Parsh Kothari - Degrees Don’t Make You Job-Ready, That’s Why We Built Think School to Fix India’s Skill Crisis (Co-founder & CEO - Think School)

"We built Think School to bring real-world skills to the forefront of Indian education—because storytelling and strategy matter more than memorization."

Q. What made you realize the Indian education system needed disruption, and how did that shape Think School’s approach?

India produces millions of graduates every year, but very few are truly job-ready. The system focuses heavily on theory while neglecting real-world application. Most students memorize concepts but rarely learn how to think critically or solve problems. That gap was impossible to ignore. Think School was built to bridge it by focusing on practical knowledge, communication skills, and real-world frameworks. We don’t aim to replace degrees. We aim to fill the skill vacuum that degrees often leave behind.

Q. Why did you leave a successful consulting career at KPMG to build a risky education startup?

Because I wanted my work to have a real impact. Consulting pays well, but often your work sits on a client’s shelf. I wanted to build something that directly improved people’s lives. And I was at a stage in life where I could afford to take that risk. Worst case, I fail and restart. Best case, I build something meaningful. The odds were worth it.

Q. How did you discover storytelling as a teaching method, and how do you scale it without losing authenticity?

People don’t remember data. They remember stories. Even complex business frameworks become simple when attached to real-world narratives. For us, storytelling isn’t a teaching hack. It’s how we naturally think and explain. To scale it, we’ve built systems around research, writing, and content development. But more importantly, we built a culture that values depth, curiosity, and constant learning. As long as we stay learners ourselves, authenticity takes care of itself.

Q. Think School scaled fast. How do you stay true to your original mission during rapid growth?

By constantly going back to why we started. Our mission is to make education practical, not viral. Growth can be seductive and push you towards vanity metrics, but because we’re bootstrapped, we have the freedom to say no to shortcuts. Every video, every course, we ask one question: would this have helped our younger selves? If the answer is yes, we go ahead.

Q. How do you balance being Think School’s public face with leading day-to-day business operations?

By building a team where roles are clearly defined. My co-founder drives content and products. I focus on business, partnerships, and monetization. That separation allows me to handle both the external-facing work and the internal execution. You can’t scale if you don’t delegate. Clarity of responsibility keeps both sides moving.

Q. What failure or tough feedback taught you the most, and how did it change your leadership or vision?

Very early, a student told us we were good at explaining but didn’t fully understand what it feels like to be stuck. That feedback changed everything. We realized that good teaching isn’t just about clarity, it’s about empathy. Since then, we’ve designed all our content to address the learner’s exact pain points. That shift improved both our teaching outcomes and our business results.


Bio

Parsh Kothari is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Think School, an education start-up focused on revolutionizing business education in India by equipping students and professionals with practical skills for the workforce. A graduate in Industrial and Production Engineering from Manipal University, Parsh was deeply involved in public speaking, event management, and negotiation during his academic years.

He began his career as an Analyst and Consultant at KPMG, Mumbai, managing projects worth over $10 million, including work with international companies like Novartis. In 2019, alongside Ganeshprasad, he co-founded Think School, emphasizing storytelling and real-world application in education. Under his leadership, Think School has scaled from ₹5 lakhs to ₹8.5 crores in annual revenue within 5 years and amassed over 5 million YouTube subscribers.

Parsh is also a prominent speaker, having addressed audiences at prestigious institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIM Mumbai, IIM Bangalore, and international forums like ICAI Abu Dhabi. He continues to lead Think School’s business operations and plays a pivotal role in shaping its impact and vision.


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Interviewed by Ishika Ahuja