Jun 2025 – Dec 2025 · 6 mos

• 🚀 Building India’s first premium matchmaking platform for CXO hiring.
• At Cxohiring.com, we’re not a job board—we’re a leadership discovery engine.
• Our platform helps founders, CHROs, and investors find board-ready CXO candidates through a curated listing and matchmaking experience, powered by AI + human alignment.
• Key Highlights:
• Invite-only CXO listing platform (built like Shaadi.com for leadership roles)
• Backed by 6 proprietary tools including RoleGo™, FitMap™, PlaybookPro™, Ramp90™, Dropout Assistant, and StayIQ
• Trusted by 700+ companies through our parent brand Recex
• Serving CXO hiring mandates in sectors like BFSI, FMCG, Real Estate, Pharma, D2C, and Tech
• Currently in waitlist mode. DM me or visit www.cxohiring.com to explore.

Feb 2025 – Dec 2025 · 10 mos · Remote

• ✨ Supporting the growth of Mythomagic.in — a creative venture under Nestling Dreams (founded by Priyanka Agarwal), reimagining Indian mythology for children and adults through stories, comics, and cultural learning tools.
• As a weekend contributor and strategic advisor, I help shape the product roadmap, brand storytelling, and content innovation—with a mission to instill timeless Indian values in young minds and reveal the logic behind mythology for grown-ups.
• 🔧 Key Contributions
• Strategy & Product Design: Structured offerings across mythological stories, Indian festivals, and merch.
• Content Innovation: Co-created culturally rooted, modern stories tied to the Gita and Indian gods.
• Brand Identity: Helped develop Magic Shlok™—our playful-yet-spiritual mascot.
• Audio Storytelling: Introduced "Dadi/Nani Mode" via voice-note storytelling rooted in tradition.
• Instagram Growth: Built @mythomagicindia's daily reel/story strategy to drive parent engagement.
• 🏆 Milestones
• Launched MVP on a low-code platform for faster go-live
• Created Magic Shlok™ as the brand face for kids
• Distributed Lakshmi-Ganesh bobbleheads to 60+ corporates with great feedback
• Curated Gita-based shlokas (Ch. 12, 15, 4) simplified for children
• 💫 Rooted in my journey—learning the Gita at age 6, now teaching kids via Noble Cause.
• Together with Priyanka, we’re building a legacy brand where mythology becomes meaningful for kids—and logical, relatable, and transformative for adults.

Oct 2024 – Mar 2025 · 5 mos

• Leading BNI Exclusive has been one of the most enriching chapters of my professional journey.
• As President, I’ve had the privilege of steering a vibrant community of handpicked business owners and professionals—fostering not just referrals, but real relationships built on trust, collaboration, and shared growth.
• Key Highlights:
• 1.Introduced initiatives like “Kam Ki Baat” – an exclusive podcast spotlighting our members' expertise
• 2.Anchored high-energy pre-networking sessions to boost engagement
• 3.Strengthened internal systems to improve referral quality and business conversions
• 4.Built deeper synergy with fellow Leadership Team members and powered consistent member success stories
• Being part of this powerful ecosystem has only reinforced my belief: the right network can change everything.
• Grateful to my chapter and looking forward to building an even stronger BNI culture in the months to come!

