Emilee-Mae Feely and her cofounder Patrick Feely are among the first start-ups to go to India for the “soft landing” phase of the Canada-India Accelerator Program. Their company, Feely Piano, is a music education company that offers piano lessons in the comfort of your own home. This Uber-styled company has brought more than 500 students and piano teachers together in the past 4 years.
The time they spent in India offered up many new experiences and unforgettable memories. Emilee-Mae offered up a peice of advise to anyone visiting India for the first time. “Try to hail an Uber or have a personal driver to take you around the city. Watch out for the rickshaw drivers – you’ll have to hold on tight!” she says while describing her recent experience in India.
Emilee-Mae Feely and Patrick Feely, co-founders of Feely Piano
When asked about the different business practices in India compared to Canada, Emilee-Mae stated, “In India, Offices operated past 5:00. They have personal tea makers and are allowed to wear casual clothes. There is only a certain professional attire appropriate for 35 degree weather.”
Following the “soft landing” phase of the Canada-India Accelerator Program, she describes her business plans for the future. “Since India, I have noted ways to which I can continue to grow through designing processes and software built for scale. We are looking forward to designing software in India to facilitate for more easier bookings, and creating more of a social community for our Feely community globally.”
The Canada-India Accelerator Program (CIAP) helps Canadian female entrepreneurs access untapped markets in India. Female entrepreneurships receive mentorship from global entrepreneurs, incubators and potential seed funding. CIAP was officially launched in June 2018 at Carleton University.
To learn more about their recent trip to India, click here.