In this exclusive virtual conversation with StartupTalky, Samira Gupta, Executive Presence, Leadership Communication & Life Coach, shares her personal and professional journey. She discusses the life lessons that enabled her career pivots, the essentials of executive presence, transformative practical strategies, and why leadership goes beyond titles. Gupta also elaborates on actionable advice for women and men, the realities of boardroom dynamics, and her approach to developing inner confidence and clarity.
From Zoology to Leadership Coaching
Samira Gupta’s career began with a science degree in zoology, but soon evolved. Her journey spanned several industries, including apparel, hospitality, insurance, and real estate, showing early on her entrepreneurial mindset and resilience. The turning point came after 24 years in corporate roles when she shifted towards helping others discover purpose and self-mastery, blending image consulting, NLP, and executive coaching.
Executive Presence: More Than Appearances
According to Gupta, executive presence is about how leaders make others feel. “Executive presence is equal to clarity, credibility, trust, calmness, maturity,” Gupta explained. She shared, “Are you conscious and careful of how you show up, your demeanour, dressing, grooming, manners, and empathy?” Effectiveness comes through intentionality and care, creating a sense of safety, being heard, and feeling valued in every interaction.
Samira Gupta, Executive Presence, Leadership Communication & Life Coach in Conversation with StartupTalky
The Key Pillars: Clarity, Empathy, and Communication
Gupta emphasised that executive presence is not about being the loudest in the room or holding a title. “The loudest people in the room are not strong on executive presence,” she stated. The real leaders, including introverts, command respect through gravitas—a blend of knowledge, authenticity, and stillness. “It is the ‘how’ of everything that you do. The magic is in the how.”
Emotional intelligence and curiosity, rather than mere empathy, are highlighted as critical. “If I say I have a high EP or an elevated EP, that means I have to make you feel heard, safe, understood,” she remarked.
Groundwork: Self-Reflection and Inner Clarity
Gupta advocates regular self-reflection and values work to avoid internal conflict and external stress. She cited the importance of knowing one’s core values: “Unless we know what our core values are, we will always operate in conflict with ourselves or with others.” Responsible self-work, she believes, leads to harmonious professional and personal relationships.
Practical Strategies: Boardrooms, Balance, and Appearance
On making an impact in boardrooms, she stressed preparation, punctuality, and attentive conduct over showy behaviour: “Come on time, greet everyone nicely, sit straight, and be prepared.”
She addresses the challenges women face in voicing opinions and the pressures on men to appear confident, both caused by ingrained beliefs that can be unlearned or let go.
In terms of personal appearance, Gupta addresses the misconception that dressing professionally is superficial: “Intelligent people also need to set an example. Others observe how we present ourselves.”
She advises balanced, conservative dressing that aligns with the organisational environment, stating that appearances are part of communicating respect and professionalism.
Tools for Growth: Book and Professional Development
Gupta’s book, Elevate Executive Presence, focuses on enhancing executive presence through poise, power, and performance.
“Poise is about calmness, emotional maturity, power spans physical to emotional influences, and performance is about how you do things,” she described. The book includes practical exercises, case studies, and reflection tools that readers can apply to their professional and personal growth.
Leadership programs include activities such as grounding meditation, breathwork, and skills workshops to help participants rejuvenate, re-centre, and strengthen their professional presence, providing actionable techniques to enhance confidence, communication, and influence in the workplace.
Advice to Entrepreneurs and Leaders
Gupta’s advice is straightforward: “Stop and smell the roses. Don’t keep running. Slow down, pause, reflect.” She stresses the importance of meaningful self-development, urging leaders to invest in health, skills, and self-awareness alongside material pursuits. “Work on self-belief and confidence, because that allows you to navigate challenges with ease,” she concluded.
In this exclusive virtual conversation with StartupTalky, Shilpa Arora, Co-founder and COO of Insurance Samadhan, shares her inspiring journey from corporate success to building a startup that resolves insurance grievances. She opens up about her transition from a reserved professional to a confident leader, her experience on Shark Tank India, and the unique challenges of being the only woman co-founder in her team. Shilpa also discusses the most common insurance complaints in India, the need for greater awareness, her vision for Insurance Samadhan, and practical advice for young professionals and women entrepreneurs.
From Corporate Success to Startup Leadership
Shilpa’s career began in the corporate sector, where she enjoyed a steady rise. Despite being among the top performers, she felt unfulfilled. “At one point, I threw all my awards out of my house. I wanted to create something of my own rather than bringing success to another company,” she said.
Her decision to co-found Insurance Samadhan was driven by a desire to build something meaningful and stand by people when policies failed them.
Overcoming Personal and Professional Barriers
Interestingly, Shilpa describes her younger self as shy and reserved. Startup life forced her to evolve. “I could never imagine doing this kind of discussion earlier. You come out of the shell when you lead a startup,” she explained.
Being the only woman among her co-founders also brought unique challenges. Balancing home responsibilities and leadership was demanding, but she believes women bring empathy that complements discipline and aggression in decision-making.
“A combination of male and female leaders brings balance—just like running a family,” she noted.
