We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Safaque Kagdi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Safaque below.

Safaque , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I completed my Masters in Business Administration, and then spent my early career working with one of the largest PR agencies in the world. There I learnt the nuances of communication intelligence and branding for a few years.

After I had a good grasp of how the industry worked, I felt I was ready to start on my own, but I was nervous. The problem with moving from concept to reality is that there is no guarantee of success. I had a fear of failure, a fear of rejection. I always had this one question – what not to do? I started by identifying individuals who had done exactly what I was looking to do. I then reached out to them so I could pick up some of their key learnings from their experience. Making a call is free, so I picked up my phone and I came across people who had no hesitation in sharing their experiences with me. Learning from other’s mistakes can help you save years in your entrepreneurial journey.

At this stage, I also studied social media management from Singapore University.

Ultimately, I decided to take the risk and go for it. I established Pressmate PR, my PR and branding company, in 2016. I started small with just one location and two employees, but within just a few years, my client base grew. We are now based in New York and cater to a major client base in the USA and Europe.

Safaque , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a PR specialist offering branding, communications and reputation management solutions. I was recognized as one of the Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs by Silicon India magazine in 2018.

I have a decade of experience in pre-emptive content curation, corporate and individual reputation management, effective branding and marketing strategies, social media outreach and research-driven results. I mainly work with high-net-worth individuals, CEOs and brands / start-ups in finance, technology, healthcare, lifestyle and entertainment industries.

I specialize in customized brand management and reputation management services through content creation and research. Finding the right words to deliver the brand message to its audience such that it is simple yet provoking is what sets me apart. Living in the digital world today, proper video, audio and written content is what makes people rich and famous.

Market and industry research is equally vital for relevant decision-making. My solutions are backed by extensive research to provide the right information to the clients. With good background knowledge, the plan of action is devised to address the problem areas from both short-term and long-term perspective.

At present, most of my work is related to digital reputation management and branding for global corporations.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience is the key ingredient to success. It’s almost like salt in a dish. If you have all the ingredients to make a dish, but you don’t have salt, the entire dish is a waste. Similarly, you may have talent, education, attributes to become a successful entrepreneur, but, if you don’t have resilience, it’s almost impossible to cut through the rough waters. It’s not just about never giving up, but also about constantly learning and growing. This is something that I have experienced firsthand in my journey so far.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

A one-size-fits-all branding and communication plan does not work with every client. What really built my reputation and confidence with the client was the groundwork I do before taking up a new client. At times, we spend months in just aligning the roadmap, so that we are laser focused at the time of execution.

Also, understanding the geography is very important when it comes to branding and reputation building for a brand. For instance, having worked with clients across the globe, I learnt that clients in the Asia Pacific region are more people and emotion-oriented while the clients in North America are more goal-oriented. They are not too concerned about the middle stages as long as clear goals are set and achieved. Clients in the European region are more comfortable talking on the phone or through Zoom calls rather than just email communication.

For brand management of HNIs and global companies, it is imperative to evolve with the changing media realm and user consumption patterns to provide tactical and impactful results.

Contact Info:

• Website – www.pressmatepr.com