Anishkaa Gehani, Founder of the Yardstick Marketing, shares her experiences, her journey and possible pathways for aspiring young entrepreneurs
The UAE is a hub for breakthrough entrepreneurship, and women are at the forefront of many successful ventures. In our latest series ‘In Conversation With’, Dubai Diaries talks to some of these amazing women who have changed the face of entrepreneurship with their unique business ideas and enduring will power and strength.
This week we chatted with founder of Yardstick Marketing Anishkaa Ghani. Here’s what she has to say about her journey as a marketing and PR lead in the UAE and why she is one of the most successful women in the PR world.
Dubai Diaries: What would you tell us about your leadership style and business philosophy?
Anishkaa Gehani: I would say it’s a mix of democratic and strategic. I always empower my team to participate whole heartedly while taking each of their inputs and thoughts into consideration. The industry I operate in is evolving dynamically and doesn’t cease to innovate. I do not believe in limiting my goals and dreams and that of the company. I am constantly strategizing and reviewing the numbers and maneuvering along. Building a team of highly skilled and creative professionals is always challenging and I am glad in the past decade as a founder and CEO of Yardstick Marketing I have successfully able to set sail.
There are a few statements that I take great inspiration from and some mantras that I have created along the way. Some of these are, ‘own your narrative’ OR ‘consistency is key’. The one that works for me on numerous occasions is ‘Surround yourself with optimistic and successful people who always inspire and uplift you’.
DD: You have achieved so much at such a young age, was the journey as smooth as it seems?
AG: Starting right and starting early in life always gives one a significant edge in one’s career journey. I founded Yardstick in 2012 and from then, began my journey of growth. Back in the days, Public Relations as a strategy was predominantly used by government departments, multi-national companies and a few select SMEs and hence was skeptical about the way SMEs perceived PR. I have since then worked with over 2500 clients offering multiple services including and not limited to PR and all facets of marketing ranging from multinationals to government departments, SMEs, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs. Since day one it’s been a personal and professional journey of discovery, opportunities and evolution, which I continue to cherish till date.
DD: Yardstick Marketing is over 10 years old. Did you, at any particular time, feel that the PR world was overwhelming and this was over for you?
AG: Never. On a business level, the opportunity that each day presents to create something unique and innovative, brainstorming sessions, thought-provoking conversations, client success stories always add magic to our days. No two days are similar, and hence we enjoy creating conversations that engage and enable brands to carve their niche globally. This opportunity is not linked to a particular service we offer. PR still remains our forte and a part of our core offerings.
With regards to the current dynamics of PR, content creation is at the heart of any marketing campaign. Story telling is an important element that cannot be ignored if you are looking at breaking the clutter. When it comes to stories, brands that tell more and sell more. A well-planned content strategy inspires your target audiences to take action that boosts your business. One way to look at a successful PR campaign is that at its foundation is creative story-telling. Overtime, we have invested our time and resources to grow our digital and Integrated marketing footprint. Today, we are an integrated marketing consultancy and hence looking at scaling up by adding new departments horizontally to the business.
DD: You are a successful woman as well as doting mother of two, how hard was it for you to strike the balance between personal and professional life?
AG: Women are inherently capable and poised to reach for the stars. The collaborative, supportive nature of women means that we are stronger as a community and can inspire each other to great heights. We must surround ourselves with those who support our journey.
I would also commend the UAE government for building a robust ecosystem to empower entrepreneurs through the ease of doing business in the country. It has also been successful in creating an inclusive environment for women to nurture their businesses and foster growth in the UAE.
With regards to building a balance, I think it’s more of having a flexible mindset. It empowers us with greater control and achieving a sustainable work-life balance. I have always been present and given my 100% to both worlds. Somethings that have worked for me are:
- Calendrize with different colours
- Be fully present in the moment
- Define your priorities
- Exhaustion equates frustration
- Live life without guilt or regrets
DD: You are an inspiration to many young women, what advice would you to young women who are planning to start or have just started their business ventures?
AG: Today, with career counselling and various psychometric tests, individuals can understand themselves better and choose a profession according to their aptitude and interests. I strongly recommend the below for budding entrepreneurs irrespective of their gender.
Intern with various firms
Internships are another great way of exploring while studying. Co-relating theory with practical experience gives a better overview and perspective on the subject and my first piece of advice is to ensure you intern while studying with a variety of business organisations to better comprehend what exactly your strengths are.
Pursue your passion
The ideal case scenario is to convert your passion into profession, which is very possible given you understand yourself, recognize your likes and dislikes and areas where you excel. A lot of life’s success depends on how aligned one is mentally and emotionally to what you are doing and how passionate you are about your profession. And so, the second and the most important of advice is to follow and nurture your passion, which is the starting point of all your dreams coming true.
Set a vision, goals
When you speak to any successful entrepreneur and ask what motivates them, rarely do you get an answer saying: “Money is my inspiration”. Yes, money is important but can never be a motivator for a long time. Loving what you do and doing what you love is the key to success. Successful entrepreneurs have daily rituals they follow with discipline. They have a vision, with outlined long-term and short-term goals. They are constantly learning and upgrading their skills and experimenting with new technologies and ideas. My third piece of advice would be to work on a vision that excites you and set ‘Smart’ goals – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.
Choose your company wisely
Surround yourself with optimistic and successful people who always inspire and uplift you. Being with achievers will inculcate an achieving mindset. It really doesn’t matter at what stage of life you are in. If you change your mindset, you can change your life. One of the key aspects is to ensure you remain positive in spite of all circumstances. A positive mind will always look for opportunities even at the time of crisis. And so, the fourth piece of advice is, choose the company you keep wisely and beware of your thoughts and be mindful of the words you speak. Do remember, words have a magical power, they can either bring the greatest happiness or the deepest despair.
Build your personal brand
One of the greatest mistakes most women make is that they believe their good work will speak for itself. Yes, it’s true, when you work hard, people do speak about your work, but in today’s day and age, speaking about yourself and your achievements is of paramount importance. It’s important to know how to build upon your personal brand. If you are an expert in your field, ensure you put your views and ideas out there to inspire others and be recognised as well. Participating in panel discussions, speaking opportunities, lectures in universities, personal social media, personal PR and having a blog, all work towards strategically building upon your personal brand. And so, the fifth piece of advice would be to consciously and strategically work on building “brand U”.
Stay connected
Everyone you meet in your life knows something you don’t. And so listening is key to understanding. As the Dalai Lama says, if you talk, you repeat things you already know, but if you listen, you may learn something new. Meeting successful people is a great way of learning, learning that is not offered in text books and academics, but learning that is based on practical life experiences. If you’re in business, having the right connections would definitely catapult you to a higher league. And so, the sixth piece of advice is, saying a simple “hello” could lead to a million new things, so keep in touch, stay connected and build meaningful relationships.
Positive mindset
Finally, progress is the biggest factor of success and personal happiness. Making progress towards your goals, small or big, is what keeps you going. Life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs, thrills and adventures. Remember to embrace every situation with a positive mindset. Happiness is the key to success; no matter what you do, always remember enjoying the journey is much more important than the destination itself.
