My first quarter at OYO, an experience like no other

I have admired, for at least last couple of years, how OYO has been building business and solving very complex problems in the Indian hospitality sector. However, I was always left wondering how is it being pulled off? How do business, operations, tech, marketing, sales, amongst others, come together to move OYO forward on such an exponential growth trajectory? Anyone who has solved for core ops, supply, and sales in the Indian context knows the grind and challenges. Having met multiple CXOs during the interview discussions, I had an initial sense of the success mantras but what has happened over my last 3+ months at OYO has been an experience like no other for me. Moreover, that's after having done own startups and worked with top global giant across multiple countries. 

Here are what I have experienced and learned over the brief, yet engaged and involved, stay so far. 

1. Leadership bonding and synergy: It was 330am, everyone was up and wide awake, and years were being rolled back with evident passion and palpable energy. Eyes were lit and the faces glowing as we went through nearly into the morning. As I listened to the stories and experiences at the leadership offsite, it became clear that 'leadership bonding' was at a phenomenal level. There are so many things that can, and do, go off-track at the leadership level, and reasons can range from trivial to contentious ones. I am truly in awe of how eyes glow and voice beams energy when Ritesh, Mandy, and Abhinav talk about OYO - every single time.
2. Skills, skills, and then some skills: Few events have helped me experience the talent at OYO. Trailblazers - the event celebrating OYOpreneurs with over three years tenure, Dominance - the BDM meet, and Check-In - the tech conference. People from affluent and diverse backgrounds - disciplines, industries, experience level, and education - form fantastic talent microcosms for every challenge business throws up. I am amazed to see the quality of work being done in every function I had an opportunity to engage with. Ability to identify, attract, and engage the best talent is of quite a tall order. 
3. Passion, drive, and hunger: I have attended monthly business reviews, functional off sites, quarterly reviews, and brainstorm sessions, and the level of energy and commitment people feel towards making OYO win is amazing. Lot of it rubs off from CXOs/top leadership and trickles....rather floods down to every individual in the company. That OYO is growing at a rapid clip, and there are plenty of professional growth opportunities, helps further. It is a virtuous cycle of opportunities, contributions, and growth - for both people and business - that keep people going
4. It all comes together: It is challenging, but not impossible, to have individual drivers for success. Great leadership, talented people, driven organization - one or more of these often exist in different businesses, but breakout exponential growth achieved when these elements come together. A lot of that depends on mutual admiration and respect for each other's capabilities and willingness to work with problem areas while keeping OYO's requirements at the focus, firmly without wavering. 

I received my first copy of OYO Culture Book during a meeting post my interview discussions. In first quarter, it has become abundantly clear that OYO Way and OYO Culture are at the core of work style and problem solving at OYO. These also define how DNA of the company has been set up and is being continuously shaped up for winning in diverse market contexts.

Overall, OYO is an incredible place for those who have the chops to be an OYOpreneur. And those who have been at startups know exactly what that 'preneur' suffix brings. For me, I have experienced a lot of what I came looking for when I signed the dotted line over 3 months back. Onwards and upwards....and at PACE...!!!