MONDAY 3, JUNE 2019, NEW DELHI Business Standard
Q&A SHIREESH MISHRA, Exe. Director & CEO, DATACUMEN ANALYTICS, India
‘Fasten your seat-belts and stick to driver’s seat as the world changes’
The amiable Shireesh Mishra aka ‘Lucky’, CEO of Datacumen Analytics is one of a kind in the crazy corporate world. An electronics engineer and an MBA, having more than 13 years of corporate experience, is the co-founder of India’s aspiring–to-be-top analytics firm. The author of three books and various white papers on branding and strategic analytics sat down for a chat with Business Standard’s David Merholz at ‘The London Summit 2019’. Excerpts:
To start with, can you please tell me something about ‘Datacumen Analytics’?
Datacumen Analytics is a growing analytics firm which helps businesses in their strategic decision making using customized delivery models. The name ‘Datacumen’ was devised way back in the year 2009 when I used to work with Evalueserve (EVS), one of the leading KPO’s in India with diversified services portfolio. ‘Datacumen’ represents use of business acumen generated using data sourced from various business systems. In turn contributing to meaningful business insights and augmenting business decision-making process.
In view of this highly volatile business world, what are the new marketing dynamics that come into play as analytics firms caters to companies who want more bang for the buck?
We as strategic partners to our clients always try to be closely aligned with their business to keep track of what is happening with them. When the economic slow down came in the year 2017, one of the first thing we did was to carry out a comprehensive survey across 500 top chief executive officers and chief marketing officers across the globe (especially focused around U.S.,U.K. and India) to map the macro-economic environment in the near future through our consulting strategic partners. Such value-added offerings leading to industry focused business acumen blended with technical expertise are helping us address our client’s needs.
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"If you wait to be happy, you will wait forever. But if you start to be happy, you will be happy forever"
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What is your motto in life? How would you define life?
“Dream as if you will live forever and live as if you will die tomorrow” – this is my idealistic quote and I always try to live with this motto. Regarding defining ‘LIFE’, then it’s a tricky question and I am still exploring this mysterious lady called ‘life’. Life has always been a marathon for me striving hard through out to achieve my dreams. It’s well said that "No one can go back and change a bad beginning, but anyone can start anything anytime and create a successful ending“. So we can start planning and implementing things at any stage of our lives. It’s the sustained ability to change that really counts.
Further, I would like to add that "If you wait to be happy, you will wait forever. But if you start to be happy, you will be happy forever"
Bring me through one of the most constructive experience that were formative and that helped you get to where you are now.
I still remember the evening of December 2, 2006 when I was interviewed for EVS which gave me the real exposure to this corporate world. There used to be a guy named Muthu working with EVS as a team lead, who later started his own venture and currently based in U.S. I still remember the discussion we had during the interview where he mentioned that he is looking for a guy with technical skills as well as business acumen and I was that best fit there. The first project I worked on was for a Pharma client and I was asked to lead a team of 4. Later EVS rolled out to be a very good platform with ample learning opportunities in terms of technical skills and people management exposure. I went through various phases of ups and downs within a short tenure of 2.5 years and came face-to-face with the real corporate world. There was a time when I started hating this side of the world but that was the true experience which gave me the right skills and acumen to fight back and reach where I am now. I worked on various projects and under the guidance and flagship of various senior and middles management personnel's such as Manoj Madhusudanan, Pratyush Prabhat, Muthu, Bhavya, Atanu, Anubhav Tripathi, Vikram Saraswat, Irfan Ahmad, Nitin Gupta etc. During my tenure with EVS, I worked with a UK Telecom giant for a significant time period also went abroad for six months which transformed me into a new individual altogether. I remember the bright sunny morning of June 2008 (as far as I remember) in London when I met Marc Vollenweider (CEO, EVS) and was really impressed by his overall personality and clarity in his each word/communication/thought process. I still remember those wonderful days where there was work, fun and friends. For most of my business acumen, communication, knowledge, skills, I credit to my time spent at EVS. But all good things must come to an end. It was a very tough decision to bite the bullet and leave EVS, my work place, my colleagues, my friends, my memories. However, I don’t regret it. Had I not made the move then, you might not be sitting here with me in this ‘Business Leaders’ Summit’ having this exquisite coffee over this conversation.
What did you learn from that experience? Anything specific you would like to share with us.
