Interviewed by The Success Today – A Digital Webzine.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your business.
I am Madhusudhan B.C., mostly called Madhu, or Bengaluru Huduga. An Entrepreneur, Mentor, Singer, Race Car Driver, and Alumni of IIM-Bangalore & Sikkim Manipal University, India
I have deep domain experience in Product, Supply chain, Finance and Strategy. When I’m not working, you can find me sleeping, dreaming about anything and everything, singing, walking, driving, spending time with my family, or immersed in a book.
About my business, I am dedicated to leveraging technology and human-centered design to simplify advanced care and end-of-life planning. We all deserve an easy way to do this. I’m also passionate about improving end-of-life and ageing experiences by helping people achieve the quality of life they want at these stages of life.
What inspired you to start a career in this field?
They say some battles are to be fought alone. But no one ever knows how tough those battles can turn out to be. The year 2020 tore my world apart, like countless people across the globe. Losing my father to COVID-19 during the lockdown left me helpless. Lockdown restrictions, fear, and the unavailability of resources for me and my family to handle this sudden bereavement just shattered us. The one last thing I could do as a son, which was to bid him a dignified farewell, seemed too impossible. I still remember how I and my wife had to somehow arrange for his last rites amidst all the imposed restrictions. The funeral process was impaired by long queues, endless hours of waiting for cremation, and no information on the documentation process – and all of this left me traumatized. As I looked around, I resonated with the pain of many more like me, waiting to lay their loved ones to rest, regretting that they couldn’t even see them for one last time. With a lot of difficulties, we could get our time to bid my father goodbye. While I tried to bring myself back to my senses, it hit me hard that even today, there is such a wide gap in finding support around mortality. Little did I know that death was knocking at my door too, the very next moment. I tested positive for COVID. My oxygen levels dropping, severe breathing complications, and an increasing lung infection led me to 4 hospitals, 14 specialists, and a doctor’s ultimatum for being alive for only 24-48 hours after a 62-day battle to claim my life! My suffering didn’t stop there. Next, I developed a fungal infection in my nose that worsened my complications. While my family was trying to sort out treatment delays, insurance issues, papers, and formalities, I was becoming acquainted with the idea of my own death. One of the biggest hassles for my family was arranging for funds for my treatment when my cashless insurance claim was rejected unfairly. I cannot describe how I felt at that moment. The continuous stress, while I was fighting for life, made me see so many unseen challenges. I realized how much it impacted my will to live. It was extremely overwhelming. The realisation of how much I was responsible for, both for myself and my family, hit me hard. It was this sudden moment that made me find all the strength I had left in me. I prayed for more time to sort everything out before I left. It was nothing less than miraculous that I survived-so said the doctors too. After coming back home, I was not the same person. I recall how, one day, my vision became blurry, resulting in vision loss and complicating my road to recovery. While I gained my sight back, this entire experience also gifted me with my life’s vision. My purpose was redefined. My sense of being was redefined. I knew why I was still breathing. To relieve anyone who is suffering, to assist the ones who are grieving, to be by their side and allow them to only be in that incomparable pain. I became comfortable with the idea of death and the idea of being prepared for any day-as a matter of fact-so that when it’s time, I have it all sorted for my loved ones. Believ is a channel through which I am bringing my life’s purpose to help anyone who has ever needed it and has struggled to find the right support, resources, and faith. Through all of these experiences, empathy has been my biggest takeaway. I have never been able to resonate with fellow human suffering the way I do today. I intend to streamline things for anyone who is grieving so that all they have to do is be with their loved one’s memories when it’s all that they have. From mental health support to legal advice, I want to spread the right information around mortality so that no one is taken advantage of in times of deep personal crisis. I also want to work with NGOs and both private and government crematoriums to build a relatively hygienic and safe environment for the ground staff and visitors. My sole aim remains to enable the families left behind to make the right decisions and have support through Beleiv to navigate through the complete process and protocols around death.
What services or products do you provide, and how are they beneficial to your customers or clients?
USP-Celebration of Life At Beleiv, we offer professional services and handholds throughout the funeral process. Usually, funeral services are offered to multiple vendors by the customer. We, being an aggregator, take the responsibility of servicing all their needs and act as a funnel for all their requirements.
What have you achieved so far in this industry?
In a short period of five months, we were able to serve more than 500 families and help 3800 customers with calls.
What drives your passion and motivates you to work tirelessly?
Well, a) for my family, b) self-satisfaction as I am doing a noble job and helping a lot of families during their tough times, and c) most of the time, I feel we have less time and more work to do. On a priority basis, I will try to complete as much as possible.
What is your one piece of advice for achieving success in life?
One piece of advice: thank yourself and don’t give up; for everyone else, YOU should be the best, and YOU should know what YOU want to become…That should be your vision, and go fight for it. Believe me when I say that the entire universe will support and assist you in achieving your goal. This is nothing but self-love. All I am trying to say is that you can achieve a lot if you do the right thing. Go for it.
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