Allwin Agnel “The mind behind PaGaLGuY.com”
“All the best things in my life have happened due to PG. I can’t even start to state what it means, sometimes all I can be is thankful that it happened” -Allwin Agnel
You must have heard about those who move to commerce sector from technical. But you rarely heard about someone who came up with technical ventures after commerce education.
Allwin Agnel at age of 21, he co-founded a web hosting website ‘Neutral Web’ as his first job. At that time he was commerce student at Mumbai University. Neutral Web has clients based in over 18 countries. And this started from a credit-card loan and Allwin’s apartment. This was just only a start of an era.
In year 2002, his disappointment with B-schools brochures gave him an idea of a MBA network website. A website on which MBA aspirants can discuss B-schools admission related stuff. This gave birth to an epic website ‘PaGaLGuY.com’.
Now we know Allwin as @pagalguy… a crazy entrepreneur who changed the perspective of many MBA aspirants. He believes in ‘perfection has no limits’, he is dreaming with wide open eyes. On asking ‘where do you see Pagalguy.com 5 or 10 years down the line?’ on interview thread at PG. He replied “Changing the way the world learns, accumulates knowledge and interacts.”
He was also identified by CNBC as a ‘Young Turk’. Allwin completed MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. You can read about his experience at Wharton on thread ‘Life at The Wharton School, Univ of Pennsylvania – The PaGaL reports’.
Glimpses from his interview on ‘The Interview Thread – Thepla with PP’:
What is that one thing that you learnt in life and would like to share that with all of us?
I’ve learnt that you need to believe in the beauty of your own dreams. They do come true, just take some more time than expected at times, but if you are at it, the universe conspires to make it happen.
Is there anything you would like to improve professionally about yourself? If yes, what is it?
Tons. I work on them everyday. Most of it is about building for the future. Not any one specific item though. I wish I could be a better mentor though. I don’t seem to have too much patience for people nowadays.
One failure that taught you alot…
Failures teach a lot. Success is a stupid teacher. I have failed often, but then I’ve learnt stuff and improved upon em .. so I don’t really even remember those failures.
Your take on MBA?
Educate yourself, don’t hope the degree is going to do it for you.
Your message to young entrepreneurs….
Don’t listen to too many people. No one knows what they are talking about. Including me.
PS: Allwin is also a pilot. 7th December is his Birthday. HappY BirthdaY @pagalguy ?