On 18 March 2023, an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session took place at the company’s Grand Meetup held in Udaipur, India. The session posed queries and questions for the company founders – Anil Gupta (CEO) and Aslam Multani (CTO). It was moderated by Jeremy Fremont, posing questions about the company’s plans, culture, and some other light-hearted fun topics, on behalf of the dots (Multidots employees). The session lasted an hour, and the founders had much to share, suggest, and advise.
The Multidots Seedling
The session began with Anil being asked how the two founders met and their childhood friendship transformed into the successful business that Multidots currently is. He recollected their first meeting in 8th grade when Aslam came to his rescue during one of Anil’s childish adventures at school. The mutual admiration soon developed into a deep friendship. Fast forward to their days of college and taking up a job, Anil’s idea of starting a company was supported by Aslam, and soon there was no looking back.
Journey with Multidots
In an interesting question, the duo was asked about their journey with Multidots. Nostalgically looking back, Aslam shared how the past 14 years have nurtured Multidots and its culture to its present glory – by placing their trust in making courageous decisions.
He looked back at the humble beginnings – starting the first Multidots office from a small basement which also happened to be their room in a paying guest facility. The duo firmly believed that like-minded individuals could think together and would deliver a more significant impact.
Anil further emphasized how they built a pattern of making courageous decisions together. Personal growth was a massive part of his entrepreneurial journey, and together, they are so grateful for the opportunity and the proud product they have been building together. He shared that the journey builds up the excitement for the destination that one is about to reach; the struggles, challenges, and celebrations along the way make the destination worthwhile. The response was met with a massive round of applause by the dots.
Lessons on Entrepreneurship
About his learnings as an entrepreneur, Anil highlighted that entrepreneurship is a sport, not a game. And it involves taking care of the business and your own body and mind to excel at your pursuit. The fundamentals are accepting the project’s success/failures/chaos with utter clarity and leading the organization with learning and love. Aslam shared that the genuine ‘desire’ to pursue your entrepreneurial project with complete honesty and transparency is crucial.
Career Advice
When asked about a piece of advice for people who are just starting their careers, Anil had a very straightforward answer, “Act first, think later.” For individuals with experience and years into their careers, thinking first and acting later is the key. Aslam added that following the company’s core values is an excellent way to get a headstart for new dots. When asked about a life skill that should be necessary, Aslam and Anil both gave weightage to ‘Discipline’ and ‘Consistency’.
AMA’s Personal Touch
Moving on to the fun questions, Jeremy asked the duo to share one thing each – that they like and dislike about each other.
Aslam brought into light Anil’s passion for building excellence and growing every day. However, he added that Anil is not big on celebrating achievements and should settle and celebrate before embarking on his next adventure – yet another accomplishment.
Anil highlighted how he adores Aslam for his Monk Power and calm and non-egoistic personality. He also light-heartedly shared how Aslam has been working on his habit of meeting time commitments on occasions like showing up for a movie.
As a takeaway, Anil also emphasized the importance of critical feedback among peers. He talked about building the ability to entertain such constructive criticism and conversations so that our blindspots can be negated and how one can improve personal/professional growth.
The founders were pleasantly surprised when asked about their desired retirement age. Aslam expressed that he no longer aligns with the concept of retirement and wants to keep contributing all his life. On the other hand, Anil believes that the quality of his thoughts and contributions to Multidots will dictate the continuity of his role at the company.
Other Questions
The session also touched upon the company’s culture, which has been a significant focus for Multidots. Anil stated that the company values a healthy work-life balance for its employees and encourages a collaborative work environment. They have implemented various initiatives to ensure employees’ well-being, such as flexible work hours, and wellness programs. The session ended with them thanking the dots for their interesting, fun questions and participation.
In conclusion, the AMA session with Anil Gupta and Aslam Multani was insightful and informative for the dots. The session highlighted Multidots’ commitment to its employees and its efforts to stay ahead of the usual company culture by focusing on peaceful growth and aligning with everybody’s sense of purpose and accomplishment.
