As marketers, we must find ways to sell ourselves too: Sujay Rachh, Nuvama Group
In a conversation with Storyboard18, Sujay Rachh also spoke about his go-to creators, his favourite quotes on marketing and leadership, tips to avoid burnout, and a lot more.
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Sujay Rachh had understood one thing about his marketing team. That they tend to shy away from shining the spotlight on themselves. “Maybe it's because we know that our worth lies not in what we say about ourselves, but in what our work says about us. After all, who needs to sell themselves when the results do all the talking? This is true, but we as marketers must find ways to sell ourselves too,” said Sujay Rachh, Chief Marketing Officer, Nuvama Group.
Edited excerpts from the conversation.
What are your favourite quotes on marketing and leadership?
I am not sure if this is marketing or leadership, but I have borrowed this from one of my bosses in my early days and it has stuck with me. I had heard him quote (the author) Spike Milligan — ‘Most people live a nothing life. The only important thing they ever do is dying.’ It made me reflect on how easy it is to drift through life without a purpose. I definitely don’t want to be in this lot of people.
In your free time, what marketing-related content do you consume?
Lately, AI is taking up a lot of my time. Like many in the industry, I’m fascinated by how various platforms and technologies will impact the marketing landscape, and how it is revolutionising customer engagement and optimising campaign strategies. In my free time, you will find me reading about this and dabbling with AI platforms to understand their potential impact and ensure that our strategies are future-ready.
Where do you get your social media fix?
LinkedIn is my go-to platform. It has a healthy mix of content which is useful on both the personal and professional fronts.
What were the last five videos you viewed on any social media platform?
In no specific order, I can recall:
The courtroom exchange between Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Senior Counsel Kapil Sibal – a fascinating legal debate
Instamart’s quirky ads, the Groom/Broom and Chawla/Chawal copies – hilarious and creative
Jimmy Kimmel’s take on the recent US presidential debate
Sadhguru’s perspective on ADD and ADHD – insightful and thought-provoking.
Roger Federer’s convocation speech at Dartmouth – long but incredibly inspiring.
Who are your favourite creators and what draws you to them?
Akshat Shrivastav is one of the creators I like listening to. The genuineness of his approach makes me go back to him and listen to his advice
I listen to Marques Brownlee for his tech reviews and views on the future of tech devices. Again, it’s the depth of his content that draws me to his channel.
Viraj Ghelani & Anirban Dasgupta. I find these guys really funny.
What is your sport / fitness routine? What does your weekend look like?
Badminton and running are two things I enjoy. Weekends are generally blocked for these two activities. Weekends are also for my son, who is currently into football and tennis. I love watching him play and get highly motivated by his determination.
If I am not on the field, I maybe watching a movie on the big screen as I enjoy the immersive experience of the theatre, as opposed to bingeing on Netflix or any other streaming platform. On some occasions, I also go off-roading in my jeep outside the city limits. At times, you will find me unwinding with some good music. In essence, my ideal weekend is a balanced mix of physical activity, family time, movies, and relaxation.
What are you watching/ streaming this weekend?
Nothing in particular. This weekend I will mostly be grooving to the tunes of Phalguni Pathak
Any work or life hack you swear by?
Adding a ‘+1’ is something I consistently try to do. What I mean by that is doing what needs to be done to the tee… but then not stopping at that and always thinking of one additional thing that you can do which has not been asked for but will work wonders. This usually brings a smile to everyone’s face and most importantly, I feel really good about having gone the extra mile. It's very satisfying.
What are you reading ? Any recommendations?
Currently I am not reading anything. But among the good stuff I’ve read in the recent past is Byron Sharp’s ‘How Brands Grow.’ It challenges a lot of conventional marketing wisdom and presents a more realistic marketing thinking for today’s day and age.
What's your advice to avoid personal and professional burnout?
What helps me is taking short breaks from work, and disconnecting from all possible content. It creates a refreshing mental space. Another thing that really helps me is playing a sport. It helps me unwind and regain my calm. Sleep also helps. But that could be on account of my age.
A piece of professional wisdom you would like to share with next gen marketers?
In one of my recent posts, I had written something which I thought could be good advice. It's funny how a marketing team can sell ice to an eskimo, but when it comes to selling ourselves, we're like, "Do we really need a brochure for this?" We craft stories that make products irresistible, shape brands that people love, and create experiences that stick.
Yet, when it's time to promote our own brilliance, we're suddenly the humble artiste behind the curtain. Maybe it's because we know that our worth lies not in what we say about ourselves, but in what our work says about us. After all, who needs to sell themselves when the results do all the talking? This is true, but we as marketers must find ways to sell ourselves too.
What's the best advice you've received on `life’?
Own your decisions. It could be a right decision or sometimes a wrong one. But learn to own it and work with it.
The other advice that hindsight has given me is — learn to manage money from an early age. Trust me, it will do you a lot of good.
