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Anil Kumar

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Anil Kumar

Founder and CEO SmartCloud Technologies

AskMe Corporation

Anil Kumar is a member of:

Could you tell us briefly about your family background?

Born and brought up in Mysore. Father is an artist and mother is a home maker. Typical lower middle class upbringing with focus on meeting basic necessities.

Other Thoughts:

My father and grand father were artists. So should have ended up as an artist. Dad wanted to ensure I study so don't have to struggle making a living in art.

Prized Accomplishment(s):

Being a serial entrepreneur having started companies in US and India. Specifically giving employment to many people in US and India. And building a new business from scratch (zero to millions of dollars)

Plans For The Future:

To achieve my current mission with Smartcloud technologies which is to impact healthcare delivery thereby improving patient health outcomes.

The Journey So Far:

Started out as an Engineer at Siemens. Worked at Microsoft after that. Since then has been in an entrepreneurial mode having started AskMe Corp in US, Pragna in US and now Smartcloud in India. Roles spanning Development Manager, Product Manager, General Manager and CEO.

Required Reading:

From Good to Great - by Jim Collins
Crossing the Chasm - Jeff Moore
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - Robin Sharma

Websites - plenty of them; probably have more than 100 sites bookmarked in my browser.

Changes In The Professional Environment:

The technology space has changed quite a bit - from stealth mode startup to open and social startups, lot more competitive, lot cheaper and faster to build your technology and solutions than ever before. Now that I am in India, I see its harder now to screen for talent (too many colleges etc.)

Done Differently:

Hard question. I would probably have been more aggressive in promoting my ideas, thoughts in all the organizations I worked in without that hesitation. More social and outgoing than I was when I started my career.

Role Model:

Steve Jobs - for his creativity, passion and drive to move forward in adverse times.

Advice For New Professionals:

Develop passion for learning and acquiring knowledge besides your immediate tasks assigned to you. Develop skills, knowledge in adjoining technology areas, business strategy and inter-personal skills.

Job Profile:

Currently Founder & CEO of an interesting startup. My role is to develop vision, product and sales plans for the company. The product could potentially revolutionalize the way people take care of their health - from reactive to proactive approach, help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Growth Strategy:

Open feedback from everyone in the company. Practice good qualities of a leader that are described in many biographies of people like Steve Jobs, Jack Welch, AG Lafley etc.

Working Life Management:

Strict family time on weekends. Live close to workplace so save commuting time