It's Been a Bumpy Ride, but We're always safe..
2017
First Step
Indian Super Market, Kilakarai. It was my first real
job; a sales position. It may sound small, but it
became the most important starting point of my career.
I learned how business feels from the ground level:
dealing with customers, managing inventory,
communicating clearly, and handling pressure during
busy hours.
I understood how even small interactions
could build trust and how teamwork makes daily
operations run smoothly. That was my first lesson —
business begins with people, not profit.
2018
Tech ? intresting.
After that, my interest shifted toward technology. I
joined Shaj Xerox as a Computer Technician Trainee,
where I learned the basics of computer repair, printer
maintenance, and office automation. It was my
introduction to the technical world.. practical,
hands-on, and full of daily problem-solving. I wasn’t
just fixing systems; I was understanding how
technology silently keeps every business running.
During my free time, I started exploring MS Office and
Adobe Photoshop, just out of curiosity. That curiosity
changed everything. The moment I started editing
simple pictures, I felt something click — I realized
that design could speak louder than words.
2019
First Agency and Growing Knowledge
I joined Fix It Laptop & Mobile Services, where I
continued repairing laptops, installing software, and
handling customer support. One day, a client asked me
to design a simple banner for his shop.. and I did. It
came out surprisingly well, and soon, more people
began asking me for small designs. Without even
realizing it, my technical job had turned into a
creative one.
That’s when I learned another key lesson: sometimes
your future hides inside your side interest.. you just
need to pay attention to what excites you most.
2020 Q1
Opportunity
The year began with a sudden rise in design demand
across Kilakarai due to the Tamil Nadu local
elections. Posters, banners, and campaign materials
were needed everywhere, yet most local studios were
either overbooked or too expensive for many clients.
Seeing this gap, I realised there was room for someone
who could work fast, stay affordable, and learn on the
go. This observation became the spark that pushed me
toward starting something of my own.
2020 Q2
MI Designs & Advertisements
With only basic Photoshop skills, a modest computer,
and a rented table space, I launched MI Designs &
Advertisements, my first-ever firm. I didn’t have
business planning experience or formal design
training, but I had the willingness to try.
I started
designing political posters, event visuals, and flyers
at every hour of the day, often working 16-hour
shifts. My designs stood out because they were fresh,
quick, and affordable — something people truly needed
during that time.
2020 Q3
Intense Heat
As word spread, my client base grew faster than I
expected. I learned new skills overnight, colour
printing methods, sizing formats, client
communication, pricing strategies, and the importance
of fast delivery. Every order taught me something
practical.
The workload increased, but so did my
confidence. It felt like the business was moving
forward at full speed, and I kept pushing to meet
every demand, learning directly from real-world
experience rather than books or courses.
2020 Q4
Needed Pause
Despite the growth, I began recognising my
limitations. I could design, but I lacked the
structure to scale consistently. Maintaining creative
quality, managing time, and meeting rising
expectations became increasingly difficult. This
pressure made one thing clear: to grow professionally,
I needed proper training and discipline.
So, I made a
difficult but necessary decision, to pause the
business and gain structured experience in a
professional studio. Walking away from something I
built wasn’t easy, but it taught me an important
lesson: real progress often requires humility,
reflection, and the willingness to step back before
moving forward.
2021 Q1
Stacking Up>>
To refine my skills and understand design beyond
freelancing, I joined Sharmila Digital 4K Media as a
Junior Graphic Designer and Office Assistant. This was
my first exposure to a structured creative
environment. My daily responsibilities included
designing wedding albums, event posters, and photo
retouching tasks.
I also assisted in photography
setups, handled office systems, maintained equipment,
and occasionally supported video editing work. This
quarter introduced me to the discipline and pace of
professional production.
2021 Q2
Clean Foundation
As weeks turned into months, I learned that design was
far more than creativity. It demanded precision,
patience, and systematic execution. I understood how
colour calibration worked, how layout balance
mattered, and how client feedback loops shaped the
final output. Every project taught me something
practical.
I also began improving my communication
with clients and vendors, an area I struggled with
during my earlier business. This phase strengthened my
fundamentals and reshaped how I approached creative
work.
