Ad Land’s Young Guns: Shubham Singhal, CEO, Dot Media

Dot Media is a community of creatively-inclined individuals with a point to make. It rose from humble beginnings with a 6-person team in lockdown-struck Kanpur and is now home to 200+ exclusive creators, 300+ digital campaigns, 30+ celebrities and a team of 70+ dynamic individuals. Dot Media has two offices in Mumbai, another office in Kanpur and its own production studio is in the making right in the heart of Andheri.

In conversation with Adgully, Shubham Singhal, CEO, Dot Media, speaks about his journey with his venture, icons he looks up to, productive things he does in a day, and more.

Please tell us about your venture Dot Media.

Dot Media is a vacuum. We like to joke that whoever enters the Dot Media universe, has a very hard time exiting. The Dot is home to some kickass IPs –   the most famous one being our artist management segments – TGB Troop and Dot Talents, followed by Dot PR, which was a natural extension and our newest addition, Dot Studios.

Where do you see yourself and Dot Media in five years’ time?

I see the Dot as the top artist management company with multiple tech-first products. And I hope to see myself building the next new thing with the same team standing beside me – we are in it for the long haul.

What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table to excel in your venture?

I have maintained that the only thing I will ever bring to the table is ideas and solutions. I am yet to do a third job, to this day. Ideas mean nothing, execution is everything and I have some of the best executioners an agency has ever seen, so a lot of my day is spent sitting on problems until I find all the solutions.

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

I admire the courage of Aman Gupta and Ashneer Grover. I think being unapologetic in your ways and still making it as big as they have is truly the best reinforcer of sticking to your guts.

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

I’m not a productive man. I’m a sloth. I make small efforts everyday in order to sustain myself though, regular stuff like working out four times a week, spending time educating myself more every day. I am truly against the idea of cutting off from social media and your social life as a ‘good cleanse’. Humans were meant to adapt, the world belongs to those who can conquer among chaos.

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

If it’s not, we’re screwed. But jokes apart, the concept of “the right field” and “the right degree” are very alien to me. I doubt I would be featured as a ‘Young Gun’ if I chose my ‘viable’ option and continued on as an engineer. The industry we are in, it is for anybody who doesn’t have quit in them. You just need to keep on persisting until you win, take the plunge.

What does it take to succeed in a career?

In any career, I think the most important thing you need of your own is grit, determination and a willingness to learn. Everything else can be an acquired skill.

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

• Identify who you want to be.
• Find a mentor.
• Listen to that mentor.
• Trust the process.