At Headsup, we put utmost importance on providing the best customised solutions for our clients: Mr. Sumit Kumar

Interview with Mr. Sumit Kumar, Director and Founder of Headsup Corporation

Mr. Sumit Kumar is armed with a demonstrated history of 15 years, working in business environments. An alumnus of TISS (M.A. in HR & LM) & the University of Delhi (Business Studies from SSCBS), he is currently busy building Headsup Corporation, a sustainable ecosystem in the HR industry.

Being the founder of two companies, he is involved in managing various tasks & making both firms a year-on-year success.

From initiating University of Delhi’s first TED Talk to creating the largest scannable QR code in India (recognized by LIMCA book of World Records), he has been a part of many exciting avenues.

After 15 years of working in the HR industry, he identified a few gaps. One of the key problem areas was that HR was never seen as a strategic activity, and there was a “let’s wing it” approach to it.

This intrigued him and led him to think deeper about how HR must, and should be treated as the Heart of organizations.

Headsup Corporation was born with his culminated experiences and knowledge of the pain points that startups and SMEs are facing today.

Sumit is Influenced by Sir Alex Ferguson, a legendary football manager who demonstrated leadership on and off the pitch.

The beliefs he lives by are- Respect for fellow team members, Jugaad (hustle) attitude for getting the work done, being uncomfortably excited, stretch your targets because if you aim for the sky you will reach the moon.

Some of the best leadership lessons he has learned are to face the tough reality and sort the problems head-on. No one likes to get criticized, but behind closed doors, you dig into the people, their performance, and their mistakes and get them ready for the next challenge.

Being a curious person he has always been fascinated by ideas, new technologies, and innovation. He likes to keep his targets in check by creating a to-do list every day. He enjoys playing football and watching crime shows.

Tell us a little about yourself

Sumit Kumar: I come from a Management background with a M.A. in HR&LM from TISS after a BBA in Business Studies from Shaheed Sukhdev College of Commerce, DU.

Having been involved in multiple businesses, I am now the proud founder of Headsup Corporation and Nirmaan, both flourishing companies!

Can you tell us about your previous experience in the HR consulting industry, and how it has prepared you for this role at Headsup Corporation?

Sumit Kumar: As a young intern, I always felt that HR was never seen as a strategic activity, and there was more of a “let’s wing it” approach to it.

This troubled me and led me to think deeper about how Hr must, and should, be treated as the Heart of organisations.

Since there were no other companies trying to push this agenda, I entered the market with my brainchild: Headsup Corporation in 2018.

Kindly brief us about Headsup Corporation, its specialisation, and the services that it offers

Sumit Kumar: The one stop that offers expert assistance and solutions for 360 Degree business growth.It is an HR consulting organisation committed to delivering the best results to not only employers but also employees in the organisations we work with.

We have worked with organisations of all levels, across a myriad industries and have always made it our focus to look out for the interests of all stakeholders, giving our best in everything we do!

We provide end to end HR Consulting services ranging from recruitment, exit processes, policy formulation, engagement activities, training, to even employer branding assistance.

Additionally, we also have a strong Social Media wing that helps us curate content driven engagement like internal mailers for our clients.

As a director, what is your vision for the company, and how do you plan to align it with the needs and goals of your clients?

Sumit Kumar: My vision for the company is simple, I want all my employees to be able to face the tough realities of the industry and sort problems head on.

As an organisation Our relationship with clients never ends or should we say they never want us to leave.

We make sure we are constantly advising them on new challenges , changing the external environment continuously.

No one likes to get criticised, but behind closed doors you must dig into the people ,their performance , and their mistakes to get them ready for the next challenge.

This is what helps us always deliver the right service and products to our clients!

What challenges do you anticipate in the HR consulting industry over the next 5-10 years, and how do you plan to address them at Headsup Corporation?

Sumit Kumar: Few Challenges which we can foresee are

1. Using technology as a competitive edge. :With more and more talent movements competing organisations are reaching talent maturity in terms of employee contribution, employees need to be challenged, given food for thought to keep evolving and give the most optimised solutions. Using technology as a medium to get the best out of employees is going to be the key.

2. We are Making our clients Skill centric to drive better returns.

3. Making employees Unlearn-Learn- Relearn has been a challenge and it will continue, we are making learning more fun through curated modules, chatbots etc.

4. DnI is a big challenge and is going to become even more difficult for organisations which are doing superficial tasks

6. What do you believe are the most important qualities for an HR consulting firm to possess in order to be successful, and how does Headsup Corporation embody those qualities?

I think being Dynamic and change ready is the most important quality an HR Consulting firm, or any firm really should possess. If a business is not ready to change with the times, it can never grow to its full potential.

Another Important quality is the ability to unlearn old ways and learn newer, more efficient ways of doing things!

At Headsup, we put utmost importance on providing the best customised solutions for our clients, No two firms can use the same solution and derive the same results.

So, our consultants work closely with the client firms every step of the way to understand the root cause of the problems they are facing, to come up with curated solutions they can use to get the best results for all stakeholders involved!

What services does Headsup Corporation offer, and how do they differ from those offered by other HR consulting firms?

Sumit Kumar: The unique aspect of Headsup Corporation is how it has developed to assist businesses from any industry.

You may find a company that offers only HR consulting services. You may find separate advertisement agencies and digital marketing agencies.

But it is rare to find an organisation that has strengthened and developed itself by understanding the needs of a growing business: a startup or an SME.

Headsup Corporation knows what a business will need to develop itself from the very basic level. The organisation understands that it will not only need HR services for proper structuring and hiring but also marketing assistance and an affordable space where new entrepreneurs can set up their office.

No other organisation has such a unique and wide perspective to the industry needs and that’s why people should know about the organisation.

People should know that there is one place which can provide them the services they seek to establish their new business at an affordable price.

How do you ensure that Headsup Corporation stays up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in HR consulting, and incorporates them into your services and offerings?

Sumit Kumar: We are an ever evolving organisation, most of our fodder comes from daily problems which we are solving for our clients.

Further, we are constantly doing deep down sessions amongst industry leaders and internally to keep ourselves abreast with latest happenings, We are also partners with multiple think tanks and forums which keeps us on toes.

What was the inspiration behind turning an entrepreneur?

Sumit Kumar: It was a culmination of experiences and knowledge of pain points which startups and SMEs are facing today which I know were easily fixable. I have been in the startup domain since the age of 17, so it has been quite a while.

How do you work with clients to identify their HR needs and develop customised solutions that meet their specific requirements?

Sumit Kumar: We help our clients solve some very basic and simple problems for startups and SMEs that can easily be solved at the root level but aren’t purely out of ignorance.

Organisations can save a lot of time by ensuring problems like Employer Branding and Employee Experience are nipped in the bud and do not end up creating bigger problems like attrition!

A dedicated consultant works directly with the client to understand the root cause of the problem through extensive primary and secondary research, and diagnoses the issues promptly, providing customised solutions for them!

What advice would you give to a new HR professional entering the consulting industry, and what qualities do you think are most important for success in this field?

Sumit Kumar: Career expectations are important, knowing what you want from your career is extremely crucial.

Be ready to make split second decisions and quick problem solving is your best friend. Never be afraid to make mistakes, they are your best teachers!

Read more Success stories of Indian entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs & startups stories at SugerMint. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn