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New Delhi (India), January 29: Sunday opened its first flagship experience centre in New Delhi, India on October 6, 2021. This warm and welcoming space is about much more than just furniture. It aims to bring together like-minded people and showcase a lifestyle filled with cultural expression and intellectual appreciation. Combining uncompromising quality with a classic contemporary aesthetic, Sunday commissions well-known designers from around the world to bring you unique and beautiful products at attainable prices. The first collection is in collaboration with renowned Italian designers. The products are manufactured in India to the highest calibre specs, localized for the Indian lifestyle and preferences, while remaining authentic to its Italian design. The brand aims to deliver all orders within three weeks, making it a game changer in customer satisfaction.

Curated by Art Director, Iram Sultan, the brand has a unique International aesthetic. Speaking about the launch, Iram said, “We aim to bring together contemporary pieces to create interesting, unusual and beautiful spaces. Blending different pieces to create the perfect design, Sunday pieces are a desirable combination of warm, elegant and contemporary style with absolutely no compromise in quality”.

Also speaking on the occasion Founder, Gautam Baid said, “We are excited to launch our first Sunday collection. This new concept in design is international in outlook, but clearly very Indian in feel. We look forward to collaborating with many new designers around the world to bring their designs to the Indian customer. We are in sync with the well-travelled customer who wants quality products that are also unique and well-priced. Customers can buy pieces online on our website, but we also encourage them to come and experience this lifestyle in person at our flagship space, which is slated to be a hub of cultural activity with programs scheduled every week.” 

A note about the collections:

Fifties Collection

The Fifties Collection pays homage to the utopian design revolution in mid-20th century Italy. It plays with texture: combining natural elements like leaf vein and rattan, with sleek, smooth glass and metal. Think cheerful colors, foam padding, eco-leather and brass legs: the quintessential elements of the 1950s post-modernist boom but reimagined to fit into a contemporary home. Perfect for retro-design nerds who appreciate a sense of fun.

Bowie Collection

Inspired by the perfect curve of a bow, The Bowie Collection is rooted in elegance, comfort and versatility. At its core is leather, which wraps itself around soft sofas, beds and lounge chairs to bring warmth and subtle luxury to any room. The combination of modern fluid contours and classic marble, wood and leather is what makes this collection timeless. Add a soft color palette with pops of blue, and you have a collection that will capture your senses. 

Nelson Collection

The Nelson Collection captures Danish modern with minimalist accents: ideal for the person who has one foot in classical design, and the other in playful, and minimalist modernity. Warm wood, glass and leather bring in a sense of comfort, while metal and marble accents add a tasteful touch of glamour. The end result is a set of pieces that exude a quiet richness that will never go out of style. The ideal collection for anyone who appreciates an innovative take on old-school cool. 

Harper Collection

The Harper Collection is an earth-toned set of pieces that place comfort at the core of its design. Merging terrace, natural soft walnut and light-coloured fabric along with metal accents, Harper creates an environment that feels natural and elegant. The star of this collection is the bed: conceived as an independent space in itself, the padded headboard comes with side flaps, creating your own private sanctuary.

Sparks
Functional and elegantly designed: that’s Sparks in a nutshell. The collection combines solid wood, lush velvet, eco-leather and stone, with organic curves and edges. The result is a set of innovative and immaculately built pieces, including an elliptical dining table with a terrazzo turntable, the bed with a specially crafted curved headboard and the fluted solid wood drawer faces. Ideal for anyone who enjoys high-quality, creative design and understated luxury.

About Sunday:

Sunday – Make Everyday Better with Sunday

Capturing that feeling, the moment of calm and contentment as you make your way through a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend. Peaceful as the week winds down, and excitement for the new week ahead. Sunday creates enthralling experiences with furniture that combine great design and everyday comfort.
Sunday commissions well-known designers from around the world to make products for you that are distinctive and unique, you won’t find them anywhere else. The latest lines include the works of Italian designers Simone Colombo, Shannon Salder and Fabio Azzolina. With designers based around the world, the products are manufactured in India by skilled local craftsmen. Curated by renowned creative director Iram Sultan, Sunday pieces are a desirable combination of modern contemporary style with absolutely no compromise in quality.

