Why Serial Entrepreneur Krishna Anand Says the IIM Kozhikode CEO Programme Was Worth His Time
“I failed in class 7,” says Krishna Anand, matter-of-factly. “From that journey to becoming an IIMK alumnus—it’s been quite a ride.” For someone who launched his first company at 16 and built a career on instinct, hustle, and hard knocks, structured learning wasn’t always his natural path.
Today, Krishna is the founder of multiple ventures—from experiential branding to cosmetics to corporate gifting. He leads Bread Butter Jam, a branding firm focused on curating corporate experiences. He also co-owns Mannequin Cosmetics, which has a manufacturing unit in Vapi, and has launched sustainability ventures well before they became a trend. But despite all this, he felt a strong pull toward formal upskilling—a desire he didn’t recognize until much later.
“I started working early. At that time, education wasn’t enticing. The name, the fame, the money came quickly. But later, I began to feel the absence of that structured academic exposure,” he shares. It led him to not one, but two MBAs (in Marketing and Information Technology), and eventually, to the CEO Programme at IIM Kozhikode.
“It Wasn’t About the Badge—It Was About the Learning”
It would have been easy to assume that Krishna chose IIMK purely for the brand equity. But that was only part of the motivation. “Yes, I wanted the alumni status, but also the learning,” he says. “The lectures were great, but what truly stood out was the campus immersion. I’d never experienced a real college campus. Sitting in a classroom, interacting with professors—it was surreal.”
For someone who considers himself a people-first leader, Krishna made the most of this opportunity. “I built a relationship with every professor. Dr. Deepa, who led the executive programme, became a mentor figure. Even now, I reach out to her.”
The experience also unlocked new access and visibility. Krishna was later invited to lecture for the next cohort—a role reversal he deeply values. “You can be an IIMK alumnus, but not everyone gets to be a guest lecturer there. That means they saw something in me.”
Building Businesses, Building Character
Krishna’s entrepreneurial streak started with a firm called Adalogy Advertising. “Our first client was Regis. I was 16, and the client didn’t even know my age—I looked older and talked like I’d been in the business for years.” The project—branding a 20-storey building in Thane—became an initiation-by-fire. With deadlines looming and workers missing, Krishna and his team even attempted to apply one-way vinyl films themselves from 20 floors up.
“It was a terrible job,” he laughs now, “but it taught me resilience.” The business didn’t last, but the learnings did. Over the years, he would go on to launch multiple startups—some successful, others instructive. “You must fail—once, twice, as many times as needed. That failure teaches you what no textbook can.”
Today, Krishna takes pride in not just running businesses, but scaling them. “The difference between having a business and building a successful one—that’s something you learn only through experience,” he says.
The IIMK Edge: Subtle Shifts, Lasting Impact
At first, Krishna thought he already knew most of what the course would cover. “In the first 10 minutes, I’d be like, ‘I already know this.’ But then I’d dig deeper. I’d write down notes. Eventually, I started applying not just some—but most—of what I was learning.”
What changed wasn’t his thinking, but his approach. “You’ve lived with your thinking for years. That doesn’t change in 12 months. But your approach can. And that’s what the programme changed for me.”
He offers an example. “Dr. Deepa once pointed out how crossing your legs during meetings can block energy. I used to sit that way without thinking. But I changed that. Now I sit with open hands and posture—it’s brought my team closer to me. They find me more approachable.”
Relationships: The Real ROI
Krishna is clear about what he values most: people. “The biggest asset isn’t money or property—it’s relationships. And IIMK gave me 60 more of those.” The first cohort (Batch 1) even created a startup fund together, within just three days of the immersion. “I helped sell the idea to the batch, and now we have 30 investors. That kind of collaboration doesn’t happen without trust.”
His admiration for the faculty, particularly Professor Debashis Chatterjee, runs deep. “He’s the epitome of knowledge. After class, he invited five of us to lunch at his office—he spent two hours with us. That’s humility. That’s mentorship.”
Always Learning, Always Looking Ahead
Even after completing IIMK’s CEO Programme, Krishna is hungry for more. “I was just telling my colleague—find me another programme. I’m curious about architecture, interior design, and even AI. I don’t need a reason to learn.”
To those wondering if such programmes are worth the investment, his advice is simple: “If you’re on the fence, just do it. You’ll find it expensive only when you’re thinking about it. Once you start, the learning makes it worth every rupee.”
For Krishna, upskilling isn’t about credentials—it’s about evolution. “Upskilling won’t make you go from 0 to 100 overnight. But if it takes you from 50 to 70, that’s growth. That’s the real ROI.”
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