Life Story of Manoj Krishnan - Founder & CEO of The Compass Team

                                                 

   1. Describe about your business and founders?

The Compass Team is into Comprehensive Student Assessment Programmes that help parents understand children better  through a hybrid model. We have a 360 degree approach involving students, parents and teachers to ensure holistic development.

The extension of our services goes into Career Aptitude Testing from class 8, upwards. Our School  outreach Programme HOPES( Holistic Programme for Evaluation of Students is India's first copyrighted assessment programme for students involving a multi speciality approach. 

The founders are experienced professionals with a combined experience of more than 65 years  across Industries. 

2. What is the biggest challenge of being a CEO and how do you overcome it? 

The biggest challenge is to evolve a value-added  and sustainable business model keeping up with the dynamic environment and consumer preferences without diluting the quality of the services delivered.  This has to be addressed by constant interaction and engagement with both the internal and external  customers and stakeholders, taking feedback and plugging the loopholes in the quality of services. Being open to change is important.

3. Where do you see the company in the next five years and how will you bring about the change? 

In the next five years, especially after a rather destabilising pandemic, technology upgradation is going to be important. We see ourselves as a technologically driven  social impact enterprise providing a range of unique and important services through a hybrid model. This change is intended to be brought about by slow by steady expansion and focusing on quality rather than numbers.Awareness creation and an impactful marketing campaign are going to be  key factors.   The existing customers should be the ambassadors of our services. 

4. Did you ever feel like giving up on being a CEO and what motivated you to pull this off?

If you want to give up, entrepreneurship is not for you. It is a roller coaster ride for which you have to be prepared. Being cool and composed is the best way out, by focusing on what you do. Belief in what you do is important. 

5. Describe your biggest achievement

Getting the first paid customer 10 years back has been the biggest achievement , reinforcing our conviction about our services. 

6. From where did you get the idea for business?

Got the idea watching a society giving importance only to academics and totally neglecting the psychological and related aspects related to development.  

7. What was your aim to start the company?

The aim was and continues to be one  to see a much better society in terms of overall development and hence students, teachers and parents had to be involved, not to forget schools as a whole.  

8. Tell us some of your failures.

Being a unique concept with no proven method for execution, failures have been a part of our journey and there has  been much learning because of it. Absence of an effective marketing even for a social impact programme like ours is possibly the main in terms of failure. It is important that you communicate and tell your prospects about  your services. 

9. What is the role of your family in your successful career?

Family including my aged parents have been rock solid in terms of support because of which we are still holding on even after 11 years. The idea behind the venture is one of relevance for a society and hence  failures never stopped us.

10.  What is your message to the young generations and to their parents?

Don't chase money. It is only a by product of the value you deliver  Do something impactful that will help a society, in whatever way you can. Parents need to give guidance and support children in taking risks. They should understand that it is because of many such  risk takers that people have jobs today. Parents should be open and also  understand the strengths and improvement areas of their children to help them do what they love to and face life boldly. Every child must be a responsible citizen and parents need to be Role Models.