Aug 2023 – Present · 2 yrs 7 mos · Kolkata, West Bengal, India · On-site

• At Recex (short for Recruitment Exchange), we're on a mission to bridge the gap between companies and talent—right at the pin-code level.
• Our vision is simple yet powerful:
• Help people find meaningful jobs closer to their hometowns, so they stay connected to their roots, while enabling businesses in urban and semi-urban areas to hire smarter, faster, and more locally.
• We're building India's first 3-Way Recruitment Exchange powered by AI tools and a nationwide Franchise Partner Network—a model that enhances recruiter efficiency, improves job-seeker experience, and brings high-quality hiring to companies of all sizes.
• 💡 How Recex Works:
• 🔹 For Recruiters:
• An AI-powered matching engine + franchise support = faster sourcing, reduced time-to-hire, and a larger, verified talent pool.
• 🔹 For Companies:
• We amplify your employer brand and reduce hiring costs by tapping into our trusted network and hyper-local sourcing strategies.
• 🔹 For Job Seekers:
• Personalized job discovery, real-time support, and opportunities that bring them closer to home.
• 🚀 Our Vertical Offerings:
• 1.Virtual Job Fairs ("Ghar Wapsi") – Bringing talent back to their hometowns
• 2.Cxohiring.com – Leadership & CXO hiring solutions
• 3.HR Franchises – Empowering individuals to launch their own HR business from home
• Together, these initiatives form a Talent Ecosystem built to solve India's hiring challenges—from first employees to CXOs to co-founders.

Jan 2021 – Dec 2025 · 4 yrs 11 mos · Remote

• Indrepreneur (INDian EntREPRENEUR) is my personal mission to help everyday people—across India and abroad—build real careers in HR, either as jobseekers or as independent recruitment entrepreneurs.
• 🚀 Highlights:
• Trained 560+ Indrepreneurs across India’s pin codes to start their own HR businesses with support from Recex
• Coached 45+ global jobseekers (from UAE, Canada, etc.) in resume writing, job outreach, and LinkedIn mastery
• Conducted 1-on-1 & group trainings in English and Hindi
• Created a structured framework with decks, sourcing templates, and revenue models
• 🔧 What We Offer:
• 1.Start Your HR Business (From Home):
• >No franchise fees(upgradation to Paid model only on merit)
• >Proven client acquisition & profitability model
• >Real-life case studies + templates
• 2.Career Coaching for Global Jobseekers:
• >Resume revamp & personal branding
• >LinkedIn optimization
• >Interview prep + cold outreach tactics
• 🔗 Book session or apply: topmate.io/thehrgaurav
• 🛠 Product-Led Support:
• Alongside training, we're building focused tools for professionals
• This isn’t just a platform.
• It’s a revolution to turn jobseekers into earners and dreamers into founders—no matter where they live.

Sep 2020 – Dec 2025 · 5 yrs 3 mos · Kolkata, West Bengal, India · Remote

• A founder-first community, powered by Recex, built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs.
• As an Entrepreneur-in-Residence with a decade-long journey across successes and setbacks, I’ve learned that every business—whether it soars or stumbles—teaches you something powerful.
• Over the years, I’ve connected with 30,000+ users, including 890+ corporates, 2.5L+ job seekers annually, and 40+ partners across the Recex ecosystem. From that vantage point, we built Cofounders Planet to solve the 3 major bottlenecks that every founder faces:
• 🧩 What We Solve:
• 1️⃣ Team Building – From EIRs to CXO hiring, cofounders on sweat equity, and CEO office setups
• 2️⃣ Access to Quality Services – We act as the Go-To Distribution Channel for service providers targeting startups
• 3️⃣ Exit Consulting – Covering Acqui-hiring, M&A advisory, and business matchmaking
• 🎯 Key Milestones & Journey Highlights:
• 2020: Launched Founder Q&A Series featuring Prafull Billore, Mahavir Sharma
• 2021: Incubated at IIM Kashipur, selected in DST’s Top 30 Startups
• 2021: Rolled out Version 1 of CofoundersPlanet.com, pre-money valuation: ₹3.2 Cr
• 2022: Represented at TIEcon Mumbai & TGS Hyderabad
• 2023: Grew community to 8,000+ early-stage founders (65% India, 35% international)
• 2024–25: Relaunched with sharper focus on:
• Buy/Sell of Startups
• Sweat Equity Partnerships
• AI-powered Co-founder Matching & Services Bot
• Strategic Collaborations with Recex (HR & Recruitment arm)
• 🎥 Shared failures openly too – Watch: What My Failed Startups Taught Me
• 🔑 My personal takeaways:
• Whether it was SMVA Travels, Winance, Bechomobile, or Cone Pizza franchising, every venture added depth to my understanding of what makes a founder succeed—and where they fall short.
• Through Cofounders Planet, I want to ensure no founder feels alone or undirected.

