Ex: Knowing you, how are your marathon runs going, we somehow feel your passion for fitness and running must have instigated the birth of Goqii?
Vishal: Yes , certainly now I am practising headstand and handstand now and getting good at it, running is always there but missing marathons now and that can certainly wait.
Ex: Has the lockdown been a blessing in disguise with uptick in the app downloads with the fitness wave sweeping across the country?
Vishal: Yes we have seen a 300% rise in our downloads and revenues also and because travel costs are reduced by team, so it’s going to be an interesting year.
Ex: How much revenue does the smart wearable vs the fitness coaching and consulting business share amongst each other?
Vishal: It’s a joint plan, we believe in the complete ecosystem.
Ex: Is WFH better or working in the office?
Vishal: WFH is not an option now, but when meetings are in person you get 100%
mindshare, another issue is that people mute and switch the video off and play video games at times!
Ex: Book/s that you read, and re-read?
Vishal: Bhagwad Gita
Ex: What are the productivity apps or technology that you use?
Vishal: I have hacks like I use my morning time for important decisions and have not been having breakfast, just coffee with ghee and wearing red shoes and red t-shirt. This saves me a lot of time thinking about what to wear and what to eat etc. So normally by the time people reach office they are already exhausted.
Ex: What do you read of the pandemic and how it will change humanity and the environment in the years ahead?
Vishal: 95% of people will come back to their previous self, human beings are lazy and social animals. But the important thing is how organizations change, like after 9/11 airport security was beefed up everywhere. Whether the government takes care of health care and provides more in that department is yet to be seen.
Ex: What’s your ultimate vision for Goqii in the next 5 to 10 years?
Vishal: To be the largest healthcare company in the country. Healthcare as such is flawed and it’s more of “sick care”. The challenge is to make people fit and healthy with healthy habits so that we progress towards a healthier nation.
Ex: Akshay Kumar signing up for GOQii is a big bold step? How much of that has helped Goqii?
Vishal: Before signing him up, we researched for a while. Baba Ramdev and Akshay Kumar came out on top of whom people have trust and listen to. Baba Ramdev was out of our league, of course, so we went to Akshay and deduced that our visions are the same. He is a vegetarian and is an example of idealistic living, early waking up, etc, which marries well with GOQii. So, as a brand, we are totally wired in together and it’s a great compliment!