Ad landâ€™s young guns: Aakash Goplani, SoCheers

Aakash Goplani is the designated problem solver at SoCheers and his solution-oriented mind helped him hold the position of youngest group account manager, leading a team of 30+ people across Mumbai, Delhi & Bangalore. With an overall experience of working with cross-industry clients ranging from Moët Hennessy - LVMH to Amazon Prime Video; Universal Music India to Avanse; Auxillo to Godrej Interio to Castrol Lubricants, TCS, AVPN to Rivali Park.

In conversation with Adgully, Aakash Goplani, Group Account Manager, Brand Experience, SoCheers, speaks about his journey with SoCheers, building a long-term viable career in advertising and marketing, solving brand problems at a larger scale, and more.

What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table?

We all know it takes a mix of the right skills adaptability, business sense and efficient decision-making.

While working with multiple people across teams (internally and externally), I quickly adapt to others’ working styles and processes, it helps to get work done quicker and better. Using my strong business sense, I have solved many problem statements across brands with innovative solutions, at times outside of marketing. While quick decisions are a must at the current industry’s pace, I believe in efficient decision-making, taking a mix of quick and right calls.

How did you join your current organisation?

After graduating in 2017, I started my career with a small agency (strongly recommend it for all freshers), followed by a small stint at a network-level agency. Soon after that, I felt the need to find something in between to grow more and make an impact in the industry. As I started looking, I came across SoCheers on LinkedIn, and their requirements perfectly overlapped with my expectations. After experiencing the office’s vibe in my interview, I accepted the offer and joined SoCheers in 2019.

Icons in this field you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work?

I believe there is something to learn from everyone that I work with. Additionally, my seniors at SoCheers have played a crucial role in my career growth. However, if I had to name someone, it would be Carl Pei (Founder of Nothing Tech). I am in awe of his philosophy and his knowledge. The way he builds and markets his products is so simple yet unique. No one can build a community for a brand the way he can.

What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine?

Golden Hour: I believe everyone should have one hour parked just for themselves for upskilling. It can be anything, like, thinking about newer ideas, analysing campaigns, or learning a new skill (work or non-work related). My golden hour is usually early morning, with zero calls and messages.
Research: An important skill to grow in this industry is research (as much as possible). The more we research, the more we can ideate, helping with new and unique solutions.
Discuss News & Updates With Peers: To be culturally aware and ensure that my peers also are up to date with current affairs (work and non-work related), I tend to discuss current affairs and news with my peers. It ranges from a funny meme on Instagram to a healthy debate on world politics.
Team Catch-Ups: Effective communication helps get work done faster and better. And handling a team of 35 across three cities makes these catchups more necessary for me. Therefore, I keep syncing up with teams frequently to discuss POAs, brainstorm ideas or simply catch up on each others’ lives.
Walking: The intent is to exercise daily, but I keep failing to do that. Therefore, I ensure at least a 20-minute walk daily to keep my mind and body active.

Do you think a career in this field is a viable one in the long term?

Yes. Definitely. There is always something new to learn and explore. It’s such a dynamic industry that one can never feel saturated in Advertising and Marketing. There is no perfect brand. Brands will always have problem statements depending upon their stages and being in this industry, allows us to understand the detailed functioning of such brands and craft marketing solutions accordingly. No other industry will give this level of exposure mixed with fun working styles (read: Agency Life :p). And if you’re in Account Management, you can work closely with all possible departments internally and externally, exposing you to numerous people across other industries.

What does it take to succeed in a career?

While each industry and departments have its requirements for specific skills, I strongly believe that curiosity is one such attribute that enables people to succeed in any field. Undoubtedly, my curious mind has helped me reach where I am today.

What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry?

When I entered this industry, I started with a singular goal of learning everything before deciding what to double down on. That’s exactly what I recommend to any fresher who comes to me for advice, To explore all departments, ask all possible questions, learn as much as possible and finally double down on which role makes you happy.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

The industry is still evolving, and you never know what comes next. So, I always keep my future options dynamic. However, I see myself continuing to solve brand problems at a larger scale with bigger brands and probably using my entrepreneurial skills as a COO someday.

Is there any organisation that you would like to work with in the future?

While I have ambitions of exploring what it’s like to work in MAMAA companies, I believe the people make an organisation worth working at, and that has made me stay at SoCheers.