'It is wise to let your bosses know about your dream'

When dreams are ground to dust, all is not lost. That’s the biggest lesson Kamal Shah learnt after a vaccination mandated to pursue his dreams overseas aggravated a congenital minor kidney problem. Just 22 then, Shah developed Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, which required dialysis. Instead of slowing him down, he went on to co-found a technology company, Effigent, which developed software for Apple products, and worked part-time as well.
 
Shah later underwent an unsuccessful renal transplant, with an organ donated by his mother. But that did not crush his spirit. Instead, he traded failure for night-time, extended dialysis that allowed him to work during the day. Soon he landed a full-time job with Splendid Greens, a software development firm in Hyderabad.
 
Moved by the ‘second chance’ he had been given, Shah wondered how he could give back for what he had received – a wonderful, productive and happy life. Then it came to him – why not open a chain of kidney-care centres across the country? So he co-founded Nephroplus while still holding down his full-time job. That’s no mean feat for someone who has to also endure the rigor of regular dialysis sessions. This is his amazing story.
 
Straddling Two Worlds
 
While working with Splendid Greens, I began writing a blog about my experiences with dialysis, which is how I met my co-founder, Vikram Vuppala, in December 2009. Vikram, who was in the US then, had read my blog. When he returned to India, we started brainstorming. We would meet after office hours, on Sundays or for breakfast, and discussed many ideas. How I cherished those sessions!
 
Our other co-founder Sandeep Gudibanda joined us and we finally opened our first centre in March 2010. Once Nephroplus began to roll, I quit my full-time job in October 2010.
 
I was able to pull this off because our first centre was not far from my workplace. Of course, when we couldn’t meet, we would exchange emails. But I made sure my job did not suffer by working on Nephroplus only after office hours. It was not in the least bit stressful because I was working on something I was passionate about.
 
It Helps To Have Back-Up
 
When you start a new business, you’re never sure how things will turn out until you have seen initial traction. Hence it is best to hang on to your job until you are fairly sure the business idea is workable. But, remember, never cut corners at work. Your employers are paying you a salary and have expectations from you.
 
The initial stages of a new business are always tough, especially for me. My health was not up to the mark and stamina was an issue. However, when you’re working on something you’re passionate about, it’s a not a big problem.
 
Keep Bosses In The Loop
 
Rather than doing things on the sly, I chose to be transparent. I was at peace as my director and other bosses were aware of my new plans. They appreciated my honesty as I was sincere with my work, and they were very cooperative.
 
It was a blessing that we already had two other members who were involved full time with the venture. So, if you have a full-time job, it is wise to let your bosses know about your dream. Once you are fairly confident about your business, it is best to be transparent about your plans.
 
Be Professional Even When You Quit
When I made the transition to working on Nephroplus full time, I made sure there was no abrupt termination at Spendid Greens. I believe it is unprofessional to leave something midway. I owed it to them as they had given me the flexibility to work on my own venture even while paying me a salary. So, after I quit, I continued to work part-time for them, to hand the baton to the person who replaced me. I had the consent of my co-founders at Nephroplus too.
 
So don’t let your full-time job hold you back. Dream on…
 
Kamal Shah is co-founder of Nephroplus, a chain of kidney-care centres across the country. The venture aims to help dialysis patients lead lives as close to normal as possible, apart from offering a range of treatment for kidney disease.
 
As told to Khyati Dharamsi
 
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