How this man leveraged his people skills to build a successful content creation business

My first ever stint that built the foundation for me as a content creator started with hosting a podcast. Through this journey I established some of the most meaningful relationships that have come to my rescue time and again, Ayush Shukla, Founder & CEO, Finnet Media tells Bizz Buzz in an interview. One can easily call me a people’s person and owning up to that; I was soon able to expand the database of artists and creators with Finnet Media. We utilised and facilitated content creation by these highly talented creators. We made connections with brands and connected them with the creators of all sizes, he further adds

What problems have you already run into?

A creator’s mind will always have a tireless impulse to absorb and discover new things. The drive to create and push boundaries never really ceases. As ideas start to unravel and time moves quickly, it could get daunting as thousands of people entrust you with their creative requirements. To keep up with the ever-growing creative surge has been the most difficult part. As for us, we produce content ourselves and fully empathise with the struggles a content producer faces as well as what a brand desires. We want to continue our drive to break existing boundaries, create impactful content, develop new ideas and add value to this ecosystem. Therefore, we can say, it has been difficult to reenergize in this people-to-people industry.

As an agency, it is quite common to face a hurdle while balancing between brands and creators, especially when it boils down to managing negotiations between clients and influencers. While brands want to control and creators seek endless creative freedom, satisfying both is nothing less than moving a mountain. As brands want one thing and creators want another, it is crucial to create a middle ground for both. We prioritise creators over the brand since we are a firm that values creators first.

Tell us about your background and the beginnings of Finnet Media.

My first ever stint that built the foundation for me as a content creator started with hosting a podcast. Through this journey I established some of the most meaningful relationships that have come to my rescue time and again. One can easily call me a people’s person and owning up to that; I was soon able to expand the database of artists and creators with Finnet Media. We utilised and facilitated content creation by these highly talented creators. We made connections with brands and connected them with the creators of all sizes.

Finnet Media offers clients and influencers services like influencer marketing, content creation, and advertisement production. Our short-term goals are to establish a solid core team and a brand built on reputation and trust. Our core tenet is to foster an atmosphere of credibility, dependability, and growth.

Describe your team and colleagues.

Currently we comprise of 7-member team, including two interns and five full-time employees. It is an enterprising remote employment opportunity, making it quite versatile. We prioritise creator’s convenience and therefore we are quite flexile in that sense. Finnet Media started off with just Ayush Shukla until we added Sharan Hegde who joined in as a financial influencer and is also one of our very first creators.

We encourage finding appropriate individuals with necessary talents, but there must first be an icebreaker. Finnet Media fills that role and makes sure their knowledge and abilities support scalability. Anushka Rathod, Vedant Rusty, and Sharan Hegde were our initial starting line-up. They were pitched to companies like Groww, Smallcase, and Amazon, and the conversions took place thereafter.

How, in your opinion, is technology vital in the creation of content?

Content comes in a huge variety of formats and is generated across different fields and platforms. In addition to written information, there are also real-time notifications, podcasts, blogs, videos, streaming video services, memes, chats, and forums. There is content all around us, and it powers and fuels the internet. A company might be losing out on significant opportunities if it ignores content. A fantastic idea is undoubtedly the beginning of content creation. Software, hardware, services, and a human touch all add to facilitate the execution. It is vital to allot the necessary time for the content to be at its best. To create timely content can be of high pressure, however rushing into anything is never recommendable.

What are the potential career paths for persons who produce financial content?

Financial content might seem very different on the onset but that is not the case always. The approach towards writing good content stays the same regardless of the field. The ideation of thoughts, the structure of the content and most importantly making sure the ultimate message reaches the larger audience is of utmost significance. This is exactly what Finnet media is after when we are looking for our future partners.

The strategic goal is dependability. We want to make sure that no creator associated with Finnet Media must worry about their financial security, commercialization, or dissemination of their content. We want to create a brand identity that conveys unwavering dependability and when working together both parties must feel content.

How is AI fostering the development of the next generation of content producers?

It’s important to comprehend what viewers are viewing, what devices they prefer, when they watch/read, and even their routines and habits.

Data can assist in understanding the behavioural patterns of the target audience so content can be created and placed more strategically. The news media has long used automatic editing and algorithmic writing, particularly for pieces about sports and finance. Meanwhile, personalization of content tailored based on the user's profile and contextual data is already a common application of AI in the media distribution industry. By recommending new content based on what resonates well and presenting content based on the consumers' current emotions, it also aids in monetization.

What are your long-term Finnet Media objectives?

The objective is to create an environment for artists that prioritise viewers to increase the value and authenticity of influencer marketing for brands. It is challenging to forecast the next five years because the world is constantly evolving, but we are confident that Finnet will work with some of the best businesses in the coming six months. Not just from a marketing standpoint but also from a strategy and wealth generation point of view. To benefit from the bright future, we are here.

How did you overcome the challenges of starting your own business as a young entrepreneur?

We are a creator-first agency and like to attribute all our success to several factors. Our fantastic team is managing all the aggressive sales with a constant attempt to be in the right place at the right time. We have spread the need for influencer marketing among brands with unprecedented vigour. To aid to our actions was the intensity with which funding sector was flourishing. As a result, opening the doors was not too difficult.

As Finnet Media solely collaborates with businesses and financial influencers, it can be called a distinctive agency. We have distinct categories of influencers under our belt. However, what we're trying to attain is the depth, not the variety as much. If we start operations with fashion or beauty influencers, we can compete with any agency that has been around for more than ten years. We have been able to establish ourselves in a short period of time because we occupy a niche. Finnet stands for ‘finance’ and ‘network’. It also stands for the word finesse. We believe that creative work can be done with finesse and not haphazardly.