2021 Q3
Jack of All Trades..
By mid-year, I started thinking like both a designer
and an operator. I learned to balance creativity with
workflow management, logistics, and timing. Handling
equipment, assisting photographers, and coordinating
office tasks helped me see the business side of
design.
This dual perspective gave me a clearer
understanding of how a studio functions as a system,
not just a creative space. It helped me mature
professionally and prepared me for larger
responsibilities.
2021 Q4
The Right Time
After nearly a year in the studio, I realised I was
ready for more than production work. My experiences
had strengthened three key areas I had been building
silently over the years — technology, creativity, and
leadership.
I no longer wanted to focus on just
executing tasks; I wanted to integrate skills, build
systems, and create something of my own. By the end of
2021, the direction forward became clear: I was ready
to move to the next stage of my journey.
2022 Q1
Tech.. again?
The beginning of 2022 placed me back into a world I
had briefly stepped away from — the core technical
field. Joining Elegant Network Solutions as a Fiber
Network Technician introduced me to a demanding
environment of field installations, customer support,
and real-time troubleshooting. The work required long
hours, quick decision-making, and clear communication.
As I moved from home visits to commercial
installations, I realised how essential reliability is
in service-based industries. Each
connection restored and every issue resolved
reinforced my belief that technical work builds
discipline at a deeper level. This quarter was less
about creativity and more about understanding
operational consistency.
2022 Q2
Growth Through Freelancing..
Midway through the year, I shifted toward freelancing
— a decision driven by both necessity and curiosity.
What began as a few design requests soon turned into
full-scale branding and content projects for clients
across different regions. Working with people from
varying cultures and time zones sharpened my
communication and delivery standards.
I learned how global clients think, how they expect
clarity, and how branding influences their
decision-making. This period strengthened my
confidence and broadened my understanding of digital
work dynamics.
2022 Q3
Getting Direction
As my freelance projects grew, so did my clarity. I
began noticing patterns in how businesses approached
design and communication. I also started feeling that
my journey shouldn’t remain limited to individual
projects. A vision slowly took shape — a space where
people could learn, create, and build something
meaningful together.
It wasn’t a business
plan yet, but it was a direction. The months in this
quarter gave me the confidence that I could build more
than a personal portfolio.
2022 Q4
Planting the First Seed..
Toward the end of the year, the idea matured. I knew I
wanted to create a space where design, technology, and
teamwork could grow side by side. Freelancing taught
me the possibilities; now I wanted to create an
environment where others could experience the same
growth.
The seed for a collaborative
ecosystem was quietly planted. Although nothing was
launched yet, the blueprint for what would later
become Gen2K Conglomerate was forming in my mind.
2023 Q1
MI DD Workshop
In July 2023, I launched MI DD Workshop... initially
nothing more than a small office meant for freelance
designing. But within weeks, the space took a
different direction. Friends, students, and curious
visitors began stopping by. Some came to observe;
others came with questions. Slowly, interest turned
into learning.
The office evolved into a place where anyone willing
to put in time and effort could sit, learn, and grow.
This shift was unplanned but welcomed.. it marked the
beginning of a community-driven learning culture.
2023 Q2
The Duo
Our first team member, my school friend S. Mohamed
Irfan, joined during this phase. A civil engineering
diploma graduate with ideas for a clothing business,
he wanted to strengthen his skillset before investing
in his plans. So he began learning digital marketing,
telecalling, and basic sales workflows.
His willingness to learn and adapt became an early
example of what MI DD Workshop stood for — growth
through effort.
2023 Q3
Arrival...
In July 2023, I launched MI DD Workshop... initially
nothing more than a small office meant for freelance
designing. But within weeks, the space took a
different direction. Friends, students, and curious
visitors began stopping by. Some came to observe;
others came with questions. Slowly, interest turned
into learning.
The office evolved into a place where anyone willing
to put in time and effort could sit, learn, and grow.
This shift was unplanned but welcomed.. it marked the
beginning of a community-driven learning culture.
2023 Q4
Gen2K Conglomerate
By the end of 2023, MI DD Workshop had transformed
from a designing office into a genuine learning and
working environment. Each member discovered their
strengths — Irfan in business and marketing, Nithis in
creative design, and Arsath in tech and development.
