Meet Jackson Pathilchirayil on Interview with Interns
Season 1 – Episode 4
He is our intern from Batch 2 of the DigitalDeepak Internship Program. He was one of our top performers in the batch and is quite passionate about Entrepreneurship and Digital Marketing.
Ladies and Gentlemen here’s Jackson for you..
[cheers and claps]
Hello Jackson, How are you?
Hello Sir, I am doing great. Hope all is well at your end.
Yes Jackson thank you,
So, how did this all begin ? Tell us your story?
It dates back to 2012, while I was doing my Hotel Management Graduation. That’s when I created my first website informally using some free software available in the market with not much knowledge of domain or subdomain and all. The site I made was for my restaurant, which I had planned to open in the future (as I always wanted to do some business). Due to some unfortunate reasons, I could not start my own business. However, failures did not stop me from experimenting and trying new things.
Later I joined a company as a salaried person and worked there for nearly three years. In 2015, I went ahead & did my MBA (Marketing). Together with that, I did some Web Development Training & Digital Marketing Course thinking it might help me in my own business in future.
In mid-2017, I got to know about you through your blogs and articles. I have been a fan of you, Sir since then [smiles]. I have been like a shadow checking each article, course and learnings from you Sir. With the help of your courses like 100DBC, FB & Google Mastery, I learned and got inspired by the kind of work you do.
With all the learnings of the above courses and together with a colleague who was with me in my ex-company, We started a web development agency & digital marketing solutions agency and we named it Vnet Digital.
While I was following you in your articles and your emails, that’s when I heard about this internship program in November 2019. I grabbed the opportunity to join the second batch as It gave me easy access to you and your team and to reach out to you for help to learn more from you. I got more than and beyond the amount that I had invested in the internship program, which was super awesome. I learned a lot, did practical stuff, tried various tools of marketing, taught others also and earned as well. It’s just WOW!!!
Also, I am so glad to tell you that I made 90k+ selling courses as part of the last assignments and still counting.
Also, I feel blessed to meet you when you visited Mumbai last time. It was a memorable experience.
[applause]
thank you, it was great meeting you all in Mumbai.
What describes you? What do you have to offer to people?
I am a Web Developer and Digital Marketer by profession and an Entrepreneur from heart. We Help Startups & Professionals to Get Business Online with Web Development & Creating Brand Image with social media channels. We also help in Lead Generation & Growth in Traffic via SEO & SEM. Also, from the learnings of Internship have started services to provide Automation & Marketing for businesses.
The most important thing that we always look at is from a sales point of view. Whatever we design – be it website, or landing page, or ads – we always look and design, making it user friendly and keeping the sales point in view. As you said – ALL IS WELL WHEN YOU SELL SELL SELL
Also, with inspiration and motivation from Internship, I have launched three courses
- Basic Web Development from Scratch (Getting Business Online),
- Learn Web Design Page Building with Elementor &
- Learn How to Sell Your Products Online on Your Website.
How important is digital marketing for your business?
My agency without digital marketing is half shutter down.Also, with the pandemic coming into our lives, digital marketing has got the boost along with web development. Those who were not opting for online methods previously have understood the power of online marketing and strategies to play around, which can help them to boost the business.
With the power of digital marketing, we are now able to track each movement of the consumer and pitch them accordingly even after they leave our online store.
Could you share your journey with us? Your life before and after the Digital Marketing Internship Program?
Before Internship, I used to doubt myself at some situations, I lacked the confidence to implement the things and would always be in doubt as to what is the correct method, and what will be the recursions once done etc.
In the Internship, instead of sticks, we have the carrots, which is where one has already paid the price to join this program, and not completing the assignment will end up losing the money. It is making the interns complete the task and making the change in everyone to Implement the assignment and thereby removing the fears and doubts in mind.
Also, the best thing that happened because of the assignment system was that I could go ahead and make my first online course and sell it to others which I was procrastinating for almost a year now..
[applause]
What do you think digital marketing would be like one year from now?
One Year from Now, It’s gonna boom, this is mainly because of the pandemic. People and Businesses have understood the power of digital and how important it is to get the business online. As I mentioned above, many people initially were very orthodox thinkers and used to follow the same old traditional method where the conversion was not up to the mark. All the sellers have now seen the power of digital marketing from the last couple of months.
The stats also show that the digital marketing sector is booming and the market needs always expand, giving rise to new solutions and new solutions and their gaps/problems give rise to new unique needs. Thus marketing will not die and as needs and products keep going up, you need ways to market them.
What is the most common reason for people failing/giving up?
People are always behind new things – a new mentor comes and says something and launches something new – people run behind it and buys it and doesn’t even consume it and by this time a new mentor and a new course or program have launched in the market and people run behind it. I would say – stick to one or two max and keep following them and consume the information and start implementing the things. Make a goal plan and follow it. Review it daily if possible to measure how far have you reached and so that you don’t lose motivation. And please talk with someone trustworthy and keep reviewing and take suggestions. Don’t lose hope. “Persistence conquers Resistance.”
[applause]
What were the roadblocks, that you had to watch for?
The market is very tough and competitive, People are ready to pounce and eat you up if you slightly fall. I being very soft-spoken and down to earth – sometimes I feel people take undue advantage (not all) of this and which I feel has been tough sometimes while doing the business. One has to learn to say “NO” where it is necessary.
How about something to help people to get started, What resources are available out there in the market?
I would say if you are keen and want to learn seriously on any topic or want to update your skill set, then all the knowledge you want is available for free. Yes I am serious – majorly all the things are there on the internet for free. One should have a keen and eagerness to learn.
I have initially learnt so many things from Youtube and Google and other various blogs. I am still learning so many things from Youtube videos. Just go and search in google and youtube what you want to learn and you will get it.
With that we come to the next segment of our interview and that is “Candid talk” Are you ready?
Yes Sir
How often do you play sports?
Mostly all Weekends
What do you wish you knew more about?
Handling clients in a much better way & closing sales at a higher price.
What are some small things that make your day better?
Spending time with family and learning a new thing
Finally, would you like to say something to our readers?
I would say “Persistence Conquers Resistance”. This line has kept me motivated all the times. Keep Hitting your target even if you fall, close all the gaps in between one by one and then there’s nothing that can stop you from achieving your success. Keep Hitting and targeting, you will achieve it.
[applause]
How was your experience doing this interview ?
It was fantabulous and a great opportunity Sir. It was a great experience. It feels special and honoured for such an interview.
Thank You! Wishing you the best in your future endeavours
Thank you very much and same to you, Sir
[claps]