Describe your current role in the organization.
In my current role, I lead the team responsible for the Project Management suite of products (Projects, Sprints, Bugtracker) at Zoho. My responsibilities include defining goals for each module team, planning new version launches every two years, and deciding on the features to include in each release. Our focus is on enhancing the user experience with each update and ensuring the products cover a broad range of features. We aim to increase user adoption, maximize product revenue, and engage with significant prospects and customers. Additionally, I participate in conferences and partner meetings to gain insights into industry-specific needs.
What role does Zoho’s company culture play in your identity and the work that you do?
Zoho’s company culture is integral to my identity and work. It fosters the freedom to explore and learn independently, allowing us to evolve over time. The culture encourages us to express our views, take responsibility for our actions, and take pride in our work—much like the “Made in India” ethos, but with a personal touch: “Made by Vijay/Zoho.”
At Zoho, freedom comes with responsibility. The culture supports continuous learning and upgrading, even after 20 years in the industry. There’s never a dull moment. We’re encouraged to learn, produce something new, stay relevant in the market and competition, and move to the next generation. Professionalism is key to every task, and we’re motivated to shape our careers and give back to society through our creative work.
What were the highest and lowest points of your journey with Zoho?
The highest point was the transition from Product Manager, Development, to Product Manager, Product Management in 2012. Since then, we’ve released five versions of Zoho Projects and the first version of Zoho Sprints. Zoho Projects was launched in 2006 and performed well for the next four years. However, a new competitor entered the market and suddenly caused a revenue dip. This challenge taught me the importance of innovation and disruption, and we successfully adapted to restore revenue to normal levels.
I don’t have a specific instance regarding the lowest point to mention. I was continually learning and adapting, which helped me transition and transform through different phases and kept me focused on growth and improvement.
Your most embarrassing blunder?
Since there was always a leader guiding me, the chance of making mistakes was, thankfully, minimal.
What are your hobbies or favorite activities outside of work?
I enjoy playing badminton, going for walks, and watching movies in theaters with my family. I also love taking vacations to both domestic and international destinations with my family.
Words of Wisdom
Be ambitious and self-reliant, and focus on building resilience. Choose one professional career and delve deeply into it. Explore both the depth and breadth of the creative work you do. Remember, a rolling stone gathers no moss.