Thoughts @ Amit Gupta

Logging out from makaan.com

Now when i am logging off as a product manager for makaan.com after two and a half year, i am tempted to peep into the past and relive some of the moments that i’ll cherish for life. My session with makaan begins with an email request (typical web 2.0 style) to aditya verma (business head & vp, makaan.com ) and i got the invite to join in the core team to build a real estate portal.

First day @ makaan                         My Laapy

We started out with a small team in a makeshift office in south extn before moving to beautiful building in gurgaon.  We started in a typical start-up environment with a daunting task of going commercial in the least possible time. But this gave me a rare opportunity to work and understand every aspect of setting up a new business and felt like an entrepreneur.

The proud moment arrived on August 15, 2007 when we formally launched makaan.  I lived so many sweet and sour experiences during  my stay with makaan. Few of them become part of my blog and can be read below and rest will stay etched in my memory for ever.

- Offsite visit with makaan tech team (& family) to Chamba, Tehri dam and Mussorie.

- Endless wait in aircrafts for takeoff.
- I become a jealous economy class traveler (I pass it of as austerity).
- Been an alien in my own country.
- I spend a night at airport terminal.
- Completes 1 year @ Makaan
- Offsite to daman with software team
- Launch of makaan mobile application
- Launch of makaan 2.0
- Offsite to karjat with product team

Some more unforgettable moments captured on camera

Team makaan on second anniversary

What next ????

I’ll be logging into the domain of social bookmarking. To know more details keep watching this space or add this page to your favorite (web 1.0 style) or better bookmark this page

Tags: Amit, India property, internet, Job, karjat, life, Makaan, Makaan.com, Property Show, Real estate, Travel

Where have I Been ???

No where , I was very much around but again busy with some upgradation and imrovement work on Makaan.com. I have been hearing and experiencing much about web 2.0 and the rub of effect was evident to come on Makaan.com  So Makaan.com member backend is now been changed and made more action oriented and user focused.

We have tried to reduce the umber of clicks to do activities and all the relevant information is available upfront to the user. Action buttons are more prominent and sytem prompt the user about possible actions intelligently. There are many more changes to come and will keep me busy for some more time…. 

BTW Pappu paas ho gaya (Pls read my previous post).

Tags: Indian Real estate, Makaan.com, Online real estate, Properties in India, Property, Web 2.0

Makaan Property Show

Hey Last week was very busy. Makaan.com is organizing the first property show in North India. After successful shows in Hyderabad and Pune , saddi Dilli seems to be the best choice. In couple of months there are many more to come across nation.

Today was the day one of Delhi Property show. And it was quite a show as the show was simultaneously held at Noida and Gurgaon. I covered both the centers though it become a bit too tiring … So See ya Gud Night  

Tags: Delhi, India property, Makaan.com, Properties, Property, Property Show, Pune

Makaan.com TV Commercial

After 7 months of launch makaan.com has come out with a TVC.  And as an associated sponsor to the Extra Innings during IPL. I hope Makaan will generate loads of brand recall.

 

There are various factors what make this commercial stand out including a very well executed and co-ordinated performance of animated Mouse Character and human actor.  This commercial has a very peppy and hummable background score.

 

Catch this throughout the telecast of IPL. As of now check this out :

Tags: Cricket, IPL, Makaan.com, Makaan.com TVC, Property, Real estate, Television

Fun @ work – Offsite to Daman

Fun @ work takes a new dimension when People Group engineering team has strolled out for the picnic last week. The gyaan sessions seemed to be the coolest thing around. Day one: We headed for resort in Virar (Suburb of Mumbai) for tech presentation to be made by engineering teams.  The event gave opportunity to everyone to come on stage and speak up about the work they’ve been doing and their learning’s. We achieved the very purpose of the get-together KNOWLEGE SHARING. And we end the day with jump in the pool and late night cricket. 

 Day 2: We headed for Daman after a light breakfast. The three and a half hour long journey seemed nothing with everyone having fun on board. Many of us were singing and dancing while quite a few catch up with Ajay Devgan’s flick “Halla Bol”. After having a filling lunch at the beachside in Daman we all rushed to the water park. It was amazing to soak our self and enjoy in thrilling rides of the park. The evening attraction was the wave pool and the rain dance. The day ended with dinner against the vast Arabian ocean as a backdrop with live orchestra playing the hit numbers. We shook our leg till we drop.  

 

Day 3 : It was the day to relax and chill out. After a lazy morning breakfast everyone wanted to take maximum of the last day of our trip. We headed back to Mumbai after the lunch. The spirit doesn’t seem to die though all of us were dead tired. We reached Mumbai late in the evening and everyone carried sweet memories of the trip with them.        

Tags: Daman, Makaan.com, Mumbai, offsite, Travel

A Year That Was…

These line are generally written on the turn of the year. You might think that I am possibily two months late. But I am talking about completeing a year with Makaan.com

Now when I look back at this amazing year it gives me a feeling which can’t be expressed in words. But whats so amazing about this year and this job. There has been complete transormation from the kind of work I’ve done in the past. I have lived my dream of creating an online business.

On the day of joining makaan team strength was three including Aditya (Business Head) and (Chetna). Now we have grown over 125 as a team. Aditya has shown immence confidence in me and handed me  an additional responsibily of Managing the software team along with my Product Management responsibility. 

And we have done our best to proove him right by delivering a best in the category product within the short span. We have worked for 10-12 hours in a day for 4 months in a strech. We launched the site on August 15, 2007, Independence day of India in less than 6 Months of my joining.

And I must say that I have got an amazing team to support Saleem, Deb, Veeru , Amit , Sandy and Nikhil. 

Tags: Amit, Internet & Mobile, Makaan.com