CEO Insights India

Unlike traditional leaders, new age entrepreneurial leaders are known to enable continuous innovation and are majorly driven by their willingness to take game changing risks. They have the ability to pull like minded people and empower them to work together to achieve a common goal. They strive to provide their team with the creative freedom to execute a task, and as a beacon, they will always be there to guide the team through tough times. A perfect example of such a leader is Akshat Talwar, founder & CEO of Insidee Creative Media. A self-made entrepreneur, Akshat has always been known for his strategies that have proved to bring success to the businesses of clients. Nurtured under his headship, Insidee Media has grown from a bootstrapped unit in a small storeroom to a creative marketing company that has successfully completed more than three years.

The following is an excerpt from an interview of Akshat Talwar with CEO Insights, in which he talks about his over all journey, his venture, and his future.

What inspired you to establish INSIDEE? What was the gap you foresaw?
With a constant thought of starting some thing on my own, I forayed into corporate merchandising with a little margin, which was further transformed into a complete creative marketing firm. Although our official foundation was laid during the recent lockdown, I had finalized the name Insidee way back in 2014. The name was coined as an amalgamation of INS and IDEE, which refer to instant and obsession, respectively. Basically, everything that happened with Insidee was instant, and it became

an obsession.

Can you tell me about the major challenges that you have experienced so far? What is the motivation that fuels your daily routine?
I started out alone with no support from my family, and only a few friends motivating me. Therefore, it was challenging to convince my family about my entrepreneurial capability. Additionally, I had to handle multiple verticals alone with a marginal payment the clients gave. There were instances where I worked continuously for 6-7 days with minimal sleep. I did not give up and the quality of the work spoke for itself by drawing in more clients and work.

In the last three years, we have grown at a rate of around 150-200 percent. My main motivation is derived from the intent to make Insidee better while upholding the happiness of people associated with growth. When it comes to clients, my team and I work continuously even for long hours.

Define INSIDEE as an organization and where is it currently positioned in the market?
As an organization, Insidee carries out multiple philanthropic endeavors, and one of them is fostering animals. But business wise, for a startup to grow, no specific target markets should be fixed. Also, plans can change in this dynamic age. I have not planned any strategies for positioning Insidee at one particular place in the market.

What are the leadership approach and methodologies you follow to lead your team?
Currently, I have the best team of around 20 people, who execute the strategies that I develop. I am the core founder, and I have my mother as one of the directors, as it is

difficult for me to work with others who do not share my vision. But, over the years, I have amassed employees who envision the same future.

I believe that the person who runs the firm should keep his employees happy, and I ensure their happiness with necessary guidance, constructive feedback, and monetary support. They feel warm and welcomed and see a good future here. In the future, I want my team to handle everything and I believe they will.

In IT or any creative field, achieving client satisfaction is a cumber some process. We ensure 24/7 availability for the clients, and if the employees are unavailable,I am always there. We are very much into business, but we give equal importance to building relationships. This also facilitates creativity, better client satisfaction, and business generation.

What is the future destination you are heading towards for the next 5 years?
We currently have offices in Dehradun and Gurugram, and will soon have a strong foothold in the Delhi NCR region. Eying an increase in revenue, we also seek to expand to Dubai, Mumbai, and London in the future.

What is your success mantra? As a leader in the industry, what is your advice to budding leaders?
Be carefree, stress less, and take more risks. Also for a budding leader,it is important to focus more on collaboration than competition. While competition can ruin a company, collaboration can boost the growth of individuals and businesses a like.

Akshat Talwar, Founder & CEO, Insidee
After completing his BBA and MBA in marketing, Akshat started his professional career in the sales of Mahindra trucksand then he transitioned to the position of fashion advisor at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail. Also, as an avid sportsperson, Akshat has an immense interest in badminton, swimming, trekking, and hiking and claims Uttarakhand as his favorite destination.