Chasing dreams: Life lessons from a parallel entrepreneur

Rohith Bhat, MD & CEO, Robosoft

I still remember my life in Japan, working as an engineer at Recosoft, way back in 1993. I was struck by the work ethics and the passion to focus on delivering a high quality product. It was that inspiration, which drove me to start Robosoft Technologies in 1996 - I firmly believed that relentless focus on delivering a great product was the only path to success. Over the years, Robosoft has grown by leaps and bounds, delivering mobility solutions to some demanding global clients. We have also created two other product companies and between them several globally successful IPs - a fact that I am immensely proud of. I’d like to share a few key lessons I learnt as I embarked upon this journey.

Take calculated risks
In 1996, the first assignment that Robosoft got was from Apple. While I was aware of every bit of Apple’s history and was thrilled to be associated with them, there were naysayers around me. They urged me to re-think partnership with a company whose platform the tech world had virtually written off. I knew I had nothing to lose if it was a misstep and everything to gain if it were a success. That risk paid off - it led to the start of our fruitful relationship with Apple. Our stock went up in the tech world, as a demanding client such as Apple was our partner.

Many a time, potential entrepreneurs are plagued by self-doubt or imaginary obstacles, which prevent them from taking the plunge. One’s risk taking appetite diminishes with age and family responsibilities - so if you have a dream and are passionate about it, take the risk!

When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.

~ Leo Burnett

Value and nurture relationships
I know it sounds like a cliché but there is truth in the saying it is all about the people - so invest in relationships. Be it a business or a career, Robosoft’s partnerships have endured for decades now because I strongly believe in nurturing them. It is said that a great relationship can overcome operational hiccups arising in day-to-day dealings.

It happens because the relationship is based on mutual respect and the shared belief that each of the stakeholders adds value. At Robosoft, we take pride in our deep relationships with companies like Apple, Hewlett Packard, etc. with whom we work closely across platforms. Some of our people have been with us since the inception of the company and a good portion of my colleagues has averaged 10+ years with us.

I make it a point in investing time with my family on weekends. In these days of gadgets, conference calls and social media friends, there is nothing more valuable than human relationships.

Work around perceived disadvantages
The tech and business world operates within many ‘expectations’ most of them self-created. One such expectation is that big business can operate only in big cities. Our decision to be based out of Udupi was going against such expectations. Many warned us about the disadvantages (which I am sure exist in any situation) but we worked hard to convert that into an advantage. Our ‘can-do’ spirit stems from the fact that we want to prove to the world that ‘geographies are irrelevant’ and world-class products can come from anywhere - even a small town like Udupi.

One of our key markets is the US, where folks in a creative industry can be expected to have a flair for aesthetics and design. They are used to world-class products and expect nothing less. One of our creations, Boom for Mac (a system-wide audio enhancer) was entirely conceived and designed in Udupi. Even if I say so myself, the user interface is mouth-wateringly beautiful. We ignored the so-called disadvantage of being based in a small town and simply focused on creating a great product.

Never give up
Not just me, many pundits have stressed upon the need for perseverance when it comes to building a business. Remember, overnight success is a myth. It takes years of slogging, many disappointments and setbacks to taste success. Be prepared for the long haul.

Be alive to opportunities
In 2008, when the App Store was launched, we saw the potential of mobile to change the way we live, work and play. We knew that early adopters would come from the US and focused on that market initially. We also saw the need to invest in products - which is a long winding road with no guaranteed success, and we did. In our product-strategy what worked for us was our laser-sharp focus and foreseeing a wave.

Global Delight only develops products in the audio, video and photo space. 99Games builds and creates mobile games. Both these domains have gone on to become big globally, with promise of future growth. We’ve been fortunate to have global successes like Camera Plus (27mn+ downloads, voted Best of 2014 by Apple) and Game Your Video (Best of Macoworld, 2012). The crown jewel, as it were, has been Star Chef, a mobile game based on another trend we foresaw: love of cooking. Today, Star Chef is clocking over $500K per month and that’s only on one platform. We foresee robust growth driven by new geographies and the Android platform in the months to come.

In whatever business you choose to be in - product or service, be alive to trends; not just superficial fads but trends, which can shape an entire industry. Take some time out from your day-to-day operations, read books, imbibe industry goings on, observe what’s popular in related industries and see how you can apply it all to your own. The popularity of Master Chef and similar programmes across the world was a trigger for us to develop Star Chef.

The bottom line? Perhaps best summed up by someone whom many of us look up to:

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

~ Steve Jobs