At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this, we invited Seasoned Entrepreneur Monica Gupta for an exclusive interview with us. Monica is a Leader, Entrepreneur, Mentor, Marketing Strategist, Consultant and Advisor. She is the Founder & Director of Interactive Bees Pvt. Ltd. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Monica:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
If I speak about my journey in a nutshell, it is a symphony of my passion for storytelling and brand management which had the great ingredients of creativity, constant learning, action-packed and demanding yet thrilling.
I started Interactive Bees with the vision of empowering brands and weaving captivating narratives through the power of creativity and innovative ideas.
After my graduation in Instrumentation, I pursued a postgraduate diploma in management from the prestigious JIMS institute, followed by a certification in digital strategies from Kellogg School of Management.
After dedicating years as a marketing expert to help brands expand their reach, I foresaw the need for companies to reimagine their marketing approach for the evolving digital landscape. This motivated me to establish Interactive Bees in December 2008.
We recently completed our fifteen years of Interactive Bees, and during these years, we have focused on nurturing a culture of innovation and excellence. The essence of Interactive Bees lies in the balance of Bee Curious and Bee Creative, akin to the concept of yin and yang.
Being Bee Curious entails the art of collecting dots while being Bee Creative involves connecting these dots.
Today, our clientele includes brands across industries within the country and outside. We proudly have helped many brands transform their storytelling approach through our creative and innovative marketing solutions.”
‘Interactive Bees Pvt Ltd’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
I’ve always strived for a name that encapsulates our core vision – crafting digitally empowered storytelling solutions for brands. The symbolism of collaboration embodied by ‘bees’, coupled with the interactive essence of our solutions, birthed the name Interactive Bees.
Just as bees exemplify industriousness and intelligence in crafting precious nectar with myriad applications, we too are diligently engaged in crafting tailored solutions for our clients. Much like a hive, we function cohesively, pooling our expertise to conceive award-winning campaigns.”
Our primary mission is to steer brands away from passive broadcasting towards dynamic dialogues, catalyzing actionable engagement. We metamorphose passive viewers into active participants across all touchpoints, facilitating brands in reaching their target audience effectively, addressing their pain points, and discerning their passions to sculpt a winning brand strategy.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
In the rapidly changing digital landscape, running a marketing company is a challenging task. Sometimes, it gets tough to keep up and ensure our strategies are cutting-edge.
However, what keeps me motivated is my passion and my team. Having nurtured this company from an idea, I feel pride in my team. Their passion, zeal and creativity inspire me.”
I express my gratitude towards our wonderful clients who have partnered with us for years. Their faith in our agency’s expertise to deliver successful strategies keeps me going even on stressful days.
For me, as an individual; meditation, physical fitness, having a positive outlook and taking mini breaks helps me push ahead for my agency’s growth.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
The first and most significant thing which I have learned in my life is to have a clear vision. I achieve this through personal SWOT analysis which helps me understand and face the challenges that come along the way.
It was the clarity of my ambition that led me on the path to redefine branding with innovative ideas and launch Interactive Bees.
The second most important lesson which I have learned as a founder of a marketing agency is that it is very important to keep pace with emerging technologies in the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape.
Lastly, despite having a hectic work schedule, I have always prioritized the importance of wellness. Maintaining a work-life balance fuels my motivation and has been a pillar for effective leadership since the formation of Interactive Bees.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
With over 15 years of experience leading Interactive Bees, I have learned that the first and foremost thing is perseverance and passion. Secondly, the willingness to take smart risks empowers me to expand my portfolio with reputed clients being a part of Interactive Bees.
Another thing that I consider very significant to build a successful agency is nurturing an environment where the team members are encouraged to learn new skills, explore emerging trends, and experiment with innovative strategies.”
I also believe that building meaningful partnerships with my employees and clients fosters trust and takes us upward towards success. By understanding individual client needs, delivering measurable results, demonstrating transparency, and maintaining open communication, we can build a long-lasting relationship that will fuel growth and prosperity.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Students and young professionals who want to have a successful career must pursue their passion. With the rapid technological shifts, it is also important for students to have a learning mindset. Students must stay curious, explore new ideas, and be open to learning from diverse perspectives.
By upskilling as per the industry demands and accumulating experiences across diverse working environments, the students can leverage their strengths and meet the changing world’s needs to have a successful career ahead.
For young professionals, being proactive, networking, or building genuine connections with people from their field can offer them guidance and support. Networking always opens new opportunities and lays the foundation for a fulfilling and successful career.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
