Rohit Kapoor, CEO of ExlService, cofounded the firm after losing his job as a banker. (ExlService) Hard work is part of it. But winning and being successful is also about outsmarting the competition , says Rohit Kapoor, CEO of analytics and digital solutions company ExlService ( EXLS ). Playing smart is Kapoor’s winning formula. It’s been that way since his days as a squash player growing up in India. Kapoor, 57, says he was a skinny kid lacking in athletic muscle. But he was also competitive. "I like to win," he told Investor’s Business Daily. He knew he couldn’t beat bigger, stronger, faster, and more-skilled squash players. (Despite practicing three hours a day.) Instead, he fashioned a winning game plan that neutralized his opponents’ athletic edge. His strategy? Win points without having to engage in long, multi-shot rallies. "I taught myself to serve in a way that I would win the point automatically," Kapoor said. Apply Life Lessons To Business Since founding ExlService in 1999, Kapoor has used the work smart formula to fuel growth. "That’s something I still practice," Kapoor said. "We’ve chosen very carefully the types of businesses that we want to play, where we can create […]