Shark Tank India: A Turning Point
Insurance Samadhan’s appearance in the first season of Shark Tank India proved transformational. Initially reluctant to go on television, Shilpa was persuaded by her co-founders. The exposure brought an overwhelming response.
“We were flooded with calls, even international ones. Within a week, we had to hire people. Shark Tank helped us build trust and attract talent quickly,” she recalled.
Common Insurance Complaints in India
Despite years of awareness campaigns, insurance continues to confuse customers. According to Shilpa, the most common complaints are:
Mis-selling, often by banks to elderly customers.
Claim rejections due to non-disclosure of medical history.
Hidden sub-limits, especially in health policies covering cancer or advanced robotic surgeries.
To address this, her team developed the “Know Your Policy” tool, which helps customers understand hidden clauses and potential risks.
“Insurance is protection, not an investment. People must know what they are signing up for,” she stressed.
Advice for Young Indians
Insurance is often ignored by Gen Z, but Shilpa warned of the risks of delaying. “You can only buy insurance when you are healthy. Once diagnosed with lifestyle diseases, it becomes tough or expensive,” she explained.
Her must-have list for young professionals includes:
Term insurance
Health insurance
Personal accident cover
Property insurance
Critical illness cover
Plans Ahead for Insurance Samadhan
The company continues to focus on grievance redressal while expanding services. New initiatives include:
Partnering with hospitals to reduce cashless claim rejections.
Supporting claimants in motor accident tribunal cases at lower costs.
Simplifying reimbursement processes through their app.
Shilpa emphasised that the goal is not to sell insurance but to serve policyholders.
Message for Women Entrepreneurs
Drawing from her journey, Shilpa urged women to keep learning and adapting. “You need to acquire knowledge in finance, technology, and operations. Otherwise, nobody will take you seriously in a startup,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of co-founders with complementary skills and mental preparedness for a tough journey. “Have a strong belief in your idea, stay consistent, and don’t give up before four or five years,” she advised.
🎥 Watch the entire conversation here:
Shilpa Arora, Co-founder and COO, Insurance Samadhan in Conversation with StartupTalky
In this exclusive virtual conversation with StartupTalky, Nehal Mota, Co-founder & CEO of Finnovate, shares her personal journey with money, the life-changing experiences that shaped her outlook, and practical strategies for financial fitness. She also discusses investing basics, common money mistakes, early retirement planning, and why financial independence is especially empowering for women.
Early Relationship with Money
Growing up, Nehal Mota described herself as someone who did not hold back when it came to spending.
“I was a person who would actually spend money. So people around me just said that you have a very free hand and you spend a lot.”
Coming from a middle-class family, she experienced scarcity, which pushed her to think differently about money from an early age.
“In school I decided that financial independence is important and I can’t be dependent on anyone for money. If I’m financially independent, then I’m not answerable to anyone on how I spend.”
Life-Changing Experiences
One of the turning points in Nehal’s life was surviving the Bhuj earthquake. This shaped her resilience and outlook on security. It was one of the experiences that stayed with her as she transitioned from a corporate career into building Finnovate, a platform focused on structured financial planning.
The Six Pillars of Financial Fitness
At Finnovate, Nehal stresses what she calls the six pillars of financial fitness. These cover everything from emergency funds and insurance to investments and retirement planning. She explained that the goal is to give people a structured approach to money management.
“Financial independence is about peace of mind. It is about the ability to make choices without fear.”
Investing Made Simple
Nehal broke down investing in simple terms. She explained SIPs, SIFs, and ETFs, making it easy for beginners to understand where to start. According to her, consistency matters more than timing the market.
“Even with ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 a month, anyone can start building a portfolio. What matters is consistency.”
She also highlighted the role of asset allocation and why gold still has relevance in a modern portfolio.
“Gold may not give extraordinary returns, but it brings stability and acts as a safeguard in uncertain times.”
Common Mistakes and Early Retirement
Many people in their 20s and 30s struggle with overspending, ignoring insurance, or delaying investments. Nehal cautioned against these mistakes and also touched on the idea of early retirement (FIRE). While the movement is appealing, she stressed that it requires planning and discipline.
Women and Financial Independence
For Nehal, financial fitness is especially important for women. She emphasised that independence is not just financial, but also emotional and social.
“If you’re financially independent, you have the confidence to take your own decisions. It’s a form of empowerment.”
Final Thoughts
The conversation with Nehal Mota combined personal experiences, professional insights, and practical advice. From the importance of starting early to building resilience, her perspective makes financial fitness accessible for everyone.
🎥 Watch the full conversation with Nehal Mota here:
Nehal Mota, Co-founder and CEO, Finnovate in Conversation with Startuptalky
In this exclusive virtual conversation with StartupTalky, Harsh Binani, Co-founder of Smartworks, discusses the company’s IPO, its capital-efficient growth strategy, how they built strong enterprise relationships, and the future of India’s flex workspace industry.
From Startup to IPO: Smartworks’ Big Leap
Smartworks, one of India’s largest managed office space providers, is going public. The company aims to raise INR 445 crore, with the majority going toward expansion of its core business, leasing and operating large campuses across major Indian cities. Another significant portion, around INR 114 crore, will be used to repay high-cost debt, thereby boosting its margin profile and cash flows.
