Name: Ms. Shweta Jain
Company & Job Title: Founder and CEO of “CONNECTIONS”
My Professional journey started in 2004 with Citi Corp, where I was a BPO agent. After working there for a year I ventured into the world of recruitment in Mumbai. I worked with Edgjein Placements where I learnt the ropes of delivery and Client Development. I worked with Times jobs and Adecco posts that in Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Post the 2008 crisis, I thought of going on my own and that’s how connections were born. I started alone with 25000 INR and got 2 big clients Coca-Cola and Emerson who I had great relationships.
I did a billing of 6 lakhs in the first year and post which there was no looking back, always wanted to do something for women who were not able to move out of their homes and started the work from the model in 2009.
Today we are close to 50 women who work from home from various places in India, managing their home front and work.
How did you progress into your current position?
I founded the company and started alone – then started hiring retainers and partners who could help me. I reached this level through dedication, persistence, and thinking big!
Key challenges have you confronted in your life journey
Starting any business and making it grow is not easy – I had my share of challenges managing the work and home front. I had to take care of 2 kids which was not easy. However, balancing life and work and making the business grow was definitely a big challenge.
Another big challenge was during covid where we had no business for about 6 months but I also had to ensure that we do not fire anyone – managing the cashflows and motivating the team was a big challenge.
What important insights have you learned from your career?
My professional learnings are all about learning what you don’t know, moving out of your comfort zone, and enjoying what you do!
The biggest challenge is all about embracing the change – with Digital and AI there will be significant disruption and the ones who would survive are the ones who are Agile, can embrace change, and be the first movers.
Who has inspired you the most?
There isn’t a single person who has influenced me the most. My leadership philosophy is a mosaic built from various experiences and people. The values of hard work, dedication, and treating everyone with respect are the ones that I have learned from my Seniors and Mentors in the industry and these core values are the foundation of our company culture.
How can your services address your customers’ pain points?
We serve a problem of driving growth in organizations through bridging the hiring gaps
Our USP’s are:
- We are an all Women’s Organisation
- We are work from anywhere organization
- Speed and Quality of delivery
- We interact with candidates post their joining also and help provide any feedback the candidate has for the organization
What recommendations do you have for people who want to become entrepreneurs?
Pursue your endeavors with unwavering passion and dedication. When you pour your heart into your work and strive for excellence, success will naturally follow.
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