Vidyadhar Prabhudesai : Co-founder, entrepreneur, UN fellow and WEF partner
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How will you Introduce Yourself to the world?
I would like to share an anecdote too. Once while I was on a business trip, I and a fellow co-traveler struck a fascinating conversation. He asked a question, who am I? For anybody, it would mean his identity or his job. I told him as anybody would say. I am so, so I am a co-founder, entrepreneur, UN fellow, WEF partner, etc. He disagreed with all I said and told me that these were just peripherals and would fade away with time and what stays with you for a lifetime; is your real identity. I thought about this throughout the journey, and when the flight landed in Mumbai, I said, “I am the son of Anand and Sulabha. I inherited chromosomes from my mother and father, which would be the only thing that would not change. Whatever I do or get recognised for now or in the future, my parents will be credited for the same.
Tell our readers about your achievements till today
Of the little work that I have done through LeadCap, we have touched upon lives of more than 10 million youth and empowered them. Our models received recognition across the globe including special mention at Doha Forum, Youth Prize by World Bank, recognition as Global Shaper by World Economic Forum. I also received global fellowships from Ford Foundation, United Nations, Royal Society of Arts and Commonwealth Society. I was included in prestigious international listing such as "Who is Who of the World", "Top 2000 intellectuals", "Professional of LinkedIn" and "40 under 40 Europe India leaders."
Tell us about your start-up!
LeadCap is Research and Development Consulting company. We engage in policy studies, impact assessment, macro economic research, statistical indices etc. We are sector agnostic however most of our work falls in the areas of education, skills, healthcare, gender, children, livelihood, rural, agriculture, energy and stakeholder interaction. We are regional partners of many international agencies such as World Economic Forum, World Bank, United Nations etc. Our work spans across 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East and Europe. We also work with fortune 100 companies and start ups and help them with strategic insights.
"What's the most important thing you're working on right now, and how are you making it happen?
Recently we completed project from World Bank on impact of Covid 19 on SME sector which would help restructuring of financial policy and recovery plan at country level. We are also working on effectiveness of Covid 19 vaccination program in Central Asian region. During Covid 19 outbreak, we had opportunity to work with Gates Foundation affiliate and conduct due diligence on procurement of medicine and relief materials which helped governments save millions of dollars. We collaborate with various organisations across globe to execute projects and ensure delivery is completed within agreed timelines.
What's your take on your segmented/targeted Market?
We are B2B and B2G firm and work with International institutions, think tanks and governments, fortune 500 corporation and startups and SMEs. The global consulting services market is about USD 500 billion and our services add upto merely 10% of the market approx USD 50 billion. Prior to Covid 19, the market grew by 7% annually between 2015-2019. The market seems extremely promising, mainly due to the increasing uptake of consulting services post Covid 19. The collaborative approach of consulting services helps companies maintain an edge over their competitors through domain expertise offering effective solutions to resolve complex business problems.Consultants are bringing important decisions vital to the company's future, making sure every angle is considered. They are also offering deep expertise in a particular industry or subject, such as market positioning or restructuring. Resultantly, the global strategy consulting industry is quickly getting back to normal, witnessing rapid revenue growth.
What are the challenges you have faced and what are the current challenges? Mention the top three challenges for both
Why have you started up ?
After spending 5 years in corporate, I realised that I am a complete misfit there. My mistakes had cost these organizations few hundred thousand dollars –the monetary losses and other collateral damages. I thought it is better to part away rather than damaging it more. One beautiful day while I was enjoying my annual leave at home. I saw my younger brother working on his college project. He was doing some posters for his college project. I asked him why he is putting in so much effort when there is an easy way out. I told him he could search the internet, download stuff and cut paste the whole stuff and get away with your work. He patiently listened to my argument and said, “If I am doing the same stuff like all other students, what is the difference between them and me” This shook me entirely, and I could not answer him. This was my first defining moment when I started thinking about how I could be different and create differences. One of the early moves I took is that I enrolled in the community development program of
the company I was working with and started teaching basic computers to the students who were hailed from deprived families.As I progressed in my career, I started getting frustrated in my corporate life. It is not that working in corporate is terrible, I was employed in most people caring companies, but I failed to live up what it was needed. I did not have any plan at all about what to do next. I had committed corporate suicide, left my well paid corporate job that too, after getting promoted every year. As I ended my corporate journey, I relocated back to Mumbai. There I started my first company. It was an HR recruitment consulting cum placement agency. With my contacts, I could strike initial breakthroughs, which helped to survive for 3-4 months. It was 2007-08, and recession just started showing its moves. With nothing back up and to avoid the embarrassment of failure, I took an education loan and enrolled in a management program, thinking I would get placed somewhere and get back to sluggy corporate life. I got a job in one of the renowned business houses at that
time. But the entrepreneur streak in me didn’t let me live there for a long. I declined the job offer, and then my most exciting part of the journey started – LeadCap. Started with a million leader mandate – transform the lives of people who had battle everyday chores to the next generation of leaders who could be role models like you have heard today. The inspiration came to me when I was working, and I realized that youth who live in tier 2,3 districts of India, have immense potential and can even challenge anybody from up-class cities to be it Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore. It is just that they do not have access or are given the right opportunities to prove their potential.
Where do you want to see yourself in the next 5 years ?
When I was in college, I aspire to get job inside International institute. I regret of not being able to fetch full time employment there, though today I work as external consultant in these institutions. I am mentor and advisor to several startups and guide youth on various career opportunities. Over next few year I would like to mentor and hand hold aspiring young talent and help build their careers
Please share your learning for fellow Entrepreneurs ?
If you aspire to be an entrepreneur, be ready to pay a price for this. It always comes at cost. Entrepreneurship demand more time than any other career out there.
