Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Pooja Chitnis, owner of The Upadhyays, located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My husband, Malay Upadhyay, and I, Pooja Chitnis, are experts in customer journeys and advanced technology. In 2020, given the pandemic and the insurgence of job automation, my husband and I decided it was high time we did something to help those battling job losses, trying to find employment, or looking to grow their business.

So, we brought together our expertise in the fields of Marketing, Customer Success, and AI across multiple industries and geographies to launch an education brand called “The Upadhyays,” where we host various affordable online courses, books, and more to help:

• Managers understand AI and technologies automating their jobs
• Young professionals upskill themselves,
• Small business owners take their brands from infancy to fandom

We also often partner with other industry experts to create custom resources and build a support network that can be leveraged to get a foothold into this competitive job market.

Tell us about yourself

I am a Customer Journey professional who started off as a brand strategist. I enjoy helping brands from various industries - tourism, hospitality, real estate, fashion, and now technology. Connect with and grow their target market by creating a credible brand image and outstanding customer success experiences.

Recognized as one of “20 Amazing Women in Tech in Canada” by CATAAlliance, a trusted industry alliance consisting of tech leaders with a mandate to help Canadian innovation thrive, I also serve as:
• An Expert Advisor on #StartupChats powered by Startup Canada, a national rallying community and voice for Canada’s 3.5 million entrepreneurs.
• A member of the AI Directory, a global initiative to bring AI specialists and companies together.
• A Mentor at Skills for Change, a non-profit organization known for pioneering programs that respond to shifting immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

In 2021, our online course was picked by BPB Publications, Asia’s largest IT publication house, to be converted into a book that is scheduled to launch globally in Winter 2021-22.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

As someone who has a full-time job and also runs an educational initiative, being able to dedicate time for myself proves to be the biggest challenge. That is where passion in what you do helps. I find that it is a key ingredient for a fulfilling experience. For instance, the thought that with each course enrollment, someone somewhere was empowered and grew in their abilities makes the challenge worth it and keeps me going.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Find your passion, be true to who you are, and try not to be influenced by naysayers. Remember that if you find something you truly care about and are willing to work hard at it, the sky is the limit, and you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

For more information on The Upadhyays and the current and upcoming courses, please visit https://www.theupadhyays.com/

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.theupadhyays.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pooja_chitnis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chitnispooja/


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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