Started 20 years ago, Zoho is arguably the largest IT products company in India. Founded by an IIT Madras alumnus, the company is famous for refusing external funding, believing instead on growing organically.
Sridhar Vembu is the CEO and founder of the company. Ask him about the growing start-up culture that has so many ideas but so few success stories, and he says, “Today, we have glorified start-up so much that you almost have to have it as part of your resume check-list item. If this is the case, then you won’t last very long, because business is hard. And it is hard not because of funding or any of those things. It’s hard because it’s difficult to persuade someone to buy your product.”
In a chat with him at his parents’ house, Sridhar talks about the success of his company, key qualities that make professionals and entrepreneurs successful, and more.