‘A Design Wizard’ Srinivas Kumar’s Wizardry Designs

This Entrepreneurial Story is about Srinivas Kumar Founder of Wizardry Designs Pvt. Ltd located in Bangalore.

When did you set out on this venture?

August 2009

What motivated you to start your Business?

Having worked in 3 well known design studios prior to this, I realized that most of the design studios.

1. Work only as a consultancy service business while in a design studio there are lots and lots of innovative ideas that get lost because of the lack of a client who is willing to buy into the idea by paying for it upfront.
2. A “designer” product generally means its more expensive. And generally for a large section of audience a well-designed product means more money. I planned to change this perception and bring out good designs not necessarily expensive for the common man.
3. A Design studio which has a “designer” generally has a technical team that translates his/her ideas into tangibles. In the process I have seen a huge gap between and ideation and the finally derived product. This happens because of the lack of complete knowledge by the designer on technical data or the technical team lacking the idea of the design intent.

There was a need to change these parameters in a design studio hereby Wizardry Designs Pvt. Ltd came into existence.

Tell us about your Business

We design everything. As funny as it may seem, I would like to bolster that thought by saying, unlike the popular perception We believe design is an all-encompassing process. May it be product / space/packaging or graphics, even technical or Process.

Design is all about Problem solving, creatively and more efficiently.

We also believe multiple brains are better than one. We have people who are good in what they do , clubbing with us right at the design brief stage, Market researchers (design), technical , and visualization consultants who understand the requirements and pitch in hereby the whole team knows what the project is all about.

This helps the team not only understand the Intent of design but also try to push and break the boundaries that haven’t previously breached.

What is a Day in a life of you like?

Wake up check e-mail ,Have tea , run to office , check e-mail , Brain storm on new ideas , cigges check e-mail , sketch , Visualize , Tea, Ideate , check e-mail , answer phone calls, collaborate with the vendors for new stuff , check e-mail etc.. Yes deliberately missed out breakfast, lunch.. if you find time you have some food too.

One particular skill you got right and gave you best results…

Having a technical background (Tool and Die making) gives me a definite edge on designing products. Confidently, I can produce all that I design as designed. It’s a huge plus as there is very little gap b/w design and technical output.

This skill is hard learnt. It was very tough to wear different hats (designer and techie) at different points of time. It’s like playing chess with yourself. You need to think like designer breaking boundaries and then say “how can I make it “than saying “it will never work because …

What have been your biggest challenges in running your Business so far?

Are you from “N_ _” or “N_ _ _T” a (very reputed colleges)? Is the first question many clients have asked me. I would say no I am not.. and then its more or less you are not a designer for the client. You need a certificate from those collages to say you are a designer..

How did you overcome these challenges?

I let my work do the talking. I would say, “Ok I will give you a scratch concept and our approach document” if you are convinced you can go with us”. And touch wood none of my clients till date have looked at other venues after we have done a project with them.

What have you found the most effective way to get new clients?

Innovation is not just another word we use, we mean it. Unless we have some value add / some innovation we don’t believe we have done justice to the project.

For a new client at the pitch presentation we give some scratch ideas of our innovative ideas/ approach.

What advice to you give to other business owners..

Prove your intent of owning a project. In other words , we design it like we want to sell it ! as though we own the company that we are designing for, it is then that the clients see value for their money and a point to go with you.

How did you keep motivated through difficult times?

We have no down time or idle time.. as a matter of fact since we also plan to sell our own innovative products we divert our attention to creating / brainstorming and designing those ideas.

A good design or a product idea helps us motivated, saying “We are capable of doing much better” just hang it there.

Whats your Your Marketing, Funding and Team Building Strategy….

Marketing – We believe our biggest Marketing teams are our clients and their products. They help us bring more clients. Unlike most business we are a B2B business , and reference and word of mouth helps us more than a PPT. No client gives us to design a project because we have worked on a similar project. At least in my experience they see the process /approach and result not the actual product itself.

E.g. Just because we designed a phone we don’t keep getting to design phones. Clients see the process and approach and result and might want us to design a washing machine for them..

Funding: – We are a boot strap organization. We generate money thru design consulting and invest it on our own products.

Team Building :- We have full freedom when it comes to our team. We have a flat screen TV / Xbox / Tatasky / good speakers / and no firewalls or internal monitoring of anybody . But the rules are very simple.

• No project can go after the date of commitment.
• Question the obvious. Even if it’s the CEO/ MD whoever. Everyone has the right to question design; if my driver has a valid point he can voice it out.
• If there is no work (absolutely no mood to brainstorm either) then go home!

Your Achievements..

• One good chair (Intl. design award.)
• Duroware Tongue care – India design Mark
• This is our first OWN product we launched as a design studio. And we are very proud of the highest design recognition in the country it received.

Whats your favorite quote?

Always do the best YOU can, rest follows.

Who inspires you?

Michael Foley

Do you have a Business Philosophy?

Nope. If all the above counts. There is.

Contact links

Website | Product |  Facebook |  Twitter |

More Info

https://www.startupfreak.com/wizardry-designs-pvt-ltd/

Startup Freak wishes Best of Luck to Srinivas K S!