TEDx Talks - Building from the stones thrown at you | Ar. Utsav Kamboj | TEDxNicmar
The speaker recounts their journey from being an underpaid architect to becoming a successful influencer and educator in the design industry. Initially, they struggled with positioning themselves and worked on several projects for free, which led to financial difficulties. In 2018, they decided to address these challenges by creating a program to help graduates learn essential skills for pursuing jobs or starting businesses. Despite personal setbacks, including the loss of their father and financial constraints, they persevered by starting small and focusing on their passion for making a difference. They launched a course on executing interior projects, which gained significant traction, leading to the establishment of a successful business program for aspiring architects and designers. The speaker highlights the importance of clarity, expertise, and storytelling in attracting clients and building a brand. They emphasize the need to understand what clients truly want and to create memorable experiences through effective presentation and storytelling. The speaker also stresses the importance of speed and continuous learning to achieve success.
Key Points:
- Start small and focus on your passion to overcome setbacks.
- Clarity, expertise, and storytelling are crucial for attracting clients.
- Understand client needs and create memorable experiences.
- Speed and continuous learning are key to success.
- Building a brand requires effective presentation and storytelling.
Details:
1. ЁЯОд Nervous Beginnings & Career Aspirations
1.1. Nervousness in Public Speaking
1.2. Authenticity & Career Aspirations
2. ЁЯПв Early Career & Challenges
2.1. Education & Career Goals
2.2. Career Achievements & Strategies
3. ЁЯЖУ Free Work, Underappreciation & Turning Points
- The speaker completed their first seven projects for free, unintentionally setting a precedent for underappreciation and lack of compensation.
- Despite having a decent portfolio by 2018, the speaker remained underpaid and treated as if they were doing favors rather than professional work.
- Clients and peers often dismissed the issue of underpayment, suggesting that with more experience, compensation would improve, which the speaker found unacceptable given their educational investments.
- In response to the lack of dialogue around fair compensation, the speaker initiated a tech program aimed at equipping graduates with necessary skills and knowledge for various career paths.
- The speaker recognized the need for funding to support this initiative, initially estimating a requirement of 1 million INR for seed funding and seeking support from their father.
- Despite initial skepticism, the speaker's father supported the venture with 100,000 INR to start the project, with plans to discuss further funding options later.
- A comprehensive business plan and roadmap were developed, targeting collaboration with architects and interior designers for course creation and training.
- A personal tragedy struck when the speaker's father passed away suddenly, leading to the redirection of the seed funding towards hospital expenses, drastically altering the speaker's life and career trajectory.
4. ЁЯТФ Personal Loss & Professional Resilience
- Despite facing significant personal trauma and insomnia for six months, resilience played a crucial role in turning adversity into opportunity, exemplified by a pivotal decision made at 4:30 AM to start a new venture with only тВ╣ 500 in the bank. This involved purchasing a domain and a Wordpress.com subscription, marking the beginning of a new professional chapter.
- The transition from handling family responsibilities to independently managing projects in a tier-three city demonstrated adaptability and determination, despite earning only one-third of the previous income. This shift highlights the importance of perseverance in the face of financial constraints and the strategic decision to start small and local.
- Personal experiences were strategically channeled into blogging and business challenges, transforming trauma into a narrative that could resonate with others. This not only helped in personal healing but also built professional credibility by engaging an audience through shared experiences and insights.
5. ЁЯМ▒ Rebuilding & Launching a New Venture
- The speaker became an accidental influencer in 2019, leveraging personal passion to connect with audiences, initially doubting interest but finding genuine engagement through care about the topic.
- Transitioning from influencer to educator, the speaker focused on helping young architects and designers navigate their careers, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning that should start after graduation.
- A major challenge identified was the lack of knowledge on project execution, leading to the creation of a practical course, introduced via a webinar with a pre-booking price of 4000.
- Unexpectedly, 700 people pre-booked the course, indicating strong demand for practical learning resources, prompting expedited development over three months.
- Upon launch, an additional 1000 people purchased the course at a higher price, confirming the market need for such educational offerings.
6. ЁЯУИ Building Influence & Educational Programs
6.1. Customer Engagement
6.2. Authenticity and Passion
6.3. Independent Business Program
6.4. Philosophy of Work
6.5. Training Impact
6.6. Attracting Clients
7. ЁЯУЭ Importance of Storytelling & Presentation
- Effective storytelling and presentation can significantly enhance the customer experience, making it more memorable and engaging.
- The power of visual and olfactory elements in presentation is crucial as customers first perceive with their eyes and nose before tasting, indicating that ambiance and presentation can greatly influence their decision to purchase.
- Creating an immersive ambiance is essential for encouraging purchases, emphasizing the importance of visual appeal and sensory engagement.
- Incorporating storytelling by sharing narratives about ingredient sourcing or the journey to learning a dish enriches the customer connection and overall experience, making it more relatable and intriguing.