Chandigarh
14 August 2018
DIVYA AZAD
Vocabberry is a one-of-its-kind agency established to provide content solutions, tailor-made to suit your needs. Primary services include real-time writing, creative-writing, copy-editing and proof-reading, delivered to you at your doorstep (rather Inbox), fully-certified by a bunch of spirited grammar-nazis.
In this era of waning attention-spans, Vocabberry knows that ‘Content is King’. Vocabberry’s primary goal, you ask? To reinvent content for the millennial age, in words so articulate and striking, that your vision is understood by all.
Founder and Director, Aditi Syal, knew exactly what she wanted and went after it with a passion that is equal parts astounding and awe-worthy. The result – a successful start-up that revolutionised the very basis of the word ‘vocabulary”, creating quality content in the most professional manner possible.
World Wisdom News is wishing Aditi a very Happy Birthday. Read Aditi’s special interview on her Birthday today (14 August):
1.What is the Name of Your Venture? Any specific reason for this name?
ANSWER: Vocabberry. (the logo depicts Vocabulary and a cut on ulary to mention berry below it. The logo depicts correction. That we correct whatever you write to give you the best form of content). We wanted to be the best content production on the block. I decided to use my ‘powers of punctuation’ for good.
2.Who is your target Audience/clients?
Answer: In this era of waning attention-spans, Vocabberry knows that ‘Content is King’. Vocabberry’s primary goal, you ask? To reinvent content for the millennial age, in words so articulate and striking, that your vision is understood by all. We cater to B2C and B2B segments. anyone who is in need of content is our TG. In the past 2.5 years of business we have written on everything. Right from entertainment to tech to automobile to games. You name it we have it.
3.Where is your venture based (city, state, country) & What are your geographical target areas?
Answer: We are based out of Delhi and cater to Delhi-NCR, India and our online presence, especially on social media is pretty strong. We have clients, apart from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Dubai, The U.K, The USA, Singapore.
4.What problems does your venture resolve? What are your products or services?
Answer: Our venture is a core content production agency. We are not into digital marketing and we do not endorse it either. We have never had any marketing budget in 2.5 years for Vocabberry. We are fans of organic marketing and we endorse it. Our products/services include Content writing, creative designs, video content and social media management.
Vocabberry takes care of the technicalities and nuances of the language for you. So all you have to worry about is having a strong WiFi connection – upload your resume and voila!, you have a professionally curated resume, proofread and edited, all-ready, waiting to be sent out. It is just that simple. In addition to this, you can also upload your copy and have it proofread at the competitive rates. It is this combination of professionalism and proficiency that makes it the trusted brand that it is today.
5.Share the idea or story behind the venture. How did it came to an existence? What motivated you to start your own venture?
Answer: It wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine in the Vocabberrry world, behind its success lies the struggle of a dedicated and gutsy team. Like most startups, in its first stages, Vocabberry was completely bootstrapped. Conceptualised in a time where content was trivialised and tabloid headlines reigned, Vocabberry was like ‘The Dark Knight’ of content, silently overlooking yellow-ridden Gotham city, garnering experience and crusading for change, with little hope of immediate returns.
Recognising the fact that in this information-overload world, most readers have forgotten the correct usage and essence of language, I decided to use my ‘powers of punctuation’ for good. Thus was born Vocabberry, a Delhi-based content-driven platform that is a fitting tribute to all writers and copy-editors of the past and present.
6.Who are your biggest competitors and how do you differentiate yourself from them?
ANSWERS: Biggest competitors: E2M, Scatter, Pulp Strategy are a few. Differentiation lies in the work we do. We are different because we always go out of our way to do things differently. It makes a difference. Always
7.How did you identify your co-founder? Tell us some thing about your co-founder/s
Answer: It was pretty easy. While I thought of content, my brother and Head of Design, Vikram thought of design. Vocabberry is a gesture from a sister to a brother. Ideas collaborated and this is how I found a co-founder well, in-house.
8.How did you hire your first team members? What skills Do you want in your employees/team?
Answer: First team member was hired for her intent of writing quality content and describing things beyond words. We look for intent, collaboration and design thinking. Creativity is something we vouch for. Also, somebody who is ready to take the jump when on an edge. This is how a start-up is.
9.What expansion plans are you looking for the next 2 years, next 5 years?
Answer: Expansion plans include setting up Mumbai as a market because it is about exponential growth now given the demand in the market. Also, stablising our video portfolio. Making it stronger because video is the next big thing in terms of content and we are producing some awesome videos. So, next 2 years I See Mumbai as a settled market for us and in 5 we would go look at ourselves as a go-to agency for content nationally and target global demand.
10.Where do you want to see yourself in next 10 years?
Answer: I see myself taking Vocabberry to an international stage where we are recognised not just for content but the work that we do. We would want to be realised as not just a company or a brand but as a venture that does things so creatively that it matches every emotion beyond business as well.
11.What are your goals over the next 1, 3, 6 and 12 months?
