Sri Narayanan of Kodely on Cultivating Curious Kids

Kodely’s on a mission to cultivate curious kids with a growth mindset and set them up for success in the years before high school by boosting the skills that all 21st-century kids need. To deliver at scale, Kodely’s technology platform makes it easy for individuals to launch technology literacy workshops out of their own homes and allows them to launch a flexible and sustainable career.

Q: What made you take the leap to start your own business?

‍Kids growing up today will inherit challenges greater than any generation before them, demanding new approaches to preparing them. Through my initial user interviews with parents, families, educators, and learners, I saw frustration around finding a way for children to learn tech literacy skills while also picking up real-world skills such as a growth mindset, complex problem solving, and grit.

Q: What’s one thing you learned from working with learners at Kodely?

‍Kids are curious sponges, and they will find their path if they know how to explore and be curious. It’s not about regurgitating facts or memorizing coding syntax. Kids need to learn more profound lessons by doing project-based work and learn to develop a rich portfolio of creative project-based work.

Q: Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Yes, I started running coding boot camps for elementary school students in my neighborhood when I was 10. The challenge and excitement of creating something that drives impact excites me!

Q: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were first starting your business?

I felt uncertain when I didn’t have the answers for everything that was to come or felt like I wasn’t doing enough. I realize now that no one has the answers, and we’re all figuring it out. There’s not just one way to do it - there are many, and it’s so important to be patient and take your time with what you’re working on.

Q: What are your top 3 tips to stay productive each day?

1. Creating themes for my days - As a startup founder, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by many to-dos ranging from outreach to partnerships to R&D. Creating a theme for my days has helped me stay in the same headspace for an entire day. For example, Tuesdays are my R&D days which require a lot of creativity, time, and brainstorming. With that being said, there are some things on my to-do list which are “non-negotiables,” meaning I have to dedicate time in my day to complete them.
2. Laser Focus Time - Whether that’s 60 minutes or 90 minutes, I start my workday focusing on the most critical task or goal. I don’t check emails or concentrate on anything else but this one task. Setting a timer helps, and allocating a chunk of time in your calendar to get it done enables you to visualize the goal.
3. Rest Your Brain- You can dedicate 30 minutes or even an hour for yourself. Between eating, work, and sleeping, there’s definitely time to go for a walk, read a book, do a yoga flow, or catch up on your favorite show. Please don’t feel guilty for taking a break; it truly helps.