It was in class eight that Rajive Dhavan had the first taste of earning money — he began by selling sauces to different bakery outlets across the city. Ever since, the Mass Communication graduate has donned several hats — as an author, journalist and the founder of an eight-year-old digital marketing and advertising start up called ‘What’s in a name’.
Having played a key role in mapping digital transition of many well known brands from Hyderabad — from Ohris, Centro and Neerus to the furniture store Elevate, Rajive’s start up has won awards for its work — including Telangana Brand Leadership Award, Outstanding Achievement Award for Business Excellence, TV5 Business Leader of the Year Award (Service) and and Ramoji Young Voyager Award for Digital Marketing.
While receiving Business Leader of the Year award
Delving into various aspects of web development, SEO, digital marketing and app development, the Google-partnered ‘What’s in a name’ founded in 2010 came at a time when leading brands were sceptical; about going digital — Facebook and other social media only seemed like opportunities for interaction and there was no visible proof of how an FB page would actually translate into business results.
“We were slightly ahead of time. I started this firm with ₹40,000 loan from a friend and have always believed that you need more then just money to become an entrepreneur,” Rajive says.
Experience in print advertising worked as an advantage; the rules for digital medium too were not too different .
Rajive says, “It’s about the time you invest in aspects beyond work. Like my fondness for writing, the time I took to upgrade my web development skills helped understand the holistic picture better. As a start up founder, it was important to own the work I do.”
The advantage with the digital sector is its transparency, that numbers don’t lie and the results speak for themselves are of great help,” he adds. “Adding newer verticals by the year was the key. The digital world isn’t driven by guess work. It is quantifiable and one is more in control of work.”
Many establish start ups assuming they need not be answerable to anyone, but Rajive feels one is accountable when they own a firm. “We generate over 3000 leads a month, a number that not many others can match. The awards feel like an assurance that we’ve been doing good work,” he says.
Next on the cards for Rajive is a social enterprise for the needy and a book through which he will guide start ups drawing from his personal experiences.
