HFM always has its ear open for inspirational stories, that’s when a little birdie told us about Chetan Patel, the man who helps people speak and hear! He is the managing director of Softone Speech and Hearing Clinics Pvt Ltd, which has more than 35 health centres throughout Gujarat, and a member of umpteenth charities that helps the deaf and mute, providing speech therapy and hearing aids. Now that’s the man we all should have heard about!
The Prologue
Chetan Patel, an MBA in finance is quite a chilled-out and fun-loving person, who believes in living each moment to its fullest. He got a taste of the real practical world in 10th standard when he started working with his maternal uncle in the diamond industry. Watching that allotrope of carbon be something so strong, beautiful, and lustrous, Chetan too wished to be and create something of his own, by choosing the field and putting his efforts from the scratch!
His father retired, after fulfilling his services to the government, and the obligations of running the family befell on Chetan, who decided to take it with open hands. He began doing certain odd jobs and taking tuition. Things started to take an impressive turn when he was offered a teaching job by an Australian company called Planet Edu, an institution of IELTS. His commendable work then made him the branch manager of the company’s new outlet in Surat.
“Surat was quite intimidating in the start. I remember thinking, there are so many people here, and it's quite a challenge to shine among so many! I also faced issues related to accommodation and amenities, but I couldn’t give up.”
His step into the hearing aid industry was out forward when he got a job offer from an Ahmedabad-based company, whose product representative retired, curbing his job description to give a presentation of the hearing aids to the doctors.
“Well, the salary was not very good, but it was a very good learning experience and exposure!”
And that exposure made him huge enough for you to be reading about him in this magazine.
The Story
It was after 2 years, that the Ahmedabad-based hearing aid company was proved defaulted, and his job, salary, career, everything was on the line! But the doctors with whom he worked and created relations remembered him and suggested something of his own. That gave rise to Softone Speech and Hearing Clinics Pvt Ltd.
“I put up a very small shop, and would go to the doctors personally.”
But things didn’t run very smoothly, for a huge hearing aid company opened itself just next door. That’s when Chetan decided to get a partner, hence he introduced his brother Jalpesh into his business, and worked even harder. Daily either of them would travel to various places like Valsad, Bharuch, Navsari, Amroli, Ankleshwar, etc, to increase their connections and give presentations to the doctors. Gradually things fell into place, and the very same ‘huge hearing aid’ company next door sold his office to Chetan for it couldn’t survive in Surat anymore, the very same city in which Chetan has multiple clinics!
Even during covid, Chetan was confined to a room for a month, and a hearing aid’s battery needed cells, which is deemed to run out after a point. So he sent those cells to his employees in the different areas of the city so that their clients can collect from the nearest place possible.
“I told them not to care about the money. This is the time to serve.”
It was all of this that gave rise to Softone being so huge today.
“My competitors have taught me a lot! And today I don’t sweat watching the competitors enter this market, for I have an upper hand in the market – quality.”
Softone prides itself in its unmatched quality standards, trust of doctors, housing leading hearing healthcare providers, and customer management.
This is not it. Chetan believes in selfless services. He ensures that he is of aid to as many as possible. He has donated around more than 15000 hearing aids. Softone organizes free check-up camps and donates hearing aids to orphans and those who cannot afford them. He has adopted children and offered free-of-cost speech therapy and ensured that they get the best out of it.
Vision
“My visions for this company are to make it earn a 10-figure revenue. Also to either get IPOs or a foreign investor. I also plan to make Softone an MNC soon, the first stop of which would be European markets. And most importantly, to open an audiology institution, ensuring to get them a starting salary of at least 70k.”
What was very interesting to learn about Chetan Patel is his hunger for education. Majority of the above he has achieved without a degree, or in the process of attaining one. He received his Master's degree when he held his firstborn. The family hadn’t seen much of their own country when they started, and now they have been to more than 60 countries! But the reason behind his success wasn’t only his incessant hard work and persistence, but a generous heart. He is always ready to help the one in need.
“My father taught me this, if someone comes to you with an expectation, don’t send them away with an empty hand.”
Well, we went to him expecting a good story, and we sure didn’t come with empty hands.
Message to the readers
“Follow the teacher – situation. It teaches you everything. Life is an adjustment and readjustment. Think that you don’t have an option but to do what you wish to do. Then you’ll surely get success.”
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