“We are today only getting started. This IPO is not a full stop, it’s just a comma,” says Harsh Binani.
Harsh Binani, Co-Founder of Smartworks in Conversation with Startuptalky
What Is Smartworks and How It Operates
For those unfamiliar, Smartworks offers a full-service, flexible office ecosystem. Unlike traditional co-working spaces, Smartworks operates on an asset-light model, leasing entire campuses, fully amenitizing them, and managing them end-to-end for large enterprises.
The company provides more than just desks and chairs. Think pan-India visitor management, parking, IT, housekeeping, pest control, F&B, and even yoga zones, all integrated under one offering.
Why Large Campuses?
Smartworks is known for its mega campuses, with four out of five centres being over 0.5 million sq. ft.
“People said we were crazy for signing campuses 10X the industry average. But today, it’s what allows us to scale efficiently and attract long-term enterprise clients.”
These campuses enable Smartworks to efficiently utilise space, create better amenities, and lower operational costs. It’s a strategy that helped the company stay profitable even during the pandemic.
Revenue, Growth, and Numbers
In just eight years (including two years of COVID), Smartworks has grown to 10 million sq. ft. across 15 cities, with over 2 lakh seats. Here’s a snapshot of the financial growth:
Revenue (FY23-FY25): From INR 711 crore to INR 1370 crore
EBITDA: 3.5x growth from INR 36 crore to INR 172 crore
Cash Flow (FY25): INR 240 crore
“Revenue is vanity. Profit is reality. But cash flow is sanity.” highlighted Binani.
Smartworks takes around 3 years to recover CapEx on a campus, post which margins improve dramatically for the remaining lease period.
Who Are Their Clients?
Smartworks serves a diversified base of Indian and global companies, including:
MNCs: Google, EY, Persistent
Unicorns: Groww, Meesho
Conglomerates: L&T, ITC, Asian Paints
“We serve everyone from Indian unicorns to global MNCs. Many clients grow with us and stick for the long term.”
About 42% of Smartworks’ client base is from IT/ITeS and engineering. The rest spans across consulting, consumer, manufacturing, and healthcare.
The Flex Space Market in India
India’s flexible workspace market is booming, with nearly 10% of commercial real estate now comprising flex space, a massive leap from 0% in 2017.
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“I think the flex space party is yet to begin. The pie is only getting bigger.”
Binani believes all major players have helped expand the category, and there is still huge potential as India grows towards becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047.
What Keeps Clients Coming Back?
Rather than targeting freelancers or SMEs, Smartworks focuses on large enterprises, offering:
Long-term leasing
Integrated, pan-India experience
Competitive pricing (cost leadership)
“Managing offices is complex. We solve that completely under one roof, at a price that’s hard to match.”
They retain 86 out of every 100 seats sold, with retention being a key driver of their growth.
Looking Ahead
Smartworks is planning to scale further, with an eye on capital efficiency and execution. While the IPO marks a major milestone, Binani is clear:
“We’re not done. There’s still 25-30 years ahead. And the best part? We’re just warming up.”
Former founder of Paper Boat and current Co-founder of Asaya Skincare Neeraj Biyani finds “mind-boggling” changes within the startup ecosystem, which is necessary for entrepreneurs to progress.
“But when I started, none of this used to exist. Like the ecosystem was not there. Failures were not celebrated enough, failures, in fact, were looked down upon. But today that has completely changed…the whole ecosystem is supporting…That mindset is very, very important, you know, to progress,” said Biyani in an exclusive podcast interview with StartupTalky.
Biyani also spoke about the kind of communication and marketing strategies that the brand is using to create brand awareness about Asaya, a skincare range for the melanin-rich skin type.
Speaking about his experience with Paper Boat, Biyani said he continues to carry forward the value of “learning from the customer and what the customer wants” something he learned from his earlier beverage venture.
Excerpts of the StartupTalky Podcast Interview:
StartupTalky: Your brand Asaya Skincare is catering to unique shades of
Neeraj Biyani: So, first of all, I wanted to do this because I felt it’s unfair the way we’ve been treating melanin skin type. Today, if you look at the number of consumers who embrace their skin color, that seems to be on the lower end. But the data speaks for itself. 85% of the world population is melanin-rich skin type. But if you look at the global R&D dollars spent on formulations for the skin type was less than 14% in 2017. So there is a huge mismatch because I believe that it’s not only in India but across the world.
While it seems niche today because there are only a few consumers or a cohort of consumers who embrace their skin and identify themselves as people of color, this number is going to increase significantly as the country progresses, as the consumers are more confident of themselves, as we embrace our color, as we embrace our own culture. But even for this 20% of the consumer base, which seems small today, there was no inclusive skincare brand, which is kind of unfair.
StartupTalky: Can you explain what made you get into skincare and Asaya?
Neeraj Biyani: Yeah, there’s a personal story to it. You know, I and my wife moved to the US in 2019. At that time, my wife started to have adult acne and she is a melanin-rich consumer like me and you. And then she tried to solve for those using OTC products in the US and ended up burning her entire skin. And we had to go to a dermatologist. That’s when we realized how different melanin skin types are and how different differentiated approaches to skincare one needs to have if you have that kind of skin.
