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Gaurav Mittal
Product leader - Growth Marketer - Poet - Digital Entrepreneur - Explorer - Student - Business leader - Problem Solver
Professional Background
Gaurav Mittal is an accomplished entrepreneur and Co-Founder with extensive experience in both the education technology and healthcare sectors. His impressive career trajectory showcases a blend of product management expertise and business acumen, making him a valuable asset in any organization. With strong skills in product development, go-to-market strategies, revenue generation, product-market fit (PMF), market research, and startup consulting, Gaurav has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive innovation and growth.
Gaurav's journey in the professional world includes a notable tenure as Head of Product at Deep Dive, where he played a pivotal role in shaping product strategies and enhancing user experiences. His previous roles have equipped him with profound insights into the intricacies of product development and market dynamics, allowing him to excel in various challenging environments.
Education and Achievements
Gaurav Mittal's educational background lays the foundation for his successful career. He studied at the prestigious Faculty of Management Studies - University of Delhi, where he earned his MBA in Marketing and Finance. This rigorous education provided him with a robust understanding of business principles and strategic decision-making processes.
Before his MBA, Gaurav completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering at Punjab Engineering College. This technical background has proven advantageous in the tech-driven landscapes he has navigated throughout his career.
Furthermore, Gaurav began his academic journey at Shishu Niketan, where he completed his AISSE (All India Secondary School Examination), setting the stage for his further education in engineering and management.
Career Progression and Notable Achievements
Gaurav's career started at STMicroelectronics, where he served as a Software Engineer. This early experience in a global technology company enabled him to grasp the fundamentals of software development and engineering processes. He then expanded his expertise by taking on various roles in startups and established organizations, each time contributing to the fields of education technology and healthcare.
As the Manager of Acquisitions at Times Innovative Media Limited, Gaurav honed his skills in strategic planning and business development, and later transitioned to roles such as Founder at Preper, where he took his entrepreneurial ambitions to the next level.
One of Gaurav's remarkable contributions was as Head of Product at magicpin (Samast Technologies). In this role, he played an integral part in launching innovative products that resonated with users and drove significant revenue growth. His strategic vision allowed the organization to carve out a niche in a competitive market.
At HealthCare at HOME, India, Gaurav served as the Business and Product Head, a role that required him to blend healthcare knowledge with product management. This experience enriched his understanding of user needs and operational efficiencies in the healthcare domain.
Additionally, his role as a Senior Product and Business Manager at medECUBE highlighted his capability to manage product lifecycles and align them with business goals effectively. His diverse experiences also include contributing as a Product Consultant at toothsi and lending his expertise through podcasting at Career Bites, where he shared valuable industry insights with a broader audience.
Throughout his career, Gaurav has demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and adapting to the fast-paced changes in technology and user needs. His unique blend of technical knowledge and business strategy positions him as a leader capable of transforming ideas into successful ventures and initiatives.
Questions
How did Gaurav Mittal develop his expertise in product management within the education technology sector?
What motivated Gaurav Mittal to venture into the healthcare industry, and how has his background influenced his approach in that field?
How has Gaurav Mittal applied his MBA education from the University of Delhi to real-world challenges in his various roles?
In what innovative ways has Gaurav Mittal contributed to product development strategies during his time with Deep Dive?
How does Gaurav Mittal stay updated with the latest trends in technology and education, and how does this impact his work?
Highlights
Entrepreneurship is more an 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲.
Parth Verma, Tushar Jain ⚡and I spend Saturdays discussing our strategies and vision for Enthu.AI (Weekdays are usually consumed in operations).
And yesterday's discussion was all about us - the founders - the 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 for a startup.
We realized the following:
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Founders have a 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬. As co-founders, we need to work as a team to move out of this to 𝐜𝐨-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
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The 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩'𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. If a founder has a cluttered vision, the startup is not going anywhere
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We think about our strengths and weaknesses but we don't think about the whys behind them. For example, I am not a salesperson and I can't sell.
First, as a founder, you can't afford this but more importantly, as a human being, you have created a boundary for yourself.
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 is important for internal development and hence development of a startup.
- Founders can often start working in a small cocoon.
Talking to ecosystem partners (customers, VCs, Regulators, employees, future hires, prospects, competitors, etc) helps you widen your perspective.
- Just like life, entrepreneurship will have 99% of elements that are not even in your perception.
As founders, we can only work with 1% elements and if 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 1% 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.
- While the VCs and customers are looking for end results, founders have to 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 for themselves.
You can't reach your destination highly fatigued and frustrated as this will defeat the entire purpose.
Founders have to develop this skill of 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐀𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐯𝐥𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐧) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 (𝐢𝐟 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥) 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡.
#entrepreneurship #founder #startup #startuplife
