Media Mantra is a specialized PR Agency which works with a strong vision to create and enhance the brand Image of various organizations.Pooja Pathak, Director, Media Relations and Content at Media Mantra speaks to us about work and life today and tells us about her journey so far.
Tell us about yourself
I have spent my childhood growing up in NCR and later did my graduation from Miranda House, Delhi University. Post this, I went to Australia to pursue my Masters degree and alongside, attained immense work experience in that country. While in school, I was an average child. Once, I got an opportunity to become one of the Prefects of the school in Grade XII. This turned out to be a life - transforming experience as it made me more responsible, punctual and hard- working. Moreover, it brought profound appreciation from my teachers. I remember a day when my father asked me ‘Are you a Prefect of the School or a Class monitor’. Such statements and appreciation encouraged me to undertake more good work in life. I managed to secure the Position of President for one of the Creative Writing societies at my college and got affiliated with many freelance content writing opportunities.
As a person, am very amicable and quite straight forward in my expression. I lack the art of twisting tales and drawing conclusions. Even at the company, I prefer “Talking out” and explicitly saying what I feel and think. One of my greatest strengths is that I am very optimistic about life and the learnings which life bestows upon me. I enjoy spending time with family, love travelling, reading books and constantly engaging myself with some activity or the other. I love to take initiatives and become a front runner in whatever I choose to do in life.
I constantly love to learn new things in life. Apart from my learning within the entrepreneurial capacity, I also rejoice in my role as a Mother. My 2 young kids (aged 3.5 years and 1.5 years) are my strength in life and surely enrich my “Multi-tasking skills”.
When did you start Media Mantra, what is your company's core service / product area?
Media Mantra is the brainchild of my husband, Udit Pathak who founded this company in 2012. Though I was initially a little hesitant and so was he, but I guess we are just blessed to be where we are today.
Media Mantra is a specialized PR Agency which works with a strong vision to create and enhance Brand Image of various organizations. The company strives to assist clients across verticals to get positioned in different media genres. Being in this competitive service sector, it is my belief that PR which is an investment for brands today will surely become a necessity in the times to come.
How has the journey been?
When we started Media Mantra, it was a two member team and today the number has progressively grown 20 times and I believe that it will further continue to increase. This scenario is possible only because today organizations of all shapes and sizes understand the crucial need to become PRable. As recent as a few years, start- up industry has powerfully made the entire PR community more popular and it is indeed very refreshing to work with them.
How did the idea to start your own venture come about?
My husband and I have been very ambitious about our careers and always wanted to do something of our own. Though the decision to start our company and leave our respective jobs was definitely not easy but I guess “we just took that RISK and one fine day gave birth to Media Mantra”. Our families have been our biggest support during this time and it is probably their blessings and good wishes gave us this strength and conviction to exercise a business plan.
What is a typical day at work like for you?
In the morning, I reach office around 9.30-10am and start talking to the team. After few team briefing meetings, I attend client meetings (if scheduled) or else continue with the work chart which was planned the previous day. I start reading newspapers and keep a close check on the work performance and trajectory of teams in order to be completely updated.
Besides this, I efficiently take out time to teach PGDM and MBA in Public Relations at one of the most reputed colleges of Gurgaon, twice a week. During evening hours, I either head for a work out session or straight away go home to spend time with kids.
Overall, office is highly demanding not just because it’s my own set up but because PR is a dynamic industry.
If not this, what else would you have chosen to do professionally?
I guess I would have been on a Sabbatical... (Just kidding). On a serious note, I would have been in the same industry, working for somebody and helping their organization to rapidly grow its name and fame.
At present, I am happy that it’s not true. There is no better job than the joy of creating your own brand. It does come with its own challenges, but I guess it has made me what I am today and I am glad to be an architect of my own happiness and success.
In your line of work, three things that help you stay on top...
In our line of work or I would like to say that in any entrepreneur’s line of work, One thing that should be strong is “Self”. It has the power to create and destroy. My essentials of life include the following:
- Self Discipline
I believe and would like to say that Discipline is one of the integral ingredients that has the potential to shape up one’s life. Even in my own set up, I constantly feel the need to exercise self discipline by following office timings, lunch timings etc. The benefit of exerting flexibility is something which I don’t believe in.
- Self Motivation
Self Appraisal and Self Appreciation is one of the difficult tasks which one can experience. At a leadership role, I guess its more about giving appreciation but then there are times when you yourself need someone to tell you that you were good. Today, one should regularly indulge in activities and thoughts which can aid you to be self motivated.
- Self Control
Running a self funded company surely requires massive Self Control. Also, getting productive work done within the expected deadlines from people is no child’s play. It literally gives you sleepless nights and in the midst of all this, the only thing which you can’t afford to loose is your self control.