This excerpt is from our conversation with Pepper Content's Co-founder and COO, Rishabh Shekhar (Pilani, ‘16). Pepper Content is a content marketing company that connects content creators with companies.
Staring Pepper Content
Rishabh along with his friends from BITS Pilani saw a need for a content marketing platform but could not find one in India. They were young and naïve, but also confident and determined to solve this problem. So they took it upon their shoulders to address this problem and came up with a solution that we now call Pepper Content. Pepper Content started as a content creation company to help companies build their reach and advertise better. Now they moved on to handling companies' content and marketing better with personalized strategies, software tools, and distribution. And this is how they emerged as the one-stop content marketing solution. By leveraging the power of content, Pepper Content helps clients to effectively communicate their brand message, engage with their target audience, and drive meaningful conversions.
College Life and Journey
Thanks to Humanities Electives and the flexibility to choose in BITS, Rishabh managed to keep his CGPA decent even with no interest in his major (EEE). His interest in Humanities electives and the English language helped him develop good communication skills. Rishabh held leadership positions in various clubs, including President and Director, along with being a part of the food managing community. He and his co-founders cultivated a mindset of saying yes to every opportunity they came across during their undergraduate studies in Pilani. Rishabh had situations where clients called during classes, and he would rush to the washroom to respond to them and sort things out. Rishabh believes that every day of the last five and a half years is a memorable short story of its own, a battle to win, and new challenges to face each day.
The BITS Pilani experience
Starting their entrepreneurial journey in their hostel room, and later securing an office in Pilani provided them with countless memories and small wins along the way. He says BITS helped him to be who he is, and also made him the person he is, a risk taker. Every day at BITS, he was at his peak and doing his best, living the college life to the fullest. He summed up by saying BITS Pilani; it's magic!
Advice to entrepreneurs
Rishabh acknowledges the institution's influence on the decisions of BITSians who pursue the route of entrepreneurship. He attributed the rising number of entrepreneurs to the availability of success stories as well as the freedom provided by BITS, such as the zero percent attendance requirement. The environment at BITS enables students to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions. Rishabh highlights the significance of enjoying the journey, and pursuing one's passion when it comes to advice for prospective entrepreneurs. He tells young entrepreneurs not to succumb to the pressure of reaching success at a young age or look at numbers too seriously. But instead, relax and devote the necessary effort to their ventures.
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