Shankar Kr Turha
Blending friendship and business can be a winning formula for people who are passionate about taking entrepreneurship challenges in a rapidly growing world which has so much to offer. It is easy to see why people do it–quite simply, because of the fact that similar interests and combined efforts often lead to great results in the business world.
The pressure of starting a business was a challenge for Shillong based entrepreneurs Mansha Sharma and Pinak Deb, given the financial burden to spell curtains for the business – keeping their trust on each other intact.
Mansha and Pinak, co-founders of the Meghalaya-based online marketing company Digital Fuel, have so far managed to reap rewards and are on a path to rapidly expand their enterprise drawing a significant customer base over the last few years.
The duo have achieved success by taking proactive entrepreneurship steps to transform their business, incorporating the elements of modern day innovative business solutions, which has also made the Meghalaya Prime Hub take notice of their venture, and given them co-working space.
The company Digital Fuel, is your one-stop online destination for all kinds of digital services offering end-to-end digital marketing services. Whether you’re looking for a turnkey managed strategy, an independent audit, or services specific to a short-term campaign, their experience and approach are sure to prove to be a valuable asset for the clients.
How Digital Fuel started?
In 2022, Mansha Sharma and Pinak Deb, both hailing from Shillong, realised that there was immense opportunity in the market for them in the digital marketing world, which made them come up with Digital Fuel-On, a company offering reasonably priced services online.
After coming up with the idea, the duo decided to work hard in a bid to launch their startup without jeopardising their friendship.
Sharma and Deb were friends before starting their online business, however, both came from completely different backgrounds, with Deb coming from commercial background, while the other came from a media and technology background. Mansha is the blabbering one, while Pinak is more inclined to the pragmatic behaviour one holds.
Ahead of stating the venture, Pinak was working for his family, but the two hit it off right away over a shared love of entrepreneurship. They both claimed and accepted that they both appreciated two aspects of each other: Their skills and knowledge complemented each other.
While, Mansha possesses the necessary creative design skills, Pinak possesses the necessary technical skills.
Speaking on their journey, and the transition process, the duo revealed the challenges they faced in the marketing and sales industry, however, the motivation to take their vision forward kept them assiduous and determined to not falter on the way.
With time, the co-founders’ hard work and competence have led the startup to expand their businesses not only in Shillong but also other parts of the country.
Mansha, who is always optimistic about things, says that one of the greatest strengths to take their business forward was the duo’s honesty towards each other, as well as their business fundamentals, which allowed them to climb the ladder without compromising on their friendship.
On the other hand, Pinak says that several startups suffer because of poor coordination and amplification of ideas among the founders, which according to him, they were able to overcome through their bonding that developed over time—which led to the birth of Digital Fuel.