Meet our Local Digital Marketing Guru: Interview with Ayyappan

 

Read the recent interview published in one of the leading online news journals in Nellai 'www.tirunvelionline.com'. Our journalist team interviewed an interesting personality, who is a digital marketer, a doctorate, a professor, and a farmer.

Yes, he is Ayyappan. Here is a small introduction.

Ayyappan, hailed from a small town in Tamilnadu, started his career in the marketing industry after his post-graduation in management studies. He worked with some of the leading IT and consulting companies in Chennai and Bangalore. He realized that the transformation in the marketing lead to Digital Marketing. Tried on his own for a couple of years and then mentored by DD in the year 2020. (Covid-19 pandemic)

Ayyappan was associated with several companies as a marketing leader. Slowly, started himself as a freelancer. After acquiring enough skill set and clients, quit his corporate life and started his digital marketing agency.

The rest is history. Let's hear from him

During our interview, he briefed about his transformation journey from a monthly salary job which used to be a safe bet in those days to become an entrepreneur. He mentioned that opportunities are always there. It is all about as an individual to find a niche where the industry leads. He also insisted that students should be strong in fundamentals, whatever they are studying (engineering, medical or science). Be thorough in what you are studying.  

He completed his doctorate in marketing. While we asked about that he said “Yes, and completing a Ph.D is my childhood dream. I started at the age of 42 and completed at 46. I was struggling at the beginning. Because competing with the younger generation was difficult. I didn’t lose my hope. I have fundamentals. I have practical experiences”. He is also teaching in premium B schools. He is a visiting professor for marketing subjects in many MBA colleges.

For him, the education system needs to go for a complete overhaul immediately. As per his words, “Kotler MBA died a long time before. We are all marketers from our birth. Doing marketing without knowing it. It is a natural human born skill. I help students to sharpen it. Best marketing can be learned outside the colleges at the street. Go the field, there is where the real marketing happening”.

For the readers, this interview happened on his integrated farm. Yes, he is a farmer too. He follows a 'Zero Farming' concept. It is integrated farming. He grows cattle feed and utilizes its waste as manure. Completely self-reliant and minimum dependent on outside elements. Corps are grown in the natural farming method. He follows drip irrigation methods to conserve water and an artificial pond for rainwater harvesting.  

For him, a digital marketing agency is for his wallet. Teaching and farming is his passion. When he told his family members about this wild idea of starting an organic farm, there was a thunderstorm at his family. 

In his words, "A passion can fill your heart and not stomach". Since his DM agency is performing well and the teaching profession brings regular fixed income on a monthly basis, everyone accepted his idea. Now, his extended family members also enjoy the stay on a periodical basis. Morale is, take calculative risks and keep your plan B and if need ready with plan C.

He said keep dreaming and make your dream alive. Take small steps to get closer to the dream.

Before we left, asked him, “still any adventurous detour Ayyappan is planning to do?” With a smile, he told us I have a list of to-do things and the first one is drumming. We are confident that he will rock there too.

Our journalist team enjoyed the farmhouse stay and treatment and motivated by Ayyappan for his search to explore and experiment with new things. He is a real role model for the younger generations.