Interview with Interns

Season 1 – Episode 1

Hello and welcome to the “Interview with Interns” – Blog

A DigitalDeepak initiative to showcase the achievements of our Interns.

[cheers and claps]

Meet Mr Ankush Anand,

He is our intern from Batch 2 of the Digital Marketing Internship Program who has achieved and established himself quite well in his chosen niche.

Ladies and Gentleman here’s Ankush for you…

[applause]

Hello Ankush,

Hello Deepak Sir, thank you for having me on this interview..

How did you get started? Tell us your story?

I come from a very beautiful place. That’s what everyone says [winks], Kullu in Himachal Pradesh but there is a negative side to this as well. I had very less amount of scope for the private sector and business. People rarely talk about that here in my town. I was really good at Computers, using gadgets and softwares. A computer geek basically (smiles) and also, I was very passionate about doing some business instead of a govt job. I used to spend my days in the Library and the Computer Lab. Exploring the world of the internet. I started filling forms and applications for my friends, and they use to pay me for that. Slowly, I went ahead with Website Designing. I asked a book shop owner once, to let me have a place outside his shop with a table and chair for my services. He agreed for a profit sharing of 50% with me. There it started. I got my first client for website designing in 2016. It was the beginning of DrabDigital Services, My startup. I switched my focus from my exams in the second year of college to my startup which resulted in a decline of my class performance from a top student to an average one, but that did not worry me much as I was quite focused on my startup, I was just 19 at that time. During 2015, I was already into blogging. Not for monetary purposes but as a hobby. I started my YouTube channel in Jan 2017 for sharing technical tricks. I learnt SEO, Google and Facebook Ads, Brand & Graphic Designing during those days. I heard about DigitalDeepak and Neil Patel in 2017 and started learning more and more from them. I must have watched thousands of videos and tutorials all on my own. Paid courses as well as free tutorials. In 2019, I had an office, A team of 5 People with 25+ Clients. I kept learning every time, but something was always missing. I was never very confident for a new client. I had clients for paid marketing, SEO, SMM, content writing and designing. I hired some interns for my company in August 2019. I was not too confident on how I should be managing them too, but I did it. It was like I learnt swimming after being pushed into the water (sigh of relief).

[applause]

In November 2019, I got an email from DigitalDeepak for an Internship Program. I watched the launch webinar, and without any hesitation, I jumped into it, utilizing the reserve money I had from my startup. I am glad I took the plunge that day and never regret my decision.

[smiles]

What describes Ankush? What do you have to offer to people?

I am a Brand & UI/UX Designer & Digital Marketing Strategist. My Expertise is in Designing Graphics and Brand Identity, Development (Coding) as Well as Designing of Websites, and Building Digital Marketing Funnels and Strategies that Converts. I understand tools and design & human psychology well, which are among my top interests. It helps me to get the most out of the tools and methods and make good strategies.

How important is digital marketing for your business?

My Business is all about Digital Marketing. I help businesses to build their brand, their visual identity as well as positioning their brands in front of their prospects and sell their products and services at the lowest cost possible. With my team, I provide Designing, Development & Digital Marketing Services to achieve this.

Could you share your journey with us? Your life before and after the Digital Marketing Internship Program?

Before Internship, I used to doubt myself, I lacked confidence, whenever I used to get a new client. I had the think over it. Can I really do what he needs?

I felt something is missing, which made me join the internship program. And I think this was the best decision I ever made. I Learned new stuff as well as got a lot of confidence. I found out that I knew a lot, but still, lack of guidance and confidence about what’s right and wrong was there.

Now, I can work on any project. Get Actual Results confidently. Get help from the friends from DD Internship if I still have queries. And that’s what is the best part of the Internship.

About the Community, It was the best part. We feel like family in the group. Mentors do answer, but Batchmates also put efforts to help each other.

[cheers]

Some say, organic promotion is almost dead in major social media platforms, is that true? What’s your take on this?

I feel organic promotions will never die. Not even after 10 or 20 years. We can say it’s being difficult, but It’s never going to die. Marketers and businesses have to change their mindset and focus on understanding the systems and concepts. It will still work. Brands like Google, Facebook & others want people and businesses to be there on their platforms. Organically as well as through using paid promotions. It will become competitive but will not end. Instead, there is another aspect to this as well. People are now aware of the Ads on these platforms, and a lot of them trust more on organic listings on Google. There are new keywords, new searches, and a lot more aspects, which makes this statement of the organic promotion being dead completely wrong.

[applause]

What is the most common reason for people failing/giving up?

Lack of appreciation and proper guidance from people around them.

What were the roadblocks that you had to watch for?

My father & relatives are the first roadblocks in my journey. They never supported me and my efforts. Even today, I am on my own.

[sighs]

Sticking to positivity, how about something to help people to get started? What resources are available out there in the market?

The best resource in the market is free knowledge. You just have to keep learning and implementing. There are communities that you can join, and people will help you as well.

With that, we come to the next segment of our interview, and that is “Candid talk” Are you ready?

Yes, sure [smiles]

Great! What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Writer

What is that “one” word you use quite often?

like this (in Hindi, Aisa)

[laughter]

What are you NOT very good at?

[hesitatingly] Communicating with people..

Finally, would you like to say something to our readers?

Don’t take your life for granted, Use it to build something for the world and for that, start working on your skills (not for degrees). You have to keep working. You may be there doing it all alone.

How was your experience doing this interview with us?

I am still thinking, did I say something wrong? [laughs] This communication skill [pauses] I have to work on ASAP. Other than that, It was awesome to be in this interview sharing my experiences.

[cheers and claps]

That was wonderful!
Thank you Ankush for your time, wishing you the best in all your future endeavours. [smiles]

Thank you Deepak Sir for this great experience..[smiles]

And with that it’s a wrap

Stay tuned for more!
You never know you could be the next one here!

Cheers,
Deepak Kanakaraju