Often, you bump into people you know vaguely, and the obligatory handshake follows. You walk away from them, never giving that person or interaction another thought until you bump into them again. It’s the unfortunate transactional nature of our lives. We focus far too much on immediate benefits rather than long-term relationships.
Unfortunately, when it comes to Vivek Khandelwal, I made the same mistake. However, the reason I am writing this is that I have corrected that error.
I’ve been bumping into Vivek since 2016 at conferences and social gatherings. Our conversations were trivial and superficial. Until it all changed in 2018, Vivek, ever the gentleman, would smile politely most of the time, but he seemed visibly upset.
“Why are all these conferences in Bangalore?” he asked.
I was confused.
“Most of our volunteers and founders are in Bangalore, so it all tends to gravitate around the availability of our community,” I replied.
He wasn’t convinced, but he let it slide. I wasn’t convinced either.
It took us two years to build a community in the Delhi NCR area, and we finally decided to host a conference in the region. I assembled a core group, which included Vivek. We agreed that this conference would focus on growth companies. So, Bangalore would be our centre for enterprise companies, Chennai for SMEs and Delhi could be the centre for growth. We decided to name this property: SGX.
But COVID struck.
We had to host this event virtually. However, SGX has become one of SaaSBoomi’s largest IP assets. We have curated over 40 mentors and wingmates over the past five years who have enabled 30+ startup participants to scale and grow their companies. And Vivek has played a crucial role in that journey.
But Vivek didn’t stop at curating an audience or structuring the content; he rolled up his sleeves and turned mentor. He was part of the SGX mentor for two cohorts.
For most people, their story ends here. I would thank them for their contribution and end this diary entry. But for Vivek, where the work for most ends, it’s his warming-up point.
Vivek has been a generous giver, emotionally, intellectually, and financially. He has never held back, giving as much as he could.
But what attracted me to Vivek was his smile.
That perpetual, warm smile that opens hearts before words are even exchanged. Vivek is the kind of person who’ll walk up to you at events, introduce himself without hesitation, and genuinely want to know what you do: no airs, no pretence, just authentic curiosity. But this is not small talk. Vivek remembers everyone and everything. He’ll ask about your project from six months ago, your challenges and suggest solutions. It’s not just good memory; it’s genuine care.
Not too long ago, I mentioned a new program we were planning on launching—Vertical Velocity. And without my prompting, Vivek started connecting me to people. That’s another quality about Vivek. He sees possibilities where others see conversations.
I remember speaking to a friend of Vivek’s who told me that our volunteer was a class topper in school. It made complete sense because Vivek’s curiosity is very much akin to learning.
There’s something beautiful about people who are never afraid to learn. They understand that wisdom isn’t about knowing everything, but about knowing when you don’t know something. Vivek embodies this philosophy completely. He’s never afraid to ask questions, educate himself and experiment.
Thank you, Vivek. We, at SaaSBoomi, and the SGX community value every minute you pledge to us and our ecosystem.
From the Author:
SaaSBoomi began in 2015 as a small gathering of ~50 founders, and today, with over 500 events across three countries and countless lives touched, we’ve only just scratched the surface.
None of this would have been possible without the unrelenting passion of our 125+ volunteers — the lifeblood of SaaSBoomi.
Their contributions go beyond effort; they’ve built a community bound by camaraderie, empathy, and a shared vision for a Product Nation.
Pay it FWD is my tribute to every pay-it-forward champion I’ve encountered on this incredible journey.
Their contributions to SaaSBoomi and the broader ecosystem have been immeasurable, yet there remains a story left to be told — one that echoes the impact they continue to create.
