Public relations is a paramount function of any organization and dates back to the 20th century. It is not about Ads or pasting billboards but promotion of an Organization’s work through efficient editorial coverage. StutiJalan, founder of one the top Public Relations firms in the country- Crosshairs Communication, shares her story with us and how rewarding it was for her to follow the path of her passion and find the road to success with a few of speed bumps on the way.
Stuti was born in a small town in Orissa and studied at the M.G.D boarding school in Jaipur with her sister. Her parents always understood the importance of the strong foundation laid by school education in one’s character and hence the choice of studying in a boarding school was only natural. Stuti recalls her school days filled with discipline and fun at the same time, including celebration of birthdays with snacks at midnight!
She credits her mother for encouraging her to be independent and goal oriented. Breaking the traditional barriers, Stuti chose to pursue her career rather than getting married at an early age. She worked hard for her final year school examination and took admission to study at one of the best colleges in India- Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. With a passion for communications, she later graduated from Symbiosis Institute of Mass communication and worked with a Public Relations firm in Mumbai. At an early age of 23, she took a risk and with the savings from her first job and went on to incorporate her own Public Relations firm- Crosshairs Communication. It was during this phase that broadcast journalism was taking its form in India; most of her batch mates from college were among the first to work with the newly launched News Channels.
While bootstrapping her firm, she faced challenges with limited capital. However with her excellent budgeting skills, she worked at lowering costs by working with 2 interns and a single computer and diversified operations in her first assignment called the “Hope Run” (Now a Part of Mumbai Marathon)- A charitable event for underprivileged children. The proceeds from the event went to an NGO and Crosshairs Communication got its recognition and trust from potential clientele.
Operations have expanded considerably since then and now the organization is successfully operating in Delhi and Mumbai simultaneously.What she loves most about her work is that her interactions with different brands and organizations have contributed to her valuable experience. From Luxury brands to Consumer goods, she has met people from all walks of life.
Stuti has been in a challenging professional environment, however her optimistic attitude always took failures as challenges. She realized right from the start that it was not going to be an easy journey so she never lost sight of her goals. One of the biggest challenges was transitioning operations from Mumbai to Delhi after she decided to move with her husband to the Capital city. Delhi was a completely different market and she knew that operations could not be run in a similar fashion, thus it took her more than a year to establish her name in a new market. She views Delhi as a market with an “upward climb” and a tremendous growth in professional arena of Communications.
During her professional journey, Stuti developed immense respect and gratitude for Mr Prahlad Kakkar, a leading Indian Ad film director who always mentored her to push her limits and encouraged her to believe in her goals. She was also mentored by Molly Ashby, founder of the Solera Capital and Susan Davis and Sherrie Rollins Westin from Sesame Street. She has also interacted with personalities like Indra Nooyi, Warren Buffet, Sheryl Sandberg at the Fortune most powerful Women summit and has been inspired by their contribution to a better world today.
One of the most inspiring persons in her life has been her mother who taught her how “giving up on something” was just not an option.
Stuti inherited the strength of belief and perseverance from her mother who always wanted her to follow her dreams and passion. Inspiration can be derived every day from the people around you and by just listening to their stories, she shared a small example from a conference in Japan where she met one of the women leaders from a village whose courage and determination led her to become the President of her Village council even without a formal education. Stuti believes that with an open mind and heart, every person can teach and inspire you in many ways.
Being the founder of a multi city brand in Communications, Stuti’s list of achievements is inspiring. She won an Award for the Best Young Women Entrepreneur at the Women Leaders India Summit. She recently discovered the “Safe Hack” App to strengthen women’s safety in India. The idea behind the campaign was to raise awareness about women’s safety and encourage participation from developers, engineers and coders across India. Another achievement was curation of “TED X Janpath” event with participation from eminent speakers from 7 different countries. This event was themed as “Lotus- It blooms from mud and is beautiful”.
Stuti’s advice to younger womenwho want to excel professionally is to:
Be fearless, passionate, willing to explore and to have a strong belief in their goals. One has to perceive positivity in one’s career and should never be restricted by norms set by the society.
In an age when unconventional career choices were not given weightage, she managed to think out of the box and follow her passion. She advises that even if your peers are following a set career path, you must be willing to trust your instincts and belief and take a leap towards what you love. She believes that the best time to take risks in your life is when you are young and have lesser responsibilities, one should live everyday like it’s a brand new start.
A certified Scuba diver and an avid reader, Stuti enjoys swimming and sports from an early age. She played District level Lawn Tennis and took diving lessons at Lakshwadeep islands. According to her, sports signify strength and discipline. Her favorite book is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho and her favorite author is Ayn Rand.
Stuti Jalan’s attitude and perspective encourages one to take that leap and find that passion. Even if you fail at something, don’t let it hamper your goals or tarnish your confidence. She has not experienced any gender bias at her workplace, however her advice to women is to never let that get in the way of your goals. Believing in yourself is half the battle won.
