Vritika Naik

Building Your Personal Brand from Scratch? I'm excited to share that I recently joined Naman Pandey on his Ready Set Do podcast to discuss my journey of building a personal brand online from scratch as an international student. In this candid conversation, we dive deep into the strategies and tactics I used to curate an authentic online presence, particularly on LinkedIn. We explore the motivations behind personal branding, tools to create engaging content consistently, overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there, and leveraging different platforms synergistically. Whether you're just starting out or looking to uplevel your personal brand, this discussion offers practical insights that you can apply today. All sections are neatly time-stamped on YouTube, Spotify and other platforms. I'm grateful to Naman for the opportunity to share my story and hopefully inspire others to embark on their own personal branding journeys with authenticity at the core. Give it a listen and let me know what resonates the most! I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. #personalbrand #authenticity #linkedin

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Day 17: The Power of Storytelling: How Nike’s Marketing Became Legendary 🏃‍♂️ Storytelling for Success: How Nike Became a Marketing Legend 🌟 Nike isn’t just about shoes; it’s about stories that inspire. Their marketing campaigns have become legendary because they tap into something deeper—emotion. The Problem: 🤔 Selling sneakers wasn’t enough for Nike. They needed to create an emotional connection with their audience to stand out in a crowded market. How could they turn a product into a movement? The Solution: 💡 Nike leveraged the power of storytelling in their marketing campaigns. From "Just Do It" to the iconic ads featuring athletes overcoming obstacles, Nike’s stories resonated on an emotional level. They weren’t just selling products—they were selling inspiration and empowerment. The Result: 🎯 Nike’s campaigns became cultural moments, and their brand became synonymous with motivation, success, and achievement. Storytelling turned Nike into a global powerhouse. Key Takeaways for Product Managers: Tell Stories, Not Just Features: Emotional storytelling can elevate your product and brand. Create a Connection: Build an emotional bond with your users to increase loyalty. Inspire Action: Your stories should motivate users to take action, just like Nike’s "Just Do It." How do you use storytelling in your product? Let’s share ideas! 👇 #Storytelling #Nike #MarketingSuccess #ProductManagement #EmotionalConnection

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This month I interviewed Sannuta Raghu from Scroll Media for MyType newsletter and it was enlightening! 💡 Among the various interesting insights that emerged, I would like to make it very clear that developing AI products and innovating one's own newsroom does not require millionaire capital. Sometimes, even with small teams and a lot of expertise, you can find decisive solutions to improve your daily work. You can read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/d6wsGr_j

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I got admits from Cornell, Duke, USC, ASU and Indiana Kelley for my Masters. Do you know how I was able to crack these admits? Watch the video to know more. If you’re in the process of applying to universities abroad, right now is the correct time to focus on your tests. 💡 Get done with your GRE/GMAT as early as possible. 💡 Start thinking about which language proficiency test to take. Duolingo English Test is affordable and hassle-free. So start preparing for the tests and focus on putting together your application. #students #career #masters #studyabroad #DuolingoEnglishTest #collab

