DHI Design - WeAreTheCity India | Events, Network, Advice for Women in India

When art and communication come together, the dynamics change creating a strategy, and when this strategy is research-driven it conveys a memorable experience. As a communication designer it is imperative to help clients create such experiences with their brand and its tangible interface.

This learning has come together after a certain amount of pounding and left-brained coffee moments. My journey to this point has been bumpy yet adventurous.

The first quadrant of my career was quite predictable. I learnt at the job, experimented with design studios and event organizations. Here I was lucky to be exposed to the various facets of the creative process in action and eventually stepped out of the band-wagon to indulge in creative satisfaction. I initially explored small time freelance assignments and as the projects expanded moved on to consultancy jobs. I graduated to setting up my design studio – Dhi Design – officially in Mumbai.

Then in 2009 I moved to Delhi, hit a standstill and lost the momentum on the graph.

Although I was working for myself in the past I did not consider myself to be an entrepreneur. The real journey started In Delhi as I had to re-establish my credibility as a small entity. At this juncture my husband stood by me encouraging and helping me deal with my insecurities. His support and expertise in social media came to the rescue. A friend introduced me to a Women Entepreneur Community, called Biz Divas. Their understanding of the local markets and professional approach put me back on the graph again.

The assignment with Biz Divas turned out to be a game changer for Dhi Design. The monogram befitted the company ethos bang on and found its resonance with its audience. This forum helped to leverage and showcase my work to prospective clients.

Networking forums did not hold much importance in the scheme of things before this introduction but that perspective changed as I was getting mentored and aspirations grew with the horizons.

Next I found myself surrounded by the new breed in town, the budding entrepreneurs. Collaboration, inspiration and the spirit of paying it forward was always palpable, almost infectious and I found myself transformed in this journey. In the next eight months associations with entrepreneurs and SMEs grew trifold and I found myself working with a fantastic network of co-workers, vendors and local and international clients.

I was able to put my best foot forward without the cloud of hierarchy and red tape – the best mix to churn out creative work. Being an integral part of the communication and strategy with the core team has been the key to produce output-driven visual communication.

So on hindsight what I really needed was a social yet tangible community that shared similar professional issues and a space to reach out. At least in our day and age it’s easy enough to shout and have several responses to choose from. Summing it up at this juncture I have two perspectives to ponder upon – the clear yet hazy panoramic overview of the distance travelled and the other is the path created moving forward.

Both give me a sense of nostalgia and determination to make it a memorable experience.

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Some of my work – Corporate identity