Parul Tarang Bhargava

Tell us a little bit about yourself (background) and your journey as an entrepreneur, please; Your introduction and journey so far.

Our journey started way back in 2006, this was a time period when we were very young and open to trying out new ideas, get fresh perspectives about the business world and see how far we could make our impact. What we noticed was that although affiliate marketing was a huge thing in the global market, it was still at a nascent stage in our country. In fact, during those times, several brands did not even accept Indians as someone with whom they could foster business partnerships. Witnessing this for ourselves, we thought that yes, this industry does seem to have upside potential and we can fill the underlying gap present in the Indian market if we act with the right approach. Now, when I look back and compare the ‘then’ and ‘now’, all I can say is that though we have accomplished much, we are still on the tip of the iceberg. As an organization, we still have a long way to go, learn many new things, maybe even fail at a few of them, however, in the end, come out victorious. Perhaps, this is how I like it. I don’t like to stop, I always keep looking for better and more substantial opportunities, challenges and everything in between that helps us forge ahead.

Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?

To be honest, during my whole journey from being a content writer to becoming the CEO of vCommission, I would say that I’ve surprised myself not just once but many times over. For instance, I didn’t think that I could ever do sales, or maybe manage such a huge team of people with such efficiency. But then again, it was the journey that taught me, and I feel only gratitude that it did. For me, everything zeroes down to two things. The first being highly aspirational and the second being that I as a person have always been very open to learning new things and experiment. These two factors have played an instrumental role for me to chase bigger goals in life and pour all my energies to achieve what I really wanted for myself.

What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?

A fairly good question. I would say that the mindset to achieve day on day and lead our company to new heights of success is what keeps me going. At the same time, this is something that also keeps me grounded and hustle harder than others. Because, in the end, it is all about the ability to act decisively when the situation demands so! This is something that has made all the difference in my eventful journey as an entrepreneur.

What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?

To this, I would say that ups and downs are an integral part of anyone’s journey so as in my journey too, and I acknowledge that they have been a part of our journey as well or maybe I would even say that they have acted as the steppingstones to achieve greater success. However, I feel myself pretty confident that with our team, I will be able to eventually sail through any difficulty and come out victorious.

What comes first for you - money or emotions?

Although these two things usually don’t align with each other, I have seen that if mixed in the right proportions with a business-oriented approach, it can work wonders for any organization. I would even say that as any business is an entity in itself, it needs to have emotions, not personal, obviously, but business-oriented things like concern for quality deliverables, client satisfaction, targets & roadmaps we plan & how to achieve them, etc. Money is obviously the priority but on the personal front, I believe if your value creation process is right for your clients as well as your team, the money will automatically come as a byproduct of it.

How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?

I personally feel that spirituality is something that can change anyone’s life for the good and give it a better course of action. From the last 450 days or so I have not missed out on a single day of my meditation. It helps me remain calm, chase goals with greater efficiency and clarity of thought. Secondly, delegating work to my associates takes a great amount of stress off my shoulders. So, I would say meditation and my team are the two foremost factors that help me handle pressure and manage stress in a very effective way.

What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup?

I would say that my keen eye to identify opportunities and act swiftly upon them has been one of the major things which have helped me grow as a person.

In your opinion what are the keys to success?

I would say that to be persistent in your approach and never give up on what you truly believe in. Yes, this is especially for all the aspirational young people who want to excel in their careers. They need to understand that there is no such thing as overnight success. For anything good to happen, you need to give it time and work on it with a growth mindset.

What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur?

Any aspiring entrepreneur should always remember that nothing is done overnight, satisfaction does not come overnight. You need to preserve; there is no second option for that. Secondly, especially aspiring entrepreneurs who want to start up, should always have a learning attitude towards everything. And if you feel confident and motivated enough that you must do it then you should do it. There is no age, no gender, no degree required to take the plunge. To this, I would also add that do not focus on money initially, rather go for value creation and creating something sustainable.