Episode VI: Qdesq Feat. CoWrks
Qtalks : Abhishek Goenka talks about his journey in the flex industry
Abhishek Goenka graced the sixth episode and final episode of the first season of Qtalks. His expertise was much awaited on the series for industry stock professionals. Our host Mr. Paras Arora, Founder & CEO of Qdesq, kicked off the discussion by asking how they differentiated CoWrks as per the offering, to which Abhishek replied that they focused on the enterprise side and their services were more sophisticated and nuanced as compared to most providers focusing on the millennial vibe.
Further, the talk went ahead to the topic of the hour – COVID-19. Abhishek expressed that
the final verdict is not out yet when it comes to the work and working out of office. There will be some permanent as well as temporary changes while some will be in between and working life falls in the latter category. However, the work life will surely be more flexible, and professionals will demand flexibility to work from the office or to work from home.
In the last half of the segment, Paras asked for a piece of advice that Abhishek would like to share with the small providers. Mr. Goenka talked about hanging in there till the situation is a bit settled and probably merging with small operators to cut down the losses. He acknowledged that it might be challenging, but with conviction, one can deal with difficult times.
The conversation is filled with the expertise of Mr. Goenka and you’ll surely learn a lot.
Episode V: Qdesq Feat. Redbrick Offices
Qtalks : Ashish Goenka talks about her journey in the flex industry
Ashish Goenka graced the fifth episode of Qtalks. He brought a unique energy to the podcast that was palpable. Our host Mr. Paras Arora, Founder & CEO of Qdesq, kicked the discussion off by asking the start of his career and how he founded Redbrick. Ashish talked about the various fields he tried his hands at, and each one taught him great lessons, ultimately upon realising his passion for connecting and working with people, he moved towards sales.
Ashish founded Bomby connect in 2008, which was India’s first community-based coworking space, and later merged it with Red Brick in 2016. The company is till date bootstrapped and managing new levels of success every day. Redbrick is vertically strengthened with design and architecture and community management done internally, which allows them complete flexibility.
In the latter half of the segment, Paras and Ashish discussed the unschooling as a concept which he and his partner incorporate for raising their three little daughters. Ashish believes that education shouldn’t be around mugging facts; instead, it should focus on the holistic development of the kid.
The conversation is extremely insightful, and you would feel like a part of it.
Episode IV: Qdesq Feat. Corporatedge
Qtalks : Mona Shukla talks about her journey in the flex industry
Mona Shukla graced the fourth episode of Qtalks with her insights. Being in the hospitality industry for over two decades, she founded Corporatedge 8 years ago. With Corporatedge being an excellent case study of consistent success, our host Mr.Paras Arora founder and CEO, Qdesq, was curious to know the journey. The conversation takes you back to the late 2000s.
She talked about the start of her career and the great learnings she acquired working in the Taj Group Hotels. Mona moved towards Regus and established six centres before taking a sabbatical in 2008. The sabbatical was a realisation of her need to do something great and fulfilling strong expectations from herself; hence Corporatedge was born and since had been growing strong.
The conversation directed towards the effects of COVID-19 on her and her team at Corporatedge. She told Paras that the time during work from home was utilized in skill-building, which is the need of the hour. Mona added that a calm mind and body are essential during the tough times, and hence she conducts meditation sessions daily with her team at the Corporatedge.
The conversation was a great blend of nostalgia and fiery ambition for the future. The engaging talk is not to be missed.
Episode III: Qdesq Feat. Coworker
Qtalks : Sam Marks talks about flex being new normal and more
Sam is the founder of Coworker.com, which is the largest coworking marketplace with global presence. In the third episode of the podcast, host Paras Arora, CEO, Qdesq, and Sam Marks, Founder, Coworker.com, started off the discussion with Sam’s personal side, talking about why he chose to become an entrepreneur at such a young age. Sam replied with various factors like his parent’s business that encouraged him to choose the path of entrepreneurship l while growing up and the flexibility it gave them and his experience abroad.
Sam walked us through the business model of the coworker and how it serves various countries with ease. When talking about demand, he placed India first. Marks shared his opinion about the impact of the COVID-19 and coworking sector and how if the industry can survive a few months, it will witness the biggest growth curve, and Paras concurred with his thoughts.
As Marks is inclined towards Startups and product development, Paras took the opportunity to seek his advice for the new product managers do. Sam shared a common error that all amateurs do, which he followed up with his personal experience. The last segment of the conversation was a rapid fire with questions on the business world and personal side.
The chemistry between Sam and Paras was undeniable, making the episode fun and food for thought. The engaging conversation will pull in sharp focus from the listeners.
Episode II: Qdesq Feat. Smartworks
Smartworks Co-Founder Harsh Binani talks about flex being the new normal and beyond
In the second episode of the podcast, host Paras Arora, CEO, Qdesq, and Harsh Binani, Co-founder, Smartworks kick-started the discussion with the versatile journey of Smartworks. Harsh talked about the initial days and what inspired him and Neetish Sarda, Founder of Smartworks, to start the venture. They saw the opportunity to innovate in coworking four years back. The duo then decided to create an integrated office environment coupled with customised workspace experience. The idea of moving beyond conventional offerings, and creating a successful enterprise workspace model become their guiding light.
Talking about the current scenario, Harsh said,
“All businesses are hit due to the pandemic. Although, I foresee a huge demand where companies will focus on segregating teams into different flexible offices rather than having one headquarter.”
He also talked about the various measures Smartworks is taking to ensure a safe working environment for all its occupants, including regular sanitisation and thermal screening.
To sum it up, even in these uncertain times the coworking segment is positive about its growth and sustainability.
Episode: I: Qdesq Feat. Wework
Qtalks : Varun Gopinath talks about flex being new normal and more
Qdesq launched its one-of-a-kind podcast series, Qtalks, to discuss fresh perspectives on the future of the flexible workspace industry with market leaders.
In the debut episode of Qtalks, host Paras Arora, CEO, Qdesq and Varun Gopinath, Head of Sales at WeWork India, discussed the current scenario (of covid 19 pandemic) and future of the coworking industry. The discussion also covered strategies post lockdown and how WeWork is currently dealing with the opening of the centres in India as the government announced some relaxation in the orange and green zone.
Paras was curious to know how does WeWork’s team foresee the positioning of flex spaces in the workplace sector.
‘‘The future seems bright as people will move away from traditional offices for overhead cost reduction and conduct its functions across various flex spaces,’’ – replied Varun.
When talking about his work experience, Gopinath pointed out the art of sales, according to which a good sales pitch doesn’t feel like a pitch at all. Sales is all about building trustworthy relationships and solving problems of the customers effectively.
He shared the learnings he had acquired from various startups and discussed the importance of the decision in the state of infancy and ambiguity. ‘Ability to take the right decision even in ambiguous situations, I think that is one of the biggest learning that startups provide’ quotes Gopinath.
The episode concluded on a lighter note with a discussion around how Gopinath is utilizing his time during the lockdown. If you are looking for a refreshing outlook on the flex industry, then tune into this podcast right now.
