Emil Eji

Early Life

I was born and raised in Chennai, where I completed my schooling and college education. As a child, I had a keen interest in tinkering with my toys and using motors and wheels to create my own DIY vehicles. I participated in various exhibitions, which fueled my passion for automobiles, especially cars and bikes. I always knew that I wanted to do something related to the automotive industry when I grew up.

My interest in marketing developed early on, as my dad worked in the apparel industry, and I frequently received quality clothes from his factory for free. When I was in 6th grade, I asked one of my dad’s friends who owned an apparel shop if I could sell his products in my school. To my surprise, I sold 37 t-shirts and head caps that month and earned a decent amount of pocket money just by speaking about the features of the products.

In 8th grade, I discovered a wellness product called Noni that claimed to reduce body weight. Initially skeptical, I saw my uncle lose weight after consuming it for six months. I decided to sell the product in my school again, and after analyzing the target audience, I approached my Arts and Crafts teacher, who was often sick. After she tried the product and began feeling better, she referred her friends, and I sold ten bottles of Noni. My teacher also purchased other Noni products such as soap, face wash, and face masks.

Months later, I was invited to the Noni World Health conference in Chennai, where I was recognized as the “Youngest Marketer in India” for my sales.

College & Professional Life

In 2019, I was completing the final year of my undergraduate degree in B.tech Computer Science & Engineering. At that time, I was preparing for several entrance exams, such as CAT, XAT, and GMAT, with the intention of pursuing an MBA immediately after graduation. I had no interest in pursuing a career as a software developer or in any related field. In fact, I hated coding.

To explore alternative career paths, I began researching various industries, which is how I discovered my interest in marketing. In my third year of college, I had worked for a fashion-based digital marketing agency called Digital Pandits, where I gained experience in social media marketing, video production, and other aspects of the field.

After taking several entrance exams, attending interviews at top MBA colleges in India, and passing some of the exams, I realized that an MBA would only be useful after gaining 2-3 years of industry experience. So, I decided to gain some experience in digital marketing instead.

I enrolled in a certification course in digital marketing from LIBA, Chennai, and secured a job as an email marketing specialist at Synergita Software Pvt. Ltd. in 2019. Eventually, I was promoted to a digital marketing associate. During this time, I completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Marketing & Communication from MICA, Ahmedabad, through a distance learning program.

Now, fast forward, I am currently serving as the VP of Marketing at Haris&Co, a 360-degree integrated marketing agency located in Calicut, Kerala, India.

Life at Haris&Co.

Interestingly, my journey with Haris&Co. began on LinkedIn. It all started with a conversation on LinkedIn between Haris and me, where we bonded over our shared interest in marketing. After getting to know each other better, Haris offered me a part-time role in marketing at Haris&Co. Although I was already working as a SaaS marketer at a corporate job, I agreed to work on Facebook Ads, SEO, and other projects for the agency.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to discontinue my work with Haris&Co. and return to my old job. I took a break from the agency for six months, during which time it flourished and grew significantly. When I reconnected with Haris after this period, I was ready to give it my all as a freelancer. As a result, I took on various website development projects and led a team that successfully completed several projects over the past year.

Even though I was still working remotely at my corporate job, I felt limited by the four walls that surrounded me. I knew I was capable of more and decided to quit my job to join Haris&Co. full-time. Although the process of moving to a new city and transitioning from a corporate to an agency role was daunting, I decided to take the plunge. And it turned out to be the best decision I ever made.

After two months of experimentation, learning, and working with an incredible team, I started seeing positive outcomes. I was surrounded by amazing people who made me feel at home, even though I was 100 miles away from my hometown. This supportive environment made my transition to a new city much easier. Initially, I thought I would be in a managerial role, but my career took a surprising turn when I was named the VP of Marketing at Haris&Co. This was a significant milestone in my career, and I have learned a lot, built a team of 13 members from scratch, worked with industry leaders, and made myself proud.