When we shifted to India, we were looking for, you know, what is the underlying trend in India? Do we have such products in India? To our shock and surprise, we realized that there were no such products even in India. And in India, people of color are like 85% of the population, right? So here, even in this country, we are so obsessed with a non-inclusive approach to beauty that the beauty standards are unrealistic where, you know, people are just looking at lighter skin tones and trying to become one of those which, by the way, is not possible.
So, you know, you have a very narrow segment of products and a narrow segment of consumers who are asking for this product. That’s unfair. And because my wife has gone through this whole, I don’t want any such consumer to go through the same ordeal that she had. My daughter has a melanin skin type and we don’t want her to be growing up in a country that is obsessed with whitening.
To catch the entire conversation, watch the video below:
StartupTalky x Asaya Skincare Co-founder, Neeraj Biyani
Do subscribe to the StartupTalky YouTube channel for more such content.
SuperBolter starts with a well-intentioned viral idea: an app that can give a 3D copy of your home within minutes and get it designed by well-known brands. Cashing in on the novelty factor, the company has managed to widen its user base 47 times in 2023 without spending on marketing.
“The truth is we are almost like a bootstrapped, angel-funded, friend and family-funded company. So the resources have always been a constraint…we have looked at the product as a growth strategy. The product should speak for itself. So we’ve focused on ease of use and word of mouth,” said SuperBolter Founder Arvind Prakash Singh.
The company is now looking to grow its curated list of brands in each income segment offered on its platform so that customers have a list of choice offerings, Singh said.
Below are excerpts from Singh’s interview with StartupTalky:
StartupTalky: Tell us about SuperBolter and what it does.
Singh: SuperBolter is an innovative platform with an aim to empower customers to be able to design their own space effortlessly starting with homes and residential apartments. So how does it work? Basically, you feed in a floor plan and you get a nice, beautiful 3D model of your house. Think of it like a digital dollhouse. We call it the digital twin, and then once inside (the app), I can drag and drop designs from various interior designers and architects. We have roped them in for the best designs, we want to make it available to as many more people. We have thousands of products that you can use to personalize your design.
StartupTalky: Your user base has skyrocketed 47 times in a single year in 2023 without spending a penny on marketing. I think a lot of founders might be salivating at this particular statistic. How did you do it?
Singh: The truth is we are almost like a bootstrapped, angel-funded, friend and family-funded company. So resources have always been a constraint. So when you have a few, you want to make the most, whether a few dollars or a few people. So we have looked at product growth as a strategy. The product should speak for itself. How ChatGPT just blew up the internet. The product was so good and so easy to use. So we’ve focused on ease of use and word of mouth. We’re getting a tremendous amount of word of mouth for the product.
There’s another concept called brand lead growth, we are trying to also maintain a brand irrespective of the size of the company. We want to make sure the brand is projected well. Maybe later this year we will put in more money on marketing. So we will do that when we are also very happy with how the whole product journey is today. Still, there are some more small traps in the product where users get lost. I want to fix that before we burn money on money.
To catch the entire conversation, watch the video below:
StartupTalky x SuperBolter Founder, Arvind Prakash Singh
In the next 2-3 years, the government-led Open Network for Digital Commerce is likely to start peaking and will likely “head to great success,” said Aakash Guglani, Manager at the Digital India Foundation.
Guglani, who works at the Digital India Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that aims at digital inclusion in India, expects local vendors and small businesses to get empowered once traffic on ONDC increases.
Guglani also called out the unfair and highly-priced commissions being charged by private retail aggregators, saying ONDC will make transactions more transparent.
“So ONDC’s aim is to get to: how do you bridge from 180–200 million (online shoppers) to, let’s say, 500 million, and not by prohibitive kinds of marketplaces that do it by 20–25% payment of commission, but let’s say less than 10%, less than 5% kind of commission space so that a local vendor can get onboarded? So that’s the larger kind of structure (of ONDC),” he said.
Here are excerpts fromGuglani’s interview with StartupTalky.
StartupTalky: There was a lot of excitement and a lot of buzz. And given that the greatest minds were behind ONDC, coming from the UPI background, are you satisfied with the way you know ONDC has proceeded so far?
Guglani: Yes, it has, and I think because the success of UPI was such an important part of ONDC’s formulation itself, we are happy to be accepted by the stakeholders. Most people, most payment aggregators, and most banks are on it. We do see some sort of consumer demand coming up on ONDC. So that’s a good sign for the larger success of this kind of network system. And let’s say we call it the digital public infrastructure. We already have Aadhar and UPI, and now we have ONDC. As we have ONDC, we will also build some sort of credit system over it. Yes, we are satisfied, but there are obviously a lot of things to do.
UPI was an easier thing to do because the information collateral was very limited; you just needed three or four types of information criteria. You need payment person 1, payment person B, an intermediate bank, and the overall architecture. In ONDC, you need a little bit more complications; you need to have order deliveries, returns, and grievance redressals. So it’s a little bit complicated to come in. That’s why it’s a little bit complicated; it will take time.
