Behind The Boardroom: With Saurav Kumar Sinha (Homversity’s CEO)

Saurav Kumar Sinha was the man who decided to turn down a healthy package from an MNC and chose to pursue an idea that was born in his college dorm room. Sounds dramatic, right? Well, it’s much more than that. 

I spent 60 minutes with Saurva, and throughout the interview, he gave some valuable insights. I am so excited to write about those insights because I know one day, these lines will turn into quotes that will inspire millions. 

So before we dive into the questions that I asked and the answers that Saurav gave. Let’s get to know

Who is Saurav Kumar Sinha?

Saurav Kumar Sinha is the Founder and CEO of a multi-million dollar company, Homversity. Talking about Homversity, it is India’s largest student housing and co-living searching and discovery platform. The headquarters of Homversity is in Ahmedabad, India.

The platform’s uniqueness lies in its high standards for properties and attention to even the smallest details for students’ convenience.

The company received the seed funds of $1.5 Million back in 2019. Furthermore, the company went on the receive multiple rounds of funding. Making it a crowdfunded venture. After the latest valuation round, the company stands at a multi-million valuation of $7 Million (2023).

Furthermore, the platform’s success can be attributed to its team of passionate individuals, both young and experienced. Lastly, Saurav Kumar Sinha himself, whose vision and drive transformed the idea from a dorm room project to a million-dollar enterprise.

Q: What was that incident that gave birth to Homversity?

A: So yeah, this was the first question that I asked. Saurav shared an incident when he couldn’t get a room in his college hostel. So, he and his techie grandfather started finding some outside campus accommodations. But later, they realized that all the promises that had been made on calls was a lie. 

So, this incident was enough to give a spark to the idea. He realized that the student accommodation industry is very unorganized and decided to take a step toward this billion-dollar industry. 

Fact: The student housing industry is approximately 24 billion Indian rupees (2023). 

Q: What’s the biggest challenge that you faced during the early phase of your startup?

A:After I asked this question, Saurva took me back to 2018-19, a time when the start-up industry was not as booming as it is today. One of the biggest challenges he faced was opting out of college placement, which required a lot of convincing.

Other entities that come as a restriction are called relatives. Surrounded by doubts and an uncertain future, Saurav decided to pursue his startup. Fast forward to today, he stands as a benchmark to all the people around him and the students who are passionate about their ideas and ready to break the norms of the stereotypical society. 

Q: Starting a business with friends vs Starting with strangers? 

A:Then I asked another question, “If you get a chance to start your business once again, will you choose friends or strangers?” So, Saurav took no time and said, “I’ll never start a business with my friends!” As mentioned earlier, the idea started in a college dorm, so yeah, friends would be there. 

But, sooner Saurav realized that it’s very hard to get something done by your friends, especially work. All together, with friends, it is very hard to keep things formal or, I should say, professional. 

So, if your idea is beyond just a minor college project, then you should definitely look for a stranger or a professional who can get things done in a formal way. Lastly, find a person whose vision matches yours.

Q: If you get a chance to start your business once again, what will be the approach?

A:When I asked this question, Saurav gave me two helpful tips. First, he said he wouldn’t start a business with his buddies. Second, he told me he used to undervalue himself by comparing himself to others higher up in the chain.

This, he realized very quickly that all the people that we look at and admire are not different from you and me. Once you realize that, then you stop undervaluing yourself, and that’s when your mindset changes. That belief and confidence kick in, and you are good to go! He quotes, “If you think small, you’ll end up being small. Think big!” 

Q: How do you destress yourself?

A:So when I asked this question, Savurav cracked a joke at the beginning. So, in order to know what he said, you have to watch the video. Moving on, Saurav showed his GenZ side here.

He said that after a stressful day or tiring board meeting, he loves to play video games with his friends. Interestingly, during that time, he forgets that he’s a founder and a person with a lot of responsibilities.

He just utilizes the time to have fun with his friends. By the way, Saurav also has a YouTube channel where he posts gaming videos.

Q: Who’s your biggest inspiration?

A:When I asked Saurav who inspires him the most, he was quick to mention the late Steve Jobs. According to him, Jobs’ mindset of creating something new, focusing on quality, and many more was the biggest inspiration for him.

He also said that whenever he feels down, he likes to watch Jobs’ movies and read his books to lift his spirits up.

Q: If you get a chance to meet any person, dead or alive, who will it be?

A:I was pretty sure that he would choose Steve Jobs, so I asked Saurav if he had anyone else in mind other than Steve Jobs. He mentioned that he would like to meet Elon Musk due to his amazing attitude. Additionally, he revealed that he was on the verge of meeting Mr. Musk, and he was eagerly looking forward to knowing what Elon’s next big plan would be.

Q: What will be your advice to young who wants to be an entrepreneur?

A:The first line of Saurav was, “Don’t do it just for the glittery things you see online.” I related a lot to this quote because I’ve seen a lot of people getting inspired by the lavish lives of founders and entrepreneurs. But one thing the young people ignore is the responsibility that comes in.

“Don’t get tempted by the fancy things you see online,” Saurav Said. Furthermore, he remembered the past 5 years of his life, when he didn’t travel by flight, meet people, or live in a 5-star hotel.

So have faith in yourself, trust the process, and keep working hard.

Author’s Verdict

Well, this was not it; there are many other things that we have discussed in the interview. We talked about his relationships, his salary, future plans, and other amazing experiences.

So I would highly recommend you to watch the interview. So you can hear all of this from the man himself. Lastly, you can also check out some amazing interviews with other founders as well. Just click on my profile below.

Stay tuned cause more amazing insights and values are on the way. Till then, keep learning and keep growing.

Next, You may also read about behind the boardroom with Vedant Singh Thakur (My Content Cafe’s CEO) and Pranjal Mishra (Your Brand Mate’s CEO).