Tanya Darmaratnam is the epitome of being a professional in her chosen career. A marketeer, Tanya is a captivating personality who has the knack of getting the job done with ease. Currently working as the Marketing Manager for The Film Team, enterprising Tanya has now established her own marketing consultancy TD Marketing in a bid to impart her knowledge and experience of her specialty subject.
 

 

What made you decide to follow a career in marketing?
Marketing held a special appeal to me right from the start as I felt it was a field that was both challenging and interesting.

 

Why did you decide to start your own consultancy?
Working full time, in the corporate world, in establishments such as, Unilever (Sri Lanka) and Nations Trust Bank, was interesting. However, I had always wanted to find the time to do something that had always been close to my heart. With the support of my family I decided to  join The Film Team as Marketing Manager. This  afforded me the opportunity to start my own consultancy and I am able to fulfill both roles satisfactorily.

 

How do you manage to juggle so many professional roles in The Film Team, Taya and TD marketing?
The key is to have a well-organized schedule giving the required time and attention to all my commitments. With Taya which is an online fashion business, I have joined forces with my mother and that is very much a team work, but I am able to use my expertise in marketing to promote the business especially the digital marketing and e-commerce aspects of it.

 

Marketing is a competitive field, how do you manage to stand apart from the rest?
The USP (Uniqe Selling Point) of my marketing training programme is that I design and conduct exclusive workshops.

 

 

In a constantly evolving world, how important do you think digital marketing is?
There’s no denying it. The world is rapidly shifting from analogue to digital. People are consuming more and more digital content on a daily basis – on mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers at work, and more – and companies that have not yet recognized this in their marketing strategies need to adapt fast. That is where I come into the picture as I train such companies to use these digital tools in their marketing plans.

What are the benefits of working for yourself?
I would say , flexibility and creativity. It also gives me much  freedom to do things the way I want and the way I think is best.

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I would like to be a name that enterprises think of when they need a marketing coach to guide them in their business development strategies and train them to strengthen their brand power.

What are the challenges you face as a female entrepreneur?
A common challenge women face in business is social discrimination. Most people still live with the mentality that certain businesses or tasks are better handled by men. If you look at the Marketing Training Field, it is mostly conducted by men. One way to overcome this challenge is to stop seeing your feminine gender as a weakness; instead consider it as a strength, and prove yourself by striving to give your best.
 

Text by Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Pics by Waruna Wanniarachchi