Marketing is a must to grow any business or organization, we can say that without marketing, no business or organization can survive in the long run. And for marketing to be successful, organizations need a strong marketing team that can effectively make it happen – successful marketing.
This is what exactly YouEx does, it provides a variety of marketing-related services such as branding, designing, developing, etc. All under one roof.
We, at Decision Maker Magazine, had a chance to know everything about YouEx through an insightful and delightful conversation with Sirisha Naidu. Here is the transcribed conversation that we had with her.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your company.
In my team, I have always been the top performer. And when they have given me the responsibility of team leading, I did not compete, instead, my focus was on my primary goal which was of helping my team grow and show them the way I know while going on that way along with them. The knowledge I possess is based on what I have tried, tested, and achieved success at. I impart this knowledge to my team.
I am skilled in functions such as sales & management, media advertising, business development, retail analytics, CRM, SaaS products, digital marketing, and online advertising. I have earned these skills through the variety of roles that I held in several organizations over the years. And apart from this, I have 22 years of experience in the retail, eCommerce, and SaaS industry.
During my first couple of years, as a woman in sales, I had to face many challenges including bias at the work. But I did not let any of it stop me from keeping going, I did not let them distract me from my goals because I had a strong desire to make my mark in the world of corporations. And for this, I faced all of the challenges that came my way and I kept climbing the corporate ladder.
And for all of this that I achieved, I am thankful to my father for his strong guidance and to my mother for her perseverance that helped me succeed.
If now if I talk about my company, YouEx is evolved from YouEx Solutions and it provides end-to-end marketing-related services to organizations, services such as marketing, brand building, development, management, etc. Our marketing arm concentrates to deliver top-quality and optimal marketing services to our clients.
What are the major offerings of your company? And, how do your services provide benefits to people?
YouEx is a platform intended to help Indian SMEs showcase their businesses as brands in the digital world. To get the expected exposure, organizations need to strategize digital marketing activity, which is delivered to them by our experts, which will further help the organizations get the acknowledgment they deserve.
What makes your company stand out in the market?
We design brand communications with the right expressions that could reach the right audience, and the technical strategy is not the only thing that is involved in it, it is a creative procedure that requires technical expertise, too. And this is what makes us an agency capable of providing marketing services, digitally.
We help businesses stand out as a brand by cultivating a sustainable digital platform as our focus is not only on delivering our clients a reserved ROI.
Who are your clients? How do you keep your clients happy and satisfied?
Our clients are SMEs in the retail industry. Businesses with a need for digital transformation, and a sustainable digital presence and organizations looking to make a mark in the digital space are welcome to reach out. Strategizing optimum activity by visualizing and understanding the client’s business needs and delivering them the digital goals they are meant to reach is what makes them stick. Our processes, unlike our competitors, are defined to provide our clients with visibility, reach, and conversions across the digital space. A well-defined process with measurable results is the game-changing tactic that we have developed through combined experience and expertise.
How do women feel in a male-dominated industry? Have you experienced a different attitude because of gender?
The pressure of being the only one and having strong opinions which sound like being bossy during a business meeting where the room is dominated by male colleagues can be overwhelming, which is subject to being biased and discrimination during the business meetings, intentional or not, not matter. And this is what sometimes forces us to step back and join the crowd. But by now I already discovered that it is important to have confidence in myself, and I believe that this is the skillsets that brought me where I am today.
I chose to remain positive and never gave up. I showcased the unique skills that I have and the outlook that I could bring to their table, and it helped me to succeed. I never shrunk back and always kept going forward while faking my ignorance towards biasedness, and this is how I made a lasting impression by being both seen and heard.
Where does your interest in entrepreneurship come from – how did you start?
To be an entrepreneur was my long-term vision as I was always fond of the idea of creating a new way of doing things, creating employment, and leaving a notable impact behind with our work.
The roles that I played before becoming an entrepreneur, made me gain immense experience in the fields like operation, people management, and sales.
What’s a day in your life like as an entrepreneur?
Usually, my work starts at 7:30 AM by collaboratively planning my day. Overseeing the performance of my team is my responsibility as they make progress on numerous projects. I appropriately guide and help them with any issues that they face. Also, I stay in touch with our clients, keep them posted on our progress, and we make sure that our services satisfy our clients.
Though the statistics of women entrepreneurs in India are rising, still a woman’s ambitions are often doubted in our society. Is it difficult for a woman to start a business in India?
Yes, men still dominate India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem despite the policies and measures intended to promote gender equality. There is a massive gender biasedness in India when it comes to funding, there is no proper access to capital for the businesses that are led by women – and it is all due to the prejudices that are held by the investors, some other factors are also there. A majority of women business owners do not get even the required social support from families, peers, and immediate ecosystems. Furthermore, one of the main challenges that are faced by women entrepreneurs in our country is the lack of mentorship from the business community.
After all this success and failure, what do you struggle with now?
As one of the quotes by Winston Churchill says, “success is not final, failure is not fatal,” the courage to continue is what counts. And having said that, we are struggling to maintain exclusivity – exclusivity to the masses, clients, employees, new hires, and innovation to stand out in the market. This is my belief that exclusivity may very well be the best approach for many entrepreneurs when it comes to finding investors and growing users, despite its unlikeliness to please everyone.
How do you achieve a balance between your personal and professional life?
To achieve a balance between your personal and professional life and keep the scale balanced, you first need to understand where your priorities lie. No one can be on all fronts because there is no way to split oneself into two. You have to define your priorities at your workplace and home, to avoid dividing yourself and be effective. Take balancing professional and private life as a project and work for its success. It is up to you to put all your work to reach your objectives.
And if I talk about myself, I set and stick to my work hours. For example, I do not pick calls up post 8:00 PM, unless there is an emergency or crisis that cannot wait till the morning. That time, post 8:00 PM for my family.
What have you learned about entrepreneurship in your journey?
Be realistic and accept failure as a part of the journey. There are many challenges and complications that we have to face in every phase of our careers. As a professional, we need to be firm on our purpose to face every obstacle that comes on our way to success. As we all know, Rome wasn’t built in a day! A great business takes time to set up. Be patient and determined. Then just don’t give up. Work at it and do not surrender.
What is your future agenda to keep growing in the market?
We would like to work on automation tools and AI to help companies understand a great deal about customers and how to best target audience, as companies will begin and continue to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) in their Marketing strategies to enhance Brand Awareness and satisfy Customer Demand.
As a source of inspiration for many, what would your advice be for female entrepreneurs who are planning to enter the business world?
Know that you are not alone in the journey of entrepreneurship. You will meet and encounter many people that will help you lead with consciousness. Also, beware that being nervous and scared is okay as it will keep you motivated and trying. Follow your heart and keep trying.
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