The period before joining Niswey had been very tough professionally. I was on the lookout for opportunities that could pave the way for me to learn and grow. I was not looking for a job, but looking for good clients and projects. I stumbled upon Abhinav’s post on Rodinhoods and it caught my attention right away. The next thing I knew I was on a flight to Delhi.
Once in Delhi, my agenda was simple: To learn and absorb as much as possible. Thankfully, Niswey is an organization that focuses on learning and growth. I was ‘on the job’ the very first day and by the end of the first week, I was running Google and Facebook Ads for a real estate client. But this is not the learning that I am referring to that I have had in these two months at Niswey. Becoming a subject matter expert is one thing and adding value to your overall personality is another.
Setting Goals
I have not been a part of any goal setting session like the one we had at Niswey. I have worked as an employee and as a vendor/service provider with various organizations over a period of 10 years, yet I had not seen anything like this. You can read more about it here. The most important part that I learnt is to look at the ‘end’ and then work backwards to see what you are doing today aligns with it. Sounds simple? These are not just your work/career related goals but also your personal goals. When you lay both down, you may realize that doing one may not help the other and then you would find a way to align them, so you can meet both your personal and professional goals. This activity was really helpful. The important thing is, there was a follow-up session to see if the goals you had chosen were really what you wanted. Wow!
Everyone’s goals have been placed in a common drive and will be tracked every three months. It doesn’t matter if they are professional or personal; each one is equally important. How many companies in this country do this? Hmmm?
Culture
Abhinav and Suma are very clear about the kind of people they would like to have in their team. They conduct a StrengthsFinder test post your interview to assess your strengths and then plan the kind of activities that will be assigned to you. The company structure is flat and hence, everyone reports to the clients directly. There are no ‘managers’, however Internal reviews are conducted with the founders.
Within a given project, there is a leader and the rest follow and contribute to the project. Likewise, the leader would become a follower in another colleague’s project. There would be few start up companies in India that work this way. The people in the company are aligned with this and we enjoy working, which results in higher efficiency. Each one is putting in their best to take the projects/clients to success. I think a flat organization structure is a very big reason for that, as it imbues responsibility.
Digital Marketing is still nascent in India yet rapidly growing with more and more hands having access to smart phones and the Internet. It has become a key tool for several organizations to market and sell their services. The work we are doing at Niswey is remarkably different than most agencies. People at Niswey believe in adding value to the client’s marketing organization. So our role does not stop at executing a few ads or sending some newsletters. Right from brand strategy to social media, Niswey will ensure that all channels speak the same language. A 360 degree view and complete responsibility of managing the brand helps an individual to learn rapidly. At Niswey, you would not only learn to become a good adwords manager, but also an email marketing expert at the same time. That is exactly what I was looking forward to do and importantly, am able to do.
I have been here for a very short time, yet there is so much that has transformed within me. It took me back to a thought, “You maybe talented and capable, yet what you will always want is a good opportunity to showcase your talent”. There may have been several Tendulkars practising at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, but it was only one who made the most of the opportunity he got.
