About

I have been a full-stack marketer since before AI existed. With real experience across sales, design and marketing, I have built and implemented successful growth formulae for brands like Akasa Air, Bru & Oriflame, eateries like Tossin Pizza, Burger Singh & Greenr Cafe, and people like Harsh Beniwal, Amit Bhadana & Elvish Yadav.

I tend to find the problem under the problem, and work to develop strategies that perform commercially, deliver creatively and are repeatable systemically.

Currently, I’m working on contract with Dibakar Banerjee for his upcoming animated feature film. But, I can make time if you can make bank.

Some history

  • Age 2MMy family moved to Indonesia. I grew up as a trilingual child. It’s a flex.
  • Age 6I made my first boyfriend. It lasted 2 minutes. We dated again 10 years later. He is now gay. I’m not making this up.
  • Age 8By now, I had become a novice at the violin, flute and pianica. I was good.
  • Age 9I swam for the school team and won my first singing competition.
  • Age 10I was the student choreographer for my school’s musical, Aladdin. I was also the understudy for Princess Jasmine. Never got my break. Still have the merch, though.
  • Age 11Went on my first school trip with my new Sony camera. Threw the camera roll, thinking the pictures were digitally saved. My family still teases me. Nonetheless, the creative fire was lit.
  • Age 12Was in recovery from adjusting to the move back to Jaipur. Became a nerd and a teacher’s pet. Watched a lot of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Still do. Played a lot of SIMS. Still do.
  • Age 13Got into basketball. I’m tall and used to be lucky, that helped me get on the team. Also played the Sitar for two months and performed at the annual play. Never picked it up again. I sucked.
  • Started competing for the school in art and dance. Enrolled in my first Shiamak Summer Funk and was hooked. The right-brain was taking over. I knew I was meant for the creative field.
  • Age 14(legit) single-handedly choreographed my section’s assembly day performance that fell on Christmas. It was a big deal. I mixed Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer with We’re All In This Together from High School Musical. I was cool.
  • Age 15Won the Best All-Rounder Award. Won it next year too. Topped Math, Economics and Business. I’m still good at all three.
  • Age 16Got my first Macbook Pro. Skipped 2 days of school. Mixed music on Garage Band, designed my first poster for the school play, Hamlet, and went down the YouTube rabbithole. I’m still downward spiralling.
  • Age 17Used Prezi for the first time for an internal assessment on Animal Farm. Mr. Sourav chaperoned me to the other 3 sections just to make me show-off.
  • Age 18Got a perfect predicted score on Math and Business. Decided to get two High School Degrees. Scored 96% on the first. Don’t ask about the second. I’m still recovering.
  • Received a bunch of awards at my graduation ceremony for proficiency in Math, Economics and Business, and excellence in Graphics & Multimedia. My parents were proud.
  • Age 19Shifted to Mumbai. Started studying BMS at NM College. It was too easy. Skipped the year to travel, party and intern. Prepped for BSc. Economics at NMIMS. Good call.
  • Age 20A childhood diagnosis of persistent UTI led to one of my kidneys to stop working. My dad and I talked about lifestyle adjustments I need to make, so I switched to beer.
  • Had been a nerd far too long. Decided to live on the other side of the spectrum. Messed up my college GPA. Would do it again.
  • Interned with Aditya Birla Group as a Research Analyst Trainee. Learned buttloads, but didn’t love it. It helped solidify I wasn’t meant for a left-brained desk job.
  • Age 21Learned Econometrics for the first time. It changed me. To date, the subject makes me a better marketer.
  • Didn’t go home for Diwali because I got an internship (through a competition I won) with Adlabs Imagica for Market Research. Felt the “found-my-calling” feeling for the first time professionally. Spent 4 weekends “researching” on-site. I still have my ID card, and am still in touch with Mr. Dhimant Bakshi, who has now become the CEO.
  • Age 22Bought my first Yamaha Acoustic Guitar, F310. Self-taught. First song I learned? Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People. Also posted my first YT video; please don’t look for it. It is now eating dust in my cupboard.
  • Failed Political Science. Was never good at rote-learning. Sent it for re-evaluation, saved my butt by 3 points. I cried. My dad cried. It was a nightmare.
  • Interned with an Artist Management Agency. Worked with Sonu Sood. Will not stop boasting about this one.
  • Graduated (somehow) and landed my first job. Started in Mumbai at a coworking space. Requested to be sent to the HQ in Delhi for product induction, and was kept there by another Team Lead. Two leads fighting over a fresher? Swell.
  • Age 23Watched The Great Hack for the first time. It led me into neuromarketing. I have since been a student of the domain.
  • Had just learned to play poker. Went to my first office Diwali party. Ankur Warikoo was in the room. I emptied one of my founders. “Now they know me”, I said to myself.
  • Became the go-to for churn control for the North Team. I knew I was good with client management and retention strategies. It didn’t come from the product or any special skills I had, it came from integrity.
  • Age 24My laptop tanked. I used a back-up for 2 months. Worked for sales incentives, and bought my first ever Macbook, with my own money.
  • Quit and moved back home to help my recently-returned-NRI-family with our first business. CoVid19 hit. The business went bust.
  • I moved to Mussoorie for a few months on a whim to work with a luxury camping resort as their Estate Manager. Lost 10 kgs. Had a blast.

Interests

  • Stationery.
  • Everyday Gadgets.
  • Dogs.
  • Board Games.
  • Music.
  • Guitar.
  • Books.

Travel / Geography

  • I am originally from Jaipur, Rajasthan. I have since lived in Lucknow, Purwakarta, Jakarta, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Goa, Bangalore, and Jaipur.
  • I have visited/lived in approximately 10 countries, many of which I would like to revisit.
  • I spent over 10 years in Indonesia. It is my second home.

Fun facts

  • I can solve a 3x3 Rubik’s cube in 75 seconds. The world’s fastest record stands at 2.76 seconds.
  • I always use the indicator when I’m switching lanes. I don’t like people who don’t.
  • I need a Korean Chilli Oil to enjoy my food. My brother thinks it’s raising my cholesterol.
  • I almost always tear the first page of every new notebook I use. Perfectionism is addictive.
  • My favourite childhood memory is from my day at Universal Studios. I love roller coasters.

I dream of

  • Build a neuromarketing agency that delivers using behavioural science and nurtures marketing diagnosticians.
  • Help and foster stray animals, especially dogs. It sounds noble, but truly is selfish. I’m obsessed with dogs.
  • As I grow older, I want to be a combination of Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) and Rishi Kapoor (Kapoor & Sons).