Their growth, combined with the collaborative culture
we built, convinced me that it was time to expand the
concept.
What started as a small workshop was ready to evolve
into an ecosystem. That realisation prepared the
ground for Gen2K Conglomerate.
2024 Q1
Gen2K Conglomerate & Clocolab
The year opened with the launch of Gen2K Conglomerate,
built to unify design, technology, community services,
and entrepreneurship. Alongside it, we introduced our
clothing brand Clocolab. With limited resources, we
stocked a small collection, and Irfan managed
sourcing, sales, and marketing. Despite the effort,
the brand couldn’t scale due to minimal capital and
infrastructure.
The experience taught us the value of planning, cash
flow, and a strong foundation before entering
product-based ventures.
2024 Q2
Collaboration & Venture
In February, we collaborated with Master Attestation,
an attestation and documentation company based in the
UAE. Through our partner Jaffer Jalaludeen, we opened
a franchise office in Kilakarai and handled
documentation and travel services. This collaboration
provided stability, consistent workflow, and exposure
to a new industry.
Around the same time, we launched Daily Delish, a
fast-food concept. The demand was strong, but our
infrastructure, manpower, and investment were
insufficient to meet it. Orders piled up, delays
became unavoidable, and operations became
unsustainable. The venture failed, but it taught us
how operational capacity and financial planning
determine a startup’s survival.
2024 Q3
Collecting Intrest
We shifted from the noisy Master Attestation office to
a calm, spacious workspace near Kilakarai beach, which
improved focus and long-term planning. In July, we
launched our largest internship program with over 20
students from Mohamed Sathak Engineering College and
Syed Hameedha Arts & Science College. The
structure was simple: no fees, no paid certificates, a
strict 30-day requirement, flexible modes, and
personalised guidance.
I led as Founder & CEO, while Arsath managed HR.
During this period, Arsath started Betech24, and Sri
Nithis launched VSS Designs. After completing the
internship, Mukesh Kumar joined our team as a
designer.
2024 Q4
Few Loses..
Just as operations were running smoothly, heavy rains
caused major water leakage in our beachside office,
damaging our systems and setup. We had to vacate
immediately and relocate to a shared workspace called
Service Way. Although the infrastructure there was
ideal, the runway cost was too high for our stage of
growth. So, we shifted again—this time to a compact 70
sq. ft. office that became our base at the start of
2025.
The last months of 2024 reminded us that progress
isn’t always upward; sometimes stepping back is
essential for long-term stability and sustainable
growth.
2025 Q1
Survive
The year began inside a compact 70 sq. ft. office —
far smaller than anything we had worked from before.
But this shift brought an unexpected advantage: focus.
With fewer distractions and no room for unnecessary
complexity, we directed all our energy toward building
a scalable digital product for our town. The months
were quiet, practical, and disciplined.
Every day was spent refining designs, structuring
modules, and discussing user behaviour. This phase
became the foundation for one of our most important
launches.
2025 Q2
Moving Forward..
After months of focused work, we launched Deliwings, a
hyperlocal convenience app connecting Kilakarai’s
businesses, services, and customers in one ecosystem.
It combined food delivery, product orders, service
bookings, and vendor listings, becoming our first
major digital product after several earlier failures.
Seeing it operate successfully gave our team renewed
confidence and direction. Around the same time, Sri
Nithis expanded his path by opening VSS Studio &
Designing, offering full creative services.
We also moved into a more suitable workspace in New
Street, Kilakarai, which improved our organisation,
workflow, and long-term planning.
2025 Q3
How Is It Going...
In June, we received a new international opportunity
when WMC Autotrade, a well-known car dealership in the
UAE, approached us for marketing and lead-generation
support. They needed a partner to manage digital
presence, content strategy, and customer acquisition.
This collaboration became a key milestone, showing
that our work was gaining recognition beyond local
boundaries and that our ecosystem was ready to serve
global clients again.
Working with WMC Autotrade helped us understand
international markets, high-value product marketing,
and automotive customer behaviour, strengthening our
ability to manage long-distance collaborations and
expanding our professional portfolio.
