Kalki: An event management company specializes in Corporate, Tourism, Marathons, Exhibitions and Lifestyle Events

 

Kalki is a Delhi based startup founded by Kaushal. Kalki is an event management company which specialize in event conceptualization, design, technical planning and management of the event.

 

Kalki is my baby and it reflects me in a lot of ways. I give in my best every day to create positive impressions with my brand. Working on challenging projects gives me a kick and I share this excitement with my team and in the future, we aspire to make Kalki a global brand and that’s what keeps me going, Kaushal.

 

We got an opportunity to talk with Kaushal the founder of Kalki. Read their story to know more about their journey as an entrepreneur.

 

 

Give a brief info about your startup?

The word ‘ Kalki’ factually refers to the 10th avatar of Vishnu that is said to enter kalyug and take the world towards satyug. We used this derivation in a way that we try to bring in positive change and dynamism through our events.

The Kalki Culture Events & Promotions is an event agency that has been the maverick of engaging experiences and has rapidly grown in a short span. Known for our expertise in event conceptualisation, design, technical planning and management, we strive to create strategically integrated experiences that connect brands with their target audience.

We specialize in Corporate Events, Tourism Events, Marathons, Exhibitions and Lifestyle Events.

As a brand, the idea is to not just deliver what the client asked for but also to be continuously engaged with the client to give them a good experience and act as a brand partner for them.

Our events are completely customized, reflecting the brand personality of each client.

 

 

What made you start your startup and what problem does it solve?

I always had this inclination towards business and in my brief stint in the corporate sector, that feeling only grew stronger. Following the same schedule everyday was mundane for me. I have always been an explorer and love having challenges in my work as much as I love meeting new people everyday. Every person and conversation has something to teach you – you just need to be a good listener and that is my forte’.

My sector of work did not require a huge amount of investment upfront and is a booming industry plus though it is challenging, it is equally satisfying and it helped me achieve my dream.

 

 

Tell us about yourself, your previous jobs/ventures? What were you doing before this startup?

After  completing my MBA, I started off my career with AC Nielson as an Operations Executive in June’10 and by the time I quit in April’13, I was single handedly managing the UAE market.

 

 

Where is your startup based out of? Why do you think that is the best place for you?

We are based out of Delhi/NCR. However, our strong vendor associations help us operate Pan-India and very soon we are in plans of expanding to other states as well.

For a startup, the most sought after location is Delhi because of its good infrastructure, skilled manpower and technicians, presence of a large number of corporate and Govt. Entities, proximity to customers and suppliers.

So, Delhi became an obvious choice!

 

 

As a startup founder, what are you paranoid about? What keeps you awake at night?

Well, the major concern usually is maintaining the cash flow and lots of funds get stuck in the market for a very long time. So, liquidity becomes an issue at times but patience and good clients help.

 

 

Who are your competitions and how are you better than them?

This is a highly competitive industry and anybody who does quality work, be it an individual or a company, is technically a competition. We are in sea of whales, sharks, tadpoles, etc where we are like the goldfish trying to shine and spread its charm but eventually it is all about who delivers best and retains its clients, which is only possible through impeccable execution of designated work and though, we are working everyday towards getting newer clients, we are lucky and thankful to be able to retain close to 99% of our clients.

 

 

How hard is it to have a work-life balance as a startup founder and how do you manage it?

Oh! Very tough! Our industry demands to be available 24/7, the overnight setups, includes lot of travel, has insane timings and still demands freshness all the time…….. but it also is completely worth it! Unless you have an established team, you have a lot of work scattered and too much running around to do but ever since I started adding team members, things have been better thankfully and caffeine has always helped J

 

 

Have you raised funding? If yes, then we would like to know the details. If no then please tell us if you are looking to raise.

As much as we would be interested, we haven’t raised any funding so far. We do have the potential to grow exponentially and the industry has unlimited scope, so yes, getting funded would be really helpful and we are open to discussions.

 

 

What’s the biggest misconception people have about you? Why do they have that? What’s the reality?

Well, people often do not believe in one go that I am actually the founder of my company, primarily because I look younger than my age (I’m 31) J

The fact is that I love what I do and that gives me inner peace and probably that is what has helped me looked young and happy …… but I do keep a beard to help people believe 😉

 

 

What gets you excited about this company?

Kalki is my baby and it reflects me in a lot of ways. I give in my best every day to create positive impressions with my brand. Working on challenging projects gives me a kick and I share this excitement with my team and in the future, we aspire to make Kalki a global brand and that’s what keeps me going.

 

 

Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.

When I am not travelling, my day usually starts around 7 in the morning and that is when I hit the gym then take a breather before starting my day while listening to EDM. I get in the office mostly by 10, have a team meeting to take us through the day, work on our first major pet project that is upcoming, have small meal and coffee breaks, do a lot of reading about what’s happening in the industry, have brainstorming sessions with the team and wind up by 8 pm after which I get back home to Netflix before having a light meal and hitting the bed.

 

 

Tell us about your team and how did you meet each other?

At Kalki, our core team consists of 6 people and we proudly call ourselves event architects and #event stylists (which also happens to be our tagline).

2 of these architects happen to be my friends from college and school, 1 of them used to work with me as a technician earlier and the other two came via my friends’ references.

Interestingly, the 6th member used to be my client 😉

I am blessed to have a group of dedicated and seasoned professionals, all of which are young, enthusiastic, smart working and love cracking lame jokes, listening to loud music and entertaining themselves while working! So, if you plan to pay my team a visit – be assured that you too will walk out laughing.

 

 

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