5 Questions with Prashanth Venkataramana, CEO and Co-Founder of Essmart.
Shanina Mercedia van Gent
Head of Market Insights & Strategic Initiatives | Facilitating the Adoption of Innovations in the Rural Indian Market | Davis Scholar.
Prashanth Venkataramana is the CEO and co-founder of Essmart. He has been leading Essmart’s growth since 2013 into a network of 2500+ rural retailers spread across hundreds of remote villages and peri urban towns across two states in southern India. Essmart brings last mile access to technology products like solar lanterns, agricultural tools, clean cooking devices, etc. to people in remote villages through existing trusted retail outlets powered by its proprietary web and mobile platform.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a trained Mechanical Engineer with a Master’s degree in Sustainability. Before working with Essmart to build a network for life-improving products in rural South India, I worked with a large multinational glass manufacturer. When I’m not working, I enjoy swimming, golf, motorcycles, travel, politics, languages, history, bbq-ing, and recently learning more about agriculture! Constants in my life include my best friend and wife, Nitya, an up-and-coming coffee planter and expert pork curry-maker, and my dogs!
2. Do you have a leadership philosophy? Can you tell us about it?
I have a few guiding principles that I strive to follow. These include:
- Making decisions efficiently (quickly while considering all outcomes)
- Being as inclusive as possible in all actions
- Preventing short term problems from affecting long term action
3. Was there an a-ha moment with Essmart, or a distinct time that you felt it might take off?
One moment that immediately comes to mind is when we witnessed significant success through agriculture-related products in 2015. Finding strength in this sector enabled us to largely overcome the seasonal nature of rural demand for other durables (like lighting and cooking products) while simultaneously helping not just shopkeepers and farmers improve their productivity and income.
4. What are three adjectives that you would use to describe the future of Essmart and it's network?
I’ll give you 4: Reliable, Scalable, Plural, Rural.
5. What’s your go-to late night snack?
A cheeseburger usually does the trick.