MANU JAIN An entrepreneur-cum-technocrat asserting customer evangelism…

Gulshan | Business Connect

In our exclusive list of top influential CEOs to watch in 2022, Manu Jain is another worthy mention. He is a leader driving superior performance and has been spearheading ScaleupAlly to higher aloft with his unique leadership style and business acumen. We arranged a freewheeling telephonic interview with him to get a deeper understanding of his ventures functioning in the targeted space. As he walked us through various aspects of the business, we couldn’t help but bag food for thought and invaluable nuggets of business wisdom dispensed by the entrepreneur that we believe will amaze our global aficionado equally. Let’s dive into the excerpts from the conversation-

The Business Portfolio

Aiming to expand its unique technological capabilities of newage startups and leaders, ScaleupAlly gradually commenced building a managed and remote agile team. At present, it is functional across three different domains- Cloud-based Solution, Business Intelligence and Data Science.

A brief overview of the services is as follows-

• Cloud Solutions: Building robust and scalable web and mobile applications.

• Business Intelligence: Improving the decision-making using Interactive Reporting & Visualization.

• Data science: Unlock powerful analytics by tapping into data you didn’t even know you had. Founded in 2018 by 3 guys, ScaleupAlly is now a team of 50+ and serving 100+ global startups every year.

HOW DID IT START?

A trio of friends- Suprabhat, Tarsem and Manu realized that they are capable of building outstanding Tech Solutions but are unable to raise the funds as per their needs. Gradually, they started to focus on their strengths that brought them to the realization that the era they are living in is tech dominant and businesses are in dire need of utilizing tech-solutions for better outcomes. Indeed, the tech talent is scarce across the business world and they began with approaching startups and leaders that are seeking a reliable tech-suite to assist them in their business growth. During the nascent stage of the business, they happened to come across an Australian Startup in 2018 and were able to bring it on board with ScaleupAlly. Using Scaleup, the Australian startup was able to boom its revenue to a considerable amount and today it is valued over $5Million. Currently, ScaleupAlly has become the Delivery Center for that startup.

The Success Trajectory

Within 4 years of its overall journey, ScaleupAlly has multiplied its growth rate enormously. There are numerous success stories where they have mutually grown with multiple Tech Start-ups by rendering industry specific solutions that have stimulated gargantuan magnitude amongst its targeted clientele. The secret sauce to their success is the constant efforts of its dream team behind every project that increases the chances of their success by 70%. “Our Dream Team is a guild of certified tech experts. From Engineering Leads to QAs, from Software Developers to Data scientists, combined with the in-house team of industry experts and project managers to ensure speed, quality, and guaranteed fulfillment,” claimed the leading figure. Owing to their collaborative approach to solve the client’s problems, the

Manu Jain CEO

whole culture is driven with collaborative intelligence. The philosophy behind this is the saying- “None of us is as smart as all of us”. The transition of the company from 3 members to touching the mark of 70 people within such a short period of time is indeed commendable. The optimistic attitude of the team members keeps them going under any unforeseen circumstances.

Getting A Leading Edge

Talking of the factor that allows ScaleupAlly to get an upper hand over its peers in the industry, Manu reveals, “We thrive on a perfect blend of in-house team and talent pool that help startups/ clients to function in an accountable environment that lacks in the present IT shops. In terms of tech advantages, our UBUNTU philosophy has helped us make a difference. It asserts the fact that human beings are all connected and growth or progress can only be achieved through collective efforts. It basically means that you are because of the other person as we are an interdependent species. This is a counterweight to the widespread individualism that’s so prevalent in the business world that we face today.”

ABOUT THE ‘INNOVATION TRIANGLE’

As per Manu, modern technologies have been inducing a revolutionary breakthrough across the globe. Blockchain,

Web3, DevOps, TDD Approach, AI, ML, and CyberSecurity are the modern day tech-advancements that are impacting the entire ecosystem. And to stay ahead of the curve in the current competitive environment, the company has adapted to an innovative framework. This is what they call an innovative triangle that comprises three critical elements- Invention (the new idea), the value for the client (client proposition) and the value for the organization (business proposition). They pursue a 360 degree strategy to curate impeccable ideas to generate business value for their clients. Team R&D is in constant function to explore new ideas that could bring a change in the revenue growth. For each team mate, learning is a part of their everyday life. After the formulation of any product, the talent pool tests the feasibility of the implemented ideas and what shall be done to make it perform splendidly. To make this innovation triangle function at its best, the marketing and business team create effective marketing strategies.

No doubt that the intention of the leadership at ScaleupAlly is always to ensure matchless quality of services. The logic is simple- money minded tactics won’t let businesses make a place in the client’s heart and earn their loyalty. “Our purpose at ScaleupAlly starts with the promise. The promise to have solid working frameworks with a proactive approach and obsession for giving great experiences every time. This promise is then translated into the quantifiable metrics and measured against each project running on the floor,” asserts the leader. Customer retention rate is exceptionally high for them due to their matrix that pays intense attention to the client feedback, project managers, developers and QAs.

The Cultural Principles

Rewards, recognition and engagement allow them to improve the employees engagement programs establishing a better culture. Quality work and dedication never goes unnoticed at the company. No-door policy is one of the important aspects of its culture- be it leaders or managers, everyone shares the same workspace. With the concept of check-in, they help team members to provide their level best in the current role.

“We have disregarded the idea of an Annual Feedback system and follow monthly check in process. As per a survey, a 20 mins meeting with a Team Lead, leads to 20 days of productivity of a Team Member. Talking about the recreational approach, ScaleupAllities believe in the concept of working hard and having fun even better. From having cricket every Friday, to evening snack sessions and games, and dancing their heart out. We celebrate each festival with high spirits,” affirmed Manu explaining the core of their culture.

Considerable Achievements So Far

• ScaleupAlly works with 100+ Startups every-year

• 25 Startups feature ScaleupAlly as their Main Development

• Team

• One in every 2 clients is a referral of an existing client

• 9.4 out of 10 is the NPS Score by Clients

• 9.8 out of 10 is the NPS Score by Talent Network

• The company grew from 12 to 53 in a span of 15 months.

• ScaleupAlly stands at 4.9 Score at Glassdoor

• It stands at 5 out of 5 star at Clutch, Industry-leading platform for B2B Service Providers. Also, it has been awarded with various awards from esteemed platforms like Clutch and Manifest.

In the coming few years, the company is about to embark on newer avenues such as-

1. Transit into Blockchain and Web3

2. Ensure CyberSecurity expertise

3. Move into other BI- Tools like Tableau.

4. Establish a greater pool of Talent- growing the headcount from 50+ to 200+ in the next 2-3 years.

A MEMO ON LEADERSHIP…

“Simon Sinek said - “Leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results. Results not responsible for leaders”. We at ScaleupAlly heavily focus on ensuring that people are inspired to go to work, feel safe when they’re there, and go home fulfilled at the end of the day. It does take time to happen but when it happens, a miracle happens. We are currently growing at even a faster rate and have created a much happier place to work for.”

Manu Jain, the CEO, ScaleupAlly