Mumbai: Marketing has changed more in the last five years than in the last 50, and the rapid progress doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
Making a not of this Shonell Thakker offers a refreshing and innovative take to digital marketing and branding across various industries. As the Co-founder and CEO of Diquery Digital, she brings on the table over a decade of expertise of helping brands reach their audience.
In a recent interview with The Prevalent India, Shonell Thakker spoke about her journey being as Woman entrepreneur and she also informed how Diquery Digital chooses quality over quantity.
Shonell worked with the likes of Excel Home Entertainment, Aamir Khan Productions, 20th Century Fox, Disney UTV, Harlequin, Mils & Boon, Walkwater Media, etc. in the past and has extensive experience across profiles from Marketing, branding to international distribution of films.
1) What influenced you to come up with this work content?
I absolutely love brand stories and branding. The challenge was that while Digital simplified reaching the audience, it also complicated the brand-building process as there is no specific roadmap for it as it was in non-digital times. That’s the thought with which Diquery was born. Its the combination of Digital + Query where we aim to ease the digital integration for the brands.
2) What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
The freedom to innovate. There is no fear of experimentation. I have been fortunate to have supportive business partners and clients who are open to trying out new innovations that lead to more dynamic learning in the digital space.
3) What was your mission at the outset?
To help every brand reach its audience.
4) What are your responsibilities as an entrepreneur?
One learning that I have had in the last 4 years is that no matter how much one delegate, an entrepreneur is responsible for every aspect of the venture. So whether it is catering to a client or a bulb not working in the office, it is my responsibility to ensure things run like a well-oiled machine.
5) Looking back, are there any indications from childhood that foreshadowed you’re becoming an entrepreneur?
Not really. I was pretty smitten by the world of Marketing and entertainment so one of my wishes was to work in Hollywood within the marketing team of the studios, especially 20th Century Fox. I was so obsessed with Fox that a lot of my passwords back then were 20th Century Fox.
6) What is the biggest challenge for you as an entrepreneur?
Pricing the service right. There are several individuals in the industry that have devalued the service in order to get a client on board. This doesn’t really help the client in the long run as there is no strategy in the execution.
7) What are the pros and cons of being a woman entrepreneur?
Pros:
Growing opportunities
Ability to adapt
No glass ceiling to fight
The flexibility of the schedule
Cons:
Long, unproductive conversations
Not taken seriously sometimes
The constant need to prove the abilities
World of funding is more Male driven
8) What makes Diquery stand different from other organization out there?
At Diquery, we prefer to personalize the digital experience and choose quality over quantity. We also blend the traditional Brand Building principles with the ever-changing Digital landscape to give our clients a unique approach for their brands.
9)What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Going international with clients in Singapore within the first year of business.
10) If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Entrepreneurship isn’t just a fancy and cool option. It is some serious hard work. Be sure you are prepared for both the good and the bad in the process.
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