2024, A Year of Highs, Lows, and Resilience

In mid-2023, I got a break with a significant leap in compensation when I joined 9.9 Media as the National Sales Head. Just a month and a half into the role, I received a call from Rajesh Kumar. Though I had only interacted with him once—during an interview at UiPath—he was now with Lentra. I had been actively looking for a marketing role, and not only did I land one, but I also secured the title of Director of Marketing. This opportunity, which came in the second half of 2023, was everything I had hoped for—a role in marketing, a fitting designation, and a substantial jump in compensation.

Having spent over two decades in the IT media industry, I had witnessed its evolution and successfully led numerous IT client campaigns. This transition felt like a natural progression. Since I joined close to the end of the year, I primarily executed pre-planned campaigns rather than initiating new ones. However, I was entrusted with revenue generation through sponsorships for our flagship event. Additionally, I gained valuable exposure by working with CNBC, one of the leading business TV networks. I also had the unique opportunity to create content for the event brochure and sponsorship packages—something I had never done before. Despite having no prior experience, I successfully crafted content that became the foundation for the event’s structure. It was an enriching learning experience, connecting sales teams with their target groups and senior leadership with the media. The groundwork was set for me to fully take on my role in the coming year.

Setting the Stage for 2024

Right after our flagship event, I took my annual vacation—this time to Amritsar to experience the winter chill, with a stopover in Delhi on the way back. Upon my return, work had entered the usual year-end slowdown. During this period, I focused on three key preparations:

1. Event Planning: I analyzed industry events targeting the financial sector and identified the most relevant ones for us.
2. Event Calendar: I mapped out viable dates for hosting our own events, factoring in festive seasons and days when our target audience would be unavailable. The result? Out of 365 days, we had less than 100 viable event days.
3. Account-Based Strategy: With a focus on 75-80 key accounts, I worked with the sales team to design a targeted engagement strategy, mapping competitors and identifying potential marketing activities.

Despite my efforts, I had a nagging feeling that something was off. Conversations with Rajesh Kumar confirmed my concerns—there were indications of an impending team downsizing. While the business had grown 100%, it was still short of the 300% investor target required for further funding. Towards the end of March 2024, Rajesh advised me to activate my network, as decisions would be made soon.

On April 3, 2024, HR informed me that I had been impacted, though they were providing some time to find another job. Had I stayed for another 20-24 months, it might have cemented my industry presence. But reality struck, and the job hunt began. The silver lining? I was with my mother when she needed me most during her knee surgery.

Finding the right break has always been a challenge, but now, I was in a position where I had no choice but to secure one. Despite my best efforts—leveraging every connection in marketing and making new ones—I couldn't land another marketing role. Accepting reality, I decided to return to media.

An unexpected call from ET rekindled hope, but their hiring process dragged on. Meanwhile, I reached out to 9.9 Media, and fortunately, they took me on as a freelancer. This gave me more time to explore marketing opportunities or wait for ET’s final decision. However, I eventually decided not to stretch things too far and rejoined Indian Express with a significant pay cut.

A New Chapter at Indian Express

In August 2024, I returned to Indian Express, ready to take on the market alongside my trusted colleagues, Prabhas and Durga. Just as we were getting started, Prabhas received a fantastic offer and decided to move on, raising my hopes that he might eventually bring us along.

Towards the end of 2024, ET approached me again, and negotiations resumed. However, their initial offer wasn’t compelling enough for me to make the move. On the day I was leaving for Thailand to celebrate our Silver Jubilee anniversary, I declined their offer. Upon my return, discussions reopened, and this time, their compensation package was much closer to my expectations.

I was waiting for ET’s offer letter to formally resign from Indian Express, but due to year-end delays, the letter didn’t arrive on time. In an unexpected twist, I received both ET’s offer and a revised salary letter from Indian Express, which included a retainership bonus. Opting for financial stability, I decided to stay at Indian Express. The retainership bonus allowed me to clear one of my loans, improving my cash flow.

Lessons from a Challenging Year

Getting impacted at Lentra created uncertainty, but despite everything, we had already planned our overseas anniversary vacation—and I was determined not to cancel it. Even though my job situation was unstable, we stuck to our plans.

One personal shift I felt keenly was moving back to Windows after getting used to a MacBook—it felt like a downgrade. But Leena was firm: there was no question of downgrading. So, I bought myself another MacBook.

Over the years, we have always been careful with our spending, and even with the financial hit, we decided to maintain our lifestyle. Perhaps this belief—that things would eventually work out—was what kept us going. Looking back, 2024 was a roller coaster ride. But through all the ups and downs, our faith remained our safety strap, ensuring we would land safely.

Does this mean there won’t be more bumps ahead? We don’t know. But one thing is certain—we will navigate them, just as we always have.