A Journey That’s Just Begun
In life, the climax really doesn’t count. What actually matters is the journey that leads to that climax.
Three years ago, when I filled up my graduation form for ‘Mass Communication, Advertising, and Journalism’, I had just one dream, to be a reporter. Then, during the course, my interest shifted to advertising. But two years later, I changed tracks again. I was craving an affair with the most eligible bachelor, ‘Mr.Google’, the search engine.
Do you think I am crazy? Trust me, I am not an old lady with 90 cats. It is just that I’ve always found Google irresistible. He has answers to all my questions, unlike most of the guys. And if he doesn’t answer, then I can twist my words to get him to answer. My friends realized I was on the verge of being crazy and forced me to introspect.
At that time, I was in a phase, which I guess, most of us have already been in. It was a phase of thought processing. I realized, if search engines fascinate me so much, then why not play with them for real? And who can really go head to head with these chameleons, which change their algorithms every month than an SEO expert? Thus, I began my journey as an SEO intern and after three months, I ended up joining Niswey as an ‘SEO Specialist’. But that was just my first step into the Inbound marketing world.
A Roller Coaster Beginning
It all began with a call. Around 1 p.m., I got a call from Abhinav Sahai, saying that my resume had been selected and asking if I was interested in coming over for an interview at 5:30 pm, the same day.
Forgetting everything, I just said ‘Yes’ and reached Niswey. But what I saw made me waver for a bit. The office was on the fourth floor and to let their visitors know, they used the cheesiest line, which by the way is the universal truth: ‘There is no elevator to success’. In short, it was time to burn all those calories that come with a combination of unemployment and comfort food. So if you think Niswey is only a hub of the coolest inbound marketers, then think again. For me, Niswey is also the most amazing and affordable gym with the craziest people I have ever met. Do I need to tell you that I got the job? Well, thank you. It’s all that a fresh-faced graduate can ask for.
What I Have Learned So Far
Start From Today
Have you ever heard of the ‘honeymoon’ phase in office? You know, that time when every new employee is given time to get accustomed to the new environment, people and workload. Even I imagined that blissful period. But in the very first week of joining Niswey, my bubble burst. The first lesson it taught me was to start from today. Because there is no honeymoon period at Niswey.
Here, we come, learn and conquer our fear. It is similar to how a little bird with newly developed wings is taught to fly. To some, it might seem too early to let a fresher work independently and make their own mistakes. But if they have to be independent one day, then why not start from today? That’s why Niswey is the coolest teacher. Instead of caging you, they let you go out and see the real deal for yourself.
Jack of All Trades and Master of One
Let’s twist the old saying a little bit, ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’ into ‘Jack of all trades and master of one’.
These words of wisdom were made clear by the Niswey team as soon as I began. There was a time when being master of one skill was enough. But in today’s market, where a lean team is in, we simply cannot afford to be just master of one. So the idea is to do what you do the best and besides that, learn more.
Are you thinking, ‘Is she nuts? Has Niswey gone crazy? Why does a person need to do his work and learn the work that other people already have expertise in?’
Then my answer is, ‘Do you have too much time to spare? Can you seriously afford to wait for others to always help you complete your tasks?’ You must have seen ‘Save Water’ written on billboards and advertisements, but the funny thing is, hardly anyone advertises, ‘Save Time’, when everyone knows, once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Thus, Niswey boosts me up to learn more and be independent and productive. After all, it’s high time to utilize our full potential. Isn’t it?
Be One with Your Customer
Can you imagine yourself as an owner of a big company in 5 minutes? In Niswey, I did become the owner of a company. No, Niswey does not believe in “Charity begins at the office” and let you buy shares of big companies. Instead, it helps all of us understand the client’s business, their problems and opportunities.
If you are working for your client, you really need to be in sync with them. Suma and Abhinav, who are the captains of this ship, because there is no boss in a flat organization, always encourage us to build ‘Customer Oneness’.
Still wondering ‘What is Niswey?’ Well, Niswey is an inbound marketing agency, where ‘Customer Delight’ is the priority.
Expect the Unexpected
Since joining Niswey, I have learnt to expect the unexpected. Inbound marketing focuses on the customer’s choice. And customers depend heavily on a dynamic internet to help them choose well. So, we cannot stick to the same rules every time.
Here, rules are meant to be broken. We are asked to be flexible and need to adopt the ‘Agile Process’. If one strategy fails, then instead of whining, we need to buck up and go for Plan B. Thus, the best thing about Niswey is that it gave me a lot of room to make mistakes and learn from them. In fact, I am constantly learning how to be spontaneous without being impulsive.
You Can Never Know Everything
When I first joined, I felt inferior to the others. They knew so much and it was quite scary to see that. However, everybody here helped me out and made me realize you can never know everything. You just need to learn and so, I was encouraged to go through inbound marketing articles, to read SEO techniques by Brian Dean and also to get certified in ‘Inbound Marketing’ by HubSpot.
Own Your Work
Another crucial lesson since joining Niswey has been to learn ‘ownership’. I realized you are not just given the responsibility to do a certain task, but you are asked to own it. In short, you have the power and resources to get the task done. But you are also responsible and accountable for it in every way. In life, there is no magical lamp or genie, only your hard work and determination create a paradise for you. So, Niswey taught me to stop looking for shortcuts and just go for it.
Really, Who Am I?
Have any of us has ever asked ourselves this question? If not, then now is the right time to ask this. No, you won’t get out of this world answers like ‘You are an alien’ (emm.. literally out of this world), but you will certainly find a way to know yourself better. This place is magical and it really compels you to introspect and make a journey of ‘self-discovery’.
Niswey is not only about ‘Me’, it is about ‘We’ and thus, it encourages us to explore within and realize our personal and professional goals. For other companies, organizational goals might be the main objective but here, the personal and professional goals of every individual are as important as the organizational goals. Thus, every 2 months, a goal session is held for employees and we discuss our goals and make a commitment to ourselves to really go for it, whether it is about learning swimming or any tool.
The Unforgettable Moments
The Sweet Taste of the First Success
How do you feel when you get something more than you asked for? Well, my happiness was beyond that when I won the tools session within 2 weeks of joining. I was asked to take a session on the ‘Long Tail Pro’ tool and all my colleagues had to rate the session on the basis of how well they understood it.
At first, I was not really sure how I did, but when a week later, they announced the winner and appreciated me, I was overwhelmed. It helped to boost my confidence and encouraged me to do better. Is there a place where people are encouraged to learn new tools and teach others, that too on company time? I don’t think so. It really helped to boost my confidence. Plus, winning an Amazon gift coupon for something that will benefit you… God! That was like a cherry on the top.
Fun Unlimited
All work and no play is not our story. We work and we play. We love to party and for that, we need no reason. Whether it is a birthday or farewell party or simply a Maggi party, we know how to loosen up a bit.
What do I feel about Niswey?
Life at Niswey is about living, not just existing. The main goal of Niswey is to make the customer happy and to find joy within. If you are still wondering what is Niswey, then all I can say is, it is a lottery worth crores. But only those who dare to dream, who dare to live on the edge and who dare to make the first attempt, are the ones who become a part of it. All I can say is, my first 65 days since joining Niswey have been blissful.
