Urban clap ceo

India’s home services market has seen quite a bit of churn over the years — several companies have tried their hands at cracking the space, but it hasn’t always been easy. Several startups shut down along the way, and others ended up being acquired by bigger players. One company that’s been going strong since being founded in 2014 is UrbanClap. It’s raised $110 million (Rs. 770 crore) so far, and at a reported valuation of around $500 million, is one of the biggest companies in the space. CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal spoke with OfficeChai around the company’s progress, how its financials look, and why 5 years into running a successful startup, he still drives to work in an i10. OfficeChai : UrbanClap has been in the news lately for expanding into Abu Dhabi and Dubai. How did you decide to enter these two markets, and what’s the experience been like so far? Abhiraj Bhal : In 2017, we were three years into building UrbanClap, and we were already present in the 8-10 metros of India. We had a choice to make — should we go into the next 10-15 cities in India, or wait a couple of years to expand into Tier 2 markets, and look into expanding internationally. So we discussed internally and felt that it would be a good idea to try at least one international geography. So in April 2018 we launched Dubai. The thought process was simple. We said, look, we have a model that works in India — there’s no fundamental reason why this model can’t work in some other parts of the world. It was a mode...

• Business Expand • • • • • • • • • • Finance Expand • • • • • Travel Expand • • • • Cars Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Motorcycles Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • Lifestyle Expand • Watches Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Urban Company is a privately traded company headquartered in Gurgram, India. They provide a web and app-based platform for consumers to book services, including housekeeping, fitness training, plumbing, and beauty services. As their business has expanded, so have their locations. They are now international, including Australia. One of the most important reasons that the company is so successful is that they are not afraid of sweat equity. Many platforms take a hands-off approach with their workers, aside from initial background checks and driving records. When Urban Services first started, they took a similar approach. However, as the model evolved and the company grew, they saw a need to consistently train and provide their workers with a platform to succeed and grow. Because all three co-founders are 20 20. Relentless improvement 1. They added employees during the pandemic Employment in India plummeted during the Pandemic. 2. Mental health-focused One of the results of COVID-19 has been skyrocketing mental health issues. Urban Company partnered with iWill, a mental health platform, to provide as many sick leaves as the employee needs. They want to allow an employ...

• In-depth: Is UrbanClap’s rebranding to Urban Company a smart move? Brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. They believe startups tend to change their brand identity more frequently compared to brick and mortar companies. But does it yield any results? BestMediaInfo.com analyses After spending millions of dollars of investors’ funds over the last five years to establish a brand identity, home services startup UrbanClap has renamed itself as Urban Company. The company, which also launched in international markets such as Australia, Singapore and the UAE, says the new umbrella brand captures its ambition to be a horizontal gig marketplace with a global footprint and leadership position across service categories. The company said it wanted a brand name with universal appeal. But brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. Urban Company will host six dedicated sub-brands — beauty, spa, grooming, repairs, cleaning, painting and other services such as fitness and yoga at home, including pest control. These verticals were also under Urban Clap. Kaizad Pardiwalla Kaizad Pardiwalla, Founder and CEO at KPC, Responsive Creativity, said a company gets into the re-branding exercise if it thinks its present reputation isn’t good and it wants to re-brand into a new avatar. Brands also do it to make itself a lot more appeali...

India’s home services market has seen quite a bit of churn over the years — several companies have tried their hands at cracking the space, but it hasn’t always been easy. Several startups shut down along the way, and others ended up being acquired by bigger players. One company that’s been going strong since being founded in 2014 is UrbanClap. It’s raised $110 million (Rs. 770 crore) so far, and at a reported valuation of around $500 million, is one of the biggest companies in the space. CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal spoke with OfficeChai around the company’s progress, how its financials look, and why 5 years into running a successful startup, he still drives to work in an i10. OfficeChai : UrbanClap has been in the news lately for expanding into Abu Dhabi and Dubai. How did you decide to enter these two markets, and what’s the experience been like so far? Abhiraj Bhal : In 2017, we were three years into building UrbanClap, and we were already present in the 8-10 metros of India. We had a choice to make — should we go into the next 10-15 cities in India, or wait a couple of years to expand into Tier 2 markets, and look into expanding internationally. So we discussed internally and felt that it would be a good idea to try at least one international geography. So in April 2018 we launched Dubai. The thought process was simple. We said, look, we have a model that works in India — there’s no fundamental reason why this model can’t work in some other parts of the world. It was a mode...