It was, how to manage tough client situations, expectation management within the team, with the client and with the top management, how to talk and act smartly about you had never heard the previous day, about how to crack nuts. Operationally, I became very good, in terms of attention to detail. Back then, I rarely had good things to say especially during the later half of my tenure. I never said, “Wow! Things are moving awesome”; I learned how to motivate people during a tough time and keep the team spirit intact. I learned how to keep my own wits and not to panic. If you panic, everybody goes with you pretty fast. I learned to strike a balance between various levels of communications and to stay cool and motivated during tough times. I would like to suggest everyone that one should be have long terms goals in mind and should act accordingly. If you are working for a company with a motive of learning new things and then probably will move-on in a couple of years, in such cases we shouldn’t take much tension about management issues and should concentrate on work and strive hard for other learning opportunities within the organization. On the other hand, if you have long term plan with the current organization then ‘NEVER TAKE PANGA FROM YOUR BOSS’. I remember one of my subordinate in EVS (in the year 2009) named Sharad Sharma who told me the golden rules of corporate world i.e. “Rule#1 – Boss is always right; Rule# 2 – Boss is always right; Rule#3 – If Boss is not right, then go to rule no. 1”
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“… my tenure in EVS had been somewhat of a roller coaster ride……………… fight over .. evaluations ….wrangle for the team …. struggle to get team party slot …………
in short,
it taught me to bond!”
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I understand that you re-joined EVS in the year 2012? What were the key drivers?
I never wanted to quit from EVS but the circumstances were such that I had to take that step in 2009. I left the organization for my personal growth especially in terms of acquiring technical skills which I thought was really important if you want to grow in your career. I joined a mumbai based start-up firm ‘Cequity Solutions’ under the flagship of S.Swaminathan, Ajay Kelkar and Nagaraj Kulkarni. These key individuals were the building block of the firm and had the right blend of skills to take the company to great heights. I really appreciate the exposure I got at Cequity and my personal contribution to grow and stabilize the organization using what I had acquired during my tenure at EVS. In response to your specific query, I re-joined EVS as I really appreciated the organization for it’s good things and there was an opportunity matching my skills.
It’s very interesting, would you like to share with us some of your faded memories during your initial tenure with EVS? May be some of the individuals with whom you have spent quality time may be reading this article.
Yes, of course, in fact I would like to thank you and Business Standard for making me to refresh my golden memories of the past.
The two and half years of my tenure in EVS had been somewhat got so much affection and respect.
I remember some of key individuals like Muthu and Pratyush for their unique style of people management and for trusting me on critical assignments. Ankur Shanker, Nishant Awasthi for their knowledge and skills; Aman, Deepali, Bidisha, Priya, Abhishek, The funny bone - Davide, Rishi, Shonit, Ravi, Deepika, Debarati, Amit, Meghna, Stuti, Sushant as the old timers. Among the new generation I still have a warm memories of Aditya, Ankur, Animesh, The Red Phone Box - DJ, Govind, Sakshi, Sangeeta, Arghya, Shalini, Abhishek, Rupali, Ankit, Anuradha, Amit G, Sachin, Nishant, Manish, Gunjan, Ekta, Mitul, Megha, Nupur, Nitika, Aneesha, Rajeev etc etc from the DA Gang. Also from our Business Research counterparts I still have faded memories of the power-puff girl ‘Baldeep’, Rahul (s), Ashish M, Prenul, Abhinay, Anjali, Saurabh C etc etc.. Oops! there was one more charming young lady whose name I just can’t recall.. hmm… hmmm…. Sorry can’t remember, but even I really had a crush on her JJ. Actually she should be shot point blank J in the public interest as there were lots of guys who were crazy about her and hence lots of issues and complications. Furthermore, I had a few friends non-DAians such as Aneesh, Anand, Rupali V, Pooja K, Garima, Pooja Singh, Himanshu J, Geetu, Jaya, Nidhi etc. etc.
As I got off the roller coaster ride I realized how important role the place and the people play in our lives. But I always look back and am thankful to EVS which has given me so much in terms of opportunities and growth.
Any tips for the vibrant and aspiring new generation as a success mantra?
I would just to like to say that “Fasten your seat-belts and stick to driver’s seat as the world changes”. To remain competitive in the current environment one needs to acquire all the right skills which includes, technical expertise along with business acumen. They should always keep on growing their knowledge base around all the related areas and should keep track of ‘what’s hot in the industry’.
One last Question, if you weren’t the CEO of Datacumen, what would you be doing now?
Dreaming, Painting, Sketching, Roaming, may be a Politician or a Teacher…. U never know.. Life is so uncertain…………………….!! JJJ
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