How Two Women Built a Remote-First L&D Firm Delivering 1100+ Projects with 95% Repeat Clients
Founded in 2020 in the middle of a global pandemic, Thinkdom began as a small experiment in reimagining corporate learning. Today, the Bangalore-headquartered, remote-first Learning Experience Design and Performance Consulting firm has delivered close to 1100 projects, impacted over 500,000 learners, and grown largely through organic and referral-driven business.
Started by Neethi Kumar and Joshitha Thimmaiah, Thinkdom was built without external funding and with no prior experience in HR or corporate L&D. What the founders did have was a strong conviction that workplace learning in India could be far more engaging without compromising on the fundamentals of instructional design, learning science, learner-centric UI/UX, and graphic design.
The Gap in Corporate L&D Solutions
Before starting Thinkdom, the founders observed a clear disconnect. While digital media rapidly redefined engagement, corporate learning content/media did not keep pace. They saw an opportunity to combine strong instructional design with the kind of attention organisations invest in when speaking to consumers. If brands could communicate with clarity and creativity externally, the founders questioned why internal learning experiences could not meet the same standard.
As Joshita explains “The idea was not to make learning just ‘bingeworthy’, but thoughtful and well-designed. Everything at Thinkdom starts with one question: what does the learner actually need? Orienting with that shapes every brief, every decision, and every deliverable”
Starting in Uncertainty: The First Year
Thinkdom was set up at a time when organisations were navigating operational disruptions due to COVID-19. With offices shut, the company adopted a remote-first model by necessity. Over time, this evolved into a deliberate structural choice, allowing the team to operate flexibly across locations.
For nearly 10 months after incorporation, the company had no paying clients.
During this period, the founders focused on building capability. They networked consistently, built pilot projects, sought mentorship, and developed a portfolio that includes a POSH compliance module, which remains one of their best offerings.
As Neethi says, “Clarity, for Thinkdom, has never been a nice-to-have. It is a performance standard. That period ultimately shaped the company's culture, one that prioritises learner needs, the science of instructional design, persistence, and execution discipline”.
The Turning Point: A Leading Private Sector Bank
The breakthrough came when a leading private sector bank entrusted Thinkdom with an organisation-wide onboarding experience, secured after 4 rounds of pitching. The programme went on to win an ET HR Award and continues to be used today. For Thinkdom, this project served as a critical validation of both capability and approach.
How Thinkdom Built Enterprise Trust Through Repeat Clients
Unlike many startups that rely heavily on outbound sales or paid acquisition, most of Thinkdom’s growth has been organic and referral-led.
Today, 95% of its clients return for additional engagements.
Over 5 years, the company has established trusted partnerships with leading organisations across banking, financial services, FMCG, pharma, and manufacturing, among others. Every project, regardless of size or timeline, is held to the same standard. Clients come back because the work is consistently good, not occasionally exceptional.
Almost every large account began with a single project. Over time, collaborations expanded into broader enterprise L&D solutions. Across all projects, Thinkdom has maintained consistent 5/5 ratings in both client and peer reviews.
Growth, Lessons, and Organisational Evolution
The company has grown at approximately 45% year-on-year since inception.
Being bootstrapped shaped decisions to scale conservatively. The firm has expanded from structured elearning ,gamified journeys, video-led programmes, to capability-building, delivering end-to-end learning strategy, onboarding and sales enablement journeys, compliance and leadership programmes, performance consulting, and L&D marketing.
What’s Next for Thinkdom?
The next phase is product-driven: A licensable new hire onboarding framework for the first 90–180 days, proprietary digital learning solutions built on proven frameworks, and an L&D Research Lab studying behavioural transfer and performance impact within Indian enterprises.
Alongside this, the founders are integrating AI thoughtfully into service offerings, leading to better reinforcement, contextual nudges, and AI-powered mentorship ecosystems that support learners beyond off-the-shelf courses, reflecting Thinkdom’s broader focus on L&D innovation.