This week on Own It, we’re talking to Hani Anis from Kahani Digital. Her firm is a little over four years old. It focuses on telling the stories of South Asian owned and founded brands through digital marketing and social media.
Hani grew up in Maryland, but her family is from India. Her geographic journey is as diverse as her professional one. We talked about her early interest in medicine, then work in investment banking and beyond. COVID shifted her priorities and needs and Kahani Digital was born.
Hani’s story is so inspiring and fascinating. I can’t wait for you to hear it.
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Hani initially pursued a career in medicine, dedicating extensive time to pre-med studies and volunteer work. However, a challenging organic chemistry class prompted a significant pivot to finance and business, demonstrating that it's acceptable to change paths when a chosen career doesn't align with one's interests or abilities. This willingness to adapt ultimately led her to discover her passion for marketing.
Kahani Digital was founded out of a clear market need within the South Asian diaspora. Hani observed that many South Asian-owned businesses struggled to find marketers who understood their culturally rooted stories and could effectively translate them to broader audiences. Her unique background and cultural understanding allowed her to fill this gap, offering a specialized service that resonated deeply with her clients.
When launching Kahani Digital, Hani secured 30 clients by cold pitching 300 South Asian brands. Her success stemmed from personalized pitches rather than mass templates. She thoroughly researched each brand and tailored her communication to their specific needs, highlighting the importance of genuine engagement and understanding in building client relationships, especially in the early stages of a business.
Hani discusses the evolving nature of challenges in entrepreneurship. Initially, her biggest hurdles involved managing an unexpected influx of clients, hiring staff without an established brand, and developing foundational business structures. As the agency matures, the challenges shift to scaling, making strategic hiring decisions, refining client offerings, and establishing internal processes, illustrating that growth constantly presents new obstacles.
Hani emphasizes that networking and simply "being nice" have been crucial to her career success. She believes that kindness and positive interactions leave a lasting impression, fostering collaborations, referrals, and future opportunities. She shares anecdotes of meeting potential clients in unexpected places, underscoring the broad impact of interpersonal skills.
