"The Thing With This One Is" is our podcast where we have always endeavored to talk to leaders who are not just driving corporate performance but are fundamentally reshaping operational strategies and testing the bounds of personal resilience. In Episode 10, host Ram Deshpande sits down with Vishal Makhija, the CEO of C Prompt Solutions. Vishal’s journey is a profound masterclass in grit, balancing high-stakes business navigation with intense personal turning points. From an international corporate career across different countries and building two entrepreneurial ventures from scratch, to surviving a heart attack at age 40 and navigating the complex yet rewarding world of raising his autistic son, Zayan; Vishal opens up about the core mindsets required to bounce back stronger when life forces an immediate pivot.On the business front, Vishal brings out the calculator to dissect corporate asset management. If your company is still buying laptops outright, you are dealing with unnecessary productivity drops and massive capital expenditure. Vishal models a real-world scenario live on the podcast, mapping the exact math behind "Lease vs. Buy" to show how strategic IT equipment leasing alters your bottom line. We bust common procurement myths in India and share sharp, eye-opening anecdotes about how corporate India manages its technology on the ground.📌 What we cover in this episode:0:00 Sneak Peek and Intro01:48 Journey of Vishal Makhija: From Global Executive to CEO of C Prompt Solutions08:00 Wake-up call: Surviving a heart attack at 40 and emerging stronger10:02 The CEO Playbook: 4 Rules for Sustainable Success 11:40 Why "ignoring people" became a mental health strategy (sub part - but catchy - can be excluded if needed)15:49 Parenting a specially abled child: Lessons in empathy and patience19:55 How to enable your team - measuring success, showing a growth path and empowering them24:01 Inside the CEO role and how it changes your perspective29:30 25 years of legacy: Wisdom and values from the founders of C Prompt Solutions 33:37 Working Session: Why your business should never buy "B2C" laptops40:27 CAPEX to OPEX: How leasing optimizes your company’s cash flow47:54 A real breakdown of 23% savings through hardware leasing with detailed calculations56:49 The AI impact: Why RAM prices have doubled this year1:05:35 Why C Prompt Solutions' niche sets it apart in the industry1:11:39 Scaling 5X: IPO plans and the move into B2C rentals1:13:52 Outro🔗 Connect with our Guest & Host:• Website: https://www.cpromptsolutions.inYou can get a free quote or connect with a C Prompt Solutions representative via the website. Please do mention the podcast when you approach them. Thank you. You can also directly get in touch with Vishal Makhija via LinkedIn.• Vishal Makhija on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vishal-makhija-66898751/Connect with Ram Deshpande for any help with IT procurement or any other topic• Ram Deshpande on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ram-deshpande-ramd316/• Ram Deshpande on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramd316/• Subscribe to the channel: www.youtube.com/@ramd316If you find value in these long-form conversations balancing deep business metrics with human empathy, please like, share, and subscribe!#TheThingWithThisOneIs #TTWTOI #ITLeasing #AssetManagement ##ProcurementStrategy #Laptop #laptoprental #Entrepreneurship #Resilience #CPromptSolutions #corporateindia #informationtechnology

Do we really know how NGOs work? What kind of an impact they can create? How does an NGO drive a 100 Crore uplift in incomes of street-side ironing vendors? How do they integrate into already existing social, economic, and institutional ecosystems? Should you work for an NGO? What can a young professional look forward to while working at an NGO?There are so many questions that can help change the narrative in India around NGOs. In this episode of "The Thing With This One Is" Krishnan Ranganathan joins Ram Deshpande to bust myths about NGOs. Krishnan is the co-founder and Director of Udhyam Learning Foundation, an NGO active in India. Together, Krishnan and Ram navigate some of the most important and often misunderstood questions surrounding the non-profit and development sector, offering clarity on how NGOs actually function, collaborate, and create sustainable change.Krishnan dives deep into the tremendously successful Istri project, which created an estimated income uplift of ~₹100 Cr over the last six years. Thousands of ironing vendors have benefitted by switching to LPG powered iron-boxes with the help of Udhyam. This project is symbolic of the deep insight-driven work taken up and executed with precision by Udhyam Vyapaar. The commitment to cause is evident in this discussion.Chapters

0:00 Sneak Peek and Intro

01:54 Montage of images showcasing Krishnan's work at Udhyam

02:48 Getting to know Krishnan Ranganathan, the co-founder and Director of Udhyam Learning Foundation

07:25 How a D in Maths in college triggered a desire to improve education

11:29 What is Udhyam NGO? What programs does it run?

16:25 Udhyam is spread all over India with a variety of people across domains

20:04 The thing with how NGOs are perceived by the GenZ

22:51 How ironing vendors replaced coal with LPG; small scale change for big scale impact

27:32 The thing with funding for Udhyam - HNIs and CSR

31:20 Breakdown of micro costing for Ironing in the Istri project - 10X impact

34:55 Scaling up Istri Project with the involvement of petroleum companies and gas agencies

36:32 Urban vs. Rural - how Udhyam helps nano entrepreneurs in smaller cities

41:10 Approach and integration at the ground level

42:55 Outcome focused decision making and consequent impact on emotions of the people involved

46:50 Depth and scalability of NGOs - Potential for large scale impact in India

49:00 Jholaawaala NGO types get a salary! Breaking the social stigmas and busting myths about NGOs

52:48 The thing with professional growth within an NGO

57:01 Why should young people join Udhyam or an NGO career? The thing with a real reward

58:53 Does Krishnan know the best dry-cleaner in Bengaluru? How does Udhyam scale a project?

1:01:15 The one last thing to talk about

1:03:00 Outro

Beyond the Istri project, this conversation also explores how impactful NGOs operate within existing ecosystems, working alongside communities, governments, private institutions, and other stakeholders rather than replacing them. It examines the balance between empathy and efficiency, intention and execution, funding and accountability.

Krishnan has also busted some common myths about working with NGOs, the challenges, the rewards, the thought process behind taking up causes, the phenomenal potential of India, and above all how careers get shaped when people get involved with this work at an early age.

The creators of this podcast hope that this conversation encourages a shift from passive consumption of information to informed participation. A sincere hope is that listeners are inspired to rethink the way they engage with organisations that are creating real impact.

Follow Udhyam

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/udhyam-learning-foundation/

X: https://x.com/UdhyamOrg

X: https://x.com/UdhyamVyapaar

Credits

Guest: Krishnan Ranganathan

Host: Ram Deshpande

Photographed, Edited, and Directed by: Kedar Gavane

Location: Udhyam Learning Foundation