Startup Guide Issue 18 | Page 18

AZI MA DHANJ EE FOUNDER OF CONNECTHEAR Conne c t Hea r i s a s oc i a l s t a r t - up l ed by a s pi r i ng y out h wor k i ng f or s i gn l a ngua ge a c c es s i bi l i t y a nd dea f i nc l us i on i n Pa k i s t a n. W hat ar e you doi ng t o keep your oper at i ons up and r unni ng dur i ng t hes e t i mes ? We ha v e a v i de o i nt e r pr e t a t i on s e r v i c e t ha t de a f pe opl e c a n us e whe n t he y ne e d i nt e r pr e t a t i on s e r v i c e s t o c ommuni c a t e . The i nt e r pr e t e r s c a n e a s i l y wor k f r om t he i r home s , s o t ha t s e r v i c e i s s t i l l g oi ng on. We a r e a l s o pr oduc i ng our own v i de os a nd i nt e r pr e t i ng t he m - we ’ v e be e n a l l of t ha t f r om home , s o i t ’ s s t i l l ong oi ng . Whi l e s ome of our wor k r e qui r e s us t o g o out , we ’ r e ma na g i ng wha t we c a n f r om our home s , c oor di na t i ng wi t h e a c h ot he r a nd c ov e r i ng ma j or t hi ng s . We a l s o ha v e a n onl i ne c ur r i c ul um a nd we ’ r e a t t r a c t i ng mor e a nd mor e pe opl e t o l e a r n s i g n l a ng ua g e a nd us e t he t i me t ha t t he y ha v e mor e pr oduc t i v e l y . Dur i ng t hi s t i me , we ’ v e ha d t he oppor t uni t y t o ma r k e t t he onl i ne s i g n l a ng ua g e c our s e be t t e r a nd a t t r a c t mor e pe opl e . W hi ch t ool s ar e you us i ng t o s t ay pr oduct i ve and f or keepi ng i n t ouch wi t h your t eam? How has t he cur r ent COVI D s i t uat i on af f ect ed your bus i nes s ? We ha v e ma j or pr oj e c t s f or t hi s y e a r t ha t ha v e now be e n de l a y e d due t o t he c or ona v i r us t hr e a t . We do i n- pe r s on s i g n l a ng ua g e c l a s s e s a t a ph y s i c a l l oc a t i on, whi c h ha v e be e n de l a y e d. Whi l e we ha v e onl i ne modul e s f or t he s a me c l a s s e s , t he pa r t i c i pa nt s r e que s t i n- pe r s on c l a s s e s s o t hos e ha d t o be de l a y e d. As a t e a m we ’ v e ha d t o t a k e c a r e of a l ot of de t a i l s a nd de l a y t hi ng s t ha t we we r e r e a l l y e xc i t e d a bout . I n s pi t e of a l l t hi s , howe v e r , we ’ r e s t i l l a bl e t o pr oduc e a l ot of s i g n l a ng ua g e v i de os a nd do a l ot of ot he r out r e a c h r e l a t e d wor k , f or e xa mpl e doi ng s i g n l a ng ua g e i nt e r pr e t a t i on of t he Pr i me Mi ni s t e r or Chi e f Mi ni s t e r ’ s s pe e c he s . We ’ r e pr oduc i ng t he s e i nt e r pr e t e d v i de os a t a t i me whe n t he r e i s no ot he r s i mi l a r i nt e r pr e t a t i on wor k be i ng done f or out r e a c h. We ’ r e g l a d t ha t we ha v e a s t r ong ne t wor k a v a i l a bl e on our s oc i a l me di a pa g e s , whi c h e na bl e s us t o do t hi s out r e a c h t o t he de a f pe opl e , whi c h ha s s hown us t ha t w e ’ r e c onne c t e d t o t he m c ons i s t e nt l y a nd ma k i ng a muc h- ne e de d i mpa c t a t a c r uc i a l t i me l i k e t hi s . We c oor di na t e a l ot on Wha t s a pp , whi c h we di d be f or e a s we l l . As we ha v e t o k e e p t r a c k of t he t a s k s a nd KPI s t ha t e a c h of us ha s , we ’ r e us i ng T r e l l o f or t ha t . We ’ r e us i ng Zoom f or g r oup me e t i ng s onc e a we e k . W hat ar e you doi ng t o s t ay pos i t i ve? P e r s ona l l y , I ’ m a bl e t o s t a y pos i t i v e b y t a l k i ng t o my t e a m. Whe n c ommuni c a t i on i s t he r e , i t i s e a s i e r t o s t a y pos i t i v e . Whe n we ’ r e s t a y i ng i n t ouc h, i t i s a l s o e a s i e r t o be mor e c r e a t i v e a nd br a i ns t or m g r e a t i de a s . We be l i e v e t ha t t he wor k mus t g o on a nd t he r e a r e s ome t hi ng s we c a n do i n a be t t e r wa y . T hi s cr i s i s has s hown us t hat t he wor l d wi l l be di f f er ent once we move pas t t hi s s i t uat i on. How wi l l you pi vot and what woul d you do di f f er ent l y i n a pos t - Cor ona wor l d? We be l i e v e t ha t t he wor l d woul d be a di f f e r e nt pl a c e a f t e r t hi s c r i s i s i s ov e r . I be l i e v e t ha t a f t e r t he c r i s i s i s ov e r , i t wi l l t a k e a whi l e f or bus i ne s s e s t o s e t t l e i n a nd unde r s t a nd how t o do c e r t a i n t hi ng s a nd g e t i nt o a f l ow. I t hi nk t ha t we ’ l l ha v e t o r e a r r a ng e s ome of our pr i or i t i e s a nd onc e we g e t ba c k i nt o t he f l ow, we wi l l c ont i n ue wi t h t he pr oj e c t s t ha t ha v e now ha l t e d a nd we wi l l be doi ng c ol l a bor a t i ons f or t ha t pur pos e .