Yea, one year is pretty long time! If we can believe what WayBackMachine says, it is about a year and a month since something has been scribbled to CEC Chronicles. We were down due to an attack by some hacking community, and we lost many of our files. Now, with the help of Nithin Sam Oomen (CEC 2010), Manu S Ajith (CEC 2012), Harisankar P S (CEC 2012), we are back! Can’t wait to love you all, again 🙂

There’s another coincidence. Today’s May 29, 2013. It was exactly five year ago, i.e. on May 29, 2008, that  we came into existence. It would be interesting to read how we all started. Happy 5th Birthday to ourselves 😛

Now, it would be our pleasure to have an interview with Harisankar P S (CEC 2012), the Chief Innovations Officer of RubyKitchen. He is an alumnus of CEC, a young entrepreneur and our active alumni association vice-president. Let’s hear what he’s in store for us, when they are celebrating the first anniversary of their company.

Visit RubyKitchen’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RubyKitchen.in

• Why did you start a Company of RoR? (we would suggest that our readers go through RubyKitchen’s website before reading this interview)

Our company was not started to tackle a special niche in the market or for some problem we thought we need to solve. It was started by desire of a group of young people who wanted to build something remarkable. Instead of going after the latest trend in the market, like mobile apps, server management, etc. and diversifying our offering, we just decided to stick to a technology, we as a team, were comfortable with.During our college days, we customized fedena an open source school management system, which was also developed by a team in Kerala. Working in it made us love ROR even more. Also we felt concentrating on one technology would help us provide the state-of-the-art solutions to our clients, despite being beginners. Also, rather than following the usual IT company structure, our company follows the concept of Development Shop.

• How did you overcome the temptation of an immediate income – a job in an MNC?

Members of our team were so set on starting a business that it was not much of a temptation. All the offers that they’d received were refereed to our friends who were seeking a job.

• How did you face the challenges in between?

The initial challenge we had, of course, was getting the clients. We were approached by many to develop websites, mobile apps, but no RoR works. Most of the works for ROR companies came from abroad, but we didn’t have much contact there as well. So we started contributing to opensource projects, started to spread the word. Getting in touch with people abroad through twitter and facebook. To date, we have done business with clients from 5 nations. And have been able to convince some local companies to build their product using Ruby.

• How’s it going?

Since day one, we wanted to develop some products. We have had some ideas, which we presented at various events across India. They have received a good traction. So we plan to expand Ruby Kitchen with wings to maintain the in-house products, as well as the service departments.

• What would you like to tell the budding entrepreneurs from CEC?

Concentrate on doing what you love, rather than bothering about how it will be accepted in the market or how good we will make profit. Because, unless you love what you do, you can never be good at what you do.

 

Arunanand T A
CEC 2010 CS