Ad Land’s Young Guns: Rohan Rajguru, Co-Founder & Head of Growth, HeyHey!

Rohan Rajguru is the Co-Founder & Head of Growth at HeyHey!, a Web3 platform for the world’s leading creators, brands & IPs, where he looks after growth, partnerships, investor relations & business development. The company is operating in the US and APAC markets and attracts some of the best regional & international talents from the sports, media, literature and art fields.

Rajguru specializes in partnership and deal structuring and has managed to close partnerships for their respective NFT projects at HeyHey!. While he currently operates out of the company’s APAC offices, his role in the organisation is diverse which makes him a vitally strong pillar of HeyHey!.

In conversation with Adgully, Rohan Rajguru speaks about how Web3 is the future, skillsets that he brings to the table, co-founding HeyHey!, success mantra, why he wants to be in the Metaverse, and more.

What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table?

I have always loved solving puzzles and playing strategy games as a kid, this has carried into my professional journey as well. Thinking strategically and breaking down problems into small actionable steps has always been my strong suit. An acquired skill is to structure partnerships with important stakeholders which makes me a (deal) closer for HeyHey!

I am also an extrovert and love meeting new people and building relationships - I do feel this has helped me expand my network.

How did you start this organisation?

While working very closely with companies such as Snapchat and NewsCorp, we realised there was a big gap in the market. Present entertainment ecosystems were too fragmented and did not empower creators and brands to own or monetise from their content due to a lack of transparency and opportunities; furthermore, fans had no access to invest in creators or content they love. HeyHey! is solving this problem by building the tools to empower the decentralised future of entertainment.

Icons in this field whom you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work?

I have been lucky to have met and worked with incredible people who have influenced my style of work. I also absolutely love content creators who break down complex tech-heavy Web3 jargon into simple information which people who don’t work in the field or are trying to understand the field can follow. From the outside, Web3 can look extremely frightening but I'm a big fan of these creators and learn a lot from their content.

What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine?

• Plan my work day in advance
• Read all the newsletters I've subscribed to - gives me great insights into professional and personal passions
• Learning a new word on Duolingo and extending my streak - I have maintained a 850 days+ streak!
• Value your time - learn when to say no, when to delegate a certain task, not join that meeting/ cutting it short
• A cup of tea

Do you think a career in this field is a viable one in the long term?

Absolutely! I do personally believe that Web3 is the future and that we are in exciting times. The transition and progress trajectory of the internet since its very advent has been a very interesting one to say. Since Web3 has come into place, it has led to many new roles being discovered which wouldn’t have primarily been the case a few years back.

What does it take to succeed in a career?

I will let you know when I feel I have succeeded! There are some key traits that have helped me a long way in my career – outcome-focused instead of being processed-focused, be consistent and show up every day, always think strategic and plan two steps ahead.

What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry?

Get involved at any step possible – whether it is joining a Discord community, reading about the latest updates, making your wallet, registering for free NFTs, participating/ attending meet-ups/ events – nothing will teach you more than experience! Every step involved teaches you a lot about the way this industry works from the very base level. It will give you an in-depth understanding of the science that is involved & help you get ingrained quicker.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Hopefully in the Metaverse!

Is there any organisation that you would like to work with in the future?

Not an organisation, but I would love to continue working with people to build companies that create a big impact in the future.