The Sunday experience center is located in the capital and has a digital footprint that covers the entire country. This bridge to luxury brand is much more than just furniture, it is a lifestyle and cultural hub that taps into the city’s design-conscious brands and like-minded people, to bring them together on a single platform. Be it, music, art, food, performances or experiences, Sunday is the feeling of making every day better.

The Designers

SHANNON SADLER

In 2003 Shannon Sadler invented and focused on a new technology for the denim business worldwide founding his studio in Italy. Coming from a designer family, he is self-taught and has traveled to 33 countries, and lived in 6 of them.

His work focuses on all aspects of design and graphics projects from furnishing to lighting, from art direction to corporate identity, catalogs and packaging.

Shannon worked and collaborated with world-leading companies and brands in Italy & Europe, China, USA and Asia, to mention a few: BONTEMPI, INGENIA, ALBAPLUS, CALLIGARIS, BOFFI, KUKA, ARMONIA, DUE MONTI, KBH, BAICHENG, GABER, METALMOBIL, CAPODOPERA.

Shannon Sadler’s designs have been are presented at SALONE DEL MOBILE in Milano, IMM and ORGATEC in Koln, LIGHTING JAPAN, AMBIENTE in Frankfurt, INTERZUM, CIFF GUANGZHOU, 3F DONGGUAN FURNITURE FAIR, FURNITURE CHINA, BIFF BEIJING, etc

Shannon has been invited to speak about design & innovation at many different conferences also in China: PEKIN UNIVERSITY, ARTOP DESIGN CENTER in CHONGQING, CHENGDU DESIGN WEEK and WUHAN DESIGN CONFERENCE.

SIMONE COLUMBO

An Italian designer, born in Milan in 1988, he obtained a degree in applied experimental art. In 2012 he obtained a master’s degree in industrial design from IED (Institute of Engineering Designers) in Milan. Simone has the typical characteristics of Italians, enthusiastic, energetic and creative! Cooperation with Studio Lissoni and Associates, Plumen, Adidas, Reebok, MADAgency and other teams, he has accumulated rich design experience. He has participated in numerous exhibitions, including Salone Satellite in 2008, Milan Design Week in 2014 and 2015, Homi MakerDesign Award in 2015, MakerFair European Edition in 2015. He was included in the Forbes 30U30 European annual list.

FABIO AZZOLINA

FABIO AZZOLINA is a Milan-based Italian architect widely known for his outstanding works in the field of interior design and architecture. For more than 20 years his studio has been developing highly elaborate projects for private and commercial spaces in Italy and worldwide. Spaces created by Azzolina always feature an outstanding sense of modernity combined with a light touch of nostalgia.

After graduating from the Politechnico di Milano Azzolina, he started at the studio Piero Lissoni as a graphic designer and continued his path collaborating with Ettore Sottsass, where he worked for years and helped developed his skills and personal style in the field of industrial design and art direction.

The wide client base includes a number of private commissions and well-known fashion brands as Pirelli, Jil Sanders, Isaia, Calligula, Truzzi, etc.

The works of Azzolina are frequently published in international design magazines such as Elle Décor, Casaviva, Interni, AD and others.

New Delhi (India), January 29: It is widely believed that India is witnessing an agency boom at the moment. Even in the midst of a pandemic, when most businesses had to shut shop, many agencies were springing up all over the country. (LBB, 2020) But starting an agency and running an agency are two very different things. And a quick deep dive at numbers or even a short conversation with any industry insider would help you see the real picture pretty quickly. The number of agencies that fold within a couple of years is pretty significant.