Remember, in UPI 2016–2017/18, there was not much uptick. But after 2019–20, you saw such a massive uptick that you saw 11 crore transactions daily. So right now, too, ONDC sees 40,000 transactions daily. So that it will peak in 2–3 years. So any good product development takes three, four, or, let’s say, some sort of consolidation to happen. So I think it’s an early growth stage, but we are hoping for great success.
StartupTalky: There’s huge potential for ONDC to reach out to a particular set of people. For this, what factors or impediments need to be ironed out?
Guglani:First of all, some numbers: we have 360 million unique users of UPI. As per some consulting reports, we have people who shop online who are like 180–190 million. And so we have this gap, let’s say, reaching 320 million.
Let’s say the UPI numbers we believe in are already going up and up and up. So if they penetrated to a level of 500 million users, you would have this growth path from 180 million to 500 million. And 180 million is totally private-led. We have big e-commerce platforms, but they could not penetrate. So let’s say the penetration rate of e-commerce is 7-8%. And in the US, in China, you have 20–30% penetration. We know in India that is not working because offline retail still works a lot. So UPI broke that kind of phenomenon because digital market infrastructure is at zero cost.
Because India is a unique society, the price differential is different. You needed some sort of public infrastructure digital technology—let’s say, intervention. So ONDC aims to get to – how do you bridge from 180-200 million to, let’s say, 500 million, and not by prohibitive kinds of marketplaces that do it by 20–25% payment of commission, but let’s say less than 10%, less than 5% kind of commission space so that a local vendor can get onboarded. So that’s the larger kind of structure.
There might be problems here. We have to understand why private platforms and marketplaces could not go to, let’s say to major kinds of spaces. Is it the structural reasons or is it the availability of tech? Let’s say the internet was the issue or penetration. Internet penetration is 47%. If it increases to 60%, will that help? So that was the larger context setting for ONDC. If we’re able to do these things well like what you did with UPI, that there is a market ecosystem coming up, private players, and there’s also let’s say, people’s participation.
Let’s say a chaiwala or a vegetable vendor is using UPI. Will they similarly use ONDC? Our hypothesis is yes if you make it easily comprehensible. That’s why you will not build the UI for it, you will build the network, like you did with UPI. Google Pay comes in, you have Autobank or any bank that can come up. Same way, in ONDC we are building the architecture. Let’s say a new opportunity for a startup, you can start your buyer application, or let’s say you can start your own logistics app. So if the stakeholder and the market ecosystem come I think will be successful to go to that 500 million like UPI did. And we are also ensuring how we can build a grievance redressal mechanism, the returns mechanism. That’s a complicated story. It’s difficult to do, but we are ready.
I think the system, the way it is aligned, the people who are leading it, I think we have ecosystem builders like the traditional FMCG company, people who are on the board of directors of ONDC. You have technologists, you have people who have done investment deals, you have the people from let’s say SIDBI, you have people from different banks. So you have that kind of stakeholder design by initiation. That could help because policies are there, and the government is supporting them. And I think we just need the market to get deepened and ONDC can fit in.
For the full video of the conversation, you can watch it below:
Digital India Foundation Manager Aakash Guglani on ONDC Potential, Unfair E-Marketplace Commissions
This article has been contributed bySagar Virmani, Group Account Head, The Marcom Avenue.
Talking. Listening. Participating. Podcasting…
It could be the last late-night cafe house happenings at the X formation of the Twitter office! The podcast has become a major and emerging genre of the audible revolution. Anyhow, 2004 was the year when the word podcast became normal. Furthermore, technology and digital advancement are undoubtedly shaping every industry, and podcasts are not untouched.
India holds an impressive third position in the podcasting industry, trailing only the USA and China. With approximately 150 million Indian listeners engaging in audio streaming, the immense potential for podcast growth in our country becomes evident.
Thus, after seeing such untapped potential in podcasts, it has emerged as another marketing tool to engage the audience and customers and elevate the brand image.
The industry reports have stated positively the potential of podcasts in hyper-targeting the audience and giving a good return on investment. Additionally, podcasts offer a better space to inform and spread awareness about the brand image of any business.
Every podcast should cater to a genre and serve a purpose so that it can increase its space and listenership. Without setting up clear objectives and goals, finding attention in the realm of podcasts will pose challenges.
As per a joint report by PwC India and the Indian Music Industry (IMI), it is anticipated that the podcast sector in India will experience a compounded annual expansion of 34.5% spanning from 2018 to 2023.
Nonetheless, it is also a fact that less competition exists in the podcast space compared to other social media platforms. There are 113.9 million YouTube channels, while, in contrast, only 5 million podcasts are available worldwide.
The success of your podcast hinges on finding a niche that aligns with your strengths, relevance to the audience, brand category, and subject matter you wish to disseminate.
Consider what your brand stands for and the valuable information you can offer listeners. Avoid overwhelming them with excessive branded content or solely focusing on self-promotion. Instead, pique their interest by creating compelling topics featuring subject experts and influencers.
Subtly engage your audience with content that resonates and sparks curiosity, ultimately fostering a loyal and engaged community.
