Onika Maheshwari/New Delhi

The journey of AishaAyub, social entrepreneur, digital marketer and poet shows that the real strength of a business not only lies in investments, big numbers; it can also be found in connecting with people and creating opportunities for others. Building her professional journey from Lucknow, Aisha has not merely made digital marketing a means of livelihood but has developed it into a platform to help small businesses and women grow.

Born in Mumbai and raised in Saudi Arabia, Aisha’s navigated through diverse cultures and experiences. Her father ran a business in Saudi Arabia for 25 years. She received her early education there and learned Urdu.

Later, her family moved to India for her higher education and chose Lucknow over Mumbai. Her ancestral home was in Faizabad, now known as Ayodhya, and Lucknow was rapidly developing at the time. She moved to Lucknow in Class 11 to continue her education.

Aisha Ayub

The transition from the cosmopolitan and Saudi Arabian social environment to the cultural setting of Uttar Pradesh was not easy for her. However, her ability to adapt to different circumstances later became one of her greatest strengths in business. She recalled that during the entrance examination for CMS School, her sister had written a satirical essay criticising Lucknow, which was also appreciated

The foundation of Aisha’s career, however, was rooted in education and literature rather than business. Coming from a family surrounded by doctors, she was also expected to pursue medicine. Her uncle was a doctor, and her father had established a hospital in Lucknow. T

he family wanted her to become a doctor, while her interests lay in literature, language and writing. The social perception surrounding the arts at the time was another hurdle. She had to study biology and spent nearly five years pursuing science.

Today, Aisha considers this experience an asset. She says, “Knowledge is never wasted.” Many of her clients today are doctors, dieticians and medical professionals, and her background in science helps her understand their work and subjects better. This multidisciplinary education later proved useful in her digital marketing business as well.

Aisha’s association with writing also began in childhood. She used to write essays in English, and in Class 12, she wrote her first sher (couplet). Her mother read popular Urdu magazines such as Mehakta Aanchal and Pakiza Aanchal. The stories and ghazals in these magazines sparked Aisha’s interest in literature.

The Urdu she had learned as a child in Saudi Arabia was later studied more systematically, enabling her to understand the nuances of poetry. Today, she considers this combination of science, language, literature and digital communication one of her professional strengths.

The turning point in Aisha’s business career came during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was working as a content lead at a major digital agency in Lucknow. During Covid, the agency lost several clients, and growing financial pressure led to layoffs among senior employees. She too lost her job during this process.

The setback marked the beginning of her journey as an entrepreneur. She launched her own digital marketing business. According to Aisha, the Covid pandemic proved to be a “blessing in disguise” for the digital marketing industry. The growing use of Zoom meetings, online businesses, webinars and work-from-home arrangements turned digital platforms into an important medium for business.

During this period, a large number of women also started small businesses. Many women launched ventures from home and tried to reach customers through social media. Such small businesses were among Aisha’s early clients. She helped them establish a digital identity, strengthen their social media presence and reach potential customers.

This was when “collaboration” became the central idea behind Aisha’s business model. For her, digital marketing was not simply about managing a company’s social media accounts. It was also about connecting small entrepreneurs with markets and giving them an opportunity to showcase their potential.

However, digital marketing comes with its own challenges in Tier-2 cities. According to Aisha, many people in smaller cities still do not fully understand the actual business value of digital marketing. At times, they are reluctant to pay adequately for such services. This makes it difficult for digital professionals to receive the right value for their work.

Her experience has taught her that at the beginning of a career, one may have to accept different kinds of work, but with time and experience, professionals must learn to recognise the value of their efforts. In this context, she says, “Cheap clients are very expensive.” By this, she means that clients who pay less can sometimes demand considerably more time, energy and resources.

Therefore, in business, it is not merely the number of clients that matters but also the quality of work and the value of professional relationships.

Aisha Ayub

For Aisha, networking is the greatest capital in business. During Covid, she launched a networking platform for women called HER, or Hurdle Empower Rise. The platform is registered as an MSME.

Her objective was not merely to provide women with a community, but to build a network where they could help one another through employment, business, financial opportunities, networking and mentorship.

Aisha believes that networking in the business world is not simply a means of making introductions; it is a pathway to opportunities. If a person knows how to connect with people and maintain relationships, new opportunities begin to emerge naturally. Her own early clients came through networking, and even today, most of her clients come through referrals and word of mouth.

Collaboration within this model works both ways. One woman can introduce her business to another, the second can connect her with a potential customer through her network, while a third can contribute her expertise. In this way, the network becomes more than a list of contacts; it becomes a shared ecosystem of economic opportunities.

On women’s entrepreneurship, Aisha believes that empowering women must be accompanied by a change in the way men think. She says that today’s young women are more independent and confident than previous generations, but society has devoted greater attention to empowering women than to changing the mindset of men.

According to her, patriarchy does not harm women alone; it also places excessive financial responsibility on men within families. If both husband and wife work, domestic and financial responsibilities should also be shared. For Aisha, collaboration does not mean business networking alone; it also means sharing responsibilities at home and in society.

Aisha views marriage and partnership from the same perspective. She believes marriage should be based on love, although even a love marriage does not guarantee success. It is only after living together that people can better understand each other’s behaviour and true personality. Referring to her conversations with sociologist Kamla Bhasin, she said that the institution of marriage has historically been patriarchal and now needs to be based more on equality and partnership.

While discussing the challenges faced by working women, she shared an incident from her own life. Once, when a client called her at night, questions were raised at home. A short while later, when her lawyer husband received a call from his client, it was considered normal. According to Aisha, women’s professions are still not always taken as seriously as men’s professions. At the same time, she makes it clear that this is not a problem confined to any one religion or community; it appears in different forms across societies.

As technology continues to evolve, Aisha’s business vision has also expanded to include artificial intelligence. She believes there is no need to fear AI. According to her, AI itself does not necessarily take away a person’s job; rather, people who learn to use AI effectively will move ahead. She echoes a statement made by her brother: “AI will not replace you, but people using AI will replace you.” In her view, future business success will not depend on competing against technology but on understanding it and making it part of one’s work.

Her perspective on the changing work culture among the younger generation is equally balanced. She believes Gen Z knows how to establish boundaries and has learned to say “no”. She gave the example of a new employee on her team who disappeared for an entire day after receiving an assignment and explained the following day that he had fallen asleep. Despite such experiences, she considers Gen Z a talented and innovative generation, provided it receives the right direction and develops a sense of responsibility.

Aisha Ayub

Aisha is also concerned that the younger generation is gradually becoming disconnected from its linguistic and cultural roots. She recalled that one of her interns did not even know the meaning of the word “Devanagari”. For her, language and culture are not merely elements of identity but also important sources of communication and creativity.

Her message to young women is also closely connected to her philosophy of business. She urges them to believe in their abilities, keep learning, raise their voices and make time for their dreams. According to her, success does not come merely through a degree or a job. Continuous learning, embracing changing technology, building strong networks, collaborating with the right people and believing in one’s own abilities are what help a person move forward in the long run.