We recently had the opportunity to interview Thanvi Poonja, Co-owner of Kleo, a hub of innovation and technology shaping customer engagement. Moreover, Thanvi is also the Co-founder of Swish, an AI-powered store redefining the grocery retail landscape.
Thanvi’s career has been driven by a passion for finance and technology, leading to a diverse and innovative professional journey. From managing finances for her family’s business to holding leadership roles in finance and investments at a fintech firm, her expertise has consistently expanded. With Kleo and Swish, Thanvi is committed to revolutionizing the retail landscape, leveraging innovation to transform the shopping experience.
The Beginning
We started the interview by asking, “Can you walk us through your professional journey and how it led to where you are today?”
Thanvi Poonja shared, “I started out managing finances at my family’s business, where I quickly saw the impact that innovation can make. After finishing my master’s degree in finance at Warwick Business School, I gained more experience at a family office and took on a role as Head of Finance & Investments at a fintech company. That’s where I got to blend my finance expertise with tech.
Co-founding Kleo allowed me to put all that knowledge to good use, and now that Kleo’s up and running, my focus has shifted to Swish. We’re gearing up to launch an AI-powered grocery store in 2025, and I’m excited to drive innovation and growth through technology.”
Adaptability Amidst Challenges
Challenges are a part of every business journey. So, we asked, “Reflecting on your career, what have been some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome them?”
Speaking of the challenges with both her companies, she shared, “Starting Kleo was a big challenge. Entering the tech space, developing self-ordering systems, and landing our first big customers wasn’t easy. Sometimes, it felt like we weren’t making progress fast enough. Having a great co-founder like Joe Robson made all the difference. We balanced each other out, stayed patient, refined the product, and kept pushing until we made it work.
With Swish, the challenge has been creating something new from scratch. Building an AI-powered grocery store with no set blueprint has been tough, especially without a team in place. I’ve had to rely on my own experience and reach out to the right people when necessary. It’s a learning curve, but staying focused on the vision keeps me moving forward.”
Striking A Perfect Balance
We further asked, “How do you balance long-term vision with short-term operational needs?”
Thanvi Poonja replied, “Balancing long-term vision with short-term needs is always a juggling act. With Kleo, the long-term goal has been clear from the start, but there are always day-to-day challenges that need immediate attention. I try to break it down: stay focused on the bigger picture while dealing with the operational stuff as it comes. Having a strong team helps too. They handle a lot of the day-to-day, which frees me up to think more strategically.
When it comes to Swish, it’s all about pacing. We have a strong long-term vision that is ambitious but realistic. It sometimes seems we’re taking baby steps, but we need to get it right from the start.”
Current Offerings At Kleo
We were curious to learn more about the services offered by Thanvi Poonja’s company. So, we asked, “Tell us more about your services and if you are planning to add something new in the future.”
Thanvi Poonja shared, “Kleo offers self-ordering hardware and software that help businesses streamline their customer service. Whether it’s self-ordering kiosks or integrated payment systems, our goal is to make things easier and faster for both businesses and their customers. We focus on creating solutions that are easy to integrate, so companies can adopt new tech without any hassle or downtime.
As we look to the future, our focus remains on innovation and improvement. We’re investing in cutting-edge technologies like AI to enhance customer insights and personalize experiences for businesses. Our mission remains steadfast: to push the boundaries of what’s possible while keeping technology simple, effective, and client-centric.”
Navigating Market Shifts
Eager to understand how Thanvi ensures her business stays ahead of the curve with strategic market analysis, we inquired, “What methods do you use to analyze market trends, and how have these influenced your business decisions?”
Thanvi Poonja responded, “I tend to approach market analysis from a few angles. First, I rely heavily on data – whether it’s industry reports, customer feedback, or performance analytics from our systems, staying on top of the numbers is key. Understanding what’s happening in the market helps me spot patterns or shifts early on. We have built systems that can assist us with customer trends and allow us to easily analyze data.
I also keep a close eye on competitors and what’s working for them, but without getting too distracted by it. It’s important to learn from what others are doing, but I try to stay focused on our vision and what makes Kleo unique. Conversations with clients also play a big part in shaping our direction. Their feedback often reveals trends before they hit the mainstream. All this combined has influenced a lot of our key decisions. It’s about being adaptable, but also staying grounded in what we’re good at.”
Embracing Digital Transformation
The rapidly evolving digital landscape is transforming every industry. To learn Thanvi’s perspective on this, we asked, “How has digital transformation affected your business model?”
Thanvi Poonja added, “From day one, our focus has been on using technology to make life easier for businesses and their customers, so the shift towards digital solutions fits right into what we do. As more companies move towards automation and self-service, the demand for our products has skyrocketed. It’s been exciting to see how things like cloud-based services and real-time updates have allowed us to scale faster and offer even more seamless solutions to our clients.
But it’s not just about the tech we provide – digital transformation has changed how we run things internally too. We use digital tools to collaborate better as a team, and data has become a bigger part of how we make decisions. It’s kept us agile and ready to adapt as the market evolves. Ultimately, it’s pushed us to keep innovating and stay ahead of the curve.”
Potential Trends Of The Industry
Addressing the emerging trends of the industry, we asked, “What emerging technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on your industry in the next five years?”
Thanvi Poonja replied, “I believe AI and machine learning will have a huge impact on our industry in the next five years. We’re already seeing how AI enhances customer experiences through personalization, predictive analytics, and automation. For Kleo, adding AI to our self-ordering systems will make them smarter and more intuitive, helping businesses adapt to real-time customer behavior. IoT also holds great promise.
Devices communicating with each other could help hospitality and retail industries significantly. Imagine kiosks that not only take orders but also adjust supply chains automatically based on stock levels or customer preferences. Payment technology is advancing rapidly as well as blockchain and digital currencies. We’re staying on top of these trends to ensure we offer the best solutions and stay ahead in the market.”
Empowering Employee
To ensure long-term success, businesses should prioritize employee satisfaction and empowerment. So, we asked Thanvi, “What strategies do you implement to maintain high levels of employee engagement and satisfaction?”
“I focus on open communication, regular recognition, and opportunities for career development. We also promote work-life balance with flexible hours and remote options. Creating a positive work environment and giving employees autonomy is key, along with providing regular feedback. Investing in health and well-being and ensuring competitive compensation also plays a big role in this aspect.” She added.
Building A Strong Legacy
We ended the interview by asking, “How do you want your business to be remembered, and what steps are you taking to secure that legacy?”
“I want my business to be remembered for innovation and integrity. We’re driving this by staying at the forefront of technology, focusing on customer needs, maintaining high ethical standards, ensuring quality, and making a positive impact.” Thanvi concluded.
Follow Thanvi Poonja on LinkedIn.
Find Kleo on LinkedIn and visit their website https://www.kleocloud.com
Find Swish on LinkedIn and visit their website https://www.swishretail.com/
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