Focus on Relevancy and Authenticity Through Compelling Content
The best part about podcasts is that people do not need to give them screen time. One can simply listen to it while driving, cooking, walking, or doing other chores. Podcasts start with a lower content commitment, as they do not need to convince listeners to give them extra focus.
One can penetrate into the busier lives of listeners by giving them some compelling stories to hold on to. Present your authentic self, and try building a relationship with your listeners. Indeed, a podcast holds a unique charm, as it offers a raw and conversational tone that makes listeners feel like they are directly interacting with a friend. This informal and personal approach creates an intimate connection, allowing viewers to engage deeply with the content and the hosts. Additionally, focus on creating a community of loyal audiences through meaningful dialogue.
Incorporate Podcasts Into Your Marketing Strategy
Now that we have witnessed the emerging popularity of podcasts, brands should embrace and integrate that into their marketing planning. A podcast is more than introducing and selling your new products, it is about branding. By creating a podcast, brands can establish a more personal connection with their audience.
Podcasts excel at humanizing both you and your business. Through podcasting, you can directly engage with your listeners and share your narrative. This intimate approach helps build a stronger relationship with your audience. Many adaptive marketing agencies have adopted inventive marketing strategies, such as creating studios to produce in-house podcasts for different brands.
An Efficient Marketing Tool for B2B Businesses
B2B companies frequently encounter challenges when attempting to establish profound connections through their marketing endeavors. Unlike B2C marketing, where personal anecdotes and emotional appeals often find resonance, B2B marketing often struggles to evoke the same level of engagement. However, there exists a potent solution in the form of podcasts, which can serve as a compelling medium for B2B businesses to effectively communicate their narrative and forge meaningful connections.
Podcasts provide B2B businesses with a sturdy anchor, enabling them to establish a genuine rapport with their customers on a more profound level. In a landscape where fostering connections can be intricate, podcasts stand out as a versatile platform that permits businesses to share their stories, experiences, and insights in a captivating manner. The essence of marketing lies in the art of storytelling, and podcasts furnish B2B companies with an avenue to celebrate their stories, accentuate their journeys, and propagate awareness about their operations.
Furthermore, podcasts offer a unique advantage by humanizing B2B interactions. By featuring the voices of the people behind the business, whether it’s the founders, employees, or industry experts, podcasts add a personal touch that is often absent in conventional B2B marketing. Listeners get a glimpse into the personalities and passion driving the business, making the brand more relatable and approachable.
Craft a Persona for Your Podcast
Your podcast’s format will decide whether it piques the audience’s interest. Your podcast can have a question-and-answer format, a story-telling format, or a motivational format.
There are several ways to craft a persona for your podcast. For companies with a rich history, exploring their origins through a non-fiction podcast series is a great option. In the case of consulting firms, a dual-host format where two experts deliberate on prevalent industry issues can be effective.
Delve into your target audience’s interests and aspirations and identify the most suitable format to seamlessly incorporate them into your podcast content.
Summing Up!
A podcast is emanating untapped marketing potential for today’s marketers and businesses. It is here to remain in the game, and now it is an opportunity for brands to innovate and adapt it.
If the trend of podcasting continues its current path of being a user-friendly and easily accessible content format in 2023, it will inevitably evolve into an essential strategy for marketers across all sectors. Therefore, it’s advisable to integrate podcasts into your marketing campaigns. Podcasting might just be the game-changing factor that propels your brand to unprecedented success.
People confuse passive income with the money earned just by sitting around idly. While a part of it is true, it is a misleading definition. Passive income is a source of income that is not directly tied to your time. For example, an employee earns money by putting in 40 hours a week in an office. Every day that they decide not to work leads to a deduction from their salary. What if you could earn without putting in fixed hours continuously? Something like growing a tree requires initial work to ensure that it is healthy and bears fruit in the end.
So, passive income is a form of income source where, once you set up everything, you can leave the source on autopilot with minimal interruptions. So, what are some ways to earn passive income? Let’s look at the most popular passive income sources that you can start working on today and potentially earn a handsome amount of money with dedicated efforts. Does that make sense?
Investing means putting your money into various financial instruments to earn an income due to interest or value appreciation. You start by picking the alternative to invest in crypto, FDs, mutual funds, stocks, etc. Depending on your income and risk appetite, you can select a channel to invest and earn a passive income. The biggest issue with this option is that you need money to get started. Also, there is a chance to lose all your funds in case of loss or a market crash. The safest investing option with moderate income potential is SIP, where you invest your money into a bunch of top companies to generate assured income. Certain channels as stocks require constant monitoring and juggling around them. You can pick a channel based on your convenience factor and how much time you are willing to invest.
Content Creation
Breakdown of Time Taken by Creators for Creating New Content
Content creation is one of the most booming income stream options. People use it as a proper and only source of income as well. However, if you don’t have time, with restricted hours, you can build a content library to earn without having to keep creating content. There are multiple platforms on which you can create content and aim at various content formats- videos, audio, texts, etc.
