I was born on June 15, 1972, into a lower-middle-class family in India, during a time when the country had a controlled economy. Owning a TV, a fridge, or a telephone was considered a luxury. Our residence was called LIG Mahindra Colony (LIG stands for Low Income Group), where only one personal phone was shared among 250 residents and used thoughtfully by everyone. At that time, we didn't think twice about inconveniencing relatives by staying with them, and they were always happy to host us. We lived in a 325-square-foot apartment where one bathroom and toilet were shared among 16 individuals.

My father, E. Gangadharan, was born in Kerala. He lost his father to a cholera epidemic when he was still in school, and his youngest sibling was just a few months old. The family experienced extreme poverty, to the point where there were days when we couldn't afford to burn cooking wood. During his 10th standard exam, my father fainted from hunger, and a kind teacher bought him tea so that he could complete the exam. He started working while still in school as a hotel boy and realized that he could only lift his family out of poverty by moving away from Kerala. He came to Mumbai, the land of dreams, where he worked tirelessly to not only establish himself but also bring his nephews and nieces to Mumbai, look after them, and help them settle.

My mother, Indira Gangadharan, stood by my father and supported him since their marriage on May 7, 1968. She was a homemaker who cared for those my father brought to Mumbai to help them make a living. Our home became a sanctuary for those seeking employment from Kerala, and for those traveling to the Gulf, it served as a transit home. In today's era of connectivity, our family's kindness and generosity remain a cherished memory for some, while others simply observe how they have successfully led their lives.

Perhaps due to his circumstances or innate qualities, my father possessed strong leadership qualities that he used for social work. His most significant contribution was to the Mahindra Worker's Union, where he tirelessly worked for the welfare of the workers. He remained a part of the worker's union throughout his tenure at Mahindra & Mahindra, never accepting promotions that would have forced him to leave the union. Even in his early 90s, he continues to be associated with various associations and remains active.

Despite all the good they did for their family and society, life hasn't always been kind. On February 19, 2006, my elder brother, Ramanunni (known as Babu), passed away from a massive cardiac arrest at the young age of 36. Since his school days, he had shown maturity and responsibility, never causing any concern for our parents regarding his studies. He received a scholarship in 1987 and traveled to Moscow for his MTech. After his graduation, during the transition from the USSR to Russia, he found employment and furthered his education at Thunderbird.

Throughout my life, my personality went through various phases. In my early years, I was an extrovert, but in secondary school, I began to transition into an introvert. However, I eventually found my way into a career that required extroverted qualities, such as sales. Some of my natural extroverted traits remained, and with experience and self-improvement, I gained confidence and saw an increase in these characteristics, which has led to success, albeit later in life.

As for hobbies, I love traveling, spending time with friends, listening to music, karaoke singing, and reading, especially in the field of politics. I also enjoy running, although it seems I haven't discovered all my interests yet.

The highlight of my life was during my college days when I met my better half. On December 14, 1999, I married Leena. We faced challenges, but with the support of a higher power, we overcame them. On May 5, 2007, we were blessed with a precious gift, our son Shourya, who is now in his final year of school.

Looking back, I believe my life had a good balance of experiences, though it could have been even better. For some, success takes a bit longer to materialize, but I am confident that the best is yet to come. In 2023, it has been a rewarding year for me. A slight change in my attitude, stepping out of my comfort zone, embracing risk, and, most importantly, having confidence in my approach, allowed me to demand a significant leap in compensation, helping me reach milestones I had missed earlier. I see this as the beginning of a peak in my career, akin to the saying that the best is saved for the last years of one's professional journey.

"I began my academic journey as an average student, ultimately graduating with a major in Economics from Mumbai University. My primary goal for completing my undergraduate degree was to achieve financial independence. However, an underlying desire to further enrich my academic pursuits led me to pursue a Master's in Marketing from Wellingkar Institute of Management. In the course of our journey, we continually learn, and the most profound education often arises from our experiences working with various organizations and interacting with diverse individuals.

Financial independence was my top priority, leading me to actively seek employment immediately after my final graduation exam, even before receiving my results.

An Unexpected Turn (July 1995 to October 1995): In 1995, I found myself working as a medical representative (MR) at American Remedies, which later merged with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. After a one-month crash course in Chennai, during which I familiarized myself with pharmaceutical terminology, I was ready to hit the field. Armed with a familiar brown MR bag filled with product samples and templated folders, I gave product demos. Receiving a reimbursement for a first-class local train pass felt like a significant privilege at the time. The MR role was unexpected, and I left it after just four months. It remains a mystery what led me to a position at Indian Express. Was it because they needed a fresh perspective to handle the initial legwork required for a new product, or was it my performance during the interview? I believe my response that emphasized the need for a direct client-facing profile to monitor my performance played a significant role. In contrast to my MR role, where the effectiveness of my efforts became apparent only at month-end when headquarters sent reports about product movement from the stockists in my area. Although I gathered intelligence about competitors and product movement through medical shops, it was insufficient for real-time performance assessment.

Stepping into Media (November 1995 to Feb 1998): Indian Express marked my entry into the media sales profession, which later defined my professional journey. Despite lacking formal training, I assumed the responsibility of selling classified ads. Coincidentally, two months after joining, I faced the challenge of making the classified section fully paid for the tabloid's first-anniversary issue. This initial success propelled me to achieve my first target. As a newcomer to media sales, I navigated a lull period after the anniversary issue, implementing a plan involving special issues and partnerships with industrial exhibitions. This phase was my primary education in media sales.

