“Marketing is key. You can offer the best service, but without marketing, nobody will buy that service from you.” This is the philosophy that drives Ashish Jha, a young entrepreneur from a small town in Odisha who has made it big in the digital world. Ashish's journey is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and passion.
Ashish was one of four students in his 10th standard class, hailing from a humble background in a small town in Odisha. While in school, he discovered his love for coding and soon became interested in marketing and digital marketing. He knew he wanted to pursue commerce to learn more about business and start his own company someday. He went on to obtain a master's degree in finance.
Ashish's first venture was a small food delivery business he started right after his 10th standard exams. He was self-funded, and for the first two years, he delivered the food himself, taking feedback from customers along the way. Within two years, his sales had reached about three crores. He opened his first restaurant during his first year of college and went on to open five more after graduating.
However, the pandemic hit in 2019, and the food delivery industry took a hit. Ashish and his team decided to pivot and turn their restaurants into Cloud Kitchen Concept to stay afloat. At the same time, Ashish was working as a food and restaurant manager during the day and freelancing as an app and website developer at night. He developed strong relationships with clients, which helped him fund his business, which in turn became a whole business during the night.
Ashish realized that marketing was key to success. He started offering marketing services to companies struggling with revenue issues. He also began working with clients in Bangalore and soon shifted there to take advantage of the big market for app and website developers. Ashish took a unique approach to his work, building and designing apps and providing additional features that helped his clients grow their businesses faster.
Eventually, Ashish started his own company, Grizzlly.com, which specializes in marketing, lead generation, and website and application development. He started with just three team members and now, 18 months later, has a team of 27, including interns and HR and marketing graduates.
Ashish admits that the biggest challenge of being a founder is managing time and maintaining a work-life balance. He has to deal with team members who believe working more hours or switching companies for a higher salary is the way to succeed. However, Ashish is committed to his business, and his family's support has been instrumental in his success.
Ashish's journey has taught him some valuable lessons. He believes that having basic knowledge of taxation and personal finance is crucial for anyone starting a business. He also recommends gaining some employment experience and finding a mentor to learn about starting and operating a business, opportunities, and networking.
For entrepreneurs, Ashish suggests learning everything about every operation, department, and team member, being the best, and guiding them. He also emphasizes the importance of having the skills and aptitude for entrepreneurship, including patience, willingness to work for free, and learning to quit if something is not working out.
Ashish's passion for his business is evident. He started Grizzlly because he was interested in it and remained emotionally attached to it. His biggest supporter in the early days was a client from Bangalore who provided him with housing and office space. Ashish's experiences working in real estate proved beneficial, and he was able to create an image and market that for his clients and connect with audiences.
Ashish Jha's inspirational journey is the epitome of the power of hard work, determination, and passion.
Ashish Jha,
Founder, Grizzlly
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