Jun 2020 – Dec 2025 · 5 yrs 6 mos · India · Remote

• As an active member of the TiE Network, I continue to learn and grow through powerful interactions with entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders across Silicon Valley, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata.
• Through events like TiEcon and focused community meetups, I:
• 1.Actively led TIE HR Summit
• 2.Receive valuable investor feedback on our companies
• 3.Share recruitment insights with global startups and scale-ups exploring talent in India
• Looking forward to deeper collaborations—to learn, connect, and provide real value to the global TiE community through dedicated hiring solutions and advisory services.

Feb 2013 – Sep 2020 · 7 yrs 7 mos · Kolkata, West Bengal, India · Hybrid

• My journey with SMVA Consultants was more than just building a recruitment firm—it was about building myself.
• It began with a dupe of ₹13,300 by a fake recruiter—and turned into a mission to offer ethical, accessible, and impactful recruitment solutions.
• I am an Entrepreneur.
• ☞ Son of my first mentor (my father)
• ☞ Husband to a superwoman
• ☞ Father to Shlok
• ☞ A proud Bhagavad Gita follower
• 📌 The Journey:
• >2013: Returned to Kolkata after a stint in South Africa with Unilever (via CGBSIL); started SMVA as a free job consultancy.
• >2013–2018:
• 1.Built strong B2B connections with 850+ corporates across 15+ countries
• 2.Served clients in domains ranging from US Mortgage to FMCG, BFSI, IT, and EdTech
• 3.Simultaneously failed fast with experiments like SMVA Travels, Bechomobile, Winance & Class Room Training—but gained invaluable lessons
• >2018–2020:
• 1.Launched our franchise model (40+ units in 11 cities) with a 22% success ratio—well above the 9% industry average
• 2.Helped peers explore entrepreneurship—even partnered on a food startup attempt (House of Cone Pizza)
• 💡 What I learnt:
• From a state board Hindi-medium background to Xavier’s, to CA, to a global job and finally building something of my own—I learnt that every transition comes with struggle, but that struggle builds substance.
• It was during this phase that I realized:
• 1.Recruitment can be systematized and democratized
• 2.Entrepreneurs need more than money—they need the right people beside them
• 3.Failures are often disguised mentors
• This journey eventually laid the foundation for what is today known as Recex – Recruitment Exchange.
• 💬 In weekends, I volunteer my time teaching over 180+ underprivileged children in Maths, English, and Bhagavad Gita.
• Because no matter how far you go—giving back is how we move forward.

Jul 2012 – Jan 2013 · 6 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka

• My first global assignment—and one that left a lasting impression.
• As part of the Management Assurance Services division, I was entrusted with conducting the 1st and 2nd phases of the SOX Audit for Unilever South Africa (ULSA), based in Durban.
• This was my first international exposure and a huge milestone early in my career—as one of the youngest Chartered Accountants to work on a global mandate.
• 🌍 Key Highlights:
• 1.Led Sarbanes Oxley compliance audit processes for ULSA
• 2.Worked closely with managers, department heads, and process owners to understand end-to-end global operations
• 3.Gained deep insights into international business practices, internal controls, and risk frameworks
• 4.Learned the power of clear communication, strong documentation, and professional confidence in multicultural settings
• Beyond the technicals, this role taught me life lessons—about work-life balance, health, career planning, and most importantly, thinking globally while acting locally.
• A transformative stint that set the tone for the entrepreneur I was soon to become.

Jul 2012 – Jan 2013 · 6 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka

• Twice in six months, I had the privilege of flying to Durban, South Africa, to conduct SOX Audits for Unilever.
• For a fresher CA, this was more than a job—it was a life-changing opportunity.
• Working with global giants like Capgemini and Unilever taught me lessons no textbook ever could:
• The importance of real-world exposure across geographies and industries
• The power of learning step by step and implementing with clarity
• How the right mentorship and clear career goals can shape your path
• 💡 This experience laid the foundation for everything I would build later—as a learner, leader, and entrepreneur.