EMPOWERING THE ENTREPRENEUR IN YOU!!

…Building the ARK of TechnologyAn interview with our alumni entrepreneur Ritesh Shah.

Founder and Managing Director at Ark Technosolutions.

Q. While you were pursuing a

degree in electronics engineering at

KJSIEIT, did you think of yourself

as a future entrepreneur? A. The world of robotics has always been a source of fascination for me. I knew that on completing my graduation, I would become a good

�engin eer. This is what propelled me to give several interviews and I even received a job offer from Larsen & Toubro InfoTech. But the dream of converting my passion into a business was something I knew I wanted to achieve. Ark Technosolutions was established in 2008 with the vision to train aspiring engineers in the field of robotics through informative seminars and interactive workshops.

Q. How did you get the idea of

starting Ark Technosolutions and

what is the key aspect of your

business?

A. When I realized that so far as theoretical knowledge is concerned, technical students maybe well equipped with information, but applying this knowledge in practical

situations is where aspiring engineers lag behind; I decided to start a business which could provide quality provisions for laboratory involving courses in embedded systems, telecommunications and educational robotics where students can practically apply their knowledge. Ark Technosolutions has had several successful tie-ups with many colleges like YTIET Karjat, GIT Chiplun and DKTE Kolhapur. We have also conducted interactive workshops for robotics in BITS Pilani, Goa and IIT Kharagpur.

Q. What qualities do you possess that

make you a good businessman?

A. The best part about Ark Technosolutions is that I’ve never considered it to be a job. I love my work because I’m passionate about what I do. That is the key to any successful enterprise; you’ll never be ambitious about your business if you think it’s a job. Passion and interest is what will help you take risks in the long run, and transform those risks into opportunities.

Q. Where do you see Ark

Technosolutions five years from now?

A. The field of technology is ever evolving and innovation is at its peak in

the 21st century. I wish to tie-up with KJSIEIT and create sound, employable engineers through workshops and seminars in fully equipped labs; and I’m happy that Dr. Sunil Kirloskar shares my enthusiasm. As we evolve, I hope Ark will be sought as one of the best and inexpensive course providers in robotics and embedded systems for students all over the country. Also we are in negotiations with a few universities abroad which will help our students with internships and exchange programs.

Q. What would you like to say to your

juniors at KJSIEIT who wish to be

future leaders?

A. Opportunities are the beginning of great enterprises. All you need to do is challenge the status quo and fearlessly seize common occasions to make them great. The rest is simply hard work.

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By- Ankita Rajadhyaksha

Issue 3.0

page

The modern zipper turns hundred..The modern zipper turns hundred..The modern zipper turns hundred..The modern zipper turns hundred..If you stop to count the number of seconds required to fasten laces or

hook buttons in your daily garments, there’s a really good chance you’ll end up being late for work on a regular basis. Not that we need another reason for

being late. But it’s hard for the 21st century lay man to think of a Zipper as an invention. What most of us don’t know is, back in 1912, if an electrical engineer named Gideon Sundback hadn’t patented his chain and hook

assembly that makes a zipper, we’d probably still be caught amidst hooks, buttons and eyelets. In 1913 Sundback joined forces with Whitcomb Judson who was working on an easy fastener for shoes so that one didn't need to bend and tie the lace. Together they established the Hookless Fastener Company where Sundback invented a manufacturing machine which reduced wastage and could produce the new age zipper.

~Product life cycle (PLC): The stages of de-

velopment and decline through which a product

typically moves during its course in the market.

~ Trademark: An identifiable mark on a prod-

uct that may be a symbol, words, or both, that

connects the product to its trader or producer.

~ Intellectual Property: This term refers to the

soft assets of a company such as trademarks,

logos, patents, trade secrets, brands, industrial

designs, designs, etc.

~ Blue-ocean opportunity: A promising option

that might not be foreseen by the competition.

~Back to drawing board : Starting again on

a new design or plan after the failure of an

earlier attempt.

~ Intrapreneur: A person within a large corpo-

ration who takes direct responsibility for turn-

ing an idea into a profitable finished product

through assertive risk-taking and innovation

[intra(corporate) + (entre)preneur.]

E-dictionary

Rebranding your Business

In an ever changing market re branding a company's products,

message, and culture is no easy task. But creativity is the key in asserting

brand value. Here are some successful brand transformations companies

have undergone to make consumers look at their products in a new light.

Your brand is the public face of your business. By re-visiting your brand messaging, you can counter a loss in consumer confidence and/or decreased profitability. Over the years, McDonald's has been increasingly weighed down by the image of being a low-brow and unhealthy restaurant chain. The documentary "Super Size Me" both mocked and alerted the public to McDonald's food as a leading cause of obesity. McDonald's has since then tried to rebrand itself as more health conscious with a greater variety of salads and other healthy meal options.

McDonald's made America fat; now it serves salads.

When a business prospers and expands, they and/or their products frequently require a rebrand or revitalization to reflect the larger, more sophisticated business it has be-come. Twitter’s new bird logo with its beak held high and a sharp new haircut, represents a company ready to take off. The fresh, aerodynamic 3-feather design represents Twitter’s improved speed and reliability.

Twitter makes its Logo more Optimistic.

Just as a company’s brand must reflect changes in size and market position, it must also reflect changes in tech-nological innovation. In 1997, Apple was veering dan-gerously close to bankruptcy. Nearly 15 years later, stock prices have gone from $6 to $350 and the company is stronger than ever. What changed? By producing reliable and elegantly designed products such as the iMac, iPods, and iPads, Apple became a juggernaut in technology.

Apple was nearly bankrupt; now it's ruling the world.

“Markets come and go. Good businesses Dont ”