Leaders

It is said a lot can happen over a few cups of coffee and The GearBox Media is the live example of that. Two young professionals from the Public Relations sector, who had seen it all and gathered enough PR success recipes, decided to establish a one stop place for modern day Public Relation needs. And over the last two years, The GearBox Media has worked with some of the leading brands and startups. Today, The GearBox Media has clients across every sector. From handling marquee events to tackling the brand promotion and reputation management needs of its clients, the company has done it all!

The GearBox Media is a brainchild of Nupur Singh, Co-founder and her team, established to provide services that cover all the things a brand requires to grow. To know more about her and the company, read this exclusive interview of Nupur and Women Entrepreneur.

Take Us Through Your Journey That Led To The Foundation Of The Gearbox Media.

Hailing from a small town ­ Patna, choosing PR as a career was not a mainstream decision. While Science and Commerce were the popular choice of study for many, I differed. I opted for Communicative English and media studies for graduation with a specialization in PR. Thereafter I pursued a PG Diploma from Xaviers Institute of Communication [Xavier's College], Mumbai.

Professionally, however, I started the journey in the field of PR with Imprimis PR Delhi, a sister company of Perfect Relations. Later, I worked with AvianWE for some time before taking the decision to start my own PR firm. In between, I worked with a couple of boutique PR startups and closely worked with the senior leadership team which in turn boosted my confidence to start a company of my own.

What Were The Initial Days Like And What Were Some Major Challenges That You Had To Overcome In The Early Days Of Running The Firm?

In 2015 we started off the journey of The GearBox Media. Much like any other business we had our fair share of struggle and learning. It all began in a small rented office in Gurgaon, gradually we hired a couple of employees as we grew.

“Women should understand that there's no limit to growth and development, be it an organization or a person”

We had an advantage in terms of finances since day 1 because we never fell out of clients. We also had retainer clients whom we personally met only after a year of service. Our clients had enough trust in us and we had much trust in the power of virtual presence more than personal presence.

What Are The Various Communication Services That Your Firm Specializes In?

Public Relations and brand building practices are changing every year so we as a PR firm need to continually upgrade ourselves.  There is no point in sticking to the age-old methodologies. At The GearBox Media, we try to mingle the new with the old. Some of our services include, Brand building, Media planning and buying, Event promotions and press conferences, Content writing and distribution, and Industry and competition mapping.

Tell Us About Your Thoughts On Women Leadership In The PR Industry And What Is Your Advice For Women Aspiring To Be Entrepreneurs And Foray Into The Field Of Communications?

The fact that not many women are appointed to leadership roles in PR agencies has woven this stereotype that men are better at it. Reports have it that almost 78 percent of CEOs in the PR domain are men and this clearly shows that women's contribution in the industry at leadership roles goes unnoticed.  Studies have shown that businesses with female-dominated management are 21 percent more likely to perform better than the national average. And PR being not poles apart from other industries should also follow suit. Removing gender biases from the corporate realm is no more a luxury, rather it is a necessity to unlock new potential.

As far as my advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs is concerned, I believe one of the most important things is to stay abreast of news, being informed and updated about the key trends, national news, media interests, sectoral trends, etc. Nothing beats this. Second, constantly updating knowledge regarding the PR trends globally and assessing its implementation and impact here in India. Third, understanding how the media works, though this aspect is more important in the initial phase while starting off and during the growth years. But this learning never goes out of use. The more hands on you are with the media, better would be the strategic planning and client dealings. And lastly, to break the glass ceiling, women should understand that there's no limit to growth and development, be it an organization or a person. We, as women, need to first believe in ourselves and only then the people around us will acknowledge our worth.