During this era of high competition and uncertainty, it is vital for businesses to engage with consumers in order to remain relevant. Over the last decade or so, consumers have increasingly grown accustomed to finding what they are seek online. In such a scenario, building a strong online presence with the right messaging and ambassadors has become critical. And this is where collaboration between social media influencers and brands has emerged as an avenue of choice to boost brand credibility.

One such marketer helping brands reach their target audience efficiently is Bhawna Sethi. Having founded Lets- Influence, a platform connecting brands and influencers, she believes that content is the only way to stay in touch with consumers in order to learn about their preferences.

A perceptive entrepreneur, Bhawna comes armed with a BBA in management and MBA in marketing programme. She is recognized for launching a women-owned organization and providing digital support to customers in reaching their target audiences through social media.

In an in-depth interview with the Women Entrepreneur Magazine team, Bhawna shares with us her thoughts on leadership, and professional experience as an entrepreneur in the digital marketing industry.

Take us through your educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table. What motivated you to establish an influencer marketing agency?

I grew up in Haryana. I graduated from SRM University's BBA in Management program. I found myself drawn towards marketing, so I enrolled in MBA in marketing program at IBMR Business School. A few years down the line I received the opportunity to collaborate with Entracker. Synergizing with Chinese investors and working with Chinese start-ups aided in my understanding of the start-up ecosystem. Through my work experience I read up several fintech reports that analyzes the valuation of how the whole startup ecosystem functions.

Over the years I understood the importance of networking and witnessed the digital environment evolve. These days almost every brand emphasizes on digital marketing to create an online presence. I also perceived that social media influencers will eventually become more essential to brands. I took on a variety of projects and discovered that it had a lot of potential. As a result, we extended the team, which led to the founding of Lets Influence.

Introduce us to Lets Influence. How does the firm help brands collaborate with influencers for positive business outcomes?

Lets Influence is a women-owned organization, with 15 women administering the platform. It is one of India's leading influencer marketing firms, supporting customers in reaching their target audiences through the use of the greatest social media talent available. The organization is known for boosting audience connections, increasing engagement, and promoting brand-influencer collaborations.

Lets Influence selects the best suited influencers who will be able to assist the brand in meeting all of its marketing objectives. We also aid companies in reaching the intended audience. The team develops and implements a successful influencer marketing plan by creating and editing content and coordinating with influencers and companies. We ensures that the material distributed as the final result is of the highest quality possible while also focusing on creating partnerships with companies and influencers in the process.

In your opinion how has social media impacted the digital marketing landscape?

Following the imposition of lockdown during the pandemic, social media's usage underwent significant changes. Because everything was moving online at the time, people realized the value of social media and digital presence. It has given marketing a new face. The only way to connect with the audience is through online content, which has never been done previously because there were several choices available offline.

As the founder of the organization what are the various roles and responsibilities that you currently shoulder at Lets- Influence? What are the most challenging aspects of your current role and how do you overcome them?

I have significant roles & responsibilities in terms of balancing and taking care of the growth of the team & organization. Irrespective of time constraints, I devote my efforts to strategy building.

“Lets influence is a women-owned organization, with 15 women administering the platform”

The most difficult challenge I experienced was recruiting the ideal team. It is difficult to find people that share the same perspective or `hustler mindset', especially with the expanding waves of the start-up industry. It's also an uphill battle to maintain a balance between organizational growth and employee growth.

I must acknowledge my team's contribution in assisting me. We all want to see Lets Influence become one of the top marketing firms in India. Despite being bootstrapped and facing our own obstacles we strive to maintain stability in terms of a consistent stream of revenue.

How has your entrepreneurial journey been so far? As a successful entrepreneur what advice would you present to young women and girls who aspire to become business leaders or entrepreneurs in the future?

It's been an incredibly intriguing voyage so far. Through my entrepreneurial adventure, I discovered various facets about myself and have explored what I am excellent at. We often tend to glamorize start-ups, but it takes great effort to build a successful startup. One needs to be tenacious and consistent to succeed as an entrepreneur. For instance, the pandemic threw us a curve ball. But we still endured the hardships because we wanted to maintain our deep roots within the market.

One piece of advice I would give is to follow in their own footsteps and establish their own enterprises or simply create something spectacular of their life. The journey has taught me that if we believe in something, we must work hard to make it a success. We women must maintain our confidence in whatever we do and not be afraid of change. Also, give it your all without expecting anything in return.

Bhawna Sethi, Founder, Lets Influence

An experienced marketer recognized for launching a women-owned organization and providing digital support to customers in reaching their target audiences through social media and influencer marketing.