“By providing tech solutions based on the ideology of design thinking and user-centric UI/UX, we managed to grow our venture to a multi-million-dollar company”- Sonia
Sharma, MD and Founder, GoodWorkLabs
Sharma, MD and Founder, GoodWorkLabs
 |
| Sonia Sharma, MD and Founder, GoodWorkLabs |
ST Bureau: When did you decide to take
the path of ‘entrepreneurship’ as your career? Do you remember any special
incident?
the path of ‘entrepreneurship’ as your career? Do you remember any special
incident?
Sonia
Sharma: I always
wanted to be an entrepreneur even when I was a child. I dreamt of being a
businesswoman someday and my passion took me towards the field of Information
Technology. I would say that I was wired like that. There is not any particular
incidence.
Sharma: I always
wanted to be an entrepreneur even when I was a child. I dreamt of being a
businesswoman someday and my passion took me towards the field of Information
Technology. I would say that I was wired like that. There is not any particular
incidence.
After completing my B.Tech in Computer
Science Engineering, I went on to work for a couple of startups which
eventually got acquired by some of the biggest IT companies. Finally choosing
Bangalore as my home base in 2006, I eventually co-founded the employer review
website ‘Jobeehive’ with Vishwas Mudagal and Sandeep Gudibanda. We had heavy
traction and user base. But we did not know how to make money. In two years, it
had to shut down.
Science Engineering, I went on to work for a couple of startups which
eventually got acquired by some of the biggest IT companies. Finally choosing
Bangalore as my home base in 2006, I eventually co-founded the employer review
website ‘Jobeehive’ with Vishwas Mudagal and Sandeep Gudibanda. We had heavy
traction and user base. But we did not know how to make money. In two years, it
had to shut down.
After gaining experiences in startups,
I founded the web, mobile, and software technology startup GoodWorkLabs with
Vishwas Mudagal as the first investor. Our goal was to create a world-class
product oriented services company that were bootstrapped with an initial
funding of 25 lakhs. By providing tech solutions based on the ideology of
design thinking and user-centric UI/UX, we managed to grow our venture to a
multi-million-dollar company. I would call myself a practical dreamer, I have
one dream at a time.
I founded the web, mobile, and software technology startup GoodWorkLabs with
Vishwas Mudagal as the first investor. Our goal was to create a world-class
product oriented services company that were bootstrapped with an initial
funding of 25 lakhs. By providing tech solutions based on the ideology of
design thinking and user-centric UI/UX, we managed to grow our venture to a
multi-million-dollar company. I would call myself a practical dreamer, I have
one dream at a time.
ST Bureau: Can you briefly tell us
more about your startup?
more about your startup?
Sonia
Sharma: GoodWorkLabs
is one of the leading new-age outsourced product development (OPD) firms and UX
design studio. We are focused on helping Fortune 500 companies and start-ups
alike to design and build robust products, be it mobile apps, software or
games.
Sharma: GoodWorkLabs
is one of the leading new-age outsourced product development (OPD) firms and UX
design studio. We are focused on helping Fortune 500 companies and start-ups
alike to design and build robust products, be it mobile apps, software or
games.
We started in 2013 with the objective
of becoming a powerhouse of innovation in technology and design for clients
globally and focused primarily on providing mobile technology solutions. By
growing at a rate of 500% year-on-year, we are poised to become a global leader
in the ‘innovation outsourcing’ space.
We have several marquee clients and partners. GoodWorkLabs is
headquartered in Bangalore, with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, USA, and
Kolkata.
of becoming a powerhouse of innovation in technology and design for clients
globally and focused primarily on providing mobile technology solutions. By
growing at a rate of 500% year-on-year, we are poised to become a global leader
in the ‘innovation outsourcing’ space.
We have several marquee clients and partners. GoodWorkLabs is
headquartered in Bangalore, with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, USA, and
Kolkata.
The products we have built for our
clients have reached millions of users worldwide and we are now set to take it
to the next level by launching the best-in-class enterprise mobility platform
called GoodWorks Mobility through which we will strengthen our clientele and
footprint globally.
clients have reached millions of users worldwide and we are now set to take it
to the next level by launching the best-in-class enterprise mobility platform
called GoodWorks Mobility through which we will strengthen our clientele and
footprint globally.
We broadly have four business units
that run independently and have focused roadmap and growth targets. These are –
that run independently and have focused roadmap and growth targets. These are –
O Mobile Apps division
O Software Products division
O Gaming division
O UX Design Studio
We help companies, startups and
entrepreneurs design and build products.
entrepreneurs design and build products.
ST Bureau: How big is your team at
present? Are you planning to increase your team size?
present? Are you planning to increase your team size?
Sonia
Sharma: We have an
80-member team. We are constantly looking out to attract new talent. We are
able to attract and retain good talent because of sheer quality of work we do.
Our teams are constantly on an accelerated growth curve. We are currently are
hiring for our Bangalore, Kolkata and California offices.
Sharma: We have an
80-member team. We are constantly looking out to attract new talent. We are
able to attract and retain good talent because of sheer quality of work we do.
Our teams are constantly on an accelerated growth curve. We are currently are
hiring for our Bangalore, Kolkata and California offices.