Answer: This is interesting. Goal for the next 6 months include massive expansion and outside Delhi. We are looking to setup base in Mumbai soon and that holds all our energy right now. Of course introducing new services, products is being discussed internally.
12.Have you raised any funding? Or have any plans for the funding?
Answer: Anti-marketing and so on we are anti-funding. This is a self-funded venture and it should remain that way for sometime.
13.What were the problems you faced during the starting days and how did you resolve them?
Answer: Being boot-strapped is taxing when you do not really want to spend on marketing. But that did not really affect us. We made the distinction of recognising the relationship between quality content and SEO returns. It understood that in a largely visual web, people will only stop to read content that is intriguing, simple and brief. Initially, we relied singularly on word-of-mouth to serve our marketing arm. Operating out of a co-working space harbouring the offices of companies both local and national charmed the corporate world, demonstrating the true value of content marketing to CEOS and CTOs around them. By cashing in on the cooperative character of the workspace, Vocabberry actually found a string of clients with absolutely no external marketing.
14.What was the most challenging part of your journey till now? How did you overcome those challenges?
Answer: Challenging part has been the industry where we have to make the content recognised in the right manner. The per word cost approach has to be overlooked now with so much research and emphasis going into each piece. Otherwise, it has been a great journey and has taught me immensely both as a person and as an entrepreneur. Everyday is a challenge and we learn amazing things that power us to the next day. So, yes the journey has been amazing and an interesting one.
15.Are you married, single or in a relationship?
Answer: I am in a relationship with my start-up.
16.What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Answer: I love to do all the creative stuff. Painting and sketching is one. Apart from putting designs to reality that are there in my head. I do design thinking and creative introspection. That is what keeps me going. And, of course swimming.
17.Whats your favorite food & holiday destination?
Answer: Favourite food would be anything non-veg. Prefer mutton though. Rest is all place specific. Holiday destination would be Europe.
18.Whom do you consider your idol or biggest motivator?
Answer: People around me motivate me. Their working style and habit. I get motivated seeing people working effectively. Rest: This is my story. I am the hero!
19.What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
Answer: It is the thought process and the intent of doing something unimaginable for yourself. That is what differentiates an entrepreneur and an employee. I understood this, luckily, early in life that I am not someone who would work for someone else ever. It is all about taking that jump from the edge into the ocean called an entrepreneur.
20.If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
Answer: I would still be doing what I am right now. All my intent is for Vocabberry. It is for taking it to a newer height.
21.How has being an entrepreneur affected your family & Social life?
Answer: Honestly, it has affected it for good. I make time for family as weekends are dedicated to them. Running a start-up means long hours of dedicated, creative and exhaustive working. I do plan for family and friends so I keep drawing my motivation from them from time to time. I believe in networking and I feel any business is dependent on it. I am networker hence, socially active.
22.Anything, you would like to say to our readers or upcoming entrepreneurs?
Answer: Yes, first of all I appreciate people who have spent time in reading my story. Secondly, for upcoming entrepreneurs, I would suggest keep the fire burning. Most people lose on their entrepreneurial journey. When you have taken a leap into this world make sure you do justice to the role. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. YOU will always have thoughts of going back into your corporate life and make easy bucks sitting on a chair for years. Here, it is about impulse and being driven by what you always wanted. When you are choosing this make sure you choose this for life.
23.Tell us something about your education & family background.
Answer: I am an undergraduate in Commerce from the University of Delhi, and a masters in Communication. My father is an ex-Army and then there is Mommy, my inspiration and of course Vikram, my brother and partner in the business.
24.What is your USP which makes it unique & different from other start-ups in similar domains.
Answer: The USP and core is content that is as much about the visual, if not more, than the written. This combined with the phrase, ‘believers in brevity’ probably encapsulates the vision of Vocabberry, which is why the company invests greatly in swanky graphics and visual appeal. Its website is a testimony to this belief – created in its entirety by the in-house design team, the website is both user-friendly and appealing, a combination difficult to achieve. Stylish, simple with a comprehensive layout – the Vocabberry website fits in with the modern, working woman of today. That is where the difference is.
25. What do you think is the biggest threat to the success of small businesses & Start-ups today?
Answer: The threat is internal rather than external. At times, I see entrepreneurs losing path and do not aim for the right goal in this journey. The ability to keep changing with times and technology is a something every entrepreneur should look forward to. Another important aspect is the ability to scale your business in the right way. It is of utmost importance.
26. Do you consider yourself successful and by what means do you measure success?
Answer: Yes, I am successful and looking forward to the next steps. Defining or measuring success to me is all about the present. Vocabberry has achieved in the span of one and a half years, what many companies don’t achieve in the breadth of a lifetime. From an agency that once focused purely on textual content, it has grown and learnt the ropes of the visual world, mastering the domains of video, scripting and graphic designing. Vocabberry’s philosophy is simple – “The future is video” and this thinking found life in the agency’s web series “Beer and Breakup”.
Contact details:
Email: aditi.syal@vocabberry.com
Website: www.vocabberry.com
