Mumbai-based marketing communications consultant, career strategist and author Pushpendra Mehta, has transformed into an online media entrepreneur with the promotion of VCherish.com, an e-publishing website “for and by the youth of India”. “VCherish.com offers a forum and soundboard for creative minds to network globally, get their writing published and get paid for it,” says Mehta.
VCherish.com, launched by VCherish Media Pvt. Ltd, went online in February. Mehta is targeting 15-45 year olds, offering them the opportunity to engage in positive, creative dialogue via articles, web/mobile videos and e-books. As a career strategist for students, Mehta’s observation is that even in this day and age, many youngsters conflict with parents over career choices. “Ours is a risk averse and status driven society. Therefore people need a forum to express their creative impulses,” he says.
Aspiring writers benefit from services such as editing, book jacket design, publicity via youth-friendly media such as Facebook and VCherish.com. The site also provides a unique ISBN to each e-book. This is a 13-digit, ‘thumbprint’ code similar to a barcode which helps identify the work worldwide. Offering a 25 percent royalty to authors, VCherish is well on its way to redefining e-publishing.
The current launch edition of VCherish.com features two e-books of 20 submitted by aspiring authors worldwide. According to Mehta, the criteria for selection of the first two e-books were unique content, writer expertise and passion. “The career profiles of the selected writers will change from here on,” he says.
A graduate of Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, Mehta worked for ten years in consulting and financial services prior to acquiring a Masters degree in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University, USA. Currently he works as a student counselor and career consultant in India, following wide consultancy experience in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific. Mehta’s second youth-centric book, which “offers 31 career strategies to prepare for the next milestone 2025”, is being readied for publication. “Often, career guidance and counseling is not given sufficient importance in institutions of higher education in India. The system gives advice to follow popular and not ‘soulful’ choices. Hence there’s a huge latent market for career guidance books,” says Mehta.
Looking to the future, he has based the growth of VCherish.com and related businesses on the calculus that 55 percent of India’s population will be under 20 years of age by the year 2015. “I’m a great believer in integrated and consistent growth, and if the online media and e-publishing venture grows as expected, we will expand in a phased manner, to include online education, retailing and events for young minds under the aegis of VCherish.com. A lot needs to be done to reap India’s demographic dividend,” says Mehta.
Nisha Khiani (Mumbai)