The Story of Youngest CEO in the World

Abstract

Suhas Gopinath conceived his enterprise at the age of thirteen years and the youngest entrepreneur in the world. He started a software company Globals registered in California’s Silicon Valley and at present spread over eleven countries. His entrepreneurial journey began in his early teens when he was fascinated with the internet. His initial dilemma was becoming a veterinarian due to love of his dog or to plunge into the world of software. His father could not afford him a computer in the year 2000 while Suhas loved the internet. He noticed that the owner of the cyber café had to shut his shop during the afternoon time from 1 pm to 4 pm, he volunteered to the owner that he would open the shop during this time and thus use internet free of cost and the owner agreed to it; it was the trigger for entrepreneurial spirit. Suhas comes from a non business family and academic excellence was family priority. Due to his passion he failed in ninth standard. He took a temporary break and he passed his 10th standard examinations. And despite being a busy traveler and attending conferences in top companies in Europe and delivering lectures in Ivy League universities like Harvard, he kept his love towards programming alive. He never uses job specifications or job evaluation nor marketing; most of his organizational practices are counter intuitive. However, all his employees are totally engaged. He considers himself as a social entrepreneur. Apart from being the world’s youngest entrepreneur there are attributes that distinguish him and his philosophy from other CEOs or organizations. His love towards animals and the value of Ahimsa, ethics instilled by parents, passion towards less privileged and having no access towards education, promoting dignity and modesty as a value being considered by the organization, are some of the most important dimensions that are studied in the present case study. It may be concluded that the future business organizations to be sustainable, have lessons to learn from Suhas Gopinath.