A pandemic, an MBA, & work culture at UrbanPiper | An inside look

Imagine a situation wherein you have the CEO of a company with a cup of tea in hand welcoming a debutant to the company. I know it sounds too good to be true but then again, as Mark Twain once said, “truth is stranger than fiction”. -

The first steps

The day I reached UrbanPiper for my interview, it didn’t look like employees were at a formal setting, or just ‘doing their jobs’. Rather, it truly seemed like a group of friends sitting and brainstorming. Since this was my first job, I didn’t really know what to expect, but the atmosphere certainly surprised me! One employee was making hand gestures and talking to a client while sipping on a coffee, another person was coding something rigorously with their headphones on. I was truly pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed at the same time. The interview went well and I was hired. I discovered later that the simplicity and humane nature displayed by the team forms the rudiments of ‘culture at UrbanPiper’.

Business Development Associate at UrbanPiper - this was the title assigned to me as I took my first baby steps in the job market. The sense of belongingness and inclusion strategy was aptly reflected in great measures during the probation period and training session which lasted for three months. During this period, great teaching, nurturing, and practical experiences gave me the wherewithal to test the waters in the business world.

I got promoted to the post of Business Development Manager within six months. At UrbanPiper, I got to try my hand in multiple departments. The learning experience was amazing with many ups and downs. I started with handling small and medium sized business  and then slowly started dealing with enterprise clients. From learning the processes of sales, to setting up meetings, and finally meeting clients, the various roles and cross-functional experience is what kept me going.

I found the office to be the epitome of an extended family. I actually got to experience the quote ‘Work hard, but party harder!’ as I had made a few friends in the office and spent some time with them on the weekends, taking a break from work, gorging on great food and quenching our thirst to satiety.

My honeymoon period with the company however lasted for me till 15th August 2019 as I proceeded to the United Kingdom to pursue my MBA. As most people entering new ventures in this previous year, Covid-19 dealt me a lethal blow as I had to return to India. Upon reaching Bangalore, I contacted UrbanPiper again and I found myself reinstated in the company as an Inside Sales Manager for the International Market during May 2020!

My sabbatical thus ended for good and I embarked upon the challenge of exploring the international market to expand our footprint. Cutting across frontiers and time zones, liaising with people across continents has been an invigorating experience for me. The team at UrbanPiper is the resonating force, each member complementing and supporting the other to accomplish goals set by the organisation. Behind all our success is the vision and all-pervading spirit of the management who stand by us, guide us, and spur the team to function at optimum levels.

On 17th September 2020, after the easing of the lockdowns, I flew back to  England to continue pursuing my research while working for UrbanPiper from the United Kingdom. I am currently sourcing new opportunities in the United Kingdom and MENA regions.

Allow me to quote Alfred Tennyson's words as the finale “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield’ best epitomises our spirit at ‘UrbanPiper’.

The essential plug

We're constantly on the lookout for bright, sharp minds looking to take their career onto the next level. If this sounds like a challenge that excites you, do visit our careers page to find out more.