NewsX was recently joined by Vidhi Bubna, Director, Everest PR, and Jenissa Paharia, Chief Strategist, Everest PR, for an exclusive conversation as a part of its special series, NewsX A-List where they spoke about their company Everest PR and the overall landscape of the PR industry.
On turning an entrepreneur at an early age and starting her own PR firm, i.e Everest PR, Vidhi said, “I graduated from Ashoka University in 2019. My background was in Liberal Arts so that gave me background to work in different industries like real estate, pharmaceuticals and hospitality. Because of this diverse background, I was able to start Everest PR, which is a 360 degree organisation giving and serving digital needs of different brands, organisations and individuals”.
Jenissa, who is just 18 years old, then talked about her experience at Everest PR and said, “My journey with Everest PR specifically has been fantastic. The founder herself is what makes the company so special. We focus on not only catering to different brands and consumer needs but also ensuring that people working in the company are valued at all times. I started working with the company from the beginning. Even though I was young, I believe that I was given an equal opportunity. Working with brands has taught me that consumers are now working their way to be intertwined with brands, which are more ethical. At Everest PR, I love working with every client because we choose clients who know their space in the world and are careful and conscious about their choices”.
In today’s times, data is king. Emphasising on the power of storytelling, Vidhi said, “Right now, in the world, we have a lot of tech giants who are controlled by Silicon Valley and everything has become very data oriented in this world, be it Instagram, Facebook, Amazon. At the end of the day, what makes a brand, is the story behind it and the story of the person who is running it. We really value that story and we want to bring data along with storytelling to you at your doorstep, to make it more connectable to the audience. This is the entire idea behind storytelling. People are bad with numbers, so if given numbers they’ll forget easily, as compared to a story, which they will remember 36x more.”
Speaking about the synergy between the two, Jenissa said, “Coming from an Economics background, I believe I have a knack for numbers and have been more attracted to seeing data statistics and analysing different social media trends. With Vidhi, it’s been great because she’s a great storyteller and with the help of my numerical analysis tools and Vidhi’s storytelling, we have been able to connect the two and get a brand story across. Vidhi helps out with her storytelling and creating awareness, spreading information about different brands and how ethical they are. With the help of economics I was able to understand and validate different consumer needs, which is where Vidhi and I come together at Everest PR”.
Vidhi further spoke about the impact of Covid-19 on PR industry and Everest PR. She said, “When the pandemic started, everyone would focus on offline marketing more than online, to make the brand more touchable and get the feel. After the pandemic, we realised the power of digital media because offline platforms such as newspapers were shut for almost 8 months. We also realised that no matter how dispensable or disposable everything gets, our phone sticks around and that is where the power of social media and PR comes in. People spend an average of 8 hours on their phones everyday so the time spent on phones keeps on increasing and we want to make sure that our brands are able to fit in that time and their audience’s viewership as well. It’s about monetising on the fact that people are using their phones often and finding a way to get your brand featured there to grab people’s attention. During the pandemic there’s been a shift in strategies, where people are focusing more on Instagram and Facebook than any other platform. At the end of the day, when you’re running a business, it’s all about looking at a challenge and turning that into an opportunity.”
Sharing her key learnings at Everest PR, Jenissa said, “Starting off young, I believe I had a lot to learn from everyone around me. One of the most important things is paying attention to detail. The youth is constantly scrolling on their phones on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter without paying attention. While they don’t pay attention, if you have something that stands out and attracts their eye, that is where a brand can facilitate their consumer. Even though people’s attention spans are low, people are willing to pay attention to something that’s attractive to them and they find interesting. You have to go through all details, refine it, go through a screening process before it goes out because even a small word can make a difference. Using the right terminology and keywords is what makes the biggest difference. I believe that giving women leadership opportunities is reinforced at Everest PR, different opinions are put on the same pedestal. Having so many young entrepreneurs and powerful women around me, I feel empowered myself and giving equal opportunities is something that is very valuable at Everest PR”.
When asked about her advice to women and other young entrepreneurs out there, Vidhi shared, “My first advice is don’t be afraid to take your first bold step. Even if you don’t succeed, you’ve given it a shot and don’t know where you might reach. So, it’s always better to be a risk-taker than following the herd. I feel there are so many women in the world who don’t get opportunities because they’re afraid within themselves to go that extra mile. Once they gain that confidence within, the world will be theirs and I think it’s important for women to go out there and get those opportunities. For other young people watching this, I feel like media is the next big thing because it makes and breaks reputations. I really suggest and recommend taking a closer look into media and attending workshops and mentorship sessions even if you’re not completely interested because the field is growing. The world is what it is because media shapes the opinions”.
On a parting note, Jenissa talked about the vision of Everest PR and said, “As the name suggests, I believe the motto behind the company is that other brands make it to the top. Everest itself is a difficult journey and every avid trekker wants to make it to the top and bear with the consequences and challenges along the way. At Everest PR, we as a company want to make sure that we’re there for the brands and help them and guide them to the top”. Vidhi pitched in and added, “It’s all about strategic counselling and the way you tell your brand to portray themselves and the way you guide your brand”.