"My mantra for success is, WIN WIN WIN!" ­ Mamta Mathur

The practical pass rate for driving tests was 46%, as suggested by a report by DVSA. This means that the Brits are more likely to fail the first attempt of the driving test. This calls out for a prep up before the actual test. Mamta Mathur is the CEO and founder of MockDriving Test. In an exclusive interview with us, she shares some interesting insights about her journey with the company.

1. Give Us A Brief Overview Of Mockdriving Test. What Are Some Important Features About Your Expertise As A Business Leader That You Want US To Highlight Through The Article?
As the driving test pass rate in UK is fairly low, the citizens fail multiple attempts before passing the driving test. We offer live practical classes to the students to make them ready for the final test. Through focused lessons on particular skills, we help them brush up their weak zones. For example, if a certain student lacks parking skills, we train them for that particularly through our courses. We also train for theoretical classes that covers all the questions from DVSA on our application. We have fresher courses too.

"The one thing that helped me lead with confidence is that i never thought that i am any different than a man"

Coming from an experienced background in both business and technical arenas, I realized that the business needed an operational leg to it. My core expertise in management and operations helped me towards it. MockDriving Test has a waiting list of clients since most instructors are busy. We make sure that we connect the right instructor to the right student. We have network of 350 instructors for mock tests at the moment. It is registered in both India & US.

2. Take US Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table. 
My educational experience has been from both government and private schools and colleges. I did my Bachelors in Science from DU and simultaneously a course from NIIT. I later went to Belgium & UK for a fully funded internship for a year. Later I came to UK where I was approached from IBM UK. I worked 12 years over there and then settled down to be a housewife. Eventually, I got bored and decided to do some freelancing. I also tried my hand in some businesses in Ecommerce and Airbnb but nothing interested me.
                                                    

I came across this friend of mine who was struggling to get her drivers license and took 9 attempts to clear her test. That's how the idea of MockDriving Test struck me. I connected with an ex IBM colleague for help and thereafter the business started taking shape. Initially, it was a challenge to manage a full-time job and my business, especially while I was also helping my husband in setting up his business. But, gradually crossing all barriers, my coding knowledge and business expertise made me handle it all successfully.

3. Given The All-Consuming Nature Of Your Current Role At Mockdriving Test, How Do You Strike A Balance Between Your Professional And Personal Life?
I have huge support from my family and we all share mutual understanding and discipline over schedule. They understand my ambition and co-ordinate. Along with that, the right diet and exercise keeps me active.

The initial 3 years were crazy, juggling different hats at the same time but I managed it all smartly. I hired a team of freelancers in US as well and worked in separate time zones (US and UK). I needed my full time job to pay my bills till the business could completely sustain me. So, the day is dedicated to my job and the night is dedicated to MockDriving Test. Also, my team has been like family and helps me fit into both things.

4. As The Key Leader Within The Firm, How Do You Drive Growth At Mockdriving Test? What Is Your Leadership Mantra?
I never lost vision to move forward with the business. My mantra borrowed from experts and life coaches is  "WIN WIN WIN", where the customer should win, the team should win and the business should win. My second mantra is, "Fail Fast" but never twice for the same problem. I encourage failing because it leads to learning. And my 3rd related mantra is  "keep learning and keep growing".

I don't consider myself as a preacher  I experiment and learn. There is plethora of choices towards decision making when you stumble upon any hurdle and one should choose wisely. The one thing that helped me lead with confidence is that I never thought that I am any different than a man. We are living in a gender-neutral world so rather than competing, I believe in co-creating.

Mamta Mathur believes in the power of learning and that it is a continuous process that should never stop. "Learning helps us grow" she says. She also believes in keeping herself updated with latest technology and trends.

Mamta Mathur, Founder & CEO, Mockdriving Test
Mamta comes from a consulting background and has worked for numerous FTSE 100 companies like IBM, Visa and EY.  She is a driven leader who brings a wealth of experience in setting up high performance teams and delivering large scale projects. She enjoys finding simple solutions for complex problems. She has a keen interest in Software and System Security for which she holds a Masters degree from the University of Oxford, sponsored by GCHQ. She was recently recognised by Innovate Finance as a Rising Star in the Fintech world.