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This is the continuation of one of my previous pieces (link in comment) on grabbing audience attention for your content (YouTube/Spotify podcast or business content specifically) via different tricks like hooks and setting context for the particular content. I was talking about one such YouTube channel, Think School, that hugely focuses on setting context for the audience before any video. Yes, they do have super creatives, thumbnails, etc., but what makes them an authentic and trustworthy source is their approach to gaining the trust of their existing and potential viewers. They usually follow what I mentioned previously: intro for the content, sub-content/topics, data points and their sources, objectives, etc. Through this approach, they bring quality audiences to their channel. I greatly believe this is their recipe for success so far. They know how to play on trust and reliability instead of relying on untrustworthy strategies, which are very common as well as conventional in the content creation industry—like grabbing attention for views through wrong/overhyped but catchy hooks, unrelated thumbnails, and lack of content objectives and clarity for the audience. A few things anyone, especially those building content IP around business/finance content (podcast/YouTube), should focus on when it comes to catching audience attention along with trust and reliability are: 1. Avoiding conventional approaches, as the content game is art, not science, and following conventional approaches could be a possible catastrophe. Your success depends on how uniquely you cater to your audience through your content, not on conventional tips and tricks. 2. You must have a unique presentation style for your content. Consider how uniquely you present things to the viewers. 3. You must include an introductory section in the beginning, citing every possible element of the content you will deliver. 4. You should use reliable sources to back your data points and statistics to prove any statement that requires data. 5. Hooks shouldn't be overly exaggerated. 6. Thumbnails are important for making the audience click on the video or podcast but are not valuable beyond that. The focus should be on content quality, presentation style, and tone in the presentation. 7. Last but not least, explore every possible way to bring reliability and trust among your existing and potential audience. It could be anything and everything—be it building trust via content style, form, tone used, or avoiding overly exaggerated hooks/thumbnails. This should be considered the most important factor for long-term growth and success. So, as a creator, especially if you're on YouTube or Spotify creating content—be it podcasts or visuals around business, finance, and anything related—your primary goal shouldn't be to gain views through clickbait strategies. Instead, you should focus on gaining trust and reliability from your audience.

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Three Stories to Reflect On: 1. Nokia rejected Android – At its peak, Nokia dominated the mobile phone market but chose to stick with its own software instead of adopting Android, ultimately leading to its downfall in the smartphone era. 2. Yahoo passed on Google – Yahoo had the chance to buy Google for just $1 million, but it declined the offer. Google went on to become a tech giant, while Yahoo struggled to stay relevant. 3. Kodak dismissed digital cameras – Despite inventing the first digital camera, Kodak failed to embrace the shift to digital technology, leading to its bankruptcy. Key Lessons: 1. Seize opportunities – Every opportunity is a stepping stone toward future success. Missing them can cost you dearly. 2. Embrace change – The world is constantly evolving. Those who resist change are left behind. 3. Adapt or become obsolete – If you don’t evolve with the times, you’ll lose relevance and risk fading away. --- Two More Stories: 1. Facebook acquired WhatsApp and Instagram – Facebook understood the importance of expanding its influence in social media and messaging, securing its dominance by acquiring potential competitors. 2. Grab took over Uber’s operations in Southeast Asia – By strategically positioning itself, Grab was able to outmaneuver Uber in Southeast Asia, becoming the leading ride-hailing platform in the region. Key Lessons: 1. Turn competitors into allies – Rather than fighting competition head-on, sometimes it’s better to collaborate or absorb them to strengthen your position. 2. Outsmart the competition – Reaching the top isn’t just about competition; it’s about staying ahead through smart moves and strategic decisions. 3. Relentless innovation – Never stop innovating. The only way to maintain leadership is to constantly evolve and improve. --- Two More Stories: 1. Colonel Sanders founded KFC at 65 – After numerous rejections, Sanders persevered and created one of the most successful fast-food chains in the world. 2. Jack Ma, once rejected by KFC, founded Alibaba and retired at 55 – Despite his early struggles, Jack Ma’s vision and persistence led to the creation of Alibaba, one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. Key Lessons: 1. Age is just a number – Success doesn’t have an age limit. It can come at any stage of life as long as you keep pursuing your goals. 2. Persistence pays off – Those who refuse to give up, no matter how many times they fail, are the ones who ultimately succeed. --- And Finally: Lamborghini was founded out of revenge – When Ferruccio Lamborghini, a tractor manufacturer, was insulted by Enzo Ferrari, he set out to build a car that would rival Ferrari. This act of determination led to the birth of the legendary Lamborghini brand. --- By Dr. Bilal Ahmad Bhat (Independent Candidate for Minister of Legislative Assembly - MLA, 32- Pampore Constituency) Assembly Election 2024

