It is very important for a leader to be mindful of his own brand because the brand differentiates you from your competitor. Once you have defined the brand image of yourself and your product you should maintain it. Else if it gets ruined then it can affect the business negatively.
Meet Shikha Sharma – Experienced Founder of ToyToys – Toy Library with a demonstrated history of working in the think tanks industry. Skilled in Market Research, Brand Management, Business Development, and Team Management. Currently also the National Vice President of Wicci eCommerce council. A PGDM in marketing with graduation from Delhi University.
Let’s learn a little about you and really get to experience what makes us tick – starting at our beginnings. Where did your story begin?
Shikha Sharma: I am a Mba in Marketing and have worked in advertising agencies. After my son was born I found it difficult to engage them with positive play. My kid would get bored of a toy in few days and would get back to the screen. In order to engage him positively, I started to rent toys from a small shop. And that’s when my journey began.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up?
Shikha Sharma: Yes, I did face a hard time when I started. I wanted to reach more and more people so I decided to go online. But coming from a nontech background it was challenging for me. Also, I had to live in different cities in a short span of time. But that did help me in testing my idea in different cities. I considered giving up but I got an opportunity to attend the course run by the most prestigious college in our country. I realized where I am making mistakes and started over again.
What are the most common mistakes you see entrepreneurs make and what would you suggest they do?
Shikha Sharma: The most common mistake entrepreneurs make is they don’t take feedback from previous customers. I feel that when you are beginning, that is very important in order to grow.
Has the pandemic and transitioning into mostly online shopping affected your company positively or negatively?
Shikha Sharma: Mine is an online business and the pandemic did not affect my business negatively. Most of the kids were at home and needed toys to play with. I made sure to take care of the hygiene part of the toy.
When you think of your company, 5 years from now, what do you see?
Shikha Sharma: Five years down the line I want to be present in most of the cities and internationally also.
Shikha Sharma: The three character traits instrumental to my success are hard work, self-belief, and ambition.
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How important do you think it is for a leader to be mindful of his own brand?
Shikha Sharma: It is very important for a leader to be mindful of his own brand because the brand differentiates you from your competitor. Once you have defined the brand image of yourself and your product you should maintain it. Else if it gets ruined then it can affect the business negatively.
What’s your favorite leadership style and why?
Shikha Sharma: My favorite leadership style is participative. I really think it is important to keep the dialogue open with the team in order to understand the real issues related to your business.
What advice would you give to our younger readers that want to become entrepreneurs?
Shikha Sharma: The advice I want to give to young readers is to read, read and read. There are so many free resources available. Read, understand and implement.
What’s your favorite “business” quote and how has it affected your business decisions?
Shikha Sharma: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” –Amelia Earhart.
I truly believe this because taking decisions in a business is very difficult. You should be making decisions and try to make them right. I needed to make decisions in my business in order to grow and tried not to delay them.
This interview was originally published on ValiantCEO.
