This SHERO runs an online digital marketing company - Bheard Consulting and believes that it is important to live your dream and find time for your dreams too. As women, we all know only too well what it takes to juggle all the various commitments we have under the sun.
Let’s hear what Neha Gupta’s professional journey has been like and what she has to say to us today,
What line of work are you presently in?
I run a digital marketing company called Bheard Consulting – focused on the online marketing goals of the Resorts & Hospitality industry.
We differentiate ourselves from other digital marketing companies with our high performance. Also, with our focus on one segment we have built expertise in the marketing for Resorts and hospitality businesses. Recently I’ve also started conducting “Get Online” training course for students and corporate; which is largely a course on ‘Introduction to the social media world’ for those who don’t have much knowledge on how to use social media for personal and professional growth.
Why and how did you enter this field of work?
I was working as a Management Consultant with Accenture earlier. When I shifted to Mumbai post my marriage; I had already reached a stage when I had stopped enjoying my job. At the same time I got in touch with a lot of people who had been working on their own and were happy.
All this encouraged me to quit my job and start something of my own. I got an opportunity to start an eCommerce venture with some friends. Working on that venture from scratch and taking it to a certain level was a big learning curve for me.
While I was personally working on the marketing part, I got in touch with a couple of Resorts and I observed that a lot of them were still not present on social media or were not using it correctly. As the eCommerce venture was going slow, I tried to grab the marketing opportunity for Resorts, spoke to a few and got my first client within a month. A lot of client servicing skills that I picked up as a Consultant at Accenture helped me differentiate from other social media companies. After that there has been no looking back.
How do you juggle your profession and personal life?
I invest in long term relationship with my staff – whether at home or in office. This helps me in getting the work done smoothly even when I’m not present physically.
I try to do a lot of work from home itself so I can spend maximum time with my 5 month old child, yet I do go to office for at least 4 hours everyday. My staff takes care of the basic work - this helps me focus on my work and also to spend more time with my family.
I make it a point to take at least 2 family vacations a year but at the same time I ensure that I’m always available for the client – whether for a call or a meeting. This helps me earn their trust.
What advice would you give young aspiring women careerists?
Live your dream. There is no doubt that attention and love to family is the most important thing, yet it’s important not to lose your identity in that. You may not need to work for finances, yet to have some career goal helps you take a quick break from everyday family affairs and fulfilling it gives you a sense of achievement. So do the best for your family but find time for your dreams too.
What does it take to be a successful woman entrepreneur?
Dedication to work and a supporting family! Dedication to work is needed by anyone who wants to succeed in any field, but to be mentally at peace at work, it’s important that your family understands your dreams and hence supports you in every possible way. With so much happening on a personal front in Indian family set ups, it’s very easy for women to lose professional focus, that’s where self dedication and encouragement from partner helps.