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𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝘀.𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 I recently came across a call-out here on LinkedIn involving a startup founder accused of not compensating interns appropriately. While I don’t have all sides of the story, this incident highlights an issue that both startup founders and proffessionals can encounter. It emphasize the importance of asking clarifying questions before joining a startup, as well as the need for startups to set clear expectations with anyone they bring onboard. Startups most times delay formalizing agreements due to costs, but finding affordable ways to address these legal essentials can prevent future issues. This process should start with the right business structure, tailored to the project's needs and liabilities. Essential agreements startup needs are: 🔔Founder’s agreements 🔔Volunteer contracts 🔔Equity splits, and 🔔Exit terms. These will provide clarity and security. Startups should also consider consulting with a legal advisor on intellectual property protection—patents, copyrights, or trademarks—which is often overlooked in early stages. Many new startups jump into building their product without considering these "little things." But given recent events, I’ve been thinking about the importance of these foundational steps for startups and how it can be navigated, despite financial constraints. How can startups prioritize this,are there cheaper alternatives? If you've worked in a startup or you managed one,please share you experiences. let's learn from each other's Journeys! 😍 #startupfounder #productmanager #buildingbusiness #startupissues #associateproductmanager #buildingstartup

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Why Talking to Non-Users is as Crucial as Engaging with Users? In the quest to enhance our products, we often concentrate on gathering feedback from current users. But are we missing a crucial piece of the puzzle? Engaging with people who don't use your product can be just as enlightening as conversing with those who do. Understanding why certain individuals opt not to use your product opens up a goldmine of opportunities to address unmet needs and hidden gaps. Non-users can provide fresh perspectives on the barriers that prevent them from engaging with your product—be it price, accessibility, or perhaps a lack of awareness about what the product can do for them. Moreover, current users might overlook certain flaws or adapt to less-than-ideal aspects of a product simply because they're accustomed to its quirks and features. Non-users, free from the habituation that comes with regular usage, can offer unbiased critiques that highlight areas needing improvement. By broadening our feedback loop to include non-users, we not only uncover why our product might not appeal to a larger audience but also identify potential enhancements that could make it more inclusive and accessible. This approach not only drives product development but also expands our market reach, ensuring we are truly catering to a diverse consumer base. Let's not limit our view to the familiar. Reach out, engage, and learn from the vast experiences of non-users. Your next big opportunity could lie in the feedback of someone who has never logged in to your service. #ProductDevelopment #UserExperience #MarketResearch #Innovation

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Once while having morning coffee with my dad, I once asked him that what do you think product management really is?, And he replied in the typical corporate fashion he replied that, 'marketing is an engineering function', and that product management is something which enables the marketing to act as function. He told me that basically it's a very dynamic job where generalization will have a greater impact than specialization. I asked him that about the Industry trends and market trends, and he replied , that in order to be a good product manager , one has to know the industry they are working in quite well. He said that it is the responsibility of the product manager to carry out industry analysis, competitive analysis, and market trends analysis. After this conversation when he went to office, I kind off pondered on what all he was trying to tell me, and then it clicked that it's product managers who actually connect the 'product' to the customers, they are like the owners of the product, who are responsible for it's creation, ideation , growth and stability of the product in the market. They are actually like the functional intermediaries (like y=f(x) ) between the customers and the product. #ProductManagement #ProductConsulting

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One new feature on WhatsApp that I really feel will be used by a lot of users but has gone unnoticed. Post talking to a lot of people regarding this need, I got to know that all of them want it, but nobody has gone vocal with it. It's the ability to set 2 (or more) different set of profile pictures for different set of users - eg., One for work colleagues, and one for family and friends. It can also be handled by having 2 profiles on the same account - just like how you have on, say, Netflix. If you also resonate with this, let me know. #product

