Lalwani latently emphasises the importance of soft skills through her caring yet highly efficient enterprise – Talking Circles. This modern, interconnective business model: “allows employees working internally to connect to each other via critical knowledge sharing,” she told Asian Voice. “For example, if an individual within a particular company is looking to improve a specific skill - whether it be graphic design or customer care- we can make it possible to locate another expert in the immediate workplace who can sufficiently advise them. The two candidates can mutually work out a time, go for a coffee, or arrange a phone chat to learn more and develop their talents. Additionally, there is a feedback process which allows both the employer and employees to see how this exchange has benefitted them, also demonstrating the general productivity increase of the company.” Thus in a world of intimate technological development, arguably at odds with human connections, Lalwani and her team counterbalance the alienating issue! Named after the cultural practice of native Americans, “who would form circles to converse and solve their collective problems,” Talking Circles “not only boosts the operative power of their clients such as Hilton and Carglass, but empowers the employee. Feeling as if they are more held and valued, they are naturally more engaged creating a reverberating positive energy.”
Lalwani herself bonded a lot with her former colleagues when she was working in the hospitality sector before arriving at her current status of TC's CEO and Co-founder: “as conscientious workers, there was a mutual consensus that we all wanted particular professional guidance, but didn’t know who to approach. There’s a great dependency on your line manager, but that can be very limiting.” Thus, aiming to enhance the sense of personal “ownership” for the corporate commuter, Lalwani and Talking Circles perform a vital social revolution; both in the literal and metaphorical sense. “You wouldn’t think it,” the young boss aptly added, “but there is also an unabated feeling of anonymity due to the modern environment at the top. It can be very lonely, cut off from friendly interaction. Thus, employers and more senior figures are also very excited to use our idea. It’s invigorating to know you can really use tech to reach out to those around you, and you need not feel so uncertain.”
Please tell us a bit more about your company, Talking Circles? It seems to be very pertinent, solving the unaddressed workplace disconnect?
Yes, these days the earning curve has become the learning curve whereby one is just as interested in where their job can take them emotionally. Market conditions and business models are also changing very quickly. From an employer’s perspective then, we can help you find out what kind of talent you need to stay alive. For employees - we can help better their work life and chances for the next sought-after position. From the feedback stage, there can also be succession planning and leadership training. Give and take is evenly distributed.
What’s the origin story behind Talking Circles?
When I was working with Marriott Hotels, I set up my first business, which was an Airbnb for food. I brought a group of random people with similar talking points together over a meal. I noticed then that the conversation was not so much fuelled by the food as the topic areas people found themselves wandering into; they were motivated by what they had in common.
We do live in a very individualistic society. Do you think cross-silo breakdown merges the idea of collaboration and community with this ethos?
I do! We are replicating the shared consumer experience people are experiencing in the outside world – cabs, booking hotels etc. - and bringing it into the workplace. It helps people think and collaborate outside of work in a more holistic way. We recognise and reward people for sharing their knowledge. You can earn badges for more activity, for example, and managers and employers can see you standing out.
And it also sounds fun?
Yes, it makes light work of tackling professional blind spots and problems. Talking Circles has discovered that you can spend about 120 man- hours painstakingly trying to get the right access to the right people per year. We eliminate that stress.
Do you see Talking Circles becoming a bigger enterprise? For example: a wider career matching tool that can pair people across different industries altogether?
We do actually have customers who want to match people in other companies in a way that is non-competitive. As long as it’s under control and there is a certain degree of internal trust. But our vision is primarily to make a habit about caring for employees. We do a lot of data retention and analysis for employee journeys in the same way businesses might do for consumers. We are interested in the problems people may come across at different points in their careers; we want to be able to advise customers with innovative solutions so they can identify the issue before they become disengaged from work. This will allow both employees and employers to understand what’s best for them early on. We want to make people’s careers and lives easier!
What business advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs?
I have a few words of wisdom: it can be very easy to get caught up in proving the necessity of your business, but it’s much smarter and more accurate to try and test where your business is failing. That prompts you to think more critically, and good problem solving is the key to sound business. Getting backers and financial endorsement is also very important; be ready to experiment and go against the grain. Everyone has different experiences and ideas and the journey is not a one-size-fits-all. There’s a myth, for example, that if you don’t dedicate full time to a start-up, investors are never going to believe in you. Also, perhaps you need a different sort of co-founder and investing in the technical and tech-heavy side of things might not always be right for you. Your start-up having high growth is what counts; network with a lot of different people and keep asking questions; finally, it can be a frustrating journey so treat yourself well privately- do gratitude journalism, practice mindfulness - but always challenge your work at the same time. At the end of the day, it’s your gut feeling twinned with consequent analysis that’ll get you there.
Finally, do you have a favourite project?
I run a not-for-profit organisation called Lean In which helps women achieve their ambitions and I love our one-action updates. We decide goals and philosophies amongst each other, such as starting a creative writing course or asking ‘is there a myth of being able to do it all?’. We then commit to seeing these challenges through.
