side sparks, the weekly quiz Your story, tests your domain knowledge, business acumen, and lateral thinking skills (see previous edition here). In this 60th edition of the quiz, we present the issues addressed by real entrepreneurs in their startup journey.
What would you do if you were in their place? At the end of the quiz, you will find out what the entrepreneurs and innovators themselves have actually done. Would you do things differently?
Discover YourStory book review section too, with takeaways of over 340 titles on creativity and entrepreneurship, and our weekend PhotoSparks section on creativity in the arts.
Q1: E-Commerce Drivers
Well-designed and efficient sites or apps are essential to ensure a smooth e-commerce experience. Frictionless payment and responsive customer service are also important enablers of online retail. What’s another emerging trend that’s driving e-commerce these days?
Q2: Water quality
Especially in the post-pandemic era, concerns about food and water safety have skyrocketed around the world. Large water bottles, cans, and canisters are typically used in residences and offices. How can technology help ensure good quality water and water reservoirs?
Q3: Engagement Channels
The pandemic has accelerated the path to e-commerce for many brands, and has even become the sole channel for many D2C (direct-to-consumer) brands. But it’s still important for brands to engage customers through physical and virtual channels when possible – why is this and how can it be done?
Q4: Mobility solutions
Electric vehicles (EVs) are emerging as a viable mobility solution for mass market four- and two-wheeled consumers. However, an effective EV solution is not limited to the vehicle itself – what needs to be in place for mass adoption?
Q5: HR efficiency
Hiring new employees can be a time-consuming process, especially due to the repetitive nature of many tasks performed manually. How can technology help HR managers become more efficient?
Answers!
Congratulations on getting this far! But there’s more to come – answers to these five questions (below), plus links to articles with more details on entrepreneur solutions. Happy reading, happy learning and happy creating!
A1: Drivers of e-commerce
“Content-driven e-commerce is the fastest growing segment of online sales in Asia,” observes William Bao Bean, Managing Director of Orbit Startups and General Partner of SOSV.
“Consumers love watching video content before making transactions. This is why content-driven commerce is the future of e-commerce,” adds Saurabh Singh, co-founder of Flickstree. Learn more here about how the startup is using the power of AI to create compelling branded video content at scale.
A2: Water quality
Chennai-based BookWater has developed an IoT-powered platform for quality-based water assessment. It allows users to scan the QR code on a water canister and get all the relevant details about the quality of the water it contains.
It also records the number of times the can has been recycled. “The sensors installed in the station do not allow water to be poured into the cans in the event of contamination,” explains Sameer Bharat Ram, co-founder of BookWater. Learn more about his water solutions here.
A3: Engagement Channels
“Customers now have more convenient channels. As a brand, you need to be where the customer is and not expect them to come to your door,” advises Armaan Sood, founder of Sleepy Owl Coffee.
“Each channel feeds into the other channel. It’s important to focus on the whole business rather than just one medium. If you’re truly omnichannel, maybe you can acquire a customer in-store and ensure that ‘they shop online seamlessly,” adds Vedang Patel, co-founder of The Souled Store. Learn more about D2C omnichannel strategies here.
A4: Mobility solutions
“Mass adoption of electric vehicles is not a product story, but an ecosystem story,” says Peeyush Asati, co-founder and CEO of high-tech solutions company Vecmocon.
“Robustness, reliability and service are at the heart of this story,” he adds. Electric vehicle ecosystems include battery charging or swapping stations. Read more here about Vecmocon, which raised $5.2 million in funding from Tiger Global and Blume Ventures.
A5: HR efficiency
“By automating the recruiting process, talent managers can spend more time analyzing candidate data and finding people with the right skills,” says Yogita Tulsiani, Director, IXCEED.
She urges talent managers to take an automated approach to effective recruiting. “Integrating technology tools can replace repetitive mundane tasks without wasting valuable time and skills on manual execution,” she adds. Learn more about improving HR strategy here.
YourStory also published the pocketbook “Proverbs and quotes for entrepreneurs: a world of inspiration for startups” as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, android).
