Nothing is more important to us on Earth than the Sun. Without the Sun’s heat and light, the Earth would be a lifeless ball of ice-coated rock. The Sun warms our seas, stirs our atmosphere, generates our weather patterns, and gives energy to the growing green plants that provide the food and oxygen for life on Earth. Not just scientifically but also as per our puranas sun is considered as God. Sun drive the energy and life on our planet earth, plant makes their food with sun light which ultimately leads to the food cycle in the whole planet.
Solar energy now a days is not only utilized by plants but humans also. There are many reasons why solar energy is important to humankind. It’s importance to human survival goes back to prehistoric times.
Prehistoric cultures used the Sun’s energy for crucial activities such as warming their dwellings, drying their clothing, and curing their food. Solar energy was so important for these cultures that many of them actually worshiped and revered the Sun.
As cultures developed, some even created laws related to accessing solar energy. For example, the ancient Roman empire had a law that forbid anyone from constructing a dwelling that blocked the Sun from their neighbor’s home.
In the America’s, the Anasazi cliff dwellers also considered solar energy an important resource. They built their dwellings along the south-facing side of cliffs in the current American Southwest in order to use the power of the Sun to warm their homes.
Modern Importance of Solar Energy
During modern times, we’ve become reliant on fossil fuels. This has allowed us to develop our cultures and economies tremendously, but has come at a steep price.
Due to the side-effects of using fossil fuels, the use of solar energy has become important to mankind once again. Some of the reasons solar energy is important are…
Global energy demand is increasing
Continued usage of fossil fuels is damaging our environment
Solar energy is one of the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels
There have been numerous studies about solar power. One research study suggests that covering just 1% of the world’s deserts with solar panel arrays could provide one fifth of the world’s electricity current electricity needs! When paired with greenhouses, solar power plants could even grow vegetables and crops by using seawater evaporators to provide humidity and ideal growing conditions.
Meet the founders of WinnersPitch who have worked very hard to implement the power & energy of Sun into more productive ways to benefit mankind
1.What is the Name of Your Venture? Any specific reason for this name?
Winnerspitch Energy Private Ltd ( Registered name). We chose this name because it was justifying our vision which is “Creating a winning pitch for the user by enhancing productivity with optimized use of best breed of technology”.
2.Who is your target Audience/clients?
Our focus is PRIMARILY AT PRESENT is “Roof Top Solar Installation as EPC, O&M for Industry, Commercial Organizations, Institutions, Schools, NPO/NGO with /without Government initiatives.
3. Where is your venture based (city, state, country) & what are your geographical target areas?
We are Head quartered in Gurgaon, although we have offices in Delhi and Bhiwadi Rajasthan. Currently we have focused in North India and have spanned across MP, UP, Uttrakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar also we are spreading wings across to other Northern states and Western India.
4. What problems does your venture resolve? What are your products or services?
Our focus is on productive enhancement of RENEWABLE Energy AND GRADUAL REPLACEMENT OF FOSSIL FUELS through ENERGY RESOURCE INPUTS . We believe in energy saving, environment management and SUSTAINABILITY, Carbon reduction, Cost saving and GOING GREEN.
OUR APPROACH IS
5. Share the idea or story behind the venture. How did it come to an existence? What motivated you to start your own venture?
From a very long experience in Energy domain and obvious change warranted in Energy supply and demand, our mind-set started shifting gears towards clean energy applications and Environment management.
Opportunity was available as a happy mix of over 55 years’ experience of industry captains and elder guides from Energy Sector plus younger contemporary internationally well exposed professionals in various business domains. They valued entrepreneurial approach to new domain business. The parent company thus came to existence and with a fire in the belly we launched a PVT Ltd EPC venture.
6. Who are your biggest competitors and how do you differentiate yourself from them?
The solar industry is still very nascent; competition is really tough and complicated, different from genuine judgement of ‘who and where they belong to, that is the very nature of business. We believe this is a specialized field and only the players with proper knowledge and genuine intent and maintaining quality will survive.
We have lived with history as well as the “present’ Our learning is that even largest system integrators are unable to withstand the demand of ” quality versus the price wars” as per finished and commissioned installations – due to compromises in quality specs and time /cost over runs (as quoted)
Our USP is our BRAND AND OLD STANDING IN ENERGY MARKET .For us OUR customer base and Customer Delight is not only a slogan but our sustenance for growth. We promise–“ no compromise on quality” as a performance guarantee , -not by force but by “ Choice of appropriate and agreed design”. In the short span of 3 years we have been repeatedly recognized and awarded for our outstanding workmanship and timely delivery not only by Government officials but also by Our esteemed customers.
