Must Read | Rising Stars Mikas Agarwal, 19 Chief Digital Officer Akran Marketing Ottawa, Ontario, Canada What does it take to become a PPAI Rising Star? It comes with persistence and getting out of your comfort zone. Going to networking events and meeting people in the industry. I’ve been lucky to be raised in an entrepreneurial family that’s very motivating. They’ve always made me go the extra mile. What do you love about the promotional products industry? I love the impression that we leave on our clients. Even marketing campaigns for larger companies, you can see that it makes such an impact on our community. That’s what keeps me driven. Even at university, I walk into the bookstore and it’s so satisfying to know that those products have come from an industry that’s so developed that the end user just never sees. What is the biggest challenge for you in your career? My age. Luckily, this industry is so developed that everyone just accepts me. Another challenge is that I’m a university student, and managing that balance between working, extracurriculars and school is a lot of work, but I manage it the best I can. I’m very ambitious and I still need to get my degree, but I’m also looking for outside experience to learn additional skills beyond working in the family business. What change would you like to see in the industry over the next 10 years? I hope that technology really gets adopted more in this industry. It moves at a slower pace than many other industries, and that may not necessarily be for a bad reason. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, but I really hope the industry develops more technology that’s beneficial for all of us. What excites you about your role? Nobody ever calls and says that they just need 500 pens. Every client problem is unique. They all have their own situations and strategies, and we’re just here to help implement them. At the end of the day, we’re a marketing company that uses promotional products as a tool and tactic to further a marketing strategy. 58 • NOVEMBER 2024 • PPAI
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