Interview with Saakshi | Silly Sense
About Silly Sense
SillySense is conceptualized to serve the unique and challenging needs of businesses like social entrepreneurs and local vendors / online vendors/ artists/ freelancers in the field of digital marketing. Through our years of experience of working with them (and coming from the same background), we know what their real needs are and know how to deliver it to them in the most optimized way. Our dedicated focus on passionate business oriented players sets us apart from other players in the field who have diverse interest areas.
1. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e what’s your source of motivation?
I am mostly motivated and when I am not I try to find motivation from the output I will miss on if I do not work; FOMO works for me.
Before I started my own venture and be an entrepreneur I was having a corporate MNC job with a decent paycheck. Contrary to popular belief my corporate job was not horrible. What makes me start my day today is with the feeling that how many lives I am able to impact in a good way ranging from my clients who are dependent on me for their business growth, my team which looks upon me for their professional and financial growth and even my indirect office staff for lets say the cafeteria people/floor boys etc.. This overwhelming feeling of myself as a contributor to people as well as my country’s growth, keeps me on my toes all the time and acts as a morale booster.
2. Why should people choose your product/services?
I am working as a Chief Evangelist for my startup – Silly Sense. We provide social media marketing services to add value to our client’s business.
We have expertise in holistic branding and collaborations for optimal reach. We indulge in brainstorming the business needs with the clients to design digital marketing solutions that derive sales and revenue. Our idea of SMM is to produce sales/revenue for business rather than producing stuff for having likes or followers just for vanity.
My background of Business Analysis with marketing and the deep understanding of socio-psychology helps businesses to have faith and risk working with Silly Sense. My innate ability to bridge the gap is one of my USP’s, I not only work with niche clientele but also with local vendors who don’t have any knowledge per say about Digital Marketing or Marketing and with year on year repeat business this proves that am able to connect and deliver to all segments of the society.
3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
I am groomed to handle and deliver results for a diverse portfolio in my corporate job with GE. The practice helps me to understand the prospective client businesses their target audience and products. As a lead SillySense team, the hands-on experience coming from the diverse portfolio works like magic for our customers.
I don’t believe in the concept of market segmentation and target. I believe in adding value and producing a RoI for all market segments. Unlike pure DM professionals, in my past corporate experience, I have worked on multiple domains which provides me with a vast area of exposure. We are very transparent with our approach and even educate the customers so that they too do their due diligence if required.
4. What risks are you facing
-Technology is changing too fast. It’s a race with time to be an early adapter.
-Lack of availability of skilled manpower. We see the ocean of digital marketers but hardly any skilled one.
-Improvising the bottom lines considering the revenue fluctuations.
5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
Yes, I have considered alliances but as a strong thought point, any good alliance should be able to generate substantial synergies.
6. What comes first for your money or emotions?
Well in marketing it should be emotions bringing money. Unlike a typical businessperson, I have a very humane approach towards business and usually empathize a lot. The same is also a USP which helps me connect better and make more money in turn.
7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths – Humane, passionate, good knowledge of DM area and other business domains, continued support & love of my customers and family.
Weakness – Humane
8. Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of.
There are few significant accomplishments in professional life and the results we have been able to drive for clients, say bringing 800% more business in the very first quarter. I believe personal accomplishments is something I value more. Coming back from a personal setback and establishing a firm (SillySense) which is very close to my passion and running it successfully.
9. How do you handle the pressure?
-Deep breathe
-Time & priority management
-Communication with friends & family. For a
-If nothing else works, take the earphone and phone to
10. If you sold your company today, what would be the tone of the conversation? What would you want to gain? What would you want to avoid losing?
I have not given a thought of selling my company but if I ever
Gain – I would gain a support hand and capex to fund my other ambitions
Avoid losing – The love and respect of my continued customers and team members.
11. What advice would you give to someone starting out
-Be prepared to take calculated risks
-Unless passion calls (and it sustains for more than a year) out don’t venture into entrepreneurship
-Trust your gut feeling!
-Lean the approach should be your best friend.
12. What was
My source/ideation point of the business was based on my observation of my family. I have worked with giants like GE & CocoCola but it was my prolonged time with family that I realized the large potential that could be reaped with the introduction of Digital Marketing to small & mid-scale business(s) in terms of taking their offerings national/international or even something par-local and how it could be a win-win situation for both.
