Many years ago, when I had just started my career in Pharma marketing, I used to manage a couple of brands from one therapy only. After a couple of years of handling the brands and I started to think of myself as a kind of subject matter expert in that particular therapy. (Ohhh! the sweet follies of youth and inexperience)

 Imagine my shock when in the 3rd year my boss changed my brand portfolio totally – a new therapy area with no connection to the earlier one. What I felt was righteous indignation, I walked up to my boss’s cabin and demanded to know why had I been treated so – and more importantly what would happen to ‘My’ brands whom I had nurtured for the last 2 years. Nagging deep inside me was also the fear that what if I didn’t do as well with the new set of brands?

 My boss was an angel … he only smiled and said I am doing this for your growth and one day you will see and appreciate what I have done. Though I thought otherwise, I put my heart and soul into nurturing the new portfolio given to me. My portfolio did well and I grew both in terms of designations and more importantly in knowledge. My earlier brands did well too managed by another colleague.

 Years later as a Marketing Head I did the same in my team. I realized that handling the same brand for years can lead to fatigue on the part of the brand manager – A new set of eyes, a fresh perspective is always a good idea. And believe me, it’s a win-win situation for the brand and the brand manager.

 How many times in life we don’t want to take on something new or something different just because we fear the word ‘Failure’ or are uncomfortable out of our ‘comfort zone? The tagline from a famous brand of the cold drink is so apt – ‘Darr ke aage jeet hai!’

 On this auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, I will Lord Ganesha blesses all of us with courage, determination, and the burning desire to want to make a difference. After all, we need not worry when the Problem Solver Deity is with each one of us

 Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to one and all

An absolutely new adventure for me this year has been to co-author the book ‘What the 21st Century Pharma CEO wants from the Brand Manager’.

It has been released today with Lord Ganesha’s blessings