Rad Sharar is not your average marketing leader. His journey began a decade ago in the trenches of corporate, freelance writing and with decades of experience through serving 300+ local and global brands, he's evolved into a highly esteemed designer of stories in Bangladesh. 

Let's delve into his inspiring journey.

Q. Explain "design" for the laymen.

By design, most people think of graphic designs, website or publication designs. My journey has covered all of it but now it has evolved to designing relationships and shaping customer perspectives to craft the complete essence of a brand, build it from scratch, and share its story through whatever is needed. It can be a website, a profile, a report, a book, or even a video.

I might have started as a writer who likes to tell stories but eventually ended up as a designer of brands because at the core of every brand is a story and we try to uphold just that.

Q: How did your experiences shape your approach to storytelling?

Working with diverse industries from development, real estate, finance, tourism, logistics, consumer health, food, e-commerce, startups, media and more has all allowed me to see the power of storytelling from various angles.

As a freelance writer, I had to write for many different companies in major publications, lending them credibility and reputation. The hardest part of it was trying to articulate the knowledge of those industry experts in my words. 

Every time I had to depict the perspective as an insider, especially when I had never had any experience in that industry. So, I had to constantly be on a learning journey where I put myself in their shoes trying to articulate their stories in a way as intricate as they think it is but also simple enough for the audience to be able to connect with it.

Q. How did your company, come to be?

I have always tried to find that fine balance between technical industry knowledge and the understanding of the average target audience to make stories impactful, yet relatable. But along with it came the challenge of making it visually attractive, easy to understand, available on relevant platforms, intriguing enough for customers to buy, etc.

Hence, about 10 years ago, SPC started as a professional writing service, crafting features and managing PR for companies trying to find that exact line of balance. Back then, we were just starting, with zero clients. However, through our dedicated efforts, we have rapidly grown to serve over 350 clients and 16-17 consultations.

Q. What sets you apart from others?

In Bangladesh, whenever we mention marketing agencies, it misleadingly assumes the company carries out everything from media buying, product photography, videography, website development, graphic design, Ad design, etc. for all types of products across industries, without distinction. This makes it extremely difficult to find industry-specific or task-specific firms as a marketing partner.

We believe in the power of reputation marketing because, at the end of the day, customers keep going back to companies they like and trust. At SPC, we set your reputation high and lend you credibility in the market by "making you impressive to the people that matter'', especially in the beginning and closing stages of projects, programmes, products, services etc. 

Helping you find the stakeholders that impact you most, and showcase your story in a way that the target audience views you 'the way you want to be perceived'. 

This makes our market very niche but we tend to focus on the vertical markets and our clients know we do not just create content; we craft narratives that build trust amongst their specific target audience.

Q. What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

When you are exceptionally good at telling the stories of others, you often fail to craft your own. For many years we have told the stories of our clients without knowing what our purpose is, but eventually, we found it in telling the stories of others. 

The final product of our projects might be mere words, pictures, videos, or codes, but the ultimate satisfaction comes from knowing our work contributes to something bigger than just generating profits. It establishes good in the world or amplifies the stories of those who are making a difference.

Looking back, I see my life as a collection of corporate, personal, and professional stories. Which keeps me going. Every one of them is unique. 

Q. What lies in the future for you? 

No idea! Defining my journey or idea on my own is a daunting task. 

I help people put their stories into words, fine-tune them and make them more presentable through the power of impactful storytelling, and through that, I believe I navigated my way to becoming an all-encompassing designer and a complete storyteller. My future will always be the next story. 

To know more about Rad and SPC, visit www.seriouslypowerfulcontent.com

Interview by Shakila Nahar