Hyderabad: Only a little over 30 and he has traversed the globe with a backpack. Praveen Paul can easily be called the master of all trades. He started his career as an IT professional and moved to online media, events and gaming. He runs a Kochi-based creative and event agency called Zero484 Infomedia pvt. ltd. and the website kochivibe.com which showcases the vibrant life of the youth in Kerala. And that’s not all.
Alongwith consulting for a few gaming companies across the globe, this Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has a seafood wholesale and import business and recently started The Fort Kochi Connection, a restaurant which serves cuisines embodying the amalgamation of cultures from Fort Kochi. He has also started another one called The Grill & Curry bowl. We speak to Praveen on his various travel experiences and how he adapts to changing roles from sea-food businessman to an online gaming consultant.
“After I completed my engineering from Bengaluru, I went for my masters and honours in engineering to New Zealand. I’m a true blue Indian and believe that India is the land of opportunities for entrepreneurs. I started kochivibe, that talks to the youth, with lots of open discussions, views on news, events and in a couple of years, we grew to be the biggest online lifestyle channel in Kerala. We also have a creative agency that works for star hotels,” shares Praveen.
He’s forgotten the number of cities he has visited as he admits, “I’m a backpacker at heart. I’ve travelled a lot. I’ve seen the whole of Asia, from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and other places besides China. I took a year break to spend time in Australia from the northmost tip to the southern most tip. I spent a lot of my time in Melbourne and helped a New Zealand company set up in Australia. Next on my list is Russia and I plan to take the Trans Siberian route. Every travel is interesting and one learns so much. Even spending time in Kochi is in itself an experience; it’s a city that has a lot of character. I never take photographs when I’m travelling. I like to travel alone, so I can make new friends.”
So how did he venture into restaurants, we ask and Praveen shares, “My dad’s been in the wholesale sea-food business for 45 years. I joined him and established channels, even adding imports since it’s not an organised industry. There’s a growing demand for imported sea-food that I brought in.” Getting into restaurants this year came naturally as it’s an extension of what he was already doing. Although he’s a self-confessed foodie, Praveen says, “Being a foodie isn’t education enough to run a restaurant. Being in the sea-food industry, I wanted to showcase the best.”
