Mohit Dubey CEO, CarWale.com

He is a man who listens to his heart. “I sincerely believe one must do something which makes him happy,” says Mohit Dubey, CEO of CarWale.com, a popular website on cars. Dubey is a first generation entrepreneur who left the safe harbour of a well-cushioned job and took the risk of setting up a business. “I felt if I could run someone else’s business, I could also run my own with equal ease,” he says.

Mohit founded CarWale.com in 2005. “We raised funds from Seedfund, an investment firm, in November 2006 and that fuelled our growth. The focus has always been on the consumer and we knew that as long as we remain the trusted advisor to a car consumer, we would be able to get car sellers and dealers interested in working with us.”

Dubey was born in a middle-class family and financial discipline is a value that was inculcated in him since childhood. He attended Sainik School for seven years. “When one joins Sainik School, learning and growth takes precedence over anything else. One joins at the age of 11 and after seven years, leaves with the maturity of a 21-year-old,” says Dubey. He did his graduation from a small district college in Madhya Pradesh and subsequently an MBA from Goa University.

Goa was a turning point for the young man as he was exposed to an excellent faculty, which groomed him to be a good manager as well as a good corporate citizen. “The attitude was to constantly learn and contribute in every possible way to the organisation and society at large. Today when I face a dilemma in corporate life, I take up the position of, say, a consumer or a shareholder and decide what serves him best. It has helped me take many a critical decision.”

Why did he choose to set up a business when he could have bagged a plum job with an MBA in his kitty? “The motivating factor was to contribute something to society. Along with my co-founders, I wanted to bring better healthcare to the villages of India by connecting them with district hospitals. However, we couldn’t implement that in 2002 as the laws were not in place and we had little money.” Here’s hoping he will do it one day.

Apart from finance, the other challenge was to set up a team. “We always had the core team in place. Two of my cofounders were from Sainik School and the other was my friend and batchmate from Goa. And if you have friends to work with, business becomes fun. Moreover, as we enjoy what we do, commitment is natural.”

Dubey and his partners started out as a software solution company. “When we had a chance to implement a mini-ERP software for a car dealership, we were exposed to the fast-growing car industry in India.” With a nose for business, it did not take them long to realise that the scene was changing faster than in 1990 when “we had hardly three cars to choose from. We saw how it’s never a regret-free car purchase for buyers. We were and still are very excited to be able to empower the buyers in making best car decisions as they buy, sell and maintain cars.”

Was it difficult to convince his family of his decision? Dubey appears to be a lucky man. His wife Priya was a pillar of strength and provided unflinching support during his initial struggle.

For Dubey, the customer is god and customer satisfaction his primary goal. “We work to simplify car deals for consumers. We help them save time, money and hassles.” His company “associates” also feature high on his priority list. “Our people are extremely important to us. We offer a collaborative work culture and a flat organisation structure with no bureaucracy.”

The scenario in the automobile industry is going to get better, feels Dubey. “The auto industry is going through many changes in technology, consumer behaviour and collaboration. I see it evolving; we will see significant changes in personal mobility, care for the environment and safety. We need innovations in developing intelligent cars and the way these are distributed and delivered to consumers.”

His two-year-old son is the perfect antidote to tiredness from boardroom meetings and hectic schedules. “I look forward to going back home and spending time with my wife and son,” says Dubey. The little one is a car freak and already recognises 50 car brands. Like father, like son.