TALKING POINT: INDUSTRY TRACKER
NOW, TO WIN THE LARGE BUSINESSES! PRATAP BOSE The Social Street, which turned one on June 22, is already breaking even in terms of running cost. A team strength of 140, offices across Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, and a client list of around 125 (including big, small and medium), is no mean feat for an agency that has just completed its first year. Here’s what its Chairman Pratap Bose says: ADVANTAGE OVER OTHERS: I feel I wouldn’t have got this far and really put the house in order in a span of 12 months, and signed on around 125 clients. Now, it’s a financially stable company. The big advantage we have over any other start-up is that we have so many verticals that work together. I am not just an event company, or an outdoor company or a media company or a digital company; I’m all of that together. So my chances of growing exponentially are faster than anyone else. All of the businesses may not fire, but if four out of seven fire, I’m still home. I think our growth will be extremely fast and quick. ON KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING: There were two phases: the first one was to get a flying start, and I guess we have ticked that box. The honeymoon period is over. Now, it’s time to go back to serious business. It’s up to the senior leadership to start winning the large businesses because once you have got 7-8 large anchor clients, irrespective of what happens to the industry, that will be the bedrock of your business. I think we have got 10 fairly big clients. (As told to Priyanka Mehra)
Founding Partner & Chairman, The Social Street
NEED TO ACHIEVE SCALE: Large brands don’t want to work with small shops, if you don’t have the scale and the ability to deliver. You have to have scale. Of course, it is a huge risk, but it makes you work that much harder to make things successful. If you want to grow exponentially and quickly, then you have to make such investments, and that is not done traditionally in the advertising and digital space. When you are in the start-up stage, it is important that the clients like your business and your work is seen in the marketplace.
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