From challenges to breakthroughs: How 16-year-old Keyaan Nanjwani revolutionized marketing and healthcare

Over the past two years, BrandExpertsCA has worked with 135 clients and reached over 111 million people globally, impacting countless lives

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Published: Fri 6 Sep 2024, 9:16 AM

Keyaan Nanjwani's journey is one of perseverance, resilience, and innovation in the face of unprecedented adversity. As the world grappled with the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for face masks, gloves, and sanitizers soared, while global supply chains faltered. Amid this turmoil, Nanjwani, a young entrepreneur from Dubai, embarked on a venture that would test his determination, creativity, and unyielding resolve. His path to success was far from easy, marked by doubt and obstacles that might have discouraged many. Yet, Nanjwani's story exemplifies the power of resilience, strategic thinking, and the potential of youth in the digital age.

Nanjwani's interest in the health industry was sparked during a summer holiday visit to a village, where he observed a stark lack of health information and services. Witnessing how many diseases could have been prevented with proper healthcare access was an eye-opening moment for him. "It was disheartening to see such neglect, and I knew I wanted to make a difference by providing healthcare to these forgotten communities," he recalls. Little did he know that this childhood ambition would one day become a reality.

At just 14, Nanjwani launched BrandExpertsCA, a digital marketing agency born out of necessity and insight. Spotting a gap in the market, he sought to address the urgent demand for essential health products by leveraging social media. "In remote areas, there was no way to connect these vital products to the people who needed them. Effective, targeted advertising was missing," Nanjwani reflects. "If people could only know where and how to access these supplies, it would give them hope-hope to survive, to thrive, and to change their lives."

However, the early days of his entrepreneurial venture were fraught with challenges. "BrandExpertsCA was on the brink of collapse," Nanjwani admits. "Securing that first client was incredibly tough. I sent over 3,900 emails offering free consultations and services to prove my worth." Faced with skepticism due to his age, he turned to TikTok, where being young worked to his advantage, and platforms like Fiverr and Upwork to find freelancers who helped him build his business. Slowly but surely, his persistence paid off, and BrandExpertsCA began to take shape.

A turning point came when Nanjwani saw the failure of the Covaxin vaccine campaign in India, where only 400,000 people received the jab out of a target of 300 million. "It reignited my determination to find more effective ways to market healthcare solutions," he says. Observing similar issues in other sectors, like his parents' search for progressive glasses amid a flood of irrelevant laser advertisements, Nanjwani realised that the healthcare industry's marketing strategies were outdated and inefficient.

This insight prompted him to pivot his focus toward healthcare marketing, incorporating his previous venture, Health Point, which provided translation services for medical documents. "The healthcare sector lacked innovation, especially in areas like email campaigns and social media outreach," he notes. Through BrandExpertsCA, he introduced fresh strategies that helped healthcare providers connect with their audiences more effectively, from personalized email campaigns to engaging social media content.

Over the past two years, BrandExpertsCA has worked with 135 clients and reached over 111 million people globally, impacting countless lives. Balancing his growing business with the demands of his International Baccalaureate studies was no easy feat, but Nanjwani found ways to automate processes and improve efficiency, ensuring his success on both fronts.

Nanjwani's passion for healthcare didn’t stop with BrandExpertsCA. He founded SMES Global (Student Medical Education Society), combining his knowledge of healthcare marketing with a mission to provide access to healthcare information and education. SMES Global seeks to improve healthcare accessibility for underserved communities while educating future healthcare professionals about their career options. "It's not just about marketing," says Nanjwani. "It's about making a real difference in people’s lives."

SMES Global fosters a diverse community, connecting people from all walks of life to create meaningful change. Whether through mental health support groups or school clubs, Nanjwani encourages participation in initiatives that promote better healthcare outcomes and awareness.

In his free time, Nanjwani enjoys cooking and likens running a business to experimenting in the kitchen. "Running a business under pressure is like cooking a new dish. You have an idea of what you want and you achieve it by reflection, hard work and balancing the flavours - just like you would strategize, adapt and balance your budgets."

Nanjwani's story is a testament to the power of resilience and innovation in times of crisis. By transforming skepticism into motivation and challenges into opportunities, he carved a unique niche in the digital marketing landscape and redefined what's possible during adversity. As he looks ahead, Nanjwani remains confident that his journey will inspire others, showing that with determination and vision, even the toughest obstacles can lead to unprecedented success. With more ambitious projects on the horizon, his path is just beginning to unfold.

To learn more, please visit brandexpertsca.com

Published: Fri 6 Sep 2024, 9:16 AM