Alumni connect:SIMS helped me become proficient in public speaking, says Mehrotra

Akshay Mehrotra is the co-founder and chief executive officer of EarlySalary.com which is one of the first instant loan startup and largest consumer lending application in India. Here, he talks about how his alma mater shaped his career and life.

Tell us about your educational background?

I am from a family with army background and so went to 16 schools, across the country. I loved Math and Computer Science during my school days. I was in the 2002-04 batch at Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS). I was an above average student.

What drove you to choose this career path?

During an internship, a mentor helped me choose the path of marketing. At 26, I became the marketing head of one of the largest insurance companies in India.

I worked for eight years with the company and then became the chief markerting officer of an Insurance Tech Start-Up (PolicyBazaar) and then the CMO of the largest retailer in the country (BigBazaar/Future Retail).

At 34, I decided to become an entrepreneur and set up EarlySalary with my best friend. SIMS ensured that I become proficient in public speaking.

I have been a guest host on many television shows and have also been a speaker at various events.

I have my alma mater, Symbiosis to thank for this level of confidence.

Tell us about your career journey

I did three internships while I was in college; Bajaj Allianz which got me a job instantly, in Titan and in Wipro. I was conferred with the most talented CMO of the year award in 2013 – 2014 in the retail space by CMO Asia.

What about the highs and lows of your career so far?

There is always a new high. I was a part of the team, that built the first FinTech Unicorn in India; PolicyBazaar. I was also a part of the team that built the largest retail brand in the country; Big Bazaar. My co-founder Ashish and I are now building the first instant loan startup.

What are your future plans?

My single focus for the next five years is to build EarlySalary into a Unicorn company.