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Draw a vision map for your business and stay focused on it: Parvish Kamat

Parvish Kamat is the founder of Anka Services which is Goa’s leading Marketing Communications firm specializing in Online and Offline PR, and EDU180. It focuses on the Learning and Development sector targeted at MSME. She is also the founder chairperson of CII-Indian Women Network Goa Chapter from 2014-2016 and earlier the Goa Chamber Women Wing, a women’s network to keep women ahead in every respect. Parvish was in conversation with Susparsha Gaikwad, Assistant Editor at incubees.com.

INCUBEES: Why did you choose entrepreneurship when you could take up a job?

Parvish: As a young Response (Marketing dept) of The Times of India Group, both in Mumbai and Goa, I noticed many customers, who I used to visit complain about bad service, not meeting deliverables, bad attitude about marketing agencies in Goa, back then, so I thought to myself “How difficult can this be, setting up a marketing Agency?”. So I resigned from my job with the intention of starting up a firm and meeting this demand. My first office was in rental premises at Patto Center Bldg, Patto, Panjim, with furniture being rented too! I dipped into my savings and self-funded my journey for the first year. Thereafter I took my one and only computer loan for 90,000 rupees!! Can you imagine that now? After that with word of mouth, I found many customers and from pure Advertising Services, we expanded into Press Conferences, Crisis Media Services for customers like Fomento Group, Vedanta, Ahoy Marina, Golf Course, etc, Today we are in our own premises and debt-free.

 

INCUBEES: How has your journey been so far?

Parvish: The last many years have been stressful, eventful, many turns and twists of learning and unlearning, my firm turnover has grown and customer base has grown from local Goa-based customers to customers from Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Dubai, etc. The beauty of this journey is to keep an open mind. In between I went back to formal learning too by being awarded the ISB-10,000K women Leadership Program in 2011-2012 and again an advanced “Ambassador Program in 2021”. From Anka Services, specializing in MEDIA CRISIS Management and Corporate Business like launches, etc. I have also founded EDU180, to focus on the Learning and Development sector targeted at MSME. I also underwent training as a Global Trainer for EDU180.  We recently organized an Academic Tour of Dempo College undergraduate students to Dubai, I plan to expand EDU180 further by adding more countries and services.

 

INCUBEES: What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur?

Parvish: You have to be self-disciplined and motivated at all times, there is no “BOSS” to run too! Retaining good team players is also a challenge in Goa. The government at the service level needs to support the entrepreneur community more, as in simplifying licenses and procedures, I think this is true across all industries. Another important point is to look after your physical and mental health. Don’t be there for your customers and short change yourself…I cannot stress this enough!

 

INCUBEES: Did you ever think of giving up?

Parvish: Yes! in the first two years but the idea of going back to a limited paycheque was so unwelcoming! My father had lived his whole life as an entrepreneur who started with borrowed capital in 1973, his first shop was “NEW FASHION HOUSE” on MG Road Panjim. My mother was asked by my father to help him expand the business, So she joined “New Fashion House” in the 1980s and they both grew the business further. When my father passed away in 2010 they had many stores and this business had grown manifolds. At that time society used to question my mother as to why she stepped out of her home? But with due respect to her, she looked after us, 5 kids, and the business so well. So all this was a HUGE inspiration. Then after I started ANKA SERVICES,  I started enjoying living a professional life on my own terms. I started putting systems in place and stopping fires before they exploded!

 

INCUBEES: What were the strategies you adopted for expanding your business in Goa?

Parvish: I focus on Customer Needs and Quality Deliverables with ethics and a deep belief in God, no other strategy worked for me.

 

INCUBEES: How do you see the ecosystem of entrepreneurship evolving in Goa?

Parvish: From that time in the 1980s when my mother was questioned by society to 2021, society is far more accepting of women entrepreneurs. They don’t question your gender now! 
Now all around I see various Government, Business, and Social communities coming up to support entrepreneurship in various forms online and offline, as this trend grows further I see huge possibilities of Goan youth changing their mindset towards entrepreneurship and self-employment. Now there are so many resources available with youtube videos that really looking back I feel we were at a disadvantage!. 

 

INCUBEES: What is the message that you would like to give to young entrepreneurs?

Parvish: Draw a vision map for your business and stay focussed on it, Life happens and one does go off track, but come back on track after a break as you all know this is a marathon, not a sprint! I will share that with god’s grace, from my beginning till today I have had two children, changed three homes, changed three offices, dealt with my parents’ demise (on both sides) but the business of Anka Services and EDU180 keeps growing, Give back to society in any way you can, I have been active in Goa Chamber, GSIA, GMA and Confederation of India Industry Goa. I have also been awarded for my CSR projects.

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