Michaes Subramanian

Living the passion, it's a journey

Early days

From a humble village background, I grew up with the passion to build a software products company; inspired by a man who brought a desktop computer every weekend from a nearby town on his motorbike to teach us BASIC programming and talk about Bill Gates. Thanks to my dad, a school teacher, who always believed in me, for enrolling me into that weekend program.

School

My primary and middle school education was with TDTA Christian Mission School, Radhapuram, which gave me a strong foundation on education. Went on to study in N.V.C. Government Higher Secondary School, Radhapuram, the only and great Government School that educated pupils in and around Radhapuram Taluk to finish high schooling and higher secondary schooling. 

College

Like every other student in those days in India, I was conditioned to become a doctor or engineer after my 12th standard, forgetting my software dream. 

Thankfully, I did not get through the entrance examination to settle on civil or mechanical engineering. I let my father down for the first time who wanted me to become an Engineer. There was little to no awareness on preparing for entrance exams and there is no concept of coaching those days in my village.

Again, my dad enrolled me in Computer Science (B.Sc) with Aditanar College, Thiruchendur. This fueled my interest further in computer science. College days, I was either fully into the library reading big technology books (Big books of Basic, Fortran, etc.,) or in the computer labs (when it is allowed). Reading those big-sized computer language books and applying them in the computer lab (the only place that gave access to computers those days) thrilled me.

When a Bachelor's degree is just not enough for the world (though I do not agree), I went on to do Masters in Computer Applications (MCA) with Madurai Kamaraj University (on the campus). Good times to reinforce concepts, have fun, and get me placed as a campus recruit for Wipro Technologies. 

Passion grew

Fast forward, I finished school, graduation, and post-graduation in computer science with flying colors as school topper, university topper, and gold medalist. With a very successful career in software product development deployment in architectural and leadership positions with Wipro Technologies, the passion grew over the years into a vision that I want to democratize digital automation for every business and individual. 

Corporate Job experience

Corporate Job is a necessary evil for an entrepreneur. On one side, it brings experience, on the other side, the regular less risky money on the table and family commitments around it weighs you down. So it does not make sense to prolong the job when one has determined to get on entrepreneurship. Still, I spent 18 years working in corporates before taking a decision on a full-time entrepreneur. I could have come out at least 10 years earlier if I look back now.

The entrepreneur bug and the failures

For me, entrepreneurship means - doing the right things to make a passion into value for customers, scale, and profit. I have always been doing things that I am passionate about. Just that I wasn't clear about whether it was the right thing to do , but I kept on trying.

In the initial years of my career, I tried a secret venture to build a technology company in 2002. I failed miserably in the attempt of building the company; thanks to the immaturity (prefer to call it innocence) and recession (I know it's a lame excuse). 

The second attempt to establish a social media engine fell flat even before it launched. Hope you do not want to read more reasons for that.

Throughout the journey, I had been writing a bunch of side products/ platforms burning the midnight oil with no clue to take them to customers in a scalable manner.  It definitely increased my expertise but with costs.

Jivrus Technologies

In May 2016, I co-founded Jivrus Technologies to institutionalize one of the passions in my entrepreneur journey. Read more on Jivrus Technologies' history. Since then there is "no looking back".  I wish I could say "no looking back", but it is a roller-coaster ride on the initial period as a first-time entrepreneur in the family. Nevertheless, it is the most enjoyable and successful journey despite lows & spikes.

Significant People in the journey

My Dad - Subramanian Shunmugam, who believed in me always, that is a big booster for me any time. 

My School Teachers - James Sir (English and Head Master), Victor Sir (Maths) 

My early career Gurus - Vyas Varma (Process & management guru), Vasan Subramanian (Technology guru)

My  Inspirations - Bill Gates (early days), Dharmesh Shah, Sridhar Vembu,  Girish Mathrubootham, Suresh Sambandan

Hanging out with Simon Sinek, Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Ben Horowitz, Y Combinator guys (obviously on the virtual world)

The History before the History Jivrus Technologies

1990 - As a curious young boy, I was exposed to computers and inspired by Bill Gates

Thanks to my Dad for enrolling me in a weekend program where the instructor brought a desktop computer on his motorbike every weekend to the village to teach the basics of computers to school kids and talk about Bill Gates.

1992 to 1995 - Foundational learning of Computer Science

Early college days - shuttling between library, computer lab, and hostel made me learn computer languages in depth from heavy books and 8086 & Unix flavoured computers in the lab.

1998 - The Corporate Drama

Almost everyone (at least in India) needs to get a Job, go through it before starting something on their own (in my era). I was not an exception though I wanted to start something on my own, right from beginning. 

Thanks to Wipro, Intec, CSG for hosting me and tolerating me in the process. I did manage to a

2002 - A failed venture

Early in the career, tried a venture in starting something new. Things didn't work out and I had to wind it down.

2005 - 2016 - failed few more side hustles

Continuously itched to make something on my own, I have tried several side hustles, solo products, architecture marvels (in my eyes) burning thousands of hours

2016 - And then, comes Jivrus Technologies

And everything else is History 😀