But it would be naïve to assume that the failure of these agencies is to be blamed on one big reason or lack of capability on the part of the people running them. The truth of the matter is that these agencies work in a market with squeezed margins and increased competition, with multiple factors that make mere survival difficult. But that is not to say that running an agency successfully is a pipedream. What’s more important than ever is to avoid mistakes that could kill your venture before it starts. To put it simply, a ‘what not to-do’ list.

(A) Purpose – The very first reason many of these agencies fail is the lack of a concrete purpose or vision. You think you have the necessary skills or relevant knowledge to start out on your own. So, you take the plunge under the assumption that once people see your work, getting clients is going to be a piece of cake. But within a couple of months, reality hits.

To put it bluntly, mere talent isn’t enough to run a successful agency. You need to have a solid vision to make yourself stand out from the crowd. What is the reason for you to start your agency? How is it different from the competition? Are you willing to take risks? It is imperative to have clear answers to all these questions before you start. It is also important to be willing to take risks. Starting with no vision and an aversion to being disruptive in the market is probably a death knell even before you start.

(B) Pricing – Another reason why many agencies fold in India is undoubtedly the low cost of input or investment involved. While this is touted as a major reason for the agency boom in India, it has led to a situation where the market is filled with indistinguishable agencies competing with and eventually cannibalizing each other. So, the only way many agencies know how to distinguish themselves from the competition is pricing. In order to survive and grow, they agree to prices way below an acceptable level. This is a grave mistake to make. The moment you start undervaluing and underpricing your work, you are effectively communicating that your work is substandard. While it is true that most clients are price-sensitive, it is also a fact that clients looking for quality do not mind paying the price if they think the output is worth it. It is also the only way to get long-term loyal clients and build a reputation. Clients acquired through low pricing are just going to jump the shark when the next agency offers them an even lower price.

Another aspect of this is the burnout and disillusionment that comes with accepting work that is unchallenging and underpaying. Most agency employees today are working longer hours and believe they’re underpaid. (Digiday, 2020) Hence, a big part of running a successful agency is the ability and courage to say no to work that underpays.

(C) Collaboration– In India, the top agencies get the major share of the advertising pie. These agencies have well-established departments and areas of operations providing a variety of functions. On the contrary, most small or mid-size agencies have one area of operation- SEO, copywriting, design, etc. This then becomes another hurdle they struggle with while acquiring clients. This is one major reason why many mid-size agencies are dying off. In other words, these agencies are quickly becoming the Blackberry phone of the advertising world.

The solution to this problem lies in collaboration. In order to survive, small agencies need to join forces to optimize their strengths. The benefits of combined synergies are not just limited to survival and growth, but also better output, increase in creativity, time saved, and new access to previously untapped clients.

(D) People and Processes– This is the step that is probably most ignored when it comes to running an agency. Most agencies think that just by hiring talented people, they can ensure the success of their business. But this cannot be further from the truth. Hiring the right people and investing in the right people, after all, are two very different things. Running an agency means you are working with highly creative professionals- people who have strong opinions, artistic tastes, and possibly, egos. How you deal with your employees is a strong factor that could make or break your agency. In an article published in January 2022, building healthy employee relationships was seen as imperative to the success of any business, particularly agencies that struggle with high turnover rates. (Forbes, 2022) Therefore, it is important to build honest relationships and make bonds with your employees that are based on mutual respect and appreciation.

Another important aspect of this is to set up processes that are simple, effective, and time-saving. From creative pitches to communication frequency and reporting, it is necessary to have clear systems in place. This can be extremely helpful for employees to know what’s expected of them, how to go about it, and help them to review and take corrective action when needed.

(E) Finance– Since most agencies are run by people whose main strength lies in their creativity, mismanagement of the financial aspect of running an agency is much too common a mistake. The lack of sound systems and processes in place leads to a situation where an agency becomes a prime target for being taken advantage of. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that there are set processes in place and that these are followed irrespective of the work or client. Having robust and transparent contracts is necessary to gain client trust as well. Many large advertisers have long felt a lack of clarity in their relationships with media agencies. (McKinsey & Company, 2018) Being upfront with clients at the start of negotiations and ensuring that payments are received at pre-decided intervals can help ease out these worries. Being honest with your finances at every step is paramount to ensure longevity in the market.

