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'Hate is public. Love is private,' says Byju Raveendran in letter to employees

'Hate is public. Love is private,' says Byju Raveendran in letter to employees

In the email to the employees, the founder and CEO of the edtech unicorn company said he is aware of the spotlight on the company but is undaunted by it.

Bhavya Kaushal
Bhavya Kaushal
  • Updated Dec 30, 2022 6:45 PM IST
'Hate is public. Love is private,' says Byju Raveendran in letter to employeesByju Raveendran also called 2022 a “defining year” for them and said that the challenges they faced this year have equipped them to “weather every future storm and thrive for decades to come.”

“Hate is public. Love is private,” said Byju Raveendran in an emotional note to his employees. He said that this year they received significant criticism but it is the love from their students which has kept them going. 
 
2022 has been a difficult year for edtech start-up BYJU’S. From delayed results, widening losses to the recent allegations imposed by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the most valued start-up in India found itself in the middle of several controversies this year. However, the founder looked back at the year and shared his thoughts on the year that is almost over. 

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The email which has been accessed by Business Today, starts with Byju saying, “For BYJU’S, the world’s leading learning company, we had our share of learnings and growing too. This was the year of introspection and action. But despite the challenges we faced, we persevered. We leaned on each other, on our history of excellence, and on our innate resilience to carry us through.”

He also called 2022 a “defining year” for them and said that the challenges they faced this year have equipped them to “weather every future storm and thrive for decades to come.”
 
He also listed out six lessons he learned this year to the BYJU’S employees. They are:
 
"Taking calculated action even in the face of adversity can become a major advantage"
 
“As the year progressed, it became clear that this was going to be a year of global turmoil. Conventional wisdom suggested that we should pause and wait for the market conditions to improve. But we did not just ‘soft launch’ our hybrid model in 2022,” he said. He also wrote that they are equipped to serve students both online and offline through their app and the Byju Teaching Centers (BTC).
 
"Sustainable Growth >> Exponential Growth"

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Byju said that this year he had to make the most painful decision of his life- of letting go of employees. “The prevailing macroeconomic conditions and the integration of our acquired companies made this inevitable. We have also shifted our sales model towards inside sales, which is a result of BYJU’S strong brand visibility and deep customer trust,” he said while talking about the layoffs. 

In October this year, the edtech company announced it is laying off 2,500 employees from its total workforce.

"You have to focus the most when it’s tough to focus at all"


Byju urged his employees to keep persevering amid the difficult times. “The only way to get through the biggest of challenges is by facing them, fighting them, and finishing them,” he wrote in the email. He also said that they are working hard to achieve profitability at the group level in the coming year itself.
 
"With great expectations comes great responsibility"
 
Byju highlighted that currently they have 20,000 teachers on their payroll and are planning to hire 10,000 more in 2023. They have 50,000 employees in all. He said that no other start-up has been able to create opportunities at this scale. He also wrote that he is aware of the responsibility on their shoulders, saying: “BYJU’S is about pushing boundaries, defying odds, and changing the world. We are aware that the eyes of the world are upon us. We know that our decisions and actions have far-reaching consequences.”
 
"Hate is public. Love is private. Love >> Hate"
 

In this section, Byju highlighted the spotlight that has been there on the start-up for sometime now and he is aware of the negative headlines written on them. “We have always been open to informed criticism, and we have never shied away from sharing our facts and figures. But criticism is one thing, and cynicism is quite another. However, we are undaunted by this negativity because we know the truth," he underscored. 
 
"It all works out in the end if you don’t take no for an answer"
 
And lastly, Byju noted that with Messi as the brand ambassador of the company, they are confident about doubling their presence in the next two years. 
 
“Speaking of Messi, it all did work out well in the end for him, didn’t it? A little bit of faith at every step, and a lifetime of learning - this is the not-so-secret formula for his success. There is a lot for us to learn from him and we are privileged to be able to,” he concluded.
 
 

Published on: Dec 30, 2022 6:21 PM IST
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