The Alumni Relations Committee of Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, hosted an insightful Wisdom from Alumni session with Mr. Pranshu Mehrotra (Batch 2021–2023), currently serving as Assistant Marketing Manager at C.P. Products and Private Limited.

Mr. Mehrotra began by sharing his career journey with prior exposure in operations, he soon discovered his passion for marketing and transitioned into sales and brand management. He emphasized how his initial roles in operations helped him build a solid foundation for a career in marketing. His experience also covered New Product Development (NPD), packaging material, ATL/BTL strategies, and consumer offers.

Drawing from his professional journey, he explained how BTL campaigns are executed, vendor projects are managed, and cross-functional collaboration takes place in real business settings. He highlighted that combining disciplines such as Operations with Marketing, Marketing with Finance, or Marketing with Analytics can open strong opportunities — with digital marketing being a highly demanded specialization.

Mr. Mehrotra also spoke candidly about the challenges of the sales profile, explaining the differences between Modern Trade and General Trade, and how management trainees are often eased into targets after 6–12 months of training. He encouraged students to break stereotypes that operations or technical backgrounds cap one’s growth, citing his own transition.

On certifications, he recommended pursuing Digital Marketing certifications and targeting FMCG firms like Amul and UNIBIC for SIPs and early career opportunities. He stressed that the initial 4–5 years of career require persistence and struggle, but these experiences ultimately shape a manager’s long-term growth.

Sharing workplace realities, he discussed office politics, trade marketing, and the failures of certain campaigns (for example, premium cream milk in Lucknow) compared with successes in other regions. He underlined the importance of adaptability, as strategies that work in one region may not succeed in another. His examples included regional cooperatives like Verka (Punjab) and Saras (Rajasthan).

Mr. Mehrotra concluded by emphasizing that working with smaller companies often provides greater learning opportunities than larger organizations. He also shared a personal story of incurring losses in his company role but being supported because of his Jaipuria tag and his commitment to deliver results in the following year.

The session left students inspired with practical insights into sales, brand management, and marketing careers in FMCG. It encouraged them to embrace challenges, diversify skills, and remain resilient in their professional journeys.

Write up- Ms. Ishita Singh

Photographs- Mr. Akash Bharti, Ms. Cheryl Das, Mr. Jyotirmoy Roy, Ms. Drishti Katiyar