like a structured like like the narrative builds like I'm offering a seed or I'm offering a view in my idea so that they can they can make it more better.

[00:18:36]>> Make it better.

[00:18:37]So, it's like productive for both like structured. So, you've spoken to many of them. The perception is that uh lot of business people are uh unapproachable.

[00:18:48]Very difficult to meet them. What has been your experience?

[00:18:52]Uh as of my experience, uh in this situation, I have been very lucky because the people who I met were very much very much supportive and encouraging. So, like in this case, I was been very lucky. That's uh uh it's not just luck. Even whoever's people I mean whichever business owners that I have spoken to, uh I have very rarely found someone who is not willing to share knowledge and wisdom. Most of the people are willing to, you know, give you time and share their their knowledge with you if they find that you are genuine.

[00:19:28]Okay, however, there is a perception that these people are busy, they are not accessible.

[00:19:34]Oh, so in that case, like oh Many people like there are many young youth out there who have a great ideas, great ideas. But what they what they fear or what they lack is they fear underperforming to their own expectations with themselves and to the people who have put faith in them. So, what I can say is or how I look at it is you should not wait for a perfect opportunity. What I have found out is there's no such thing as perfect opportunity. You don't wait for it. You build towards it. What you do, you take small steps regularly, consistently. And so when the opportunity actually comes, when you get actually a call from a founder who's ready to talk to you, you don't fear it. You know that you have built this moment. Right, right. And people don't understand that exactly, that they have built that moment. That's very nicely said.

[00:20:23]Prem, very interesting talking to you.

[00:20:27]So many interesting inputs that you have given. And it it just shows the level of maturity, the level of experience that you've been getting along the ways. And while, you know, we called you here for this interview because of Nod, I think that you've got a lot more hidden inside which you can make good use of. One is your framework and the other is the network of CEOs that you are building up. That is going to be your major resource. Um We spoke about youngsters who are coming up with a lot of ideas. Okay, what would be your last message to them before we wind up for today's show? Oh, before we wind it okay, so the message I can give is first of all don't wait for a perfect moment because that moment never comes.

[00:21:20]You should try to build it from whatever thing you have. Take small initiative, take small steps regularly, consistently and the most important thing is appreciate yourself. Very good. Because like see entrepreneurship is very difficult. You can't expect every time there's there will be someone who praises your efforts or tells or makes you believe that you're doing well.

[00:21:40]You're doing good. If it's if if someone is there, it's well and good, but if not, you can't expect that. Mhm. You should appreciate your own efforts first because until you do it, until you believe in yourself, no other person will do. Okay. So appreciate your efforts first and start start small.

[00:21:55]Start whatever you can. Start like just start with it. Right. Right. Prem, lovely having you on the show. Really thank you for taking the time to come over here and your teachers for teacher Rajalakshmi for suggesting you to come here for this on this show.

[00:22:12]The kind of inputs that you've been giving are absolutely valuable. Thank you very much. Wish you all the best as you go ahead in your career. Thank you, sir. Thank you for having me here. My pleasure.

[00:22:24]>> [music] [music]