With an industrial experience of more than twenty five years, Atul Hegde aims to mentor start-ups across various industries.

A Member of the Digital Media Committee of Industry, bodies like the Internet & Mobile Association Of India (IAMAI), Atul has also been on the Jury & Advisory board for the Indian Digital Media Awards.

Here’s Peaklife in an exclusive interview with the man himself, sharing his experience and much more.

What was the whole idea behind Rainmaker Ventures and how did the idea for your business come about?

After being a professional for almost 2 decades the next step was to be a full-time entrepreneur. What better way than being an entrepreneur and also getting an opportunity to work with other start-up founders. There was a real need to be in the thick of the action with budding entrepreneurs and yet give them enough space to grow. This thought was at the core of Rainmaker Ventures.

You have been in the digital marketing for over fifteen years, could you share your experience with us?

A chance trip to Silicon Valley in 2005 and a visit to the Facebook & Google campus convinced me to take the plunge into digital advertising. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the first digital marketing agency in the country and got a ring-side view of how this entire sector evolved in the last 15 years. From the early days of evangelising the medium to a stage today where digital ad media spends are next only to television. It has been an amazing experience to see this category evolve and grow. The learnings along the way have been invaluable.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

We see ourselves as enablers to all the entrepreneurs we work with. Our role is to help the organisation grow by making the right connections and help generate new businesses. In essence play ‘Rainmakers’, once this was clear the brand name wrote itself.

Could you tell us about the culture in your organisation and how did you establish it?

Culture for us is best represented by the culture of our portfolio companies. Take YAAP for example, we are really proud of the culture the leadership team has built there with a young workforce. A culture that promotes meritocracy and is built on empathy. It’s great to see people bond as a team and be there for each other during these trying times. When the workplace becomes a source of joy we know we are doing something right.

How do you see the scope of digital marketing post pandemic?

The role is the same as before, it’s just that the pace has now picked up considerably. Consumer adoption of various things digital has seen exponential growth and with this, there will be a natural bump up for digital marketing. This period will also see the golden run for digital content creators.

Please tell us what got you so passionate about sneakers, and when?

Sneakers started off as a small hobby about a decade back. Over the years the culture around it really fascinated me. The more I read about how brands like Nike & Adidas used popular culture be it basketball, hip hop, or other popular sports the more I got drawn to it and before I knew it I was a full-blown Sneakerhead. Today I’m a keen student of how sneaker marketing has evolved with the use of digital & tech and fascinated by new-age designers like Kanye West & Virgil Abloh.

If you had to suggest 5 must read books during the pandemic, what would they be?

I do not have the patience to read books anymore. I’m a voracious reader of articles though. I read everything from an Economist, TOI, WSJ, NYT to sneakerfreaker magazine. So no real suggestions, but yes do try and read whatever you are interested in.

What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in?

Invest time in activities that bring you joy. Everything else is noise and try and cut it off. This is the only way to enjoy the journey and not just wait for the ultimate destination.

What advice would you like to give to our future entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurship is a marathon; it will demand a very high level of persistence. If you can be dogged about your pursuit, then everything else will fall into place sooner or later. The key is to enjoy everyday, if you are not then you must do something else or change your course.