A person walked up to me a few years ago at a SaaSBoomi Social in Hyderabad and introduced himself. “Hi, I am Raghu,” he said. I looked at him, smiled, nodded, and asked if he was having a good time as I was ready to move on. Raghu, however, prompted me patiently. “I don’t think you recognise me. I am Raghu from Intentwise,” he said. At that moment, I mentally sifted through the thousands of events I had attended, picking out memories and trying to identify this person. He smiled as he saw the gears turn, offering another clue: “I am part of the online team?” And that’s when the light went on.
Raghu has been with SaaSBoomi for the better part of three years. He has been consistent and integral to building the online community. During the SaaSBoomi Annual, he transforms into the lead for communication and marketing. The fact that Raghu has held on to this role for all these years is unique. Most volunteers own a function once and then move on to other activities. Founders are a restless bunch. They’re always looking for new ways to challenge themselves. If they feel they’ve mastered a task, they’ll seek new ways to contribute to the community.
There’s a deeper trend to the SaaSBoomi Annual. We always expect a few dormant volunteers to stir to action as the big day approaches. Those who find it difficult to spare time from their lives otherwise tend to keep aside bandwidth for this event. It allows people to not just network but also learn from the best. It’s a unique time in the SaaSBoomi calendar. But, like I said before, founders prefer to take on different roles to work with different people. Not Raghu. And there’s a good reason why.
Raghu isn’t like all the others. He is consistent, focused and obsessed with the details. I understand that founders are detail-oriented, but Raghu isn’t cut from the same cloth as anyone else. Interacting with Raghu before, during and after an event is like meeting three people. He contains multitudes.
Let’s break down the three Raghus.
Pre-event Raghu
This is how we were truly introduced to Raghu. When he was to take over marketing and communication for the Annual, he sat the team down and had a thorough but honest conversation. He asked them exactly what went wrong and what went right in the previous edition. No detail was too small or insignificant; Raghu would listen to every idea. He took meticulous notes and created charts. Raghu then planned the entire event, including backup plans for backup plans. Raghu doesn’t like leaving too much to chance; he likes to prepare. Often, I’ve realised founders impose these standards on others as well. Curating SaaSBoomi events is as much about collaboration as it is about networking. Raghu instinctively knew that others could not match his levels of intensity. So, he doesn’t expect others to bring the kind of obsession he does. Last year, on an Annual call, other volunteers made a few jokes; Raghu smiled and nodded but didn’t indulge. He waited for people to be done with their small talk before he launched into sober event responsibilities.
Event day Raghu
You’ve read a little about Raghu now. How would you imagine him during the event? Stressed? Focussed? Alert? He’s none of that. There’s a popular Hindi proverb, “Neki kar, dariya mein daal.” (Do good deeds and dump them in the ocean). That’s as close to Raghu’s philosophy as possible. Once the event is in motion, Raghu relaxes. For one, he knows that when the event is in motion, you must react, not act. So, when there is no need to respond, you can relax. At the time of the event, people genuinely appreciated Raghu. His jokes are observational; he will enthral his colleagues with stories, and you cannot keep him away from cold drinks and warm food. Raghu doesn’t switch off; he just relaxes.
Post-event Raghu
Once the event is over, Raghu slips into gratitude mode. Every person who pitched in will get tagged, acknowledged and appreciated. He remembers every moment, and even if you feel he is busy with other pressing tasks, he knows what you did during the event. And then he steps back and lets others take the spotlight and soak in the adulation.
Lately, I have come to know of a fourth Raghu. I’ve met him when he lets his guard down: one who is kind, quiet, and considerate, resolves conflicts and empowers others. He leads by example but is also empathetic and realises that others have weaknesses just like he does.
I want others to meet this fourth Raghu. This fourth Raghu is the kind of silent champion that gets overlooked. But not here. You’re always our champ, Raghu.
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.
