“Just get started. Don’t wait for ‘the perfect time,’ Just START UP.”
– Srikanth Krishna, Founder, Career Mitra
Srikanth Krishna knows all about preparation and then, just making it all happen. As founder of Career Mitra, he runs the inner workings of his startup, a site where users can get the latest on higher education news, institutions, exams, and career opportunities. It’s a site with a wealth of knowledge available and it seems to be growing very quickly.
For those hungry for knowledge and it’s pursuit in the academic realm, Career Mitra guides users with the most up to date information. It’s a bootstrapped startup that has a clear headed captain at the helm. Inspired by Steve Jobs, Krishna took some time to speak with KillerStartups about his company and his experiences so far with Career Mitra. Here’s what he shared with KillerStartups:
What’s your company about?
We are a digital career and news portal, we cover information on education reforms, entrance exams, colleges, courses and write advisory articles for the benefit of student community. Our customers are students and education institutions.
How’d you come up with the name for your company?
Career Mitra means “Career Friend” in English, so we have put that name to say that we help individuals attain greater heights in their career.
What was your first computer?
A HP Desktop PC when I was 18.
What time do you usually start work each day?
I work roughly 13 to 14 hours a day. Really, there is no start time or end time. The work drives it all. I do what I have to do.
When’s the last time you went on vacation and where did you go?
I went to Kerala in October 2011.
What’s the very first thing you do at work every day?
The first thing I do is log on to my company’s website and check the admin dashboard.
When do your best ideas come to you?
For me the best ideas come late at night.
How many people did you start the company with and how many people work for you now?
We started with three people and presently we have 6 people.
What gave you the confidence to actually go after your big idea?
The opportunities that I saw presented to me drove me to start the company. Also, I saw that there was huge potential for online portals to generate revenue from educational institutions that at that time were spending their money on print ads.
Remember the early days of starting up? Describe the struggles you went through.
It was a learning process. One day it was very intense and another day very relaxed but it was all about realizing that those experiences were really just an opportunity to move forward. Managing with limited resources and funding was a huge challenge and that eventually forced me to learn many things, including web development.
How do you handle frustration?
I get frustrated when people lie although I’ve never had any professional frustration.
What’s your office environment like?
Our office is more like a home with all facilities like wifi, power back up, coffee machine etc. I watch movies and listen songs at work too.
How do you picture your company in 5 years?
I see us as the India’s largest digital career and news portal.
Who or what inspires you?
I get inspiration from many people. It’s hard for me to pin it down to a few but my biggest inspiration has always been Steve Jobs.
How’d you fund this venture?
It’s all bootstrapping for us – totally self funded.
What other advice do you have for other entrepreneurs struggling to get started?
Just get started. Don’t wait for “the perfect time.” Just START UP.
What would you do if you had a year off and $500,000 to spend (on something other than work)?
I’d like to do some traveling and see the 7 wonders of the world and spend time with my family.
How can our readers get in touch with you?
