In his first year of graduation, Rishav Kumar conceptualized the idea of a media firm at the University level to connect various colleges, and to bridge the gap between the students and the authorities. In a few months he implemented his idea and University Express came into the picture. Since then, it has been grown to over 50,000 followers and is executing the base idea to its complete potential. Yet, there’s a lot more that the founder has in mind for UE.
Join The Yellow Sparrow as we find out about his story, his vision, and his valuable insight into the workings of a successful start-up.
What triggered you to begin a start-up?
Life was just the same before University Express happened. I was drinking the same coffee as I am today, sitting in front of my computer and searching for some events to pursue online. It was during that period where I realized the communication gap between students and authorities. It was essential to convey the practical aspects of the lives of the students to the authorities. My basic idea was to bridge the gap between them and compile all the essential data.
Was this your first start up? If not, then elaborate on the previous experience.
No, this wasn’t the first start up I did.
First, I worked on a project related to the lives of people in a slum area. That, however, did not fair out well towards the end. I then started a consultancy agency where I had to prepare market research projects for various companies.
When was the first article of UE published?
It was published in September 2012, a month after we started.
How did you get funds for your business?
I had been funding UE only through my savings initially. I really saved a lot by cutting corners in almost every sphere of life. I stopped eating out much, even though I was a huge foodie, so as to save money for my start up (laughs)
However, after approximately a year I felt the need for money for UE and thought of doing something to get funds. We finally got our first advertiser for our website because by then we had a dedicated readership. From then on we never went to anyone, people came to us!
Also, I realized in this process that a lot of foreign companies are keen on marketing their products on websites that reach out to Indian University students.
How much have you invested in UE?
I have earned! Apart from that I have only invested time and some money which I won’t quote. (laughs)
Is there any significant story behind the name “University Express”?
I wanted to keep the name formal so that people take it seriously and not treat it like a small college start up. My idea was to keep it youthful in terms of approach and not presentation.
What is your team size?
Within a month of starting I had a team of 50 people. After 6 months there were 150 people in the team, which is the maximum ever for us. Currently, I have a team of 40 dedicated members.
I’d like to mention that Sankalp and Siddharth have been important members of the team since the beginning.
How do you manage a team with so many members?
Leadership has always been a part of my character; because I connect with people well and can understand them. We usually don’t realize the qualities we possess until they’re pointed out. Sometimes a team member comes and says to me that I’m the “coolest boss ever” and that’s a good feeling.
How do you ensure that each member works with equal dedication given the team size ?
A lot of times leaders delegate work to a few people who then coordinate with others. So as to make the working smooth I ensure that I keep relations with everyone. The moment members lose attachment to the start up we lose people!
Sometimes there are internal conflicts as well but because I have a connection with everyone and so I can understand their problems and resolve the fight.
What were the challenges you faced?
There are always challenges on such a journey. Being a college start up, there were issues during exams as everyone used to take a break and I used to be handling everything alone. However, I didn’t face any problems because my college recognized UE and it was one of the most prominent start ups in college then. Also, people usually don’t take you seriously. They think that a college person is not serious enough to run a business for long with complete responsibility. I am still not sure if they take me seriously! So you need to put in double the amount of efforts to build that trust.
Tell us about one experience that stands out in your mind in this journey.
Once I had a meeting with a client in Malviya Nagar and had spent all my money in having coffee at the expensive restaurant so as to impress him. Consequently, I walked down from Malviya Nagar to Dwarka. That’s one memory that I can never forget.
Did your education help you in your work? How?
Definitely! I have done graduation in Economics from Bhagat Singh College. In life, everything depends on your decisive skills and Economics helped me in doing that. Also, it is useful while running my start up. I don’t study it only for marks.
How easy was it to convince your family?
My parents didn’t know about the UE for a very long time! UE had won an innovation award at the University level and when I took my trophy home was when I told them about the start up. They were pleasantly surprised but were very happy and supportive.
Has your business plan changed from what it was originally?
No, the business idea is the same. The basic philosophy behind our works remains unchanged however UE is now growing as a prominent media firm now.
Where do you see UE 5 years from now?
UE hasn’t even started crawling as of now given where I see it in future. We have been experimenting a lot and focusing only on Delhi University. Once we are done with the experiments and have a good understanding of processes and challenges, expansion will be easy. I see us in 10 different countries and working successfully!
Personally, what are your future plans?
I am hoping for an amalgamation of academics and business. I need to have enough knowledge and study further as well otherwise I’ll have to keep hiring people for every task and they can fool me.
What is the most gratifying thing about having your own thing?
When you begin a business, your start is everything! It’s your support, your friend and your companion. You miss out on a lot of things to devote time to the start up hence you end up being most connected to it.
What advice would you give to readers?
As Sachin Tendulkar once said, “Follow your dreams. They come true. “
You should never give up!
Any industry lessons for our young entrepreneurs?
1) Love your company. If you love it, you’ll sell it well!
2) Founders are sales persons.
3) Don’t follow others, be yourself.
4) Go with the flow.
Describe your journey in one sentence.
A worthy struggle.