It is also important to be aware of the many schemes and policies put in place by the government to help out small businesses. In recent times especially, there are many schemes intended specifically for budding entrepreneurs in MSME sectors like ‘MSME Business Loans in 59 Minutes’ for easy and quick loans, ‘Market Development Program’ for expansion to international markets, and multiple tax credits as well. (OkCredit, 2020) It is important to do extensive research on these policies to ensure that you’re getting the maximum benefit.

Like any small business, running an agency also depends on a multitude of complicated factors that need to work in cohesion and harmony at all times. And while success is not something you can predict or guarantee, avoiding the crucial mistakes listed above can definitely help you sustain and grow in this highly competitive market. 

Agam Chaudhary- With 15 years of experience in the digital marketing and technology sphere, Agam brings with him a vast array of knowledge as well as innovative and exceptional processes sure to deliver organization-wide transformations. Having run a successful agency for more than a decade and worked with brands across various industries and geographies, Agam has a unique view and understanding of the digital sphere that is both contemporary and disruptive. In the last 5 years, he has also helped various agencies and e-commerce businesses to scale up and multiply the size of their billings/profits. His latest assignments have been launching NFT Marketplace and the Metaverse game. He can be reached at agam@agamchaudhary.com / https://www.linkedin.com/in/agamchaudhary/

Bibliography

LBB. (2020, December). The Class of 2020: 14 Agencies That Launched in the Midst of a Pandemic.

Digiday. (2020, March). Digiday Research Report: Ad agency employees are overworked and underpaid.

Forbes. (2022, January). how-agencies-can-ensure-strong-employee-relations-at-the-hiring-stage.

McKinsey & Company. (2018, May). Truth in advertising.

OkCredit. (2020, December). https://okcredit.in/blog/government-policies-for-small-businesses/.

Ald   Announces   The   Signing   Of   A   Memorandum   Of   Understanding   To Acquire 100% Of Leaseplan From A Consortium Led By Tdr Capital

The Proposed  Acquisition  Of  LeasePlan  For  A  Total  Consideration  Of Eur 4.9 Billion1  Would Be Made Through A Combination Of Cash And Shares

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 29: ALD, a global leader in mobility solutions providing full-service leasing and fleet management services across 43 countries, announced the proposed combination of ALD and LeasePlan into NewALD. LeasePlan is one of the leading fleet management and mobility companies in the world by fleet size (total fleet of 1.8 million vehicles), with a global and extensive offering making it the perfect fit for ALD to shape the industry’s transformation.

NewALD is expected to be highly synergetic and create an opportunity to cross-leverage the two companies’ complementary capabilities. As a leading global player in mobility worldwide, NewALD would be able to benefit from a fast-growing market driven by strong underlying megatrends, including the following:

–     Shift from ownership to usership on all fronts: B2B, B2C and even B2E

–     Data-driven digital transformation of the mobility industry

–     Transition towards zero-emission and sustainable mobility

Tim Albertsen, Chief Executive Officer of ALD, commented, “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our history as a first step towards creating NewALD. In the context of today’s transformation of the automotive and mobility sectors, which is proceeding at an unprecedented pace, this proposed transaction is instrumental in the creation of a leading global player in mobility. By combining the multiple strengths of ALD and LeasePlan, gaining size, joining forces in digital and creating a leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions, we would transform our industry and be best positioned to deliver even better solutions and value propositions to our enlarged client base.  This transaction would create multiple opportunities for the joint management teams and talents of both companies across geographies,  underpin our focus on sustainability with a clear path to zero emissions mobility and not least deliver strong shareholder returns over the cycles. We are all very excited about the prospect of being part of this new venture.”

