(18 November 2019) We recently caught up with Jeevan Ravi, India’s Digital Marketing Entrepreneur. Jeevan is a 17-Year-Old, Self-made, Entrepreneur living in Bangalore. He started his digital marketing business in the name of quality digital marketing with 500 rupees in July 2017 and is pulling of millions in turnover now, while his other classmates were preparing for their class 10 board exams.
He is well-known for promotion and marketing for Businesses and Celebrities. Jeevan has done many campaigns works in Bollywood, Tollywood and the Konkani Film Industry.
Today at the head of a flourishing start-up, I asked Jeevan to tell us a bit about his career and his vision of entrepreneurship. He has a significant experience that can inspire both young and experienced entrepreneurs and digital marketers.
Can you share more details about your experience?
With the desire to undertake since the age of 14, I had experienced several failures before I started. At 16, I wanted to stop studying and start a company with another friend. After a few months of work on the project, I realized that I could not count on this person and we separated.
I completed my Google certification and became a certified Google Ads Professional.
In the last year, I have worked with the upcoming celebrities and politicians, and assisting them in Digital marketing and social media.
When you look back on your journey, how do you feel?
Honestly, I feel glad to see that the hard and smart work has paid off. I started with almost zero investment, in the sense that I built everything myself by implementing my ideas.
Your vision of entrepreneurship: what does it bring you, why did you start?
Entrepreneurship, for me, is not exceptional. I find that the act of doing business is often mystified. It seems essential to me to remember that in some countries, most of the population are entrepreneurs who live in small businesses.
In my opinion, the hardest thing is to get started. It requires a little courage and unconsciousness. For me, if we want to do something better to do it even if it costs us dearly rather than having regrets.
What it brings me already is total investment in something that I like. Even if we do not just do exciting things, we touch a lot of areas, and it suits me well.
Then unquestionably some recognition that flatters the ego. I probably started because since very young, I had the model of members of my family more or less distant who undertook, and it gave me the taste to undertake.
Do you think it’s better to find a partner: how to make the right choice?
After a few failed associations, I could talk about this for a long time. However, I believe the following three things are essential when it comes to partnership.
It is critical to share the following common objectives
- Ambitions – for example, one partner wants to develop a multinational corporation, while the other wants to remain local.
- Investment in work in terms of working hours and money.
- Team spirit and mutual trust.
If these three things are in place, the partnership can be a viableoption for an entrepreneur. Sooner or later, he or shewill have to tag along with bright minds, and therefore one should not shirk away from partnerships.
Tips for a budding entrepreneur?
Do not ask yourself too many questions.
Always be Ethical in your approach
Define the strategy, then compare the returns
and most important…Be patient.
The main challenges you faced?
Without a doubt, financial challenges are the most critical when you are just beginning. At first, the times are hard; there a significant workload. At the emotional level, too, it is stressful especially at the beginning, because there is a lot of uncertainty. Balancing work and studies was another challenge for me.
Do you have a mentor or a model?
I have grown up seeing my father, CR Ravikumar, doing business. My father has always been my mentor. Also, Guy Kawasaki is not bad in his style. He insists on giving meaning and doing things in a simple and effective way.