ST Bureau: Did you get any funding for
your startup? Are you planning to attract funding in the near future?
your startup? Are you planning to attract funding in the near future?
Sonia
Sharma: Initial
Capital was funded by Vishwas Mudagal (Rs. 25 Lakhs) and we achieved a growth
of 500% in the first financial year itself. We initially saw a rolling revenue
of USD $0.5 million in 2014-15, which grew on to become five-fold to USD $2.5
million in 2015-16 and we are going strong. So, we can safely say that we are
one of those companies who is bootstrapped, self-sustained and are very
profitable.
Sharma: Initial
Capital was funded by Vishwas Mudagal (Rs. 25 Lakhs) and we achieved a growth
of 500% in the first financial year itself. We initially saw a rolling revenue
of USD $0.5 million in 2014-15, which grew on to become five-fold to USD $2.5
million in 2015-16 and we are going strong. So, we can safely say that we are
one of those companies who is bootstrapped, self-sustained and are very
profitable.
We are bootstrapped and also not
looking out for any funding, as we are very cash positive. In fact, as part of
our diversification drive, GoodWorkLabs will fund and incubate a few startups
in the next few years, and help them succeed.
looking out for any funding, as we are very cash positive. In fact, as part of
our diversification drive, GoodWorkLabs will fund and incubate a few startups
in the next few years, and help them succeed.
ST Bureau: How do you see yourself in
next 2 years from now?
next 2 years from now?
Sonia
Sharma: As part of a
future roadmap for GoodWorkLabs 2.0, productizing our services was critical. We
have spent a lot of time with our clients, industry experts and our internal
teams. What we realized is that in order to reach out to a larger audience
across the globe we have to build a robust and scalable platform that
enterprise customers and businesses can use to launch their mobile
applications, automation, workflow processes, and business solutions. After a
lot of iterations and piloting with clients, we came up with a phenomenal
enterprise mobility platform called GoodWorks Mobility.
Sharma: As part of a
future roadmap for GoodWorkLabs 2.0, productizing our services was critical. We
have spent a lot of time with our clients, industry experts and our internal
teams. What we realized is that in order to reach out to a larger audience
across the globe we have to build a robust and scalable platform that
enterprise customers and businesses can use to launch their mobile
applications, automation, workflow processes, and business solutions. After a
lot of iterations and piloting with clients, we came up with a phenomenal
enterprise mobility platform called GoodWorks Mobility.
We will be launching GoodWorks
Mobility shortly. What’s amazing about this launch is that we already have
successfully signed up marquee clients for pilots and have further tied up with
industry biggies (Fortune 500) to take our product to the market with several
partnerships. That’s super validation that the product will succeed because we
have been very practical in our approach and worked with clients to make it
better. We are very excited about this launch and this product will be most
probably handled by a separate entity. With this move, we will become a group
of companies.
Mobility shortly. What’s amazing about this launch is that we already have
successfully signed up marquee clients for pilots and have further tied up with
industry biggies (Fortune 500) to take our product to the market with several
partnerships. That’s super validation that the product will succeed because we
have been very practical in our approach and worked with clients to make it
better. We are very excited about this launch and this product will be most
probably handled by a separate entity. With this move, we will become a group
of companies.
We are also coming up with an
innovation centre (work space) were we’ll invite few handpicked startups.
They’ll also get mentorship from GWL leadership team.
innovation centre (work space) were we’ll invite few handpicked startups.
They’ll also get mentorship from GWL leadership team.
ST Bureau: What are your hobbies in
your personal life? Which is your favorite holiday destination? What challenges do you face in your daily
professional life?
your personal life? Which is your favorite holiday destination? What challenges do you face in your daily
professional life?
Sonia
Sharma: I love
travelling. I make sure that I take vacation to a new country every 6 months.
Sharma: I love
travelling. I make sure that I take vacation to a new country every 6 months.
On a personal/professional front, I
look forward to work every day. Fortunately, I am doing what my passion is. So
work doesn’t feel like work and I look forward getting up and going to the
office every day. I feel miserable if I don’t. Also, I look forward to going
back home and spending time with my 6-year-old. If you are not doing what you
love, it’s difficult to keep high motivation level.
look forward to work every day. Fortunately, I am doing what my passion is. So
work doesn’t feel like work and I look forward getting up and going to the
office every day. I feel miserable if I don’t. Also, I look forward to going
back home and spending time with my 6-year-old. If you are not doing what you
love, it’s difficult to keep high motivation level.
It’s very important for me to pursue
my passion, spend time with my family and to have some personal space as well.
I need all of it and over a period of time, I have learned how to optimize my
time to get the maximum of everything. GoodWorkLabs gets my attention during
any normal day during business hours. Evenings are reserved for my family. My
husband and I have split the responsibility of our daughter. I do take some
time for myself during the weekends. There are days when one thing gets
priority over the other but ultimately it evens out.
my passion, spend time with my family and to have some personal space as well.
I need all of it and over a period of time, I have learned how to optimize my
time to get the maximum of everything. GoodWorkLabs gets my attention during
any normal day during business hours. Evenings are reserved for my family. My
husband and I have split the responsibility of our daughter. I do take some
time for myself during the weekends. There are days when one thing gets
priority over the other but ultimately it evens out.
Interviewed by Startup Terminal Bureau