Tex Gunning, Chief Executive Officer of LeasePlan, commented, “The combined business would be instrumental in moving the automotive industry from ownership to subscription models and zero-emission mobility. By joining forces with ALD, we combine the best talents in the industry with the investment power needed to meet the next generation mobility needs of our customers. From day one, NewALD would be operating one of the largest fleets of electric vehicles and will continue to set the standard for ESG in the mobility industry. I am very proud of all LeasePlanners for bringing our business to where it is today. We are looking forward to working with the excellent team at ALD and taking our combined business into the exciting future of mobility.”

This proposed transformative deal would represent a step-change towards creating a leading mobility player worldwide. The increased size of NewALD would provide it with key advantages such as a global offering and coverage of all client categories, increased breadth in terms of products and services, and balanced geographic coverage. These would enable NewALD to anticipate future market needs and meet client expectations with industry-leading operating efficiency and optimised procurement.

NewALD would be ideally positioned to embrace the mobility sector’s global growth megatrends and lead the digital transformation of the industry. By creating a fully digital business model, it would be able to compete on service and cost with OEM captives and tech players entering the market to capture the accelerated growth ahead. NewALD’s enhanced firepower to invest and develop new mobility products and ancillary services would allow it to build new digital business models based on core value chain competencies and state-of-the-art digital solutions across segments, products, and services.

Thanks to this proposed transaction NewALD would become a leading global provider of sustainable mobility solutions and the partner of choice for corporates to support the transition towards Electric Vehicles (EV). By establishing new global partnerships around new services for EV, NewALD would accelerate the deployment of multi-cycle, flexible and multi-modality solutions and ensure faster time-to-market for innovative sustainable mobility solutions.  As a result, NewALD expects to go beyond ALD’s current sustainability targets to establish true industry leadership on ESG investor criteria.

Both ALD and LeasePlan have a proven ability to bring innovative digital solutions to the market, so NewALD would be well-placed to grasp new growth opportunities in the mobility sector. This would be further boosted by cross-selling their respective products and developing  ALD’s partnerships through LeasePlan’s footprint. Powered by its enlarged offering, geographic presence, and extensive digital capabilities, NewALD would expect to drive strong growth across all client categories and lift annual fleet growth to at least 6.0% post-integration.

January 28: This is the story of a 20 year young boy from Ahmednagar who is making millions at such a young age. You may get surprised reading his article. He started working at the age of 15 and made a profit of Rs20 Lakh in the very first year. Check out this mesmerising youth’s success story.

Onkar Hase, a 20 years old boy living in Shriampur, Ahmednagar was awarded by India’s Youngest Stock Market Expert National Record at the age of 18. He is the founder and CEO of OS CAPITALS which he started in 2019. He is awarded by India Book Of National Records as India’s Youngest Stock Market Expert & Researcher as well as OMG National Book of Record holder. This year he is awarded by India’s Most Sparkling Star award as the entrepreneur of the year. He is also a world record holder, and he is awarded as Amazing Indian Personality Award 2021.

He started his trading journey at an early age when he was 15 and gained a handful of experience in the passing years. His deep knowledge and research in trading has made him a successful trader & entrepreneur today.

His company is one of India’s Leading Stock Market research company. OS CAPITALS provides stock market Services to traders & investors. He started his journey when he was 15 years old while he started learning about Stock Market and he read many books & also he learned a lot from traders & investors. He started his own company when he was 19 years old. Now the OS CAPITALS’ annual turnover is in crores. He is an inspiration for many traders & investors.

During his learning period, he learnt patience, dedication and discipline, which played a decisive role in maximizing profits. The knowledge he gained out of reading books helped him in making strategies for business goals.

Onkar kept working hard on self improvement, which led him to become a successful trader. He started serving in stock market-related services in 2019. Today he is serving over 5000 clients from all across the country and more than 2000 students are being trained by him. He has emerged as idol for the young generation.

Follow him at https://instagram.com/onkar_hase?utm_medium=copy_link