• Business Expand • • • • • • • • • • Finance Expand • • • • • Travel Expand • • • • Cars Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Motorcycles Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • Lifestyle Expand • Watches Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Urban Company is a privately traded company headquartered in Gurgram, India. They provide a web and app-based platform for consumers to book services, including housekeeping, fitness training, plumbing, and beauty services. As their business has expanded, so have their locations. They are now international, including Australia. One of the most important reasons that the company is so successful is that they are not afraid of sweat equity. Many platforms take a hands-off approach with their workers, aside from initial background checks and driving records. When Urban Services first started, they took a similar approach. However, as the model evolved and the company grew, they saw a need to consistently train and provide their workers with a platform to succeed and grow. Because all three co-founders are 20 20. Relentless improvement 1. They added employees during the pandemic Employment in India plummeted during the Pandemic. 2. Mental health-focused One of the results of COVID-19 has been skyrocketing mental health issues. Urban Company partnered with iWill, a mental health platform, to provide as many sick leaves as the employee needs. They want to allow an employ...

• In-depth: Is UrbanClap’s rebranding to Urban Company a smart move? Brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. They believe startups tend to change their brand identity more frequently compared to brick and mortar companies. But does it yield any results? BestMediaInfo.com analyses After spending millions of dollars of investors’ funds over the last five years to establish a brand identity, home services startup UrbanClap has renamed itself as Urban Company. The company, which also launched in international markets such as Australia, Singapore and the UAE, says the new umbrella brand captures its ambition to be a horizontal gig marketplace with a global footprint and leadership position across service categories. The company said it wanted a brand name with universal appeal. But brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. Urban Company will host six dedicated sub-brands — beauty, spa, grooming, repairs, cleaning, painting and other services such as fitness and yoga at home, including pest control. These verticals were also under Urban Clap. Kaizad Pardiwalla Kaizad Pardiwalla, Founder and CEO at KPC, Responsive Creativity, said a company gets into the re-branding exercise if it thinks its present reputation isn’t good and it wants to re-brand into a new avatar. Brands also do it to make itself a lot more appeali...

India’s home services market has seen quite a bit of churn over the years — several companies have tried their hands at cracking the space, but it hasn’t always been easy. Several startups shut down along the way, and others ended up being acquired by bigger players. One company that’s been going strong since being founded in 2014 is UrbanClap. It’s raised $110 million (Rs. 770 crore) so far, and at a reported valuation of around $500 million, is one of the biggest companies in the space. CEO Abhiraj Singh Bhal spoke with OfficeChai around the company’s progress, how its financials look, and why 5 years into running a successful startup, he still drives to work in an i10. OfficeChai : UrbanClap has been in the news lately for expanding into Abu Dhabi and Dubai. How did you decide to enter these two markets, and what’s the experience been like so far? Abhiraj Bhal : In 2017, we were three years into building UrbanClap, and we were already present in the 8-10 metros of India. We had a choice to make — should we go into the next 10-15 cities in India, or wait a couple of years to expand into Tier 2 markets, and look into expanding internationally. So we discussed internally and felt that it would be a good idea to try at least one international geography. So in April 2018 we launched Dubai. The thought process was simple. We said, look, we have a model that works in India — there’s no fundamental reason why this model can’t work in some other parts of the world. It was a mode...

• Business Expand • • • • • • • • • • Finance Expand • • • • • Travel Expand • • • • Cars Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Motorcycles Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • Lifestyle Expand • Watches Expand • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Urban Company is a privately traded company headquartered in Gurgram, India. They provide a web and app-based platform for consumers to book services, including housekeeping, fitness training, plumbing, and beauty services. As their business has expanded, so have their locations. They are now international, including Australia. One of the most important reasons that the company is so successful is that they are not afraid of sweat equity. Many platforms take a hands-off approach with their workers, aside from initial background checks and driving records. When Urban Services first started, they took a similar approach. However, as the model evolved and the company grew, they saw a need to consistently train and provide their workers with a platform to succeed and grow. Because all three co-founders are 20 20. Relentless improvement 1. They added employees during the pandemic Employment in India plummeted during the Pandemic. 2. Mental health-focused One of the results of COVID-19 has been skyrocketing mental health issues. Urban Company partnered with iWill, a mental health platform, to provide as many sick leaves as the employee needs. They want to allow an employ...

• In-depth: Is UrbanClap’s rebranding to Urban Company a smart move? Brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. They believe startups tend to change their brand identity more frequently compared to brick and mortar companies. But does it yield any results? BestMediaInfo.com analyses After spending millions of dollars of investors’ funds over the last five years to establish a brand identity, home services startup UrbanClap has renamed itself as Urban Company. The company, which also launched in international markets such as Australia, Singapore and the UAE, says the new umbrella brand captures its ambition to be a horizontal gig marketplace with a global footprint and leadership position across service categories. The company said it wanted a brand name with universal appeal. But brand experts say five years of existence is too short to go for a brand rename unless it changes the services dramatically. Urban Company will host six dedicated sub-brands — beauty, spa, grooming, repairs, cleaning, painting and other services such as fitness and yoga at home, including pest control. These verticals were also under Urban Clap. Kaizad Pardiwalla Kaizad Pardiwalla, Founder and CEO at KPC, Responsive Creativity, said a company gets into the re-branding exercise if it thinks its present reputation isn’t good and it wants to re-brand into a new avatar. Brands also do it to make itself a lot more appeali...