While the business's brain manages the finances, the body provides the manufactured goods, and the soul that holds it all together is the marketing sector. “As a marketer, you are supposed to sell to the customer an experience, some ease in business handling and growth, not just a product and/or service” believes Dharti Shethiya Gori the boss lady, young CEO and the Founder of The Ardour In an in-depth conversation with the Women Entrepreneur team, Maharukh takes us along on her professional journey and speaks to us about her new venture Amaterasu Lifesciences.

Dharti Shethiya Gori a passionate writer and a poet who wears a badge of a marketer for over 15 years is on her way to change the course of the marketing industry and inspiring people to level up. She leads a team of caffeinated marketers who are passionate and works hard to build an honest brand for their clients. It is not just the passion of Dharti and her team but it is the passion of the clients for which they put in their heart and soul.

In an in-depth interview, Dharti tells Women Entrepreneur team, how the business grows if the marketer creates the honest brand with all passion and hard work.

Give us an overview of the ardour. What are some of the important features/facets about your expertise as a business leader?

The idea of Ardour is very close to heart. The word ‘ardour’ speaks about the passion, deep love for something that one is genuinely excited for, and that is precisely what we do at Ardour. We bring in the essential passion. Our team of caffeinated marketers works with the zeal for clients, brands, and any product service, big or small. I believe that when we combine passion with hard work, you can create wonders, you can get the marbles to change the world, and if it's served with coffee it is the best thing ever possible.

To talk about my expertise, I am a marketer, a writer and a poet. I've been striving to change the marketing industry's course, one project at a time, to inspire and teach people, and often myself, how to level up.

Take us through your early education journey and the prior industry experience. What drew you towards the field of marketing?

I always wanted a career in the field of selling or marketing from my very young age. In my opinion, packaging has a lot of impact on any product. It tells you about the product inside and all the technical aspects related to it. That made me pursue a degree in printing and packaging technology from SIES Graduate School of Technology.

I've done several free internships during my graduation. I've worked in diverse fields, including food and beverage marketing, retail, service providers, network marketing, and software service providers. Though I didn't make any money during my internships, I gained a lot of experience, and last year I was one of our country's youngest CMOs.

During my second year of engineering, I interned at Mondelez India as a packaging intern (Cadbury). Following that, I worked for numerous organizations for over three years in various roles such as digital marketing strategist, marketing executive, branding and PR manager, and chief marketing officer. I am simultaneously also the head of business development at Aviotek Business Solutions while founding The Ardour in June 2021, starting an entrepreneurial journey for myself.

“Every buyer and seller is motivated by a set of emotions. And if you're honest with the individuals you're pitching to, you'll develop a longterm strategy. Our internal team is completely aligned with every aspect of the client to generate best results.”

What motivated you to take up the entrepreneurial route? As the CEO of the ardour, how do you drive growth within the organization? What is your leadership mantra?

My family was the driving force behind my foray into entrepreneurship. We hail from a lower middle-class family; I've watched my father working hard yet still making just 500 rupees every month during the early 80s and 90s. But today I take the pride in saying that my father is my business mentor. I believe I've adopted his way of life and living in order to make a reputation for myself and encourage other women around.

Speaking about the organization’s growth, we have adopted things like, the entire team sitting together to discuss the project and coming up with the best possible solution for our clients, we also support each other and these small things bring in huge impact on organization's growth.

Being in the top leadership roles, doesn’t mean that you have to be bossy and commanding. I believe the leader is the one who stands for the team and work together towards a common goal.

Tell us about the approach you take while working on a new campaign for a brand? How do you ensure that each client requirement is achieved in the most efficient manner?

I use only one approach: I listen to everything a client wants to say and then bring to g them everything we can do together.

We normally go to a client's office, look around, get a sense of the work environment, the product or service they're trying to market, and then pitch the exact thing in our campaign.

Every buyer and seller is motivated by a set of emotions. And if you're honest with the individuals you're pitching to, you'll develop a long-term strategy. Our internal team is completely aligned with every aspect of the client to generate best results.

Leading a firm from the front, how do you manage to strike a balance between your work and home life?

I describe myself as a young woman with an old man’s concept. I believe early to bed and early to rise makes me the way I am today. Discipline, in my opinion, is vital for personal and corporate growth. I wake up, do yoga and spend ample time in reading Indian scriptures. I also watch a lot of anime and to be honest, that is one thing that motivates me in a very different way.

When it comes to juggling job and family obligations, I make every effort to spend time with my loved ones. I often prepare some of my husband's favorite foods. We do spend some quality time with my in-laws and when I'm with my family, I put my phone away. I do not entertain any other work related stuff.

What would your words of advice be to young women aspiring to become entrepreneurs and business leaders?

People will give you a lot of advice, but trust your instincts and be whatever you want to be. Do not hesitate to pursue your dream, no matter how big or small it is, if it motivates and completes you, go ahead. Remember, each of us entrepreneurs inspires ten other women. We are forming the next generation, and if you want to do your part of it, act now.