Sunil Kulkarni never had to deal with marketing, sales, accounting issues or general business processes until he participated in JMEC in 2000. Life has not been the same since.

An IT engineer by education and profession, Sunil saw himself at a turning point at the age of 30, deciding it was time "to do what he really wanted to do". Looking for an opportunity to learn about business while continuing work, he came across JMEC and decided to join.  Inspired by the lectures, lecturers and global participant pool, he discovered an encouraging environment that woke and supported his newly found entrepreneurial spirit.

Near completion of the program, Sunil, armed with a 2 page business plan of his own, approached one of the lecturers for advice. One month later Sunil was CEO of his own IT company called Fidel Technologies.  Starting small, sharing rent space with a friend, Fidel Technologies grew from a two-man operation into a mid-sized company counting 70 employees to date, 20 stationed in Tokyo and 50 stationed in India.

The greatest initial challenge was to market and sell Fidel Technologies, said Sunil. "The key to marketing and sales is to find & focus on your customer. Because, no matter how good your product is, you need to have a single client first! It takes effort to reinvent oneself initially from the 'Technology is great and customers will come to me' mindset to 'Sales & the Customer is a must and we need to find them' mindset".

2007 marked another turning point. Attending events related to "2007 designated Japan-India Friendship Year," marking the 50th anniversary of the Japan-Indian cultural exchange agreement, Sunil noticed a lack of economic and business exchange between the two countries. Seizing the opportunity, he started to diversify by introducing a variety of delicious Indian food through his restaurant chain called Swagat. The fourth restaurant/bar has just opened in Roppongi in early September.

For Sunil, JMEC was never about winning. "It was about shaping my thought process and introducing me to a truly global community. Even if you do not decide to start your own business after completing JMEC, you can become an entrepreneur at your own workplace. Apply the newly-gained knowledge to your daily job and see where it will take you."

If you would like to be featured next or know of someone who should be, please e-mail info@jmec.gr.jp.