The Opex Story!
On an unsuspecting evening, I received an unexpected ping on Facebook. It was from Karthik of Opex, inquiring if I was open to freelancing. Wrapped up in my own world of ethics and principles, I initially chose to overlook the request. However, my dad, always the voice of wisdom, nudged me. “It’s always worth it to at least hear them out,” he suggested. Taking his advice to heart, I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know that this would mark the beginning of my journey with Opex, which officially kicked off in August 2015.
On Day 1, I got to know I was the second employee in India and that I can do much more than a designer has to offer. But at the moment my focus was in Design only.
The Design Story
Designing the DataScience AI Platform was a significant responsibility for me. In collaboration with our co-founders, stakeholders, engineers, and marketers, we aimed to create a platform that would best serve our clients. Through regular meetings, brainstorming sessions, and feedback rounds, we ensured the platform met user needs.
In the company’s early days, the fast-paced environment of a startup demanded quick turnarounds. I consistently provided visual designs to our engineering team, focusing on clarity and user-centricity. Each piece of feedback was crucial, helping refine our product further.
As the platform stabilised, I shifted my focus to user research. Engaging with our clients gave insights into their experiences and requirements. This feedback was instrumental in refining the platform to be more user-friendly.
Beyond the main product, I conceptualised an AI-driven game to simplify supply chain concepts. Inspired by the ‘Beer Game’, this tool aimed to provide an interactive learning experience. The game garnered positive feedback from 25,000 players, highlighting its effectiveness as an educational tool.
The Culture Story
Being the second recruit for the Indian team, I played an active role in team-building. This included hiring and mentoring new members, ensuring a cohesive and productive team dynamic.
The Exit Story
Opex Analytics was acquired by Llamasoft in 2019. While we were working through the transition, Coupa acquired LLamasoft in 2020 for 1.5B$ (one of their biggest acquisition).