‘Today the brand value of Anil Shah is because of the hard work and determination of almost 27 years’
Starting his job as an assistant for Rs 3500 despite getting ridiculed by his friends and family, he followed his heart and became today’s topmost banker of the country and CEO of Mega Bank- Anil Keshary Shah.
“I could easily get a better job through my family’s name but I wanted to work independently and make my own brand. That’s what made me what I am today,” Shah recalled, in front of the houseful mass of youths in Nepal Tourism Board auditorium this Sunday evening.
According to Shah, the first and purest brand we get is from our parents. But, at some point, we will need to build a brand value of our own name. A brand is being created around us, whether we know or not.
Citing the example of how Coca-cola took years to create the brand that is known for worldwide today, he mentioned:
You want to create a brand of yourself that people will think of you, but just because you are not working constructively towards it, your brand is being built the other way. You are the most important thing to yourself; spend some time in developing your own brand. Develop your brand for your family and friends.
Shah pointed out that the first thing to do to make a brand is to know the brand you want to be known for. “Seize your brand; make it what you want it. I am sure Mother Teresa never thought to be a singer and Paras Khadka a King Kong player. They had absolute clarity what brand they want to make of themselves. Similarly, you need to know your objective and who you want to impact with this objective,” he added.
Referring to Mega Bank’s vision, ‘halodekhi hydro samma’ (which means from plough to power), he stressed it is crucial to find our target audience and the vision we are giving out. Also a banker, photographer, and motivational speaker, Shah, revealed his interests in diverse fields and suggested everyone to do many things they love rather than sticking only to one.
I used to smoke and drink at a time but not anymore. It’s for a simple reason, because my daughter doesn’t want me to and also because I don’t want to let down my people who look up to me. It doesn’t take much time to ruin a brand but it takes a lifetime to build it. If your children see you intoxicated or fighting, they will be scarred for life. And, there’s no rewind button to life. We have ups and downs but walking the talk to build your brand is the most important thing. That too, not just one day, not just one week, but for a lifetime. – Anil Keshary Shah
Shah emphasized the importance of evolution and growth to any organization. For many years, children are known by their parents’ name. As they eventually build their brand, their parents are known by their names. Today, Anil Shah is known by the name Mega Bank and vice versa.
He further pointed out:
Use your brand value initially to add value to your business. Brand is made through your work; you don’t have to be a celebrity to build a brand. Every one of you is a brand; just remember that whatever you do, it either adds or takes value from the brand that is in your name. Creating brand value is difficult, maintaining it is even more difficult.
Furthermore, he revealed that the five components of happiness in life included family & friends, money, health, power & status, and your relation with yourself. One needed to propel in life with the percentage they required of all these components. “Today, I am not shy or proud but rather humble because people know who I am. Remember, whatever you do in life, you have to work, work, and work there is no other formula.”
On a concluding note, he expressed:
There are thousands of people like me who are investing their sweat and energy in the soil of Nepal, but we all are waiting for the day when the youths of the nation will catch up with them. After that, we will run a few steps together and these youths will move forward. We can’t catch up with them but they will move ahead and build a brand way greater than ours. That’s the day we highly await of.
Photo Courtesy: M&S NEXT Venture Corp
By Drishti Maharjan