YouTube
YouTube involves creating video-based content. You could pick a niche and start creating content. However, the money doesn’t come instantly. It takes about 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours to start getting paid. But, once your channel picks up the traffic, you could earn even with reduced time allocation. The income starts from as low as $100 (₹8000) and can up to lakhs as your channel grows. It takes 3-4 years for some people to start earning, while some channels boom within a few months. The core idea is to offer valuable content that either educates or entertains the audience.
Content creation on social media could include both video and image formats. You start by picking a desired social media platform to build an audience. You do this again by offering valuable content. Once you build the audience, you can monetize them in multiple ways. It could be by selling digital products, sponsorships, etc. Each platform has a dedicated content format and algorithms. You need to understand the audience, their needs, and their algorithms to survive in the competitive content creation industry.
Blogs
Blogs have been a great way to earn passive income for ages. If you think you can write about a particular niche, then you should opt for blogging. You will need to buy a domain and build a website. It would not cost you a lot. But if you want cheaper alternatives, you could start on platforms like Medium, where getting started is easier. However, you will be dependent on a third-party website for user information and also income potential reduces. With a proper website, you can leverage Google Adsense to earn. Also, collaborations or paid sponsorships act as a great income source for blogging.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is promoting someone’s product in exchange for earning a commission. Now, this one requires audience building in the form of a community or group of people who purchase from your recommendation. You earn a small percentage, depending on the product and terms, for each purchase. Now, some companies pay for each referral, while others pay for each purchase. For products with a subscription model, one might earn a consistent commission as long as the consumer stays with the company. If you have a great network to sell affiliate products, you could start earning quickly.
Podcasts
The podcast is an audio-based content creation channel. Here, you create audio-based content to entertain or educate your audience. Start by picking the platform to upload and start your podcast, which can be Apple, Spotify, Google, or any other desired one. Again, the main aim is to build an audience, that can be monetized with time to earn a passive income. Like other content creation channels, it takes time to monetize your podcasts. You need to build a strong and loyal audience base.
How to Create a Podcast for Beginners
Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products is a way to earn a passive income as well as the most popular way to monetize your audience. Often many content creators create some digital product to earn a passive income on the side. It requires a one-time effort and gets paid for each sale. For instance, if you write an ebook in a niche in which you have expertise. Then every time the book sells, you earn without having to actively sell. You might need continuous promotion to create demand and awareness, but nonetheless, it is a great way to earn without having to toil yourself all the time. Now, you could deal with four major categories:
Info Products: Info products include ebooks or other resource material in digital format to educate the audience. You will need to start by deciding the core topics of the info product- what will you talk about? Then, after the completion of info product creation, you decide on a platform to sell your info product. It is advisable to set up a website and sell products to avoid commission cuts.
Courses: You can sell courses on many platforms such as Udemy. Look for niches where you can add value for the audience and create a course. Decide pricing for your course that people will be willing to pay. Finally, promote your product, which is crucial for each digital product to inform and motivate the target audience.
Templates: You can create and sell templates on Gumroad and other platforms to earn income. For instance, there are templates for budget allocation, preschool shopping, dairy writing, and much more. You simply need to analyze the need of the customers/ audience and create a product. One thing to notice, third-party apps like Gumroad cut commission fees for each sale.
Resell Retail Products
Reselling or flipping products with a profit margin is a great way to earn a passive income. You will start by deciding the market and target audience, to whom you will sell. After this, you finalize the products and vendors for procuring and selling these goods. Now, this is an active income source. If you wish to convert it to passive income, you can create a dedicated website for easy ordering and sell effortlessly. This way you will set systems in place and can earn passive income.
Teaching
Another option that a lot of students and married or unmarried housewives opt for is teaching or tutoring. You could teach the children in the locality depending upon your educational qualification. It requires a limited 4–5 hours a day and pays really well. However, this requires a direct time investment. You earn only as long as you teach, which keeps you hooked on the job and doesn’t give much flexibility. So, instead, you could opt for platforms that allow you to record and deliver lectures.
Sell Pictures
You can get paid to click, upload, and sell your pictures. Some websites pay you to upload and help you sell your pictures like stock images. So, if you click good-quality pictures, you can earn a side income by selling pictures. You don’t need to continuously keep updating and uploading pictures. Instead, once you put it on the respective website, you can earn it every time someone buys and uses the image.
You could sell pictures (animated or not) on many websites, like Canva, Adobe Stock, Crestock, Fotolia, Freepik, etc. You earn about 40% royalties on the photos, depending on the platform. Some platforms offer a flat rate of, say, $2.5 per download of the image. These numbers are evolving, and the income potential is variable. Depending on the platform and the kind of pictures you upload, it can vary.
Google AdSense
Google Adsense is the ads you see on Google and YouTube. For each click, the content creator of that page earns an income. Now, you can earn an income from Google AdSense by creating content on YouTube, writing blogs, or running a website. Google Adsense displays ads along with your content. If people click on it or make purchases via that ad, you earn for each view or purchase.
Selling notes is one of the easiest ways to earn money, especially as a college or high school student. If you already have your notes, all you need to do is merge and compile them into a comprehensive and useful resource. However, you need to keep a decent price point for these and find students who buy these notes. Generally, it is easier in colleges due to an identical syllabus across universities. This way, you can earn passive income by creating notes once and selling them year after year.
