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Name: Sridevi Arunachalam

Business: International Intelligent Educational Consultancy

Location: Chennai, India

Industry: Education & Training

Reason for starting: Initially I started this business without any big intentions, in fact I started out rather playfully but later out of my growing passion I became more serious and built the nest slow and steady. Now my business is 10 years old with lots of wings.

Related: Read about another education entrepreneur here.

How do you define success? I personally feel I have not achieved all my targets yet. I still have yet to achieve that great success, but I do hope that my story will inspire a number of women to get started in their life and achieve their dreams. That’s the only reason I fill this column. In terms of achievements in my career, I have sent more than 2500 people abroad for their higher education studies and settlement. This has changed so many families life style and brought them into contact with a wider society.

Biggest success: I started my office in 2006 and one year later I was betrayed by my partner. All my colleagues laughed at me, financially I had zero and yet I still never lost hope. I feel like I still achieved my goals during this time and as a result I became stronger. Additionally having 40 companies working as my associates and running this company well is a huge success.

Related: Strength Is Harnessed Through the Struggle 

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? Sales and marketing is the main challenge for us in our industry. Part of what we have to do is sell the university’s and their courses, as well as the countries in which they are located. I’m very good at counseling and personnel management. People are generally satisfied with my counseling and the way I handle them they personally, it makes them feel more comfortable.

Who is your most important role model? When I was starting up this business my main role model was my old boss. My role model for achieving my goals was my mother.

[box_light]Website   www.iiec.co.in[/box_light]

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