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Thank you to the 1,400 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 questions!
I hope reading

helps you in your leadership.

 

Cheers,

Jonno White

7 Questions with Nadh Thota
7 Questions with Nadh Thota

Name: Nadh Thota

Current title: Vice President - Sales

Current organisation: Ambient Scientific Inc (Head-Quartered at San Jose, USA)

Over 20 years of excellence in Sales/Marketing [ ICT ] with special eye on Smart Cities, IOT, AI, HMI, Voice Assistants, OTT, Biometrics, AFIS, Data Storage, Surveillance, RFID, Smart Cards, Mobility, Network Security, Web Services, E-Commerce, SEO, SMM, Social Commerce, new media. Hard-core Sales/Presales professional with passion to excel. Floated & ran successful start-ups in London, UK & India

Core-competencies: Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, IOT, Voice Assistants, Far Field Voice (FFV), OTT, Smart Home, Smart Speakers, STB, POD, Voice Remotes, Biometrics, UIDAI Solutions, AFIS, Data Storage, HPC, Network Security, CCTV, Surveillance, RFID, Web/Mobile Services, e-Com, SEO, SEM, SMM, Social Commerce, Mobility

7 Questions with Nadh Thota

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader of a small or medium enterprise?

Finance - Performing Teams - Balance between goals and resources

2. How did you become a leader of an SME? Can you please briefly tell the story?

Helped UK based Companies :

Dealmap, www.thedealmap.com (Google Company) - First employee in the region, launched UK deals and closed agreements with affiliates and partners

Best care Enterprises, www.bestcare.co.uk - Head of Enterprise Solutions, floated Security & New Media Solutions and cracked ref deals across London

IT Catalyst, www.myitcatalyst.com - Founded and bagged deals in New Media domain.

Angle Security, www.anglesecurity.com - Cofounder and Director - Sales & Marketing, cracked ref deals in CCTV & Security across London.

Investment Times Magazine - Head - Sales & Marketing - launched Magazine in UK & Africa and generated advt. revenues

http://www.anglesecurity.com/

https://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/director/4471645/nadh-thota

http://www.ccdni.com/director-nadh-thota

http://www.datalog.co.uk/browse/detail.php/CompanyNumber/07208568/CompanyName/ANGLE+SECURITY+LIMITED

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Plan - Perform - Feedback - Review

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Business is team sport - Innovation is key for survival

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

“Who Moved My Cheese? " - written by Dr Spencer Johnson is one of the best rated books of our times. In this book, “Cheese” is defined as – 'a metaphor' for what we want to have in life, whether it is a job, a relationship, money, a big house, freedom, health, recognition, spiritual peace, or even an activity like jogging or golf.

In my post, I tried to simulate the same concept for 'Deal' making, every day scenario for sales & marketing professionals.

Let me define, Cheese = Deal /Opportunity and Maze = Large /Key /Strategic Account for us.

Snapshot

Having Cheese makes you happy - Spotting new Deal in Key Account always makes us happy, more funnel for us

The More Important Your Cheese is To You, The More You Want to Hold onto It - Sound Engagement Plan and fool proof execution in the Account make us clinch the Deal. Focus and close track of opportunity is extremely important

If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct - Adapt to Account dynamics, which is key for survival. Dynamics can be technical, structural, political, strategic etc.,

Smell The Cheese Often So You Know When It Is Getting Old - Keep regular touch and constant follow up with key stakeholders of the opportunity improves Deal closure in our favor

What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid? - Managing stress effectively is key to focus, drive and deliver

Movement In A New Direction Helps You Find New Cheese - Keep looking for new avenues to add funnel. Map Account well by covering all the stakeholders and get mind share to get new Deals time to time

When You Move Beyond Your Fear, You Feel Free - Be fearless and plan your strategy with positive and bold steps to control Deal

Imagining Myself Enjoying New Cheese, Even before I Find It, Leads Me To It. - Positive Attitude helps us to create wonders. Mind is magnet

The Quicker You Let Go Of Old Cheese, The Sooner you Find New Cheese - Understand Account well, plan your moves in sync with new Deal dynamics

It Is Safer To Search In The Maze Than Remain In The Cheese less Situation - Map the Account well to spot and build multiple Opportunities for better control

Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To New Cheese - Be ready with new plans for ongoing & anticipated dynamics in the Account. Be open & flexible always

When You See That You Can Find and Enjoy New Cheese, You Change Course - Spot new opportunities and keep building with necessary action plan

Noticing Small Changes Early Helps You Adapt To The Bigger Changes That Are To Come - Work on the Deal closely from the beginning and plan well for better control in matured stage, till closure

Move With The Cheese & Enjoy It! - Track the Deal and drive with complete control & enjoy win

6. How do you build leadership capacity in an SME?

Pick aggressive leaders from team - motivate them - drive them - delegate towards common goal

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader of an SME so far?

Business is team sport, alone can’t run for long and for big

Companies with better network connect score better and can win better

‘Fool-proof Execution’ is always more important than ‘Path breaking, brilliant idea’

Scale up is a puzzle, demands dedicated focus and efforts

Finance and legal are tough nuts, require expert hand-shake

Local legislation is a MUST to follow

Reference is key to faster deal closure

Focus, focus, focus: for core-competency and competitive edge

Cash is king. Cash on hand always has strategic advantage

Survival is acid test for initial 2 years

Avoid unnecessary cash burn, especially initial stages for longer survival

Cash flow is life-blood. Multiple sources of cash flow is key for longer run survival Core competency is never constant, always on move. Can’t remain stagnant on the initial core for long

Differentiation is real key for better valuation and margins

Power of action – always pays back. We can’t learn swimming without dive in water!

People – real strategic assets. Companies with better teams will have better chance of winning

Size matters – Companies with better size, resources score over others

Boot-strap modal works better for longer survival and control

Associate with brands for better market positioning and valuation

Keep going… determination and positivity amazingly work!

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