Kunal Kishore Sinha, COO,.ai shares what he plans to do after Covid restrictions are lifted.
Post-Covid bucket list
“While there are a lot of things I’m planning to do once normalcy is restored, I believe I’m looking forward to traveling the most. The flight curbs have thrown a wrench into all our holiday plans and I’m planning to actively catch up on my travel once restrictions are eased. I’m likely to leave every alternate month for travel – and not just for work!
I’m also eagerly waiting to get back to my fitness regime. I used to enjoy playing squash regularly before the outbreak, which is not possible now. I will surely get back to it as soon as it is safe to do so. I’m also looking forward to catching up with the entire team, attending conferences and industry events, and meeting industry peers after a long break.”
Frequent-flyer miles
“After a stressful few months, I’m very keen on exploring, a peaceful hill station in Karnataka which is known as. There is also a beautiful property in Nainital calledwhich is very interesting. I can just picture myself spending 5 nights at the quaint property with books and nothing else. As for international destinations, Santorini was on my 2020 bucket list before the COVID-19 outbreak. I will definitely revisit the plan next year if possible.”
Self-care
“In the current situation, there is a dire need for spa treatments since they can melt away the daily stress. I used to get spa treatments every 30 days or so, and now when stress-relief must be on the top of our priority lists, I am missing those relaxing sessions.”
Food cravings…
“Without a doubt, I cannot wait to go to Bukhara at ITC Maurya for some indulgent Indian food.”
Favourite shopping destinations…
“I like to collect unique glasses and have always found amazing frames and different styles for my collection in London and Miami. In Miami, there’s an entire lane where you can pick up styles that you won’t find anywhere else. Plus, New York and Hong Kong are also great shopping destinations. One thing I wish I purchased before the lockdown is a great gaming console which would have helped this prolonged stay at home. Looking ahead, I am excited about the launch of the new iPhone.”
Pandemic buys
“I bought a very good quality professional lapel mic for the multiple Zoom calls and Webinars that has been an essential part of my work from home experience. From an entertainment tech standpoint, I invested in my home entertainment setup.”
A skill I picked up during the lockdown…
“I’ve picked a very unique hobby during the lockdown which is making cocktails! It’s very interesting to actually read and research about the origin and history of every cocktail and then actually make it. It’s like a story you’re exploring instead of just mixing drinks. Anyone who’s tried my cocktails has said that they are better than the ones they’ve had at 5-stars and fancy bars. I’ll actually continue to hone these cocktail-making skills since it makes for a good evening – you don’t miss going to a bar and having a great drink.”
Keeping fit
“I use a combination of exercises to stay fit. On alternate days I go for outdoor runs and on other days I follow free weights exercise routines by YouTuber Jordan Yeoh. To keep myself toned, I also practice strength training on the weekends.”
Words Of Wisdom From CEO: Tips On Business Survival During Covid-19 Pandemic
The CEO Corner
Whether the pandemic ends within a month or two or stretches into the long-term, business owners need to be ready to adapt and make changes to their business strategy in order to weather the storm and beyond. Here are a few tips to start implementing and planning form the CEOs.
Vikas Chaturvedi, CEO of Xanadu Realty
– Drive Innovation in every aspect of the business
– Absorb and accept technology in your organization to take your product to the customers
– Take initiative and bring smarter consumer propositions to take care of worries of a consumer while buying property
– Reskill your teams for the new scenarios
– Mitigate risk and judicious cash management. Most importantly stay positive during this time.
Roma Priya, Founder of Burgeon Law
– In order to mitigate any risks, it is important for companies to adapt to a new set of rules while being careful with tracking expenses against the revenue status, checking the feasibility of the business model, and planning policies for the next quarter
– There needs to be a diligent revision of sales, revenue goals and product timelines along with a new operating plan in place. Companies should strategize and communicate transparently with the stakeholders and customers to understand their perception of the products/services being offered.
– Also, to avoid bitterness with the contracted parties, companies should give sufficient notice to the vendors, suppliers and landlords in case of any delay in the payments.
– When it comes to the capital, companies should stay patient with fundraising. Considering the criticality of the situation, investors may take longer than usual to make funding decisions after following stringent diligence procedures.
Himanshu Bindal, Founder of Biosup
Cost Monitoring: Always monitor your cost and get as lean as possible even when you are not having liquidity challenges. Also, keep an eye on your balance sheet. The better you manage your cash the better your business plans will work out.
Contingency Planning: Planning always saves you from the worst case scenarios. Always have Plan B and if possible Plan C also so that if something goes sideways, your company will not be hit hard as it will be saved by your contingency plans.
Quick Decision Making: Never delay in making decisive decisions in times of trouble. And never be shy about seeking help from outside.
Communicate with Customers: Try to communicate with customers and let them know that they and their reviews on your products matter. Improve and do the changes accordingly, if needed.
Internet: Go online as much as possible because it always helps to reach customers who we cannot tap through offline or other forms of marketing.
Keep Striving: Keep striving to come on top of the industry of which your company is a part of.
Bharath Sastry, CEO of Vistaprint India
Innovation: Understand changing customer requirements and incorporating the same in one’s product and offerings is important. For instance, an energy drink can innovate to launch an immunity-building beverage, an e-commerce firm can endeavour to provide solutions to spread awareness of the Covid 19 etc.
Marketing approach: This is an excellent time to relook at the channel marketing approach. Maximizing free channels like SEO and owned media like website and social media to communicate and engage with the customers. And build further marketing efficiency while starting the channels that require spend
