24 questions with Tushar Mahajan, CEO of Statusbrew

Today, we’re speaking with Tushar Mahajan, CEO of social media management platform, Statusbrew, an app which lets you know how many unfollowers you have. Harsh, maybe. Valuable data, certainly.

#1. So, what’s your favourite word? 

Kake (a Punjabi word meaning boy! in English)

#2. Attaboy! What gets you up in the morning?

I feel we have a unique opportunity to build a great company and we have to make it work.

#3. And so you will. What do you truly, honestly think of social media?

It’s a powerful tool for business, much more powerful than any other form out there. I will also give you the other side – after working closely with social media for the last six years, people should spend less time on it. As the saying goes, “if you are not paying for it, you are the product being sold”. Social media profits from taking your time. There is a need for balance.

#4. True dat. Kindles or books?

Books. I like the feel of them. Although it can be super inconvenient sometimes when you fold paper or put a book on the table and you have to keep a hand on it. But having a physical object is much more engaging.

#5. We can always lend a hand too. What do you think is the biggest challenge to your industry right now?

Spam, privacy and fake news. We are already seeing how dangerous it can be.

#6. Agreed. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I loved computer games. I thought a place where i can test and play all the latest games would have been a cool job.

#7. Cool. What led you to your current career?

I had a taste of computing early in my life and i would do all sort of things on the early machines. I think the love for computers and the feeling you can do anything from anywhere started there.

#8. Can you use your favourite word in a sentence?

Kake chalo chaliye. “Boy! Let’s go!”. It can be used in lots of ways to motivate people. Let’s make it happen!

#9. Let’s do this!!!!! Now can you make it rhyme?

It would be hard 🙂

#10. The best things usually are. What advice would you give to your younger self?

Take more photos for your memories.

#11. What’s the best thing anyone’s ever done for you?

When i got my first personal computer from my parents. Looking back on that moment, it changed everything.

#12. Tell us, what’s been your ‘career-defining’ moment?

I was one of the early people who jumped on Twitter and felt the importance of it straightaway.

#13. Early bird catches the Twitter worm, eh? If you won a big award of some kind, who would you thank?

My parents for everything they have done.

#14. Can you give us a timesaver of the day?

Plan your day in small breaks. When you wake up, before reaching the office, think of what you will do in the morning and do that. Don’t check emails or Facebook/Twitter when you are most focused; it drains more energy than we realise.

#15. Where do you see your industry in 24 months?

Social media will compete with messaging apps for advertising $. Big players are already betting a lot on messaging apps – there are so many business opportunities  that we are already seeing with messaging apps such as WhatsApp, WeChat, Line.

#16. Where were you 24 months ago?

Working, aggressively recruiting people.

#17. What’s an interesting fact about your company?

We are a young company with an average age of 26.

#18. Young man. If you could have a 24-minute Skype chat with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Elon Musk.

#19. What’s one word you’d want people to describe you with?

Helpful.

#20. Tick! Would you mind taking a selfie for us?

All right!

#21. OK! What’s your favourite Twitter handle or social media campaign?

Adidas and Nike are really, really good. Whenever there is a sporting event, they are already present. When Andy Murray won the Wimbledon in 2013, the tweet from Adidas was the most retweeted and the first one. That says a lot about their social team.