Deepti Kc comes with 15+ years of experience in marketing and market research across financial inclusion and healthcare industries. She has diverse work experience in corporate, non-profit, academic, and international development. Currently, she works as a Development Manager for Pratham USA and as a Fund-Raising Consultant for the Women’s Venture Fund. She has a Master’s in Non-profit Fundraising and Management from Columbia University and certification in Digital Marketing from Columbia University. She also serves on the Board of the American Marketing Association (AMA) – New Jersey Chapter. She is a storyteller, a writer, and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT200).
If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be, and why?
I always thought answering this question would be easy. But it’s not! After thinking – analyzing all the highs and lows of my life and how I have evolved over the years – I conclude that if I must write a book about myself, I’d call it “the power of being me.” It sounds so cliché, but that’s what it’s. I’ve tried to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. I have my strengths and weaknesses. But they are mine, and I have never tried to be someone I am not. And that has been quite powerful, honestly!
I am an avid traveler. If these travel restrictions had not happened since 2020, my husband and I would have visited over 50 countries by now (we were somewhere around 45+ countries before the pandemic). Traveling also means learning new cultures and meeting new people. It opens a whole new world for you. I try to be my authentic self wherever I go and whomever I meet. Being authentic also means being fully present, open, and honest, and eventually, making peace with whatever outcomes I encounter in life – good or bad. It’s not always easy – but I try! And perhaps that’s why the title of the book should be “the power of being me.”
Tell us something about your professional journey.
My professional journey has been fulfilling because most of my colleagues have become my friends. Professionally, I come with 15+ years of experience in client and partner management, relationship building, project management, and business growth, with solid market research and technical writing skills. I have worked in for-profit and non-profit sectors in different industries, environments, and countries. I worked as an International Development professional for over five years, which allowed me to travel across India as a researcher. I am a market researcher at the core, and I love data (and numbers)! I have recently joined a leading non-profit organization that works for children’s education as a fundraiser. Marketing and fundraising go together. You will always find me looking at donors’ data and insights, forming donor-centered messaging, and ensuring that our cause is recognized. I am learning to be a good fundraiser, meet philanthropists, and promote the cause I so deeply care about at this stage of my career.
Why did you get involved with the AMA-New Jersey chapter? Why is this organization important to you?
During the pandemic, I found myself attending several webinars conducted by AMA. I was learning a lot from the speakers and the content provided by AMA. In Oct 2020, I noticed an email from AMA-NJ that they were looking for volunteers. Since I was taking so much advantage of the organization, I thought it was my responsibility to give back. So, I joined AMA-NJ as a volunteer and joined the membership team. In July 2021, I joined the Board of AMA-NJ, and I am now AVP, Membership Committee. I love the AMA-NJ family. We are professionals with such diverse backgrounds, and we’ve come together to ensure our members (and non-members) benefit from the AMA-NJ chapter. And to think that we are all volunteers (and super busy with our day jobs), and yet, we come together and give our best for the success of this chapter– it’s very inspiring. AMA-NJ has become a family now – you will find me networking, learning new skills, celebrating…and even finding opportunities (I found my freelance writing gigs here).
What is the best advice you would give to young professionals?
I am not sure if I am in that position to provide advice to young professionals. We all have our journey, and we learn from it. I have learned these three lessons, which I want to share.
One, get out of a toxic workplace environment. But taking that step doesn’t mean we’re over it. If we want to start fresh and keep our career moving forward, we need to learn to heal, not be bitter about past experiences, not gossip, not take anything personally, and learn to put the toxicity behind us.
Second, learn to accept failures and mistakes. I worked with such inspiring entrepreneurs in the past few years, and they taught me not to run away from my failures. We always think failure is embarrassing, but there is the power to own failures and learn some hard lessons from them.
And third, focus on how you can help others – be it clients, coworkers, customers, partners, donors, mentors, or your boss. I learned this mantra from my mentor. He always asks, “What can I do to help you?” I have been doing the same in recent years, and I’ve found that this attitude effectively establishes solid relationships.
If someone wants to connect with you, what is the best way to reach out to you on social media?
You can reach me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/deeptikc/