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“Embracing Remote Work for a Greener Tomorrow - Startup Founders’ Role in Sustainability” As startup founders, we hold the power to shape our companies’ practices and impact the environment positively. By adopting remote work policies, we can contribute to a more sustainable future. Let’s explore how - Reducing Commuting Emissions - Traditional office-based work involves daily commutes, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Remote work eliminates the need for daily travel, reducing emissions from cars and public transportation. Energy Efficiency - Office spaces consume energy for lighting, heating, cooling, and electronic devices. Remote work allows employees to use energy-efficient setups at home, minimizing overall energy consumption. Supporting Renewable Energy - Many startups operate in regions with access to renewable energy sources. Encourage employees to work from locations powered by clean energy, such as solar or wind. Minimizing Office Space - Maintaining physical office spaces requires resources and contributes to waste. Remote work reduces the need for large office spaces, minimizing environmental impact and lowering costs. Promoting Sustainable Practices - Remote work fosters independence and self-discipline. Startup founders can promote sustainable practices among remote employees, such as reducing paper usage, recycling, and mindful consumption. Leveraging Technology - Technology enables seamless remote collaboration. Founders can provide digital tools that facilitate remote work, reducing the need for physical meetings and travel. Conclusion - Startup founders play a pivotal role in creating a greener, healthier planet. By embracing remote work and encouraging sustainable practices, we can lead by example and inspire positive change. Let’s build a future where business success aligns with environmental stewardship! 🌿🌎 #ClimateHealth #RemoteWork #Sustainability #StartupLife #GreenInitiative

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Earlier, I used to struggle with juggling too many tasks and often couldn't complete them in time. Recently, I came across a post by Shadé Zahrai MBA LLB that introduced me to the concept of Time Boxing. Excited to share how timeboxing has transformed my productivity! By setting clear time limits for tasks, I’ve sharpened my focus and slashed distractions. The results speak for themselves! Here’s how timeboxing works for me: 1. Chunk Tasks: Break tasks into manageable chunks with specific goals. 📝 2. Set Timers: Use a timer to stay disciplined and on track for each task. ⏰ 3. Take Breaks: Incorporate short, rejuvenating breaks between sessions. ☕ 4. Adjust and Optimize: Regularly review and refine your timeboxes for maximum efficiency. 🔄 Have you tried timeboxing or other tricks for managing time? Let’s swap strategies and learn together! 🌿 P.S. If, like me, you're new to this concept, watch this video 📹 - https://shorturl.at/Czi4y - and experience it firsthand. #TimeManagement #Productivity #Timeboxing #WorkSmarter

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Just wanted to share a quick update on the Linkedin Workshop I took with GrowthSchool by Vaibhav Sisinty. This is hands down the best learning experience I've ever had. The content is practical, relevant, and actionable, and the mentor is an absolute superstar. If you're looking to upskill and make moves in your career, you need to join this program! Link for the Program: https://growthschool.io

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When I started playing racket sports (badminton and tennis) during my 5th class, I was advised to work on my backhand skills. I grew up playing cricket until then, and reverse sweeps had not become that popular. Naturally, my backhand was weak. But I ignored it and kept working on improving everything else. I was good, but never good enough. Eventually, I gave up and stuck to cricket. Fast forward to 8th class I started playing badminton again as I moved to Delhi. This time I wanted to do better so I practiced backhand day and night. My game improved exponentially and I started competiing and winning championships. Something similar happened when I started gymming, during college, and I was advised I should work more on my legs and core strength. I ignored it, again. A few years later I suffered a slipped disc injury and it took me 18 months to recover. I started from the basics, strengthened my core and started practicing calisthenics. In my 30s, I achieved my peak fitness. The gist of these stories is that we keep running away from "putting in the work" and doing that one hard thing, but sooner or later we have to do it to achieve an outcome. Insanity is doing the same thing again and again, and expecting different results. Whether it's your career, fitness, parenting skills, spritual growth or relationships... you have to face the truth and do the hard bit. The choice is often only between now or a few years later :) #mindset #health #happiness #fitness