In the Right Place at the Right Time (March 1998 to Feb 2005): My experience at Indian Express opened doors to other media organizations, culminating in a breakthrough at CyberMedia, India's leading IT media company. This period coincided with the rise of the Indian IT industry and the emergence of IT entrepreneurs. In 1998, as the IT industry took flight, CyberMedia was considered a new-age media company that invested in its employees through regular training. With brands like Dataquest, PCQuest, Voice&Data, and DQWeek dominating their respective niches in IT media, CyberMedia became my gateway to the IT industry through IT media sales. The combination of representing the market leader and my penchant for hands-on work from previous roles paved the way for my first promotion. However, when the dot-com bubble burst, our regular business was adversely affected, underscoring the importance of diversifying income sources. After seven years at CyberMedia, I felt the need to challenge my comfort zone.

Starting from Scratch (March 2005 to July 2006): This marked my transition from media to the infrastructure industry, particularly with Data Media Systems (DMS). I was tasked with establishing DMS in India, initially by building a database, raising awareness about our services, and securing subscriptions. DMS provided comprehensive information about turnkey energy projects, helping subscribers stay informed about project developments. Given my limited knowledge of industry terminology, I had to invest time in research, database management, and product familiarization. Despite being a newcomer, my efforts were recognized with the "Best Rookie Of The Year" award.

Entering the Corporate World (August 2006 to March 2010): My career shifted from the pharmaceutical and media industries to the banking sector when I joined ICICI, India's second-largest private bank. This marked my introduction to the corporate world and the field of business intelligence (BI). As part of the alternate channels in the BI team, I interacted with various product teams, aiming to bring the bank closer to customers. I spearheaded an initiative to establish a channel that could connect with customers within 24 hours, significantly reducing the acquisition cost of products. Within three months, this pilot project expanded to five cities, lowering the cost of acquisition from 2.5% per lakh for personal loans to 0.85% per lakh.

Venturing into New Territory (April 2010 to May 2011): My experience in sales and operations from previous organizations gave me the confidence to venture out on my own. With extensive experience in media sales, I started by approaching overseas media houses to represent them in India. My objective was to connect with organizations that had overseas markets. I became the media representative for Terrapin, Penwell, ProEdit Solutions, and Aeropedium, all offering various services, including delegate acquisitions, advertisements, and content services. To scale up further, I needed additional publications and manpower, which would require either capital or funding. During my search for funding, I caught the attention of CyberMedia, which was seeking someone to head their West branch.

Returning to the IT Sector (June 2011 to November 2017): I returned to the IT industry after five years, but I found that five years in the IT industry felt much longer. Laptops, PCs, and networking products took center stage, while the share of revenue from print advertisements diminished. Daily newspapers began to dominate the print advertisement market. Expectations from B2B media shifted toward connecting with decision-makers through a solution-based approach. Events replaced the dominance of print ads, necessitating the need for exclusive events for specific organizations. IT segments like Enterprise, Channel, and SMB matured, requiring specialized teams. I was chosen to lead the channel brands DQ Week and DQ Channels

Entry into new aged media: Entering the realm of new-age media, I found myself at CyberMedia Services, a part of the CyberMedia group, recognized as one of Google's preferred partners for both Google AdWords and Google AdSense. As they were in the process of forming a new team, I was chosen to spearhead the sales of Social Media Marketing (SMM). Whenever CyberMedia devised a product strategy, it focused on collaborating with IT companies. The primary goal of assuming this role was to reduce our reliance on the IT industry and broaden our horizons.

I secured a significant contract for CyberMedia Services, bringing MediLife on board for SMM. Starting from a modest monthly investment of Rs12 lakhs, they eventually increased their spending to Rs30 lakhs per month. It was during Google-initiated training and events, where I engaged with peers, that I realized the immense growth potential for a digital agency, scalable by a factor of 100. However, achieving this required substantial investments in both tools and the right skilled workforce. When the organization did not exhibit a readiness to make such investments, I made the decision to move on.

Networking is Key (December 2017 to June 2023): My desire to continue working in the digital marketing field led me to identify a digital marketing agency. Yet, I remained uncertain as to why I was not considered for opportunities within the agency. This lack of communication or feedback is often a common practice in HR, leaving me in the dark regarding the reasons for my exclusion.

A fortuitous turn of events reunited me with some friends from my time at CyberMedia, who had joined Indian Express. One friend, who had started with me during my previous stint at Indian Express, was still with the organization. It was a serendipitous coincidence that I was seeking a change just as they were on the lookout for senior resources to relaunch CRN and manage revenue. Although B2B media was not my first choice, I recognized the value of being associated with a global brand.

Following the successful launch of CRN, the organization underwent a restructuring of its sales operations. I was entrusted with the responsibility of heading sales for the western region and managing key accounts. This restructuring proved successful as every region contributed to achieving targets, both in terms of top and bottom-line performance.

Reflecting on my career, it resembles a rollercoaster graph that I have skillfully harnessed to my advantage. The proof of my adaptability and resilience lies in my enduring presence in the competitive race. Just when things were reaching new heights and we were poised for the next major leap, the pandemic struck, once again testing my ability to navigate the ever-changing landscape.

Becoming Bolder in June 2023: As I entered my 50s, which now feels more like my 40s, I gained the confidence to take greater risks. This led to a significant career shift, accepting a role as the National Sales Head at 9dot9, directly competing with Express Computer. After a brief two-month period in sales, I transitioned to marketing within a startup called Lentra. This journey ultimately brought me back to the banking industry through a technology company. I view this break at Lentra as an accelerator to regain lost ground from previous years.

Regenerate