We get only those things in life that we have the courage to ask for and if we are ready to pursue what we truly want. Choosing to be an entrepreneur means to live on the edge of success and failure. It can go any way therefore it is a courageous decision to be an entrepreneur. If one has the courage and enough nerves, then anything is possible. Once we are an entrepreneur, we are the master of our own destiny and we also get to experience the freedom that comes along with it. Arvind Ghorwal is one such young and dynamic entrepreneur that loves the freedom that comes along with choosing to be an entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of Elysian Studios.
“Elysian Studios uses a unique and in-depth approach to the virtual reality (VR) storytelling, creating blissful VR experiences”
In an interview with Insights Success, Arvind Ghorwal shares his journey and about his contribution in creating blissful experiences through virtual reality.
Below are the highlights of the interview between Arvind Ghorwal and Insights Success:
Why did you choose Entrepreneurship over a regular 9-5 job?
After finishing my college, I got an opportunity to work in one of the fastest growing start-ups in India, it was there that my interest in entrepreneurship grew. It was not like a 9-5 job, but it was like work, work and work. You have to put in everything that you have got to make a start-up work. Back there, I was leading teams who used to work with the latest technologies like Virtual Reality and drones. There were very few people in India who were doing this at that time, and I started Elysian Studios which creates blissful experiences in Virtual reality. Once you are an entrepreneur, you are the master of your own destiny and I love the freedom that comes along with it.
Tell us more about your company/startup/organization.
Elysian Studios uses a unique and in-depth approach to the virtual reality (VR) storytelling, creating blissful VR experiences. Elysian means divinely inspired and is bringing back the ancient wisdom, taking you beyond what you can perceive, opening you up – to the lands of mysticism and inspiring you to reach your ultimate possibility.
We are one of the 1st VR studios in India who have created a VR series – Mystic Lands, which takes you to some of the most ancient, blissful and energetic lands like Kashi – The city of Lord Shiva, Bodh Gaya – The land of Buddha’s enlightenment and Rishikesh – Yoga capital of the world. Our VR films are receiving much love from various parts of the world, are getting shortlisted at various International Film Festivals and are featured on major VR platforms.
What challenges have you faced as an entrepreneur? How did you overcome them to establish yourself and the company?
Start-ups are all about going through tough situations and you have to overcome these hurdles to create something meaningful for as many people as you can. One of the biggest challenges that I faced was that people did not know and understand Virtual Reality, so we educated people about Virtual Reality and how they can use it for their benefits. We made 1000’s of people experience Virtual Reality for the first time and the reaction which we received was amazing and it increased our faith in the technology and it’s future.
How do you lead your company and help it sustain in a competitive environment?
Leadership is majorly about understanding people and motivating them to first understand how their work is impacting other people’s lives and how they can influence humanity to take it to the next level. We majorly focus on building a great product which can solve other people’s problems and while doing that we are having a good time. It’s not just about work but it’s a part of our lives which we invest in creating meaningful solutions for other people.
What is that one aspect or emotion that drives you at work or keeps you motivated?
Passion and perseverance help us in overcoming difficult situations and moving forward on the path of progress. If you don’t love what you are doing then it becomes very difficult to move forward and once you love doing something then it’s not work, it’s your life which you are investing to create something wonderful and meaningful.
As a business leader, what is your opinion on the current landscape of business given that the pandemic has been adversely affecting every industry.
Keeping the current situation in mind, we just need to hold on and keep sustaining our businesses, this pandemic will go and something else may happen in future. Difficult times come and go, we just need to adapt to the necessary changes and keep moving forward. And after difficult times, there are always good times.
Social Media is an inseparable part of the daily life of youth. Your thoughts about it and how do you leverage its power for the company?
Social media is playing a very important role in every company’s marketing strategy. This is where you can reach a whole lot of people and can encourage them to try your product or service. We do leverage social media to influence and educate people about Virtual Reality and how can it transform their lives especially in the times of pandemic.
What are your future endeavours/objectives and where do you see yourself in near future?
We plan to create more Virtual Reality content. We have been focusing on spiritual tourism and spirituality is India’s soul. We have Char Dham, Sapta puri and many other spiritual and religious locations. India is a world leader when it comes to spirituality. Our sages, saints and rishis like Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda have gone to the west and have influenced billions of people around the world. We would like to do the same thing in a different way, by using our ancient wisdom and helping people to overcome their difficulties through our content. We only get to learn how to survive in schools and colleges, but only few learn – how to live. And we want to transform lives through our content and influence as many lives as we can across the globe.
