Sumeet is a passionate and self-driven digital media strategist with a demonstrated history of unlocking maximum ROI across a portfolio of high-value clients by finding the right media solution. He’s strongly efficient in strategic media planning, performance marketing, solving complex problems, and building long-lasting relationships.
Why did you join this industry?
Digital media is dynamic and ever-changing; to solve complex business challenges in this environ- ment is extremely satisfying. The constant need to push oneself to innovate, compete, and put forth the best solution is what is captivating to me.
How did you land your first job?
Having specialized in engineering in university, the media world was new to me. I started my career with a few internships in sales, then performance marketing, and soon realized this is where my passions lie. This got me a full-time role at PHD where I currently am working.
Who do you look up to?
Personally, it would be my parents, as I have learnt a lot from the challenges they faced and how they were able to adapt and maneuver through them. In the business world, I would say Elon Musk; his vision, passion for innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit are impressive and infectious at times.
What’s the best advice you have received so far?
Back in university, one of the professors constantly reminded us at the beginning of lectures to “Love what you do.” The message deeply resonated with me. It has helped me pursue things that I like, deliver my best work, and maintain a level of focus in my career.
What’s the best advice you have given so far?
Always keep the end goal in mind. This serves as a constant reminder to not get burdened with the amount of work and point us to the right direction. Huge data sets or complicated briefs can be overwhelming; ultimately it keeps us in check to drive end KPIs for our clients.
How do you feel about the stigma sometimes associated with Millennials and Gen Z?
I think maintaining a healthy balance between the online/offline world is important and, together, it works for their benefit, especially since both generations grew up in the digital age and have a huge influence on modern day tools for day- to-day interactions with others.
What do you think you specifically bring to the organization you work for?
It would be my ability to dive into a campaign brief and find out what can be done to improve from a digital point of view; this could be a change in the media mix, optimization/setup, or simply to build the right relationships and drive business value.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned at work?
Not to dwell on failure and to learn from each experience, as it will one way or another help you in the future. Experiencing this firsthand at work has motivated me to consistently give a fresh and improved perspective on any challenge and refine my problem-solving skills.
What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?
There are two things that are equally rewarding. The first is to see a client achieving new heights of success through our media efforts; this is amazing to witness and a strong motivating factor. The other is when I can cascade my experience and learnings effectively to peers who are new to the industry; it always puts a smile on my face.
What’s the most frustrating thing about your job?
Difficult briefs. They can be challenging to interpret at times but the silver lining is that, without fail, they create a learning opportunity and provide focus to prioritize workflows.
If not this, what would you be doing?
Before joining the media industry, I was eager to either work for an NGO fighting poverty or join a tech startup. So, I believe I would be in either of those two fields-essentially, I would want to be in a challenging environment that helps me with my personal development.
Would you start your own venture in the future?
If I have a reasonable idea, along with a great team and in the right place, then I would be keen to give it a shot!