When you dream in a virtual world, you can make it happen. This is the journey of the 21 year old who made digital marketing the new face of advertising.
Meet Yash Sanghvi, a Durham University graduate who began his company in a 100sqft room with no investment and 3 employees. It was his vision that the new age marketing tool of social media would supersede the pragmatic methods of advertisement. As a passion-driven young man with his laptop, he could procure no investors, lest of all even believe that the internet would take over conventional methods of marketing such as print and television. Boundless questions from the elders barraged him when he decided not to take up a regular job. “Why would anyone pay anyone else to be on the internet when everyone can log onto the computer themselves?” They asked. “Because not everyone has the time,” he argued.
“Precisely, because Facebook or Twitter is not work.” they retorted.
Social media is just for youngsters to chat and probably share photos is what was said to him. “That’s perfect isn’t it?” He asked. “That’s the way the word will spread…each one sharing what his/her peers were doing, wanting, and had experienced. What they felt about it was real, what they wanted their friends to know and experience was collective and contagious. What was it… if it wasn’t a sure-shot way to spread a forest fire… everyone was in the loop, all you needed to do was to hashtag it.”
Well, honestly the first year wasn’t that simple either – most rebuffed him or indulged in hearing his plans like a dream narrative. But yes, it was another world slowly growing, opening new possibilities, expanding its horizons, moving in sync with the technological development, the progression of science in the digital world. Yash Sanghvi saw it; he envisioned the perfect bait and people fell hook, line and sinker.
FYA was born, and 3 years down the line now boasts of a workforce of 50 people in Mumbai and an extra 50 more stationed across Delhi, Jaipur and Pune. From brand building to logos and web designing, from social media promotions to content developers spaced out over various platforms, FYA does it all.
The most note-worthy software that they concentrate on is not only connecting with potential customers but being able to track and gauge their interests, create relevant content to become into a sale and even have repeat value. Digital marketing is here to stay. The reach, connectivity and recall value is what takes it a notch higher than the traditional means. Choices and changes are always youth-driven and our country has the biggest untapped growth potential.
“The new age technology is addictive”, says Yash with a smile. Today, Yash Sanghvi is not only successfully steering FYA into the future but also mentoring young minds and addressing students of N.M College, Mithibai, etc. into the world of entrepreneurship. Point taken, you must dare to go where no man has ever gone before. Invest in your dreams, and make them come true.
