Meet this week’s Woman on the Move Chahat Aggarwal from India
Tell us about how you chose your career/business and what your responsibilities include?
I have been a brand enthusiast since I was a teenager. I loved taglines, advertisements and I was a big advocate of good products and services to my friends. The reason I appreciated how products were designed and advertised is because it brought my love for business and art together. I saw it as a balance between art and science. That got me started as a designer, writer, director towards my final designation of Brand Strategist. I believe every business is like a living organism – which needs the right amount of attention for it to reach its full potential; and brand strategy is at the core of it. I help build brands and answer the critical questions of every successful business: 1. What does your brand offer and to whom? 2. How should you market your brand to your target audience? Brand is the most valuable asset to any business, it is your valued possession that generates lifelong loyalty with your customers and I make sure that your brand is built right, in strategies and executed to grow it in new markets. I focus on meeting any Brand’s growth objectives and help it create an impact in this world.
Tell us about the company you work for or own?
I founded Impactstudybiz.com, a strategic consultancy, with a sole mission to create a positive impact in this world with helping brands meet their full potential. ImpactStudy provides services like Brand Strategy, marketing, campaigning and in depth company analysis. It follows its propriety principles to generate brand growth while approaching each client with fresh eyes to develop customized, unique strategies. It provides one of the best cost-effective, sustainable solutions to create a strong and effective brand. Focus: Business growth via Brand and Marketing
I am also the Growth Advisory to Rebell Studios, a Polish design agency. They are a team of optimistic women with bold thinking and global reach. They believe in beauty and design by creating new ways to get inspired. Their services include; Brand identity, design, advertisements and content creation. Focus: Design and Advertisement
What are some of the most fulfilling projects you have been involved with so far?
Art Reflect – I worked with an Architect with a curiosity of art and an interest in charity. To establish his personal brand, I strategised and implemented an art event where we showcased painting from the upcoming artists, and all the proceedings were to go to a children’s foundation called UDAAN. The objective of that event moved away from just positioning him as a philanthropist but also helped charity raise funds and give exposure to the new upcoming artists. We raised an incredible amount of funds, 4x more than we had estimated. It was such a success that it became a recurring annual event, cultivating an impact of buying art for a cause.
United Nations Organisation – I volunteered to educate underprivileged kids about morals, gender equality, concept of love, care and forgiveness. Teaching them the importance of being a better human being by taking responsibility of their lives and supporting them to be mentally healthy and strong. Achieving this through the medium of playing games, group activities, stories and songs. Giving back to the society, and playing a small part in creating a better world was a satisfying experience.
Thrive Global – I write about the importance of mental help and wisdom of life to share my views with the world to strive to make it a better place. I like to inspire, motivate and guide people on how to speak up against injustice, how to take care of your mental health, what is the concept of successful life and how to look at the silver lining of things. As a big advocate of mental health, an opportunity to impact someone’s life in a positive manner is most fulfilling to me.
Are there any people in your field you would like to meet and/or work with and have not yet had the opportunity?
I would like to work with the founders of Lush, because they created a beauty brand which not only connects with people with their amazing product authentically but also supports ethical buying. Working for a company where they have changed the way luxury or beauty brands are viewed, produced and consumed is truly impressive, and there will be nothing of greater honour to be a part of their journey.
What are some of your favorite ways to network?
Offline – I love meeting people in conferences, workshops and events, because I find people there mostly of similar interests and goals. It mostly results in instant collaboration of thoughts and ideas with very interesting people.
Online – I like to network onSocial media, LinkedIn is my go to platform to connect with inspiring people all around the world. Where we get to share our different exercises and help each other learn and grow without any boundaries.
Do you have a mentor – if so how did you choose one another?
In the recent past Monika Holod, an entrepreneur and a marketer, was not only my reporting manager but also my mentor, as she helped me bring out my personal best at work.
In future I would like to be mentored by Catherine Lacaze, Director at Louis Vuitton. I am thrilled by just the thought of being mentored by her, given her experience and flare for Brand strategy, media buy, events and so much contribution to the luxury sector. Following her steps would help me understand the luxury market better and use those learnings in creating sustainable luxury solutions.
What have you learned from your mentor? What do you hope to learn?
In the past I learnt about being bold with my ideas and to not be afraid to make mistakes. Monika taught me how to see the strengths in people and let them grow in that direction, rather than trying to perfect everything. She also gave me the confidence I needed to get out of my comfort zone to achieve my professional and personal goals.
In the future I hope to learn how to manage luxury brands with practical strategies, the repercussions of experiments in the global segment and how to create a luxury brand that drives impact in this world.
What’s been the most surprising thing that has happened to you so far in your career?
My success of merging business goals with impact goals. I worked with a hospitality startup where I grew their brand valuation of $250 million to $10 billion in less than 3 years. I took it as a challenge that business does not need to only focus on revenue to grow but has to focus on something bigger than itself. We created a purpose of providing beautiful spaces to ALL, not just wealthy but everyone deserves a beautiful, clean and affordable stay. That experiment of adding my values to the corporate growth objectives did wonders. Turning it from India’s largest to world’s 2nd largest hospitality company.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I love to read, paint and do adventure sports. I am a reading junkie, you can always find a book in my hand when I am travelling or when I just want to take a break. I like to read old literature and philosophy along with some business books. I read because I think it makes me better as a human being, it gives me a new perspective of things and it enriches my mind.
I am a creator and an innovator by nature. That’s the reason I am an entrepreneur and a brand strategist because I like to build things that are valuable and beautiful. Hence, Painting gives me the liberty to create new possibilities, it is an outlet to create beauty and express what I can’t with words.
Once a year I do Adventure sports for fun, it makes me feel alive and makes me experience news emotions, energy and encounters. I like to call it my guilty pleasure, where I go on an adventure to test my own limits and grow into a stronger person.
Any parting advice for someone who would like to follow in your footsteps?
Never back down – People will try to bring you down, because it is a competitive and sometimes an oppressive world. But, do not measure your self worth with other people’s opinions. If you believe in something, take a stand for yourself. If you want to start your own company go ahead and do it, if you want to work for a particular company do it. Don’t let people’s criticism and doubt bring you down or stop you from fulfilling your true potential. Believe in yourself and just go for it! Even if you face any failure, re-strategise and evaluate your options, rather than giving up. Remember : You are precious and unique with a potential to achieve your best no matter how long it takes.
Be an expert not a perfectionist – Always be in a learning mode, master the skills you require and continue updating your knowledge. Experiment without the fear of failure because if you will wait for everything to be perfect then it will never be executed. Learn from your mistakes and practice to become better in whatever field that you are working in. Focus on acquiring more knowledge and have the skill to execute it. Because perfect doesn’t exist in this world, but good and skillful people do.
Work towards a bigger goal – When you are working towards something bigger than yourself, for e.g. creating a positive impact, all your actions will lead to it, in every aspect of your holistic life. Your personal, professional and soulful life will all be driving towards the same energy which will keep you motivated even in the darker days.
What’s the best way for the readers of WE Magazine for Women to connect with you?
Linked In : https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Twitter @chahatagg
Instagram @Chahataggarwal and @Introotz
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chahu
