Looking in the Rearview Mirror
December 1, 2024
Also published on LinkedInRead there →Yesterday, I found a moment to reshare a video showcasing my journey at Karkhana.io. As I did, LinkedIn prompted me to add my thoughts. I paused, then decided to pen a few lines. This led me to revisit old emails 📧, travel logs 🗺️, and photos 📸. One thing led to another, and I began reflecting on the memories. The journey has been too remarkable not to mention, so here I am, sharing it with you. ✍️
A Facebook message --> Internship --> First Job --> Design --> Manufacturing --> Operations --> Data --> ERP --> Product
From Email ✉️ to Internship 👨💻 to First Job 👷♂️
It all began with a Facebook message 💬 that led to an internship, which then transitioned into my first job. From design 🖌️ to manufacturing 🏭, operations ⚙️, data 📊, ERP 💻, and now product management 🎯—this has been my path over the past seven years.
I often revisit the email I sent when applying for the internship at Rolling Cube. Little did I know about crafting a decent email with paragraphs 📝—trying to impress with every line and aligning my current offer in any way possible. I thoroughly read the "About Us" page and tried to mirror the email accordingly.
PS: I still feel this is way better than what ChatGPT provides these days! 🤖
Upon receiving the response email the next day, one of my best friends suggested I delay the interview by two days to appear busy 🕒 and not overly eager for the role.
PS: Things you do right after college! 🎓😂
I showed up, and we had a productive discussion. I still remember one of the core questions: "Do you know how to ride a two-wheeler so you can manage suppliers around the city?"
It went well, and I got the role. ✨
Fuel Logs ⛽ and Travel Diaries 🚀
The best way to recollect all the memories is through my reimbursement sheet! It's a pure joyful ride down memory lane. 📊📖
Since I used my Activa 🛵 to visit suppliers most of the time, I maintained a log of fuel ⛽ to track it well and maintain transparency. I used to calculate mileage based on meter readings and used the average mileage for a particular month for that month's travel.
Oh, those days! 💭✨
Here’s how my monthly tally looked for most months:
Fuel: ₹328.58
Rate: ₹76.08/ltr
Mileage: 37 km/l
Travel: 159.8 km
A normal month would look like this: Travel! Travel! Travel! Might have explored all the travel and payment apps back then. Seeing this makes me realize how much cheaper commuting was back then! 💸
Exhibitions 🎡 and Startup Struggles 💡
Back in October 2017, we participated in Vibrant Gujarat in Ahmedabad 🌆. After much deliberation and discarding many options, we finally decided that our exhibition giveaway would be engraved dandiyas. 🕺✨
These were Navratri days, and we were more of a B2C company back then. It was one hell of a day procuring and explaining the dandiya vendor the kind of material and finish I needed so it could be engraved properly. Those dandiyas turned out to be a beauty! 🎨🪵
Startup struggles are real. There was a time when we had to run around to figure out the stamp paper 📝 and other specifics for our first-ever NDA with a big client. The significance of different rubber stamp shapes was the biggest learning that day. 🛠️
RIP Project ⚰️ & Buffing Logs 💿
One of the most interesting projects we worked on was manufacturing a tool used in human body operations! We were blown away learning its application and the reason it needed to be rebuilt. 💉⚙️
We thoughtfully named the project “RIP”—Rest in Peace! And the buffing log for those SS plates went by the name "Buffing Murtaza RIP Plates!" 🤔😂
The Flattened Spoons Story 🥄
One of the weirdest jobs we did was flattening spoons! The client wanted an old look on stainless steel material, and almost every supplier asked, "Why not laser cut it?" 🛠️
Explaining the backstory was always a daunting task. However, executing this task also gave me an opportunity to create some fun content for Saturday's Off—a long-fought battle! 🥳
Looking Ahead 🚀
As I look back, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for the experiences, challenges, and opportunities this journey has brought my way. It has been a path of many highs and even more lows, teaching me resilience, patience, and the value of hard work. From an awkward internship email to manufacturing innovations, every step has been a lesson.
The journey at Karkhana.io has been nothing short of extraordinary, and it’s a testament to the power of perseverance, teamwork 🤝, and learning through challenges.
Here’s to more stories, more innovation, and more memories as we shape the future of manufacturing together. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this adventure. 💙
Let’s continue to innovate and grow! 🌟