In Conversation with Abhiram Kolli and Akhila Ganti, Founders of BIVA analytics

Tell us about your best and worst days at work. 

Abhiram: "The best days at work are when everything runs smoothly - new products and features launch on schedule, and customers are impressed with positive feedback. These days make all the hard work worthwhile.

Conversely, the worst days are filled with anxiety when things don't go as planned. Disagreements arise, especially when clients inquire about delays. However, even on challenging days, we strive to find solutions and maintain progress."

Akhila: “I'd say the best days are when we're all busy! These days are filled with meetings and interactions with customers, which give us valuable insights into what's working and what isn't. The feedback loop we establish during these conversations is progress in itself, even if it takes time to convert leads. We see any input from customers as progress.”

If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?

Abhiram: “One piece of advice I would offer to entrepreneurs is to prioritize spending ample time on identifying and thoroughly understanding the problem before seeking solutions. It's tempting to rush into action, assuming we know the problem, but taking the time to truly delve into it can uncover nuances and insights that lead to more effective and innovative solutions. Deeply understanding the problem landscape not only enhances the quality of our solutions but also increases the likelihood of addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms. This approach lays a stronger foundation for long-term success and growth in any venture.”

Akhila:  “I agree with Abhiram. Business inherently involves creating value that generates revenue, and this can be challenging, especially for those starting out with a revenue-oriented mindset. Both Abhiram and I have benefited from mentors through programs we participated in, which trained us to think in this fashion. Nowadays, resources like accelerator programs help entrepreneurs to approach their businesses from a revenue-based perspective or at least understand how to monetize the problem effectively.”

How do you balance the tech and business decisions? Is there any dilemma that has ever come up?

Akhila: “Balancing tech and business decisions is a collaborative effort. We often start by identifying requirements that have a potential monetization angle or could add value to our product. These could stem from internal discussions on how to innovate or from customer feedback. Once we've identified a direction, we validate it with incoming customers before proceeding to build the product. It's a constant dialogue between the business and tech teams, where we weigh the potential benefits against the resources required and the needs of our users. This process ensures that we're not only meeting immediate demands but also aligning our product roadmap with our long-term goals and customer needs.”

Abhiram: “Balancing tech and business decisions is always a delicate dance. I usually handle the technical aspects, but dilemmas arise, especially when customers request specific features. It's challenging because we have to determine if the request is from a single customer or if it reflects a broader need among our user base. This ambiguity can make decision-making tricky. Sometimes, I might advocate for holding off on implementing a feature, while the sales team might argue that it's crucial for closing deals. It's a constant negotiation between meeting immediate customer demands and maintaining the integrity and scalability of our product.”

How do you define success?

Abhiram: “Success, to me, is about building sustainable business lines that are professionally managed and continuously growing. In our current e-commerce focused business, success means adding new customers while ensuring that each vertical is managed with a clear P&L and is steadily expanding. We have now entered the retail side, which involves identifying the market, engaging with initial customers, and iterating through proof of concepts. So, looking ahead, our goal is to maintain momentum across all four verticals we're focusing on, ensuring that each one contributes to our overall growth strategy. 

Personally, as someone with a background in tech, I envision our company evolving into a platform as a service, where external developers contribute to our offerings, turning us into a marketplace for retail analytics and beyond.”

What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?

Akhila: “My favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur is the continuous learning and the freedom to explore new opportunities. Over the past few years, both Abhiram and I have been involved in various endeavors, constantly trying new things and putting our own stamp on the process. Being an entrepreneur is multi-dimensional, requiring us to consider multiple angles for every decision we make. While it can be challenging at first, it's a skill that once developed, is invaluable in both personal and professional life. It not only helps us navigate our own paths but also allows us to lead and inspire those around us by showing them what motivates and drives us. The startup ecosystem is a dynamic environment where learning curves are steep, but the knowledge gained is immensely beneficial for both present and future endeavors.

Abhiram: “As an entrepreneur, my favorite aspect is the level of responsibility it entails. In a corporate career, decisions about budget allocation are made by someone else, but as an entrepreneur, I'm directly responsible for managing finances. I have to not only allocate the budget but also convince stakeholders and execute plans to make it work.

Unlike in a job where you're mainly focused on project execution, being an entrepreneur involves overseeing all aspects of the business: finances, marketing, sales, and more. This multifaceted role allows me to constantly learn and grow. As a software developer or a technology leader, I might be limited to working within the realm of technology. However, as an entrepreneur, I get to dive into various domains like finance, marketing, and sales in a short period of time. This dynamic learning experience is what I enjoy the most about being an entrepreneur.”

What do you do when you are not at work? 

Abhiram: “Outside of work, I have varied interests. I enjoy watching sports, following politics, and keeping up with a bunch of other topics. Also, I live in a joint family so there's never a dull moment at home."

If you had the chance to start your career all over again, what would you do differently?

Akhila: “If I had the chance to start my career all over again, I wouldn't do anything differently. 

Despite my background in civil engineering, my career has been primarily focused on analytics, which has always been an area of interest for me. Whether it was in finance, software, or now in ecommerce, the underlying theme of problem-solving using statistics and mathematics has remained consistent.

The diverse domains I've worked in have allowed me to interpret problem-solving methods in different contexts. For example, in finance, it was about analyzing data to make informed decisions, while in software, it was about coding solutions to complex problems. Now, in ecommerce, it's about understanding consumer behavior and using analytics to optimize sales strategies.

I've found that my experience in both multinational corporations (MNCs) and startups has been invaluable. While I appreciate the structure and training provided by MNCs, which helps in approaching problems systematically, I also value the agility and innovation fostered by startups. Having experience in both environments has equipped me with a well-rounded perspective and the ability to adapt to various challenges effectively. So, looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.”

What kind of disruption do you plan to create with BIVA?

Abhiram: “The disruption we aim to create with BIVA is to shift the paradigm of analytics from being solely a service to a product-oriented approach. Traditionally, analytics in the market has been more service-oriented, where you might receive a dashboard or report, but it's not truly a product in the sense that it's not integrated or scalable.

With BIVA, we're consolidating all channels into one platform, allowing users to access comprehensive analytics without spending time creating multiple dashboards. We want to empower users to focus on interpreting the data rather than creating the tools to analyze it. This shift from service to product in the analytics space is what we believe will be disruptive.”