(Women on Top in Tech is a series about Women Founders, CEOs, and Leaders in technology. It aims to amplify and bring to the fore diversity in leadership in technology.
Nyha is the co-founder and CMO of Jumper.ai, the first automated platform that allows brands to sell direct-to-consumers on social media and messaging platforms.
Under her leadership, Jumper.ai has successfully worked with over 11,000 businesses worldwide including brands like Marvel, Disney, Ben & Jerry’s, and Unilever. Nyha was recognized by Forbes in their 2018 Under30 Asia list and was nominated by UNr Women GICC, recognizing women innovators across the world. Recently, she was selected for the New York Fashion Tech Labs 2019 cohort.
What makes you do what you do?
It is the consistent inner drive to build something that has an impact and empowers lives.
How did you rise in the industry you are in?
For most of my career, I’ve been focused on helping brands and business of all sizes keep track of the shift in consