Jigar PandyaJigar Pandya
(Vice President)
10 Years of Experience
I joined Upsquare in a very different role from what I am doing today. I was an SEO/SMM Executive who had to take care of some of the social media accounts and work as a part of digital marketing team.
A new position was opened – of Mobile Marketing Executive and I was asked to take care of it. I found it interesting and since I liked it, results were good for my role.
I started understanding more and more about The Mobile Apps ecosystem and I started participating in app development projects as well.
Results started to speak. I was given more and more responsibilities and I grabbed them all as opportunities.
My present role at Upsquare brings a lot of opportunities and challenges. I lead people and manage delicately almost all the operations of the company.
I make business decisions, create strategies and ensure that revenue growth align with the business objectives.
I monitor the performance of team members, senior and junior, managers and engineers, employees or associates, appraisals and ensure that they meet their targets.
We are very selective about hiring new people in our team. And that is the reason, most people we have share our thought frequency.
And I think that makes our life interesting. I think any good professional can make money by doing one job or the other, it is the learning and fun that we are having while working is unique!
Before 4 years, I did not know that my career would take such a flight. I’d say, if you have do-whatever-it-takes attitude and gentle heart, then no one can stop you from succeeding at Upsquare.
Alpesh PethaniAlpesh Pethani
(Head of Design Department, Upsquare Solutions)
12 Years of Experience
I joined as a designer in 2013 – and I head the whole design team as in 2020!
I worked on UI and UX design for Web, Mobile, Watch, and Desktop platforms and developed an entrepreneurial mindset. If something needs to be done, I find out ways to do it. My studies in the local language, lack of resources, or any problems – cannot stop me!
On the ever-changing landscape of UI/UX design, I steer myself and my team to stay relevant to our experience design projects.
I have witnessed Space-O Digicom becoming Upsquare, extreme work challenges, and unprecedented successes of exiting from our business and even shareholder pattern change in my 6+ years journey with the Upsquare group.
I am often criticized for loving my company – but I take that criticism with proud and with the culture of open and straight communication, I push my limits and inspire young designers who join my team.
If you are reading this text on our website, then you are participating in the experience I have designed. If you are evaluating one of our apps, then you can see my interaction design concepts in action. If you are browsing on the app store and looking at the app icon, then know that you are seeing my team’s piece of art.
I feel proud to be a part of Upsquare’s core team and thankful to my past and present colleagues and founders who have been with me in my thick and thin times – resembling a family.
At this stage in my career, I look forward to pushing my limits and inspiring newcomers with the success I could create even without any formal education in designing because at Upsquare, we believe more in DOING than in degrees!
Kaushik DhamsaniyaKaushik Dhamsaniya
(Design Analyst, Upsquare Solutions)
7 Years of Experience
It was early 2014 and I entered into the offices of Space-O Digicom (Upsquare was known as Space-O Digicom in those days) as a total outsider when I was making Rs. 7000 a month (less than $120!) as a traditional photographer.
I joined the company as a Jr Graphic Designer. I am shy and I speak less. This limitation of my nature gives me strength – observation.
I observed the work of my senior colleagues, explored a lot of online resources, and plunged myself into the field of design totally. I silently carved my path to success by doing, undoing, and redoing UI and UX designs of the apps which generated millions of downloads.
Presently I serve the team as a Design Architect and often put my nose into the work of the business team and piss them off with my stand on certain user experiences. Of course, to push the envelope.
Apps with the designs I have created have been featured by Apple more than once!
Occasionally, I have tried my hand on the logo and identity design and most people love what I produce. Upsquare’s logo has been designed by me so as many identities of the products we have created!
If you visit our Ahmedabad office, you will find certain graphics and a Sketch-wall, which I have created.
I am a satisfied designer from a small village with a heavy body but when I decided to re-design my body, I reduced over 18kg in less than a year just a couple of years ago!
Maybe I should work on that project again because this pandemic has added a few kilos into my bodyfat! ?
Hardip KalolaHardip Kalola
(Technology Lead, Upsquare Solutions)
7 Years of Experience
I joined this organization in 2015 as a junior iOS Developer. My prior experience was in line with what the company was doing so I could share some practices which prevented Jailbroken devices from using our paid apps for free … and I was noticed!
The management appreciated my suggestions and encouraged me to implement it in one of our major apps. I felt I am doing something meaningful for the first time in my career. It was the beginning of me leading myself first and then the development team in the further years.
After that, we were developing a social media fun messaging app and I was given the duty to work as a Lead. I realized that apart from development, I could take other, important roles such as PM and make a difference. With the efforts of my enthusiastic team members, we could deliver the app successfully!
That app generated a lot of traction and more to that, it provided one of our other businesses to bring in 30+ influencers on our premises to get excited about and share the app on their respective social media.
After that, I felt confident and started doing all that I could do. Our main trainer was occupied and we had a problem training a few of the new joinees. When this assignment came to me, I was sceptical about my abilities…but I took on that challenge, worked hard on me and I have been training all the new joinees since then. At that time, we were known as Space-O Digicom and at times, I have trained the new joinees of the whole group.
Along with me, many new team members joined and grew in knowledge. Our apps started getting better, and one fine day, our company could make a profitable exit!
Years after years passed, titles changed and presently, I am working as a Tech Lead but I do whatever it takes to take the company where it wants to!
I take care of some of the projects as Project Manager, I collaborate with external vendors, I provide technical solutions and work along with other departments such as HR, Networking, Admin etc. to solve any problem that comes. Only thing I am focusing on is to bring solutions…so while my work involves a lot of different roles, if I have to describe it in short, it would be Solutions Architect!
In my journey from the role of a junior iOS developer to a senior leader, who can work like an intrapreneur, I have overcome many of my shortcomings and I am going to beat anything that comes my way.
Space-O Digicom, Upsquare or whatever our company is called after future shareholding patterns change, I have faith in my senior leadership and myself that we are going to make all our dreams come true!