Tech Leadership Archives ~ My Mobile India

Highlights Veris Co-Founder Aastha Sharma shares insights into the company's founding and its mission to revolutionize workplace experiences. Sharma discusses the evolution of Veris's vision in response to the hybrid work model and technological advancements. The challenges and strategic adaptations of Veris during the COVID-19 pandemic are highlighted. As Women's Entrepreneurship Day passes us by, we had a chance to delve into the insightful journey of Aastha Sharma, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of Veris, a company at the forefront of revolutionizing workplace management. Sharma shares her experiences and visions, discussing the evolution of Veris, the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her views on female leadership in technology. She also reflects on her transition from the beauty and lifestyle sector to leading a global SaaS venture and outlines the future goals for Veris. Can you share the journey of founding Veris and what drove you to innovate in the workplace management sector? As globe-trotting youngsters, constantly hopping from one meeting to another something kept bothering us - the archaic, frustrating, and uninspiring state of office spaces. That's when the spark ignited. United by our shared discontent, my co-founders and I, embarked on this journey, not just as business leaders, but quite literally as workplace warriors. Our motivation? To liberate workplaces from mediocrity and usher in a new era of efficiency, security, and human-centricity. Veris is our canvas, where innovation paints a brighter future for all who step into the world of work. Ultimately, Veris was born from a burning desire to rewrite the script of workplace experiences. As a co-founder, what was your initial vision for Veris, and how has that vision evolved with the company's growth? When we embarked on the Veris journey as co-founders, our initial vision was to revolutionize workplace management by creating efficient, secure, and delightful office environments. However, the work landscape underwent a seismic shift, primarily due to the rise of hybrid work model. Employees no longer saw offices as their daily abodes but as destinations for collaboration and specific tasks. This shift pushed us to evolve our vision. We recognized the need for workplaces to become more like homes, offering services and experiences that make employees feel valued and comfortable. Moreover, the distinction between employees and visitors blurred, with everyone expecting seamless and frictionless experiences. As a result, our vision expanded to encompass the changing expectations of the workforce. We've been on a relentless journey to transform Veris into a platform that not only manages workplaces efficiently but also predicts & adapts services to cater to the evolving needs of modern workforces. With the advent of AI, we're making workplaces more intelligent, predicting patterns, and personalizing services. Our suite of solutions now spans 22 countries, truly reflecting a global reach. We've addressed linguistic diversity, data privacy concerns, and earned the trust of Fortune 500 IT teams. With over 300 satisfied customers and grade A support, our mission is to continue shaping the narrative of Enterprise SaaS in workplaces worldwide. What were some significant challenges Veris faced, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, and how did the company adapt to these unprecedented times? Covid posed an existential threat to a company dedicated to enhancing workplace experiences, as offices worldwide closed their doors. The revenue stream that once flowed robustly came to a jarring halt, and uncertainty lurked in our heads. As workplaces grappled with lockdowns, Veris' core mission faced a challenge. Yet, our clients didn't view the company as just another service provider; they saw us as a trusted partner. Despite pausing services, many clients recognized our dedication to innovation. They believed that if any company could understand and develop technology solutions tailored for the post-Covid workplace, it was Veris. Leveraging these insights and client support, Veris underwent a metamorphosis. What emerged was a comprehensive Workplace Management Cloud, poised to navigate the complexities of a world emerging from the pandemic's shadow. One of the biggest challenges was facilitating the safe return of employees to offices while ensuring their health and safety. Veris adapted by introducing health checks, vaccination tracking, real-time occupancy monitoring, hot-desking, employee intent capture etc. to create COVID-safe workspaces. With more time, our products evolved to become more versatile, intelligent, and adaptable, anticipating the needs of workplaces in a post-pandemic world. Today, as we look back, we see these challenges not just as hurdles but as opportunities to drive innovation and enhance workplace experiences further. The pandemic reshaped the workplace, and Veris was there to embrace the change and pave the way for a safer, more efficient, and more intelligent future of work. How do you think female leadership uniquely contributes to the tech world, and what changes would you like to see to encourage more women in technology? I firmly believe in Equalism rather than advocating for any specific -ism. Leadership should be a meritocracy, where the best individuals, irrespective of gender or background, rise to the forefront. To encourage more women to pursue careers in technology, it's imperative that we actively address and eliminate the barriers that often discourage them from entering this field. One crucial step is to inspire and empower girls from an early age to explore and embrace STEM subjects. This can be achieved through educational programs, mentorship opportunities, and initiatives that showcase the exciting possibilities within the tech world. Furthermore, fostering an inclusive workplace culture is paramount. Companies and organizations must actively work towards creating environments where diversity is not only acknowledged but celebrated. This includes implementing policies that promote equal opportunities, ensuring that women have access to mentorship and professional development, and creating support networks that enable them to thrive in the tech industry. Transitioning from the beauty and lifestyle sector to leading a global SaaS venture, what were your key learnings, and how did you manage this pivot? I've always believed in the Human-to-Human (H2H) paradigm, where the core of any business engagement is a deep human connection. In the beauty and lifestyle sector, this belief has led the beauty industry to champion personalized solutions that cater to individual needs and desires- creating & marketing products that resonate with them on a personal level. Bringing this perspective to Veris, I see our workplace management solutions as lifestyle products for corporate offices. We're not just offering software; we're shaping behaviors and revolutionizing patterns of usage. We focus intently on the needs and preferences of the end-users, just as we did in the B2C world. In enterprise SaaS, the key lesson I've learned is that we shouldn't view businesses merely as buyers of our product. Instead, we must visualize the users within those organizations, understand what drives and compels them, and delve into their journeys. It's about identifying the challenges and frictions they encounter and developing solutions that enhance their experiences. Looking ahead, what are the future goals for Veris, and how do you plan to continue shaping the narrative of Enterprise SaaS within workplaces? Our primary goal is to consolidate and expand our presence in the Indian market by collaborating with forward-thinking enterprises that prioritize their employees' well-being and embrace modern workplace solutions. Additionally, we are excited about the strong traction we've been receiving from the Middle East and aim to establish a significant footprint in this dynamic region. At the core of our vision is the continuous innovation of our products, staying ahead of industry trends, and integrating AI to make our services more responsive and intuitive. FAQs What inspired the founding of Veris and its focus on workplace management? Aastha Sharma, Veris Co-Founder, explains that the inspiration came from witnessing the outdated and uninspiring state of office spaces. The goal was to transform these spaces into efficient, secure, and human-centric environments, thus liberating workplaces from mediocrity. How has Veris's vision evolved with the company's growth? Sharma notes that Veris's vision evolved from merely managing workplaces to creating more home-like environments for collaboration and comfort. This change was driven by the rise of the hybrid work model and the need to cater to the evolving expectations of the workforce. How did Veris adapt to the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic? During the pandemic, Veris pivoted to develop solutions for COVID-safe workspaces, introducing features like health checks and real-time occupancy monitoring. Despite initial challenges, the company emerged with versatile, intelligent products adapted for post-pandemic work environments.

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