Quest Alumni Journeys Series

Seeds of Curiosity at Queenstown

When A. Guhanavel S/O Ashok Kumar looks back on his days at Queenstown Secondary, the memories come alive in small, mischievous details. One that still makes him smile is the little “operations” he and his best friend would run before class tests, exchanging tips and predictions for Literature or History. “It felt like we’d found a clever loophole in the system,” he recalls. “It was really about teamwork, creativity, and finding joy in approaching things a little differently.”

Those moments, innocent and spirited, taught him more than he realised at the time. They planted the seeds of curiosity, resilience, and a quiet courage to explore ideas beyond the ordinary.

Lessons in Leadership and Care

At Queenstown, Guhanavel also faced the challenge of learning to work with others. “I used to be disliked by my peers because I was too chatty and liked to do things on my own,” he admits. “But it was there that I learned the value of teamwork and taking ownership of the whole group.” That lesson has stayed with him, shaping his approach to leadership as the co-founder of EasyConvo. “No idea is dumb, and no decision-maker is always right. Sometimes the most unconventional ideas are the ones that move you forward.”

Teachers, too, left a lasting mark. His form teacher, Ms Amanda Liu, noticed his struggles in English, a subject he had failed multiple times, and quietly arranged extra sessions to build his confidence. “Her support went beyond academics. It showed me the power of a teacher who cares about a student’s growth,” he says. “Because of her, I even considered becoming a teacher myself. That’s why creating opportunities for others to learn is such an important part of my own journey.”

Choosing the Uncertain Path

After Queenstown, his path seemed conventional at first: Jurong Junior College, National Service as an Air Force officer, then NUS with a degree in Data Science and Analytics. But two turning points reshaped everything. The first was at a vaccination centre, where he created a simple solution in Excel to monitor patients more efficiently. The second was his time in Munich under the NUS Overseas Colleges programme, where the energy and passion of startup culture captured his imagination.

By the time he returned, he knew he wanted to build something of his own. That conviction led to his boldest choice yet: dropping his fully funded Master’s programme and turning down job offers to dedicate himself fully to EasyConvo. It was not an easy decision, especially as the first graduate in his family. “My parents had expected me to take a stable job. It wasn’t easy to tell them I wanted to go a different way. But I knew that if I didn’t take the leap then, I might never do it.”

His reason was deeply personal. He had once struggled with language learning himself, giving up on practice because there were not enough chances to speak, being mocked for mispronunciations when he tried, and feeling lost when preparing for oral exams. 

“I didn’t want another student in a classroom to go through the same struggles I did,” he says. 

“That’s why I chose EasyConvo. To give every learner the confidence and tools I once wished I had.”

Dreams Over Doubt

EasyConvo was built on that mission: to empower every learner with more speaking practice, real-time personalised feedback, and the confidence to use their voice. One of his most rewarding moments came when a teacher who had adopted the platform mid-semester shared her students’ progress. “She told us they became more engaged and more confident. That’s when I knew we were solving something real.”

What keeps him going through long hours and uncertainty is a blend of trust and belief. The cautious support of his parents, the commitment of his co-founder, who turned down a safe path to join him, and the leap of faith from customers who chose EasyConvo for their classrooms. To current Queenstown students who may doubt themselves, Guhanavel’s message is clear:

“Don’t wait for someone else to solve your problems. Start small, don’t be afraid to fail, and give your ideas a chance to grow. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”

And if his journey had a theme? He smiles. “It would be Money Heist. Not for the crime, but for the courage to challenge the status quo. That is what we are trying to do with education and technology, turning what seems impossible into something transformative.”