As part of our relentless efforts to identify and share some of the meaningful stories from India and around the world, this week we invited Tannisha Avarrsekar for an interview with us. She is the Founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Lokatantra.in, an online platform that works towards bridging the gap between voters and politicians. She is a graduate in English and Politics from King’s College London, where she also sits on the Board of elected Associates. Miss Avarrsekar is a well-respected consultant in the field of Political Strategy & Communications and was recently conferred with the MADCon Top 50 Marketing & Advertising Leaders award for pioneering efforts in the field of political marketing. She is the author of two critically acclaimed books and also acts as Advisor to the boards of reputed NGOs such as the Insaniyat Foundation and the CFTI. Let’s read more about her interesting journey so far!
Excerpts from our exclusive Interview with Tannisha:
Tell us a little bit about Lokatantra please;
Lokatantra is a youth-centric, digital news & media agency in the form of a website and mobile application that aims to educate the youth about politics and social causes.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
I did do jobs at numerous big companies including DDB Mudra and Yash Raj Films, before choosing to found a startup. As a creative, I thrive on independence and flexibility, and entrepreneurship offers me more of that than most jobs would.
I like that all of my time, effort and talent feels invariably like an investment in myself.
Politics was always something I was passionate about, so it just made sense to put my money where my mouth was. I had done my research before I put in my papers, so I knew that the niche that I wanted to carve with Lokatantra was one that was untapped.
What does Political Strategy & Communications really entail?
The one-word answer is consulting. At Lokavyuha, which is the name of my Political Strategy & Communications agency, we advise politicians, parties, NGOs and corporates on matters of election strategy, government relations, crisis communications, public relations, content planning, marketing, fundraising, and also image and reputation management. This includes software solutions in the form of websites and mobiles applications for data management and analysis, polls & surveys, and WhatsApp, SMS & call broadcasts.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
It’s such a cliché but I absolutely love what I do. And I consider it a privilege that I have the chance to do it. I have the most wonderful team, and that is definitely an added incentive to get to work.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
The biggest challenge we faced, was trying to interview all 115 candidates that were contesting the Lok Sabha election from Mumbai City.
It was extremely difficult to coordinate so many interviews across this massive metropolis, with a team of only 5 people, 1 camera and a span of 20 days between filing day and the code of conduct.”
It was very gratifying when we eventually managed to interview everyone that acquiesced, purely thanks to the grit and determination of my team and became the first organisation in the country to attempt or accomplish this feat.
What comes first for you – money or emotions?
Emotions. The most important aspect of my work, and for that matter, my life in general, is people. I ended my first TED talk by saying
“Success isn’t nearly good enough; aim for greatness.”
And what I meant even then is that how we are remembered by people, and history, how we make them feel, and how many of them we inspire, is in my opinion more important than the mercenary parameters which we use to define success. Of course, money is important. But if there is one thing that is more important it is people.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
Honestly, I thrive under pressure. I truly perform my best under it. So it’s never something I’ve perceived as an obstacle. I am a workaholic, but I am also someone that is not too hard on myself. It is very helpful, that I am blessed with a great support system both at work and outside. I deal with stress by distracting myself with friends, music that pumps me up or reading my favourite quotes and poems.
What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup?
Being independent and on occasion bold in my decision-making has definitely helped. It has allowed me to make unconventional choices, take calculated risks and sometimes better deal with the brunt of mistakes.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
The right combination of passion, patience, purpose and planning.
What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring women entrepreneur?
Grow your network, and help out how many ever people you can both professionally and personally because you never know when they might be able to help you. Goodwill, takes a business a long way, during a difficult period.
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.
