How a Crisis can be Redefined as an Opportunity for More

We talked to Tushar Garg of Reverse Thought on how to deliver 360-degree digital solutions to businesses determined to connect meaningfully with their audience and this is what he had to say.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times? 

Tushar Garg: India went into lockdown sometime in March this year, but the fear was already building a few weeks before that. We had moved into a work from home format before the lockdown, and this was the first time the family was together 24/7. While there was some insecurity for us, just like everyone else, we were mentally prepared to deal with whatever comes our way as long as everyone is safe. I am grateful that so far, our family is in perfect health and happiness. I daresay, this year has been a blessing in many ways. First, it allowed us to be together, evaluate our priorities, realize that we should live one day at a time, and showed us a new way of living that can positively affect the planet. We must not forget these lessons. It also gave us the impetus to forge new alliances to increase our offerings to clients.

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded Reverse Thought.

Tushar Garg: It’s been 20 years since I started my career in the digital world. Throughout my life, I was interested in creative arts. I started as an intern in a design studio, and parallelly started tushargarg.com. After six years of working at various agencies, I moved to be an independent artist, and two years later, in 2008, I began Reverse Thought with my Partner. Today we are a full service creative digital agency in the 12th year of operation. Our key strength is delivering impactful solutions that help organizations connect with their target audience through Films, Web, and Brand building tools. Throughout our work experience, we have had the fantastic opportunity to work with leading companies like Sun Pharma, United Nations, ICICI Pru, Welspun Group, Marico Ltd., Future Group, Tata Group, GVK Bio, Bayer Corporation, J&J, Vardhman Group, Dell India and a host of international FMCG brands.   

How does Reverse Thought innovate? 

Tushar Garg: We keep reading, exploring & ideating as a team. We spend a tremendous amount of time researching and looking for new ideas- visual, experiential, and digital. 

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business, and how are you coping?

Tushar Garg: We had our challenging times, but with team support, we are moving towards better business in the coming months. We have realized the power of collaboration. We are in a more significant position through strategic tie-ups than ever to offer more outstanding, more robust solutions to clients to meet their marketing and communication needs. For example, we can now provide several gaming and AR opportunities to brands to increase their engagement online. It opens a whole new world for us and helps us provide a more wholesome solution. 

Did you have to make difficult choices, and what are the lessons learned?

Tushar Garg: During the pandemic, we had to choose between being cautious about our cash flows and safeguarding our team members’ interests who invest so much of their passion and energy into the growth of the organization & to whom we owe everything. With some adequate planning, we were finally able to ensure zero salary cuts to our employees without compromising the company’s health. This year has been a lesson in resilience and the importance of maintaining bonds with your people who form an agency’s basic fabric. 

How do you deal with stress and anxiety, how do you project yourself and Reverse Thought in the future?

Tushar Garg: Morning walks, meditation, and the love for badminton keep me stress-free. Our vision is to feature among the top 100 agencies in the world. We are looking to start operations in the USA & Europe and are seeking partnerships in these regions.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Tushar Garg: While many agencies and professionals offer the same services, everyone has developed a space for themselves. We focus on competing with ourselves, benchmarking everything we do with the best there is out there. Our ability to remain in business stems from creativity, the spirit of partnership, a steadfastness to commitment, and the overall experience that we can offer to clients. Credibility is everything. 

Your final thoughts?

Tushar Garg: Within every crisis lies an opportunity. It’s the same with the pandemic that has brought the world to its knees. Turn every setback into a chance to come back stronger and more resilient than ever. 

Your website? 

www.reversethought.com