Interview with Aayush Bajaj | AR Finance Room
I hope this can inspire you to become a successful entrepreneur too! Why is it important to hear the story of a successful entrepreneur?
Having the vision to become an entrepreneur is great. Making it happen is another story!
In that frame, I had the pleasure to interview Aayush Bajaj, co-founder of AR Finance Room. AR Finance Room aims to equip the candidates with the relevant financial skills and knowledge that they need to succeed in their professional careers.
1. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e what’s your source of motivation?
The fact that each new day brings new opportunities – each moment in a day can be a differentiating factor. The biggest motivator is that we have to perform better than the previous day. And then there’s this one line from one of my favourite series – “You always have a choice” that keeps me from being lethargic.
2. Why should people choose your product/services?
We are various minds working constantly but with a single thought – to deliver the best and the most comprehensive knowledge to our students to help them prosper in their careers and life. Our work speaks about our quality. At ARFR, we believe that the only way to rise is to work hard and provide unmatched quality to our students.
3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
Our competitive advantage is our dedication and our passion for teaching. We believe that the students should be given practical insight into everything that they learn theoretically. This will help them apply the concepts in life better and will increase their retention power. We feel the same level of happiness when our students succeed that they and their parents feel. When we do something, we give 100% into making it happen well.
4. What risks are you facing?
Education is one area which involves a lot of outflow in monetary terms. Technologies get better day by day, and we have to need to upgrade ourselves to deliver the best to our students.
5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
Yes, our core area in Delhi market was Investment banking and ACCA. Now we have partnered with one of the leading institutes for CPA (US) in India Simandhar Education. Together, we aim to deliver the most comprehensive knowledge to our students.
6. What are your cash flow projections? When will you break even? How much will you need in investments?
We started a year ago. And by God’s grace and our team effort, we expect to break even in this year itself.
7. What comes first for you money or emotions?
I think as a businessman, you have to balance the two. If you get inclined to money a bit too much, then you might do something that might hamper your reputation. And if you get inclined to emotions a bit too much, then you might miss the opportunities.
8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
The biggest strength is that we have the success of our students in mind – at all costs. The dedication that we work with, the passion which is reflected in our teachings, the personal connection that we make with our students could be counted as our strengths.
9. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
People will get to know soon.
10. How do you handle the pressure?
Whenever I feel too much pressurized, I take a break, Pray and go for a little walk. Increasing the blood supply to your brain helps. Then I constantly remind myself – “It’s going to happen, because I am going to make it happen”.
11. If you sold your company today, what would be the tone of the conversation? What would you want to gain? What would you want to avoid losing?
I am not selling my vision.
12. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
You have to have these – an ability to have ideas, an ability to execute those ideas, ability to fail, ability to rise back from failures, and re-execute. Plus a feeling of gratitude and faith in yourself.