So, with all these sources, you can start early to earn money on the side and gradually make enough money to sustain basic needs. Many people rely on these as their source of living. If you are starting early or on the side, it can be great to try out multiple things to pursue them later in the future.
Conclusion
So, of all these, which one should you pick? Of course, interest in a particular field matters a lot. Apart from that, look at these three factors to decide which field to go into: income potential, entry barrier, and maintenance. Does the field give you enough money to sustain your needs and your income goals? Is it easier to get started? Will I be able to continue this in the long run in the future? If the answer to all these is yes, then you can pick an income source to get started. One thing to remember is that you can only earn money by providing value. No matter how easy or hard it is to start or how much you earn, if you don’t provide value, you will not sustain for long.
FAQs
What is the best passive income source?
The best passive income sources include:
Investing
Content Creation
YouTube
Blogs
Podcasts
Google AdSense
What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is promoting someone’s product in exchange for earning a commission. You earn a small percentage, depending on the product and terms, for each purchase.
Where can I sell pictures online?
You could sell pictures (animated or not) on many websites, like Canva, Adobe Stock, Crestock, Fotolia, Freepik, etc.
Podcasts are one of the best ways to reach people, no matter where they are situated. People can listen to the audio version of the content that you put out anywhere and everywhere. As long as your listeners have a stable connection to the internet and a smart device, you can convey your dreams.
Using podcasts as a business venture is neither a new format nor is it difficult to shift to this media. However, what is complex is engaging your listeners so that you can create leads. Leads will help pave the way for customers who will be willing to pay for your products. This is a more complicated procedure that takes more than just a good episode or two.
In this article, we will be examining how a podcast will benefit your organization. You can learn to set up a podcast under our direction and generate leads and revenue from that. Keep reading to know more about getting the best from a business podcast!
Podcasts are a new entry in helping people spread their content. Instead of confining yourself to limited mediums, you can go for a new look, or rather, sound. Forget long-winded blogs that barely anyone reads anymore. You don’t have to scramble to find something unique for a video that never quite hits the forever-changing algorithm. Podcasts are the in-thing that allows people to listen to your content from any place at any time.
So why are businesses taking advantage of podcasts? Take a look at the following list of reasons to get a better idea of how podcasts help your organization:
You can create a personalized bond among your client base. You can use your podcast to share exciting updates, upcoming events, and more.
Podcasts are extremely easy to operate both for the content creator and the listener. The more convenient and engaging your medium of connecting to people is, the more leads you will be able to generate.
Podcasts offer users the opportunity to share audio on the platform quickly. Forget slaving hours over your blog or editing your video. Record yourself with your gadgets, and upload the audio file. You are good to go!
Podcasts help develop your company internally by involving all members who want to be a part of the process.
By garnering a considerable number of listeners, you can hook in new leads and create a supply. This helps develop newer and considerable avenues of collecting revenue.
Podcasts help increase and engage referral traffic. You can share special promotion codes and in-house shop discounts.
Connect to your clients by sharing insights about how your organization operates with full-fledged transparency.
Wondering how to start a business podcast? Read on below to know!
The first step is to choose a topic suitable for a podcast and then develop it.
You can then decide on the format you want to release your podcasts in for your listeners.
Choose your podcast instruments. High-ended equipment offers a better audio quality than the cheaper products.
Select your podcast software and record the slot you want to release first.
Work on the audio quality.
Use a podcast template or create one with your in-house editor to make artwork for your podcast.
Choose a channel to publish your podcast on and get it listed on the audio brands like Spotify, Apple, Google, etc.
Keep working on your podcast to help it grow and create a base.
Now that you know how you can have a business podcast, learn how you can yield leads right from your podcast episodes.
How to Generate Leads from Your Podcast?
Now we come to the main part of the article where you can see how to generate leads from your podcasts. Take a look at the following pointers to turn your hobby into a business opportunity.
1. Create content that is worth your client’s time
This is the most crucial part of your entire podcast. It all depends on the quality and content of your podcast. If you do not have what it takes to interest your audience, you may as well give up on a podcast. Without worthwhile content, the other points on the list won’t be of use to you.
2. Design magnates to attract leads
Once you produce your podcast episodes, you have to create attractive lead magnets. These are incentives that will help draw in potential customers and transform casual listeners into profitable leads.
3. Encourage email currency
Engage your listeners to share their email addresses in exchange for free guides, promos, and advice.
4. Create an attractive landing page for your customers
When your listeners visit your landing page to get their hands on your offerings, it has to be alluring. Your landing page is key for your listeners to share their email addresses with you.
5. Take advantage of social media to propagate your channel
Working on your podcast and seeing grow as a viable model takes time. A lot depends on the brand, the product you sell, and whether your audience is ready for it at all. Just like any other medium, you need to conduct market research to check the practicality of a podcast for your business.
You need some patience and run a few trial-and-error approaches to see success. Podcasts may be a new technique, but they will hit more than your usual target demographic than any other medium.
FAQs
Can podcasts generate leads?
Podcasting is a powerful lead generation tool. A podcast can serve as an accessible entry point for potential customers to begin engaging with your brand.
