I worked as an intrapreneur and leading member of the management team at Orienta Cine Advertising for over a decade and held the position of Vice President – Business Development at Orienta Cine Advertising.

The position always gave a pride tag and also unconsciously drove me into a comfort zone. All it needed a jolt which was really unexpected and got me into the nowhere zone when the media industry was worst hit along with some other key industries like travel and so on. It gave me alarming bells and I never wanted to pile on understanding the situation of the market. Thus, I decided to move on from the company which I can proudly say that I developed from scratch and poured my heart and soul to build it. It was never easy but that’s where lied the discomfort and I really wanted to break the shackles which seem to me as freedom and comfort but instead made me helpless.

I spoke my heart to my best buddy who is my life partner, Sachin, and he was there with me as always to not only support me but gave me confidence enough to look for bigger opportunities in life as he said, “There is always an opportunity, you just need to back yourself.” We just started with the dream project of penning down a book Rising Stars a book series of 27 entrepreneurs and achievers and it was dream of Sachin which we together completed it with an overwhelming response and published it in India, Singapore & Malaysia as well on the online platforms like Amazon & Flipkart.

It was unbelievable experience although uncomfortable but it was just the beginning where we not only explored new avenues but also begun with new venture and thus, we started using our experience of cumulatively over 25 years into developing brands.

Today, we have established two ventures under which we focus on developing brand concepts & content which was Sachin’s initiative since 2016, IceFactory & Rising Stars Productions. It was a blessing in disguise where I explored the unknown avenues and found a new entrepreneur and also an Author. I learned that even a locked door can be unlocked if you have the right companion and optimistic attitude.

I am an expert in the domain of innovation and activation in Brand promotions. In my experience of more than 12 years, I have worked with top brands across various sectors like healthcare, FMCG, fashion, entertainment, automobile etc., and film production houses, media companies, highly premium Malls and much more.

I have been instrumental in conceptualizing and driving innovative digital outdoor advertising solutions for Brands like HUL, Google, Netflix, Tanishq etc. As part of this innovation, I designed and directed the creation and installation of the state-of-the-art 360-degree outdoor Digital ADSAT at Bangalore International Airport. I also play a key role in building and maintaining strategic relationships with brands, top advertising agencies, vendors and shopping malls.

With a portfolio of in-film advertising, brand collaboration, brand promotions, digital outdoor innovation, brand association, brand make-over, brand activation, media buying and planning, BTL strategies and Pan-India execution, I am focused on shaping the company’s overall business development and strategically taking the company to become one of the most admired and leading agencies in India.

I hold a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship and also a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism. I was also the President of Rotaract Club during my college days. I am passionate about animal welfare, women empowerment and youth empowerment. I have been invited as a speaker at many top-level events to speak on business models, challenges, strategies and guiding the youth towards productive career choices.

My latest endeavor is to provide brands an opportunity for escalating their positioning and optimizing their brand presence. I am an Authorpreneur along with Sachin Ruparel and together we have conceptualized Rising Stars, a book series that captures stories of entrepreneurs, their journey and through this book, we aim to innovate, inspire and involve Entrepreneurs and Brands.

I staunchly believe that women entrepreneurs are making a global impact and are crossing boundaries to take India to places across the world. These women, who have fearlessly pursued their passion against all odds are an inspiration for the society and their journey and values have a cascading effect of encouragement on all those who learn about them. I also believe that we are a reflection of the people around us, of what we read and choose to imbibe in us.

The post LOCKDOWN UNLOCKED MANY OPPORTUNITIES- By Manisha Mange Ruparel appeared first on The Pink Journey.

I began my career with Mu Sigma, a technology company, and got the opportunity to work with Fortune 500 companies in the USA.  I am an avid reader and hence being a storyteller comes naturally to me. I wrote two books, the first one ‘Y.O.U’  was announced as a best-seller by The New Indian Express & the Oxford bookstores, and the second book was titled ‘How I was forced to become a staunch RACIST’. When I decided to pursue entrepreneurship, I decided to stick to the media space where I authored 70 original scripts. I exited after 3 years when my company was acquired by a Bombay-based production house. My experience with my first start-up gave me the insight that even large corporations make marketing decisions based on how they feel about the content instead of using data to get the best results. Here is where I stepped in with Instoried to help marketers/ content creators or just about anyone to create content that is more empathetic and thereby more likely to convert. Humans are emotionally driven and it is important to communicate with empathy be it in business or in personal relationships. Instoried has been on the forefront of the empathetic revolution for content.

What are the biggest hurdles that you faced in your journey?

My biggest challenge was getting the team in place and ensuring that there are always enough funds to spend for the same. After my savings were exhausted, I had to break my PPF account, despite my parent’s disapproval. Subsequently, I mortgaged my jewelry and used the money to pay salaries. Once the team was set, I was confident of our journey being positive even if it would have a few hurdles in between. I am very happy to share that we now have an outstanding team, 60% of which are women.

Failures are the best teachers so how did you overcome that?

I strongly believe that a failure only happens if you conclude it as a failure. If you are persistent, innovative, and agile you can always convert a failure into an opportunity. In my own case, because I knew that a fund shortage is only a temporary setback if you allow yourself room to innovate and grow, I persisted and invested my own personal savings to grow. You don’t fail if you persist and are quick enough to make changes to the way you do things.

Your opinion on the current situation of OTT platforms or the scope for young writers

OTT platforms provide lucrative prospects to budding content creators. Demand for OTT content based on geo-demographics is on the rise, both within India and internationally. I think the year 2022 is definitely going to be an exciting year for OTT players as the content pipeline will be stronger than ever.

Share 3 advice for young entrepreneurs and storytellers

1. Persevere and don’t stop!
2. Team is everything. Running a start-up is not a one man show!
3. Money, name and success are all transient. The only one that prevails is the relationship with humans. So be grounded, humble and empathetic in life.

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