HERALD: What is your field of specialty? How is it different from your competitors?
RACHANA NABAR DESHPANDE: My field of specialty includes website design, social media marketing and content writing. We follow a very systematic and technical approach towards digital marketing. The focus is always on data analysis and understanding the customer’s expectations and helping them further their business goals.
HERALD: How does your company help Goans, specially start-ups?
RND: In my short span as an entrepreneur, I have seen the Goan social fabric has highly educated and talented women staying at home to care for their children. So we have made a conscious effort to hire such women who need flexibility to work. This has proved to be very fruitful for my company as I find these ladies to be highly productive, creative and hardworking. They also have a sense of responsibility and ownership, which is highly valued by any organisation. We also work closely with the colleges and educational institutes, where we have hired interns from various educational institutes. I have closely worked with MBA candidates from GIM and Goa University, MCS candidates from Don Bosco etc.
HERALD: Who are your major customers?
RND: While declaring all major customers might not be possible, some key clients I have are Viva Goa magazine and Advertising Associates, Mall de Goa, Pyro Electric Instruments, the Goan franchise of The Chocolate Room, an Australian beverages brand, EazyGrill etc.
HERALD: What issues did you face when you thought of launching this company?
RND: Being a non-Goan, entering in the close-knit Goan fabric was quite a challenge for me. Another challenge I faced early on was to get the right kind of connections. However, there are two major organisations which helped me. CIBA (Center for Incubation & Business Acceleration) and BNI – Goa. CIBA, with their access to high-profile, skilled mentors, we got the right kind of advice whenever we needed. Also, as they provide start-ups with a complete office infrastructure at highly subsidised rates, which provides a major relief to fund-starved start-up ventures, it proved to be a major support for us. For all this, I would like to thank Jose Manuel Noronha and D S Prashant and the entire team of CIBA. As we started to grow, another entity that has opened up a big business network for us is BNI. With a strong culture and big network of HNI and business personnel from all domains, the opportunities are endless now for us.
HERALD: What made you work as an entrepreneur?
RND: I have an international experience working in IT and operations having worked in India and USA. I have handled cross functional teams spread across three continents. Having worked a hectic schedule in the corporate world for 10+ years, I wanted to foray into the new world of entrepreneurship primarily for a new exciting challenge as well as sense of fulfillment. And to tell you the truth, I’m truly enjoying it. In the past three years, I have floated two ventures, aR Consulting Solutions, which primarily deals with digital marketing and wiZSkool Technology Solutions, which specialises in developing softwares in the education field with primarily focusing on the Goan school system.
HERALD: How do you see the Goa market? Are you planning to spread out?
RND: The Goa market is very unique. People are very strongly connected with each other, which makes the Goan society very unique as opposed to the other urban areas. I see the market growing and opening up. Digital marketing has a great potential in Goa, which currently is focused on the traditional modes of marketing like print and hoarding. But the market is now realising the potential of going digital, which is great. Goa has taught me a lot and given me the confidence to expand our work outside the State as well as the country. While we are working to grow our base in Goa, we have been fortunate to work with some reputed brands in major metropolitan cities in India and some international projects as well.
HERALD: Where do you see yourself and your company in next five years?
RND: Five years from now, I see myself deeply rooted in the Goan business world. Also, I see myself growing into an international brand with more projects coming from foreign soil. The increased financial stability will also help me provide employment opportunities for the Goan youth which will be my small way of giving back to this wonderful Goan society.
