Binder1 Inner_JRD

art & culture
Was it difficult to convince artistes to come
on board?
Luckily for us, because of Shaan’s goodwill in the industry, we didn’t
have too much of a problem convincing them to come on board. But
honestly, I think what stole the deal or rather what sealed the deal was
that, we’ve not bound them by a contract. What we do have is that the
artists work with us exclusively, because we curate acts, so those acts
belong to us. The artists come on board to execute those acts, and they
can’t use that same act elsewhere. Other than that you know we have
absolutely no restrictions on the artists, and I think that is a very big deal
clencher. It gives a lot of trust to the artist community that we are here
to give them work and not bind them. We also support the artist a lot
by giving, classes in our office like ‘Hindustani classical’ music and
guitar classes, and I think that tremendously helps the artist, because
they know we’re serious about nurturing and nourishing them.
What was the most challenging or easiest part of
the entire process?
The most challenging process in any business is getting the idea from a
paper into a sustainable business model. That was a challenging part,
because we wanted to make sure that we have a great business model
and after that there was proof of concept. Then we put fuel in the engine
and took off with Happydemic. The easiest part would be anything that
follows the proof on concept.
How involved is Shaan in this project? Do you
go up to him for advice?
Shaan is the soul of the company. He’s always available for advice and
more! Initially it was tough but not from family but for me to balance it
well. My sons are grown up now ... Soham is 15 and Shubh is 12, so I
don’t need to helicopter around them and that took time for me to
understand. There are 24 hours in the day and I’ve learned to manage
it well. Work has actually got a whole lot of discipline in our lives and
I’m really loving this phase of my life.
What about being a part of this project do you
enjoy the most?
The very fact that my designation reads ‘Chief Everything Officer’ says
it all. I love everything about the process, from having a concept in
mind, to creating and executing it and seeing that thrill on our customers
face when they call me up or message saying ‘What a fantastic
performance’ I enjoy the entire process fully.
Tell us about the process for an artiste to register
with you.
Initially we use to reach out to the artists via different reality shows but
now we are gaining a lot of popularity on online registrations
(registration is free). Once they have registered, our teams of mentors
go through their videos and with their talent, connect with them and
then we go live with their profile. We have a responsibility towards our
customers, who we promise exceptional performances.
How does one go about booking a performance?
It’s very easy. Our website is extremely user friendly. One just has to go
on the website as a customer. After which you can see multiple product
that we have. If you want to book a band for a house party or a wedding,
or you want to gift someone an experience for 20 minutes, you just have
to go there and follow the process. Today you can book a performance
in less than two minutes through Happydemic.
How do you balance work and home so well?
Your advice to young women entrepreneurs?
There are 24 hours in a day and I like to plan everything well in advance.
From the kitchen menu to meetings of the day, everything is planned
and I make sure that I stick to a schedule. I actually imagine my entire
day and figure out whether it is practical for me to fit in the kind of
things and if not, then I prioritise it accordingly. From kitchen menu to
meetings, chat with kids’ extracurricular activities, car pool, or even a
date with Shaan. Everything is planned! I have to-do notes all over my
cabin (in the office) and on the fridge (in my kitchen). The only thing
that I have stopped doing is, go to “show your face” kind of parties. I
really don’t have time to socialise and the time that I have, I rather spend
it with close family and friends. I’ll like to tell all the women out there
that to do what you’re afraid to do. You are the best version of yourself.
I don’t think you need to be a copy of someone else. Most importantly
women should seek respect and not attention.
anjalishetty@crememagazine.in
March 2017
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