The 15-years-old entrepreneur Tilak Mehta recently had an exclusive interview with Global Child Prodigy under Prodigy Talks. The talk was hosted by Mr. Kavin Kumar Kandasamy, a renowned Entrepreneur, Educationalist, and Humanitarian. He is also the Managing Director of Mangalam Educational Institutions. Mr. Kavin’s institutions serve more than 7000 students every year.
We caught up with Tilak Mehta to get an insight into his success story.
How Old Are You, Tilak? Tell Us About Your Education.
I just turned 15 in May 2020. At present, I am a tenth-grader in Garodia International School, Mumbai. I am doing the subjects English, Mathematics, Science, French, Economics, and Accountancy.
How Do You Balance Your Studies, Work, and Personal Life Together
The key to managing all of this is nothing but prioritization. So, I set a timetable for myself, which consists of an equal balance of all three; sports, studies, and business. I do it so that I don’t have to compromise on any of these three. To manage all this, I have to compromise on my sleep sometimes, but that’s okay. Sometimes, when I have my exams, I need to focus more on academics, but I cover it during my vacations.
“I believe that sports and studies both are equally important. Sports is more like a stress buster for me and I have always been really inclined towards sports.”
Tell Us a Little About Your Family. Have They Played Any Role in Your Success?
My father, Mr. Vishal Mehta, is in logistics, and he is also into shipping. He is the CEO of the company Rushabh Sealink Private Limited. My mom is a homemaker.
I am very fortunate to have a twin sister, Tanvi, and it’s always good to have her by my side. The competition between us carries on even at home, and that is amazing. My parents and sister have played a considerable role in what I am today. It would have never been possible if they had been reluctant like so many other parents. Only the lucky ones get this much support from their family, and I believe that I am one of them.
“My sister played one of the biggest roles in my success because she always keeps me grounded. She has always been very supportive and the best part is that she is proud of me as a brother.”
Are You a Second Generation Entrepreneur or Your Grandfather Was Also an Entrepreneur?
My family has been my greatest inspiration because my great grandfather started by selling batteries in Mumbai. Later, my grandfather took the whole business into transportation, and then my father expanded more into shipping. That’s how the journey of my family has been, so I am a fourth-generation entrepreneur. It always motivates me to do something more innovative to make my family proud.
“There is nothing like competition in our family, but it’s all about growing together. My father has been my greatest inspiration so far. His risk-taking abilities, human management abilities, quick decision making, and everything is outstanding. So, I aspire to be just the kind of person he is.”
Is Your Uncle Also A Part of The Business?
Yes, When I got the idea of ‘Papers N Parcels,’ my uncle was working in financial background. I walked up to him to ask whether my business idea makes any sense financially or not, and we discussed a lot about this. Doing this for a few months, we got so severe that my uncle had to leave his banking job to develop ‘Papers N Parcels.’
How Would You Like to Explain Your Business To The People?
The name of the company that I established in 2018 is ‘Papers N Parcels.’ It was launched with a vision of digitizing the end-to-end logistics sector of the country and providing same-day delivery services at a reasonable price. We started the company on July 18, 2018, after tying up with the Mumbaikar Dabbawalas.
In no time, we got a great response from Mumbaikars, and now we have renounced companies like Metropolis, Hindustan Times, etc. on board with us. Our success brought us into a multinational company’s limelight, which acquired ‘Paper N Parcels’ on February 23, 2020.
What Sort of Skill Set Do You Have?
I have always been very fascinated with technology, just like any other kid of the 21st century. But, I have not been so much into coding and programming. Being a Gujarati, all I know is to study and be aware about it.
“What I understood was that the whole world is moving towards technology. The yellow-black taxis are on to Ola and Uber, the restaurants delivery guys are onto Swiggy and Zomato. So, when everything is going digital, why not digitalize this sector too.”
What Was The Problem That Inspired You To Come Up With A Solution?
As it is said, that necessity is the mother of invention; all this started with a need. Once, I forgot my books at my uncle’s place, and when I came back home, I realized that I had forgotten my books there. My exams were near at that time. So, I asked my father if he could send one of his drivers to collect my books.
But, he said that he couldn’t promise because there was no driver available that day. So, the only option I had was appoint a courier company that could get my books on the same day. When I searched for same-day delivery options, I found very few of them, and all of them were very costly. So, I thought that everybody could afford such an expensive service, and that thought led me to build this company.
Where Did The Money Come From?
The initial investment came from our parent company, ‘Rushabh Sealink Private Limited.’ When someone takes an investor’s investment, that’s easier because you have to meet the investor for one month or more. But you have to meet your father every day. Taking money from my father wasn’t as easy as people think it was.
How Would Have Covid Affected You If You Were Not Acquired
“I am fortunate to be acquired right before the covid pandemic. I think that I have been lucky all the way but I am sure that if we were still operating during this pandemic, we would have a big hit. We would have had to incur a lot of more losses, a lot of more challenges, etc.”
Do You Have Your Eyes On Something Else Now?
Now, what I am aiming for is passing out with flying colors after my tenth finishes. Simultaneously, I am looking at various other opportunities and something that I could get into. I believe that the Human Brain never stops working, so I wish to develop something new and innovative that could help create a change.
Read our previous interview: The ‘Google Boy’ Gives Inspirational Messages During An Interview With Global Child Prodigy | Kautilya Pandit
How Does It Feel To Be A Global Child Prodigy Awardee?
I want to say that the GCP team took a great initiative to identify and award young talents. It was an honor to be one of the 100 selected prodigies worldwide. The award ceremony held in Delhi on January 3, 2020, is an unforgettable experience. All the 100 children were extraordinarily talented. It was organized very well, and it was just fantastic.
“Education is the most powerful weapon in the world. If you have your goals set right, then choose only that course, which will help you in the future. Instead of trying to master everything, concentrate on one thing because it’s like a master of none.”
Tilak’s Biggest Three Learnings About Life
- Failure is not the opposite of success; it is a part of success. Fail stands for ‘First Attempt In Learning.’
- Never stop trying, learning, and dreaming. Use your experience in your experiment to reach your expectation.
- Life is a boxing ring. Defeat is not declared when you fall, but when you refuse to rise again.
Thank you for your time, Tilak! We had a great talk with you. We believe that all you are doing out there will take you to greater heights.
If you know someone close to you who deserves to be in the Top 100 Prodigies list, make sure to click here.
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