7. How did you identify your co-founder? Tell us something about your co-founders.
Our founder team had not to be found. It happened to be there – in blood genes, bones, values and commitment as a divine gift. Thus WEPL is a family owned venture and the cofounders have vast experience of working with and running large and small Indian Navratna Corporate including Tier1 MNC’s and start-up’s with experience of working in India and overseas.
8. How did you hire your first team members? What skills do you want in your employees/team?
Our team was handpicked by the captains of energy industry based on commonality of interest. Subsequently our family’s industry academia contacts helped us to build the nucleus group – more by option –less by conviction.
Our main criteria of selection and recruitment now, is a guaranteed HONESTY OF PURPOSE , COMMITMENT TO THE DOMAIN, LOYALTY TO STAKE HOLDERS INCLUDING THEIR IDENTIFICATION AS WINNING TEAM AT ALL TIMES.
THIS COMES THROUGH CONTINUED LEARNING AND APPROPRIATE MOTIVATION – THE TWO SIDES OF THE COIN.
We go in for Leadership qualities ,respect for delivery and quality , creativity and above all ,DISCIPLINE AND MUTUAL RESPECT.
We are mostly a” technical skill set “of professionals with vast knowledge of Business Development forte – a trait that any growing company needs. We require people with core competency – like design and actual onsite I&C and hence we focus on these two aspects and mature the company continuously.
9.What expansion plans are you looking for the next 2 years, next 5 years?
Our road map has been clear and well defined, with respective
Repeat our success stories
Focus on North India for first 3 years – continued enhancement and strengthen base in North India
Expansion in PAN India in other next 2 years
Expansion in ME and SEA post 5 years of operations
10.Where do you want to see yourself in next 10 years?
Too far into ocean to visualize & this would depend on how the industry shapes up and how we sustain with good industry recognition rising above the so called competitors.
11.What are your goals over the next 1, 3, 6 and 12 months?
Single mantra–sustain and maintain quality delivery. With this mantra our goal is not short term it is a long term goal hidden in the name & vision of the company.
12. Have you risen any funding? Or have any plans for the funding?
We have been self-funded – and now we are proud in stating that it’s a self-sustained and adequately maintained company
13.What were the problems you faced during the starting days and how did you resolve them?
Education to client – 3 year ago solar was only a talked about subject, an expensive proposition along with so many myths, some of them are still prevailing – hence a lot of education was required to bring people to matured level of understanding and adoption – We actually conducted seminars and sessions for corporate clients and schools to bring about awareness leading to viable success
Some other problems were also there like:
Lead time to close – investment demands – expensive products leads to slow ROI specially designed and discounted schemes offering from our end plus government incentives for corporate clients helped us cut the ice .
Also the technical response from easy ones to where the power would be fed to challenges like export – reverse power etc. had to be overcome including civil /structure works.
14.What was the most challenging part of your journey till now? How did you overcome those challenges?
Most challenging part of my journey was my decision about starting this venture with just three persons and also Mobilising working capital and creating infrastructure.
During the initial days, our base camp was in the basement of house of one of our co-founders.
But with the commitment and motivation we overcome these all problems by
Getting orders that we were chasing capture in known clientele with chosen partners
Careful and cautious publicity and marketing
Market study for larger domains of SMEs
Training in Govt Polytechnics in UP, Schools in Rajasthan and Latge industrial Rooftops near NCR area and Western UP etc, thus improving our funding muscles with Banks etc .
The only simple mantra that helped us to sail across was the TOTAL COMMITMENT OF THE TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM and zeal and commitment of our managers , suppliers and clients along with contractors
15.Are you married, single or in a relationship?
In relationship with my Single Married wife (Ha Ha!!!)
Married and have 2 (sons) Lakshit Chawla doing his 12that Sherwood College Nainital and Arnav Chawla in 10th at Lotus Valley, Gurgaon
16.What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Photography and watching Animal Planet/Nat Geo and also good old Hindi cinema and English classics – listening to retro music Rock /pop.
17.Whats your favourite food & holiday destination?
Indian Tandoori Roti with Butter Chicken
Continental – stakes
Repeat Holiday destination KohSumai
Dream Holiday – Mauritius
18.Whom do you consider your idol or biggest motivator?
My Idol is my father –I have seen him delivering his job commitments in most challenging work situations as well as dealing with tough times in his child hood as told , youth and fulfilling career needs. My ex boss (late) Mr.Fulvio Lanagave me full leverage to make all decisions and backed me even if it was wrong. He wanted stars in his team Not A LONE STAR HIMSELF ( Polar Star ?)
19.What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Working for oneself the feel is good though the fear of meeting the ever increasing benchmark liabilities and end of month incentive /payoff is the key to self motivation.
Working as an employee one looks forward to end of month bank statement – today the employees are perhaps not as loyal as in the past . Hence being an entrepreneur means a lot of responsibility to several families dependent on the company , clients and suppliers plus lenders etc—a tremendous moral responsibility. Biggest pleasure is that you are subservient to the society as such and therefore accountable from head,, heal and soul of your total self and being …An epitome of freedom of thought and action I value FREEDOM TO MY CORE AND HENCE LIVE AS A MAN OF PURPOSE FOR SELF AND OTHERS.
20.If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Learn from my unintentional mistakes , Change gears for newer styles based on global traditions and trends .Be a leader in whatever I do and play my hand with given cards of the deal.
I shall like to associate with like minded venturists who are trend setters and move with their own brand virtues, are self motivated and supportive with BIG VISION and would hire entrepreneurs who work on incentives and are self motivated
21.How has being an entrepreneur affected your family & Social life?
Not really as mostly we have worked in MNCs and start ups where the we learnt to do more(work) for less (Dollars)- we learnt how to balance the two reasonably well
22.Anything, you would like to say to our readers or upcoming entrepreneurs
Stay focused and dream big .
Stay good and fit .
Lovable even with divergence
NO compromise for hard work
23.Tell us something about your education & family back ground
Cofounders & Directors a) My Father Mr.SK Chawla ( b,25th.Aug 1937)- pre partitioned India.Graduated in Petroleum Engg from IIT ( ISM DHANBAD) 1961, PG diploma from ENI Italy Petroleum Management Served with ONGC for 33 years at Dehradun, Mumbai ,Gujarat, Tripura, Kolkata etc and finally on pre board position at HQ .
Then moved to Powergrid as Director (HR , and JVs) superannuated in 1995 at scheduled age of 58.
Post retirement assignments (About 15 years)in Management and training assignments with Col SP Wahi , AMITY University and UPES as advisor to Academia and HRD. Since 2007 involved with Winnerspitch , a family owned company and Winnerspitch Energy PVT Ltd as CEO and Founder
b) Neeraj Chawla (12th Nov 1968), 28 year s of experience in various companies perusing Business development responsibility project management, operations activity and organisation building, managing start-ups and accomplishing success.
Work experience in India and US – with MNC companies and large corporate and start-ups.
Education : MSc, DCSc.
Family : Father : S K Chawla .Details as above, Wife – Renu Looks after an IT company, Sons Lakshit Chawla – Studying in Sherwood College doing his XII and Son Arnav Chawla Studying in Lotus Valley Gurgaon in Class Xth
24.What is your USP which makes it unique & different from other start-ups in similar domains.
1.People, Quality and Motivation NOT just money.
2. Our name and reputation as honoured citizens with highest ethics of business or family or friends, Courageous and enterprising family of professionals
25. What do you think is the biggest threat to the success of small businesses & Start-ups today?
Unhealthy competition from Big Boys and new comers (not from the Solar domain). External threats of Political nature or severe climatic changes
26. Do you consider yourself successful and by what means do you measure success?
We have YoY met our plans and achieved gaols which were pre planned very thought fully. Continued building self esteem and pleasure of happy clients . Self Motivation is my mission and pride in building result oriented teams is my innermost desire
I live with HOPE and Confidence for a bright and Happy Future
27.Please share complete name, address, phone number, email id & website of Your Business & Contact Person.
Shri S K Chawla, Chairman and CEO email : [email protected]
Neeraj Chawla, Managing Director email : [email protected]
We have offices in Delhi, Gurgaon- Haryana, Bhiwadi-Rajasthan
We are Headquartered at Suite 408, Arcadia Building, South City II, Sector 49, Gurgaon
Phone /Fax : +91124-4230230/4234968 Mobile : 9810394968
Email : [email protected]
URL : www.winnerspitch.com