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Supermarkets cracked the code of consumer behavior far before anyone did! 💫⭐ 😄 Have you ever gone to a supermarket and bought only how much you planned for initially? 💳🧾 The DMarts and Big Bazars have found some strong human heuristics to capitalize on and create compelling shopping experiences. 🤩🤩 🍞🛒Supermarkets never have clocks or windows inside the premise and its usually very hard to find the exit. All of this is designed to break your sense of the outside world and lose track of time to be indulged in such an immersive experience. 🪟🚪 If you think about it critically, casinos🎰 and supermarkets🛒 have a lot of similarities in design to promote compelling experiences that encourage spending.💸 Similarities between a casino and a supermarket 🎰 | 🛒 😨 Leveraging loss aversion and sunk cost fallacy. 😨 In casinos, the sunk cost fallacy keeps players gambling to recover losses and in supermarkets customers keep on buying to justify the time they have spent driving to the store, parking their vehicle, handing over their helmets at the entry and picking a shopping cart. Thus, we function with the fear of losing what we have already invested. 🫂 Social proof and bandwagon effect.🫂 Seeing others win, loud celebrations, visible payouts and huge banners with the name of winners and the amounts💰in a casino creates a social proof that winning is more probable than losing.✨ Similarly in a supermarket, looking at customers with filled shopping carts, sign boards such as “Best sellers” / “Customer favorites”🤩 🥛🍞 Essential items such as milk and bread are typically placed at the tail end of the store and compel you to walk through multiple aisles increasing your exposure to multiple products along the way.🚶 Eventually you end up putting it in your shopping bag even if it wasn’t on your list. 🤩 💡Bright warm lighting to make fresh products look even appealing⚡while background music and aromas put you in a leisurely mood and increase your time spent in the supermarket. More the time spent - more eye-catching avenues and eventually more purchase.✨ 🏘️ Super markets fall under the organized retail sector and are well aligned to sell the image “Money is not an object"💵 Have you ever wondered why all supermarkets hand you such a large shopping cart? 🛒🛒🛒🛒

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The real game lies in trying to bridge the gap between your content and your audience persona, which I find most creators who emerged pre-, during, and post-COVID are ignoring now despite reaching a significant milestone in their content creation journey. This is creating a point of stagnation for them to grow further and capture more niche and quality audiences. The opportunity is massive, but they lack in maintaining relevance, which I think is one of the key elements in narrowing down the gap between the content, audience, and creator. But before anything, you need to figure out your core audience (more than 90%) that listens to you. You need to figure out their key characteristics like their age group, general behavior, likes/dislikes, profession, core interests, etc., to reach a conclusion on how you should plan a strategy for maximum relevancy with the audience. You can easily identify your core audience when you have strong data through your published content or videos. This is very simple but complex. The other thing you can do for yourself is to figure out which type/format/genre of content is performing well (if you have a good amount of content published on any platform). This is the most effective way, I believe, and it works well. When you do what your core audience is loving, you automatically grab the odds of growth in your favor. So if you're mature in the content creation space and facing a high level of saturation, you should work on analyzing your past content and its performance based on different parameters and figure out which ones performed well in the past. For example, consider you're a business content creator creating for five years with one million followers, but now you're at a saturation stage and not sure what to do to avoid it. You should first immediately get into analyzing the top 10 or 20 high-performing pieces of content and figure out the factors that contributed significantly to their high performance. This is the best way, and you should try it out. Knowing your core existing audience and studying your past published content gives you different signals on how you can maintain your relevancy and avoid being stagnant in your journey. Don’t follow the crowd; follow what your audience/janta is expecting from you. That’s the key! Note: The things mentioned are all my views on content creation/marketing and are only for learning purposes. Everything around content, marketing, and branding is a blend of art and science, so do your own research and experiment before arriving at any meaningful conclusion!

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great way of thinking

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Here's what helped me slash our brand onboarding call time in half! From 30 minutes to just 15 – here's how: Initially, I used to dive into explanations about our platform during brand onboarding sessions. But then, a lightbulb moment struck! I realized, why tell them when they can experience the magic firsthand? So, I flipped the script. Instead of a monologue and a presentation, I invited them to explore our app themselves right from the start. And guess what? Almost instantly, their questions were satisfied, and the fog of confusion lifted. It was like handing them the keys to unlock their own understanding. The simple hack? Let them try the product, and you're halfway there! Seek Rewards

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