Naga entrepreneurs share success story

KOHIMA — Naga entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds came together under one platform to share their success story during a panel discussion organised by Modern Myriad Branding (MMB) Private Limited on Tuesday at Hotel Vivor in Kohima.

The panel discussion was held on the topic ‘Digital marketing: Then and Now’ with four panelists namely Namang Chang, co-founder of Modern Myriad Branding; Dr. Theyiesinuo Keditsu, poet and academician; Toinali Chophi, founder of Beauty and Barn; and Lezo Putsure, CEO of EduCentre School of Business. The discussion was hosted by R Lungleng, host of The Lungleng Show.

Sharing her journey, Toinali Chophi said her business with ‘Beauty and Barn’ started as a home-based Instagram shop in 2016 and went on to launch the website in 2017.

Chophi related that she wanted to build a brand that has a personal touch and carve a niche in the market. In an effort to carve a niche in the market, Chophi stated that she tried every product before selling them.

Speaking about the importance of customer persona, she said, “No amount of marketing is going to work if the product is not good and bad customer service will not bring re-purchases even if the product is good.”

Lezo Putsure observed that the digital market has changed now and it is changing very fast.

“Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over humans before it knew it. It is giving us what we want to read,” he said adding that people need to be smart enough of what they put out online. He also pointed out the changing landscape of the business over the years.

Towards this, he encouraged people to take risks in life and do things differently, while adding there are ample opportunities for creative people.

Keditsu observed that entrepreneurs in Nagaland are a little laid back when it comes to infrastructure. She said entrepreneurs have to step up and have the infrastructure ready for customers. She also pointed out that Nagas seem to be doing the same thing.

“When somebody decides to do some business, others will follow suit and start the same business. In this way, it takes down the ones who are doing good. The business is flooded with competition and customers get blindsided by too many options,” Keditsu said.

She mentioned that good products do not repeat others but it is something that has not been done by someone else. She encouraged entrepreneurs to be more creative and provide better services to the people.

Namang Chang, while speaking about sales and marketing differences, said the job of marketing is to show the products but not necessarily sales. Accordingly, he stated that customers would come to the shop/ e-commerce platform to buy them.

“Both marketing and sales have to go hand-in-hand for convergence to take place. When marketing is done right, the sales have to be done right. Otherwise, convergence becomes difficult,” he added.

Chang shared that the company, he co-founded started in 2022 out of the need to provide solutions to the demands. He believed that entrepreneurship should come as a solution to the problem, not to make money.

Earlier, Keneirienuo Theunuo, deputy director of Industries and Commerce and team leader of StartUp Nagaland, gave the welcome address. The panel discussion was followed by a digital marketing workshop taken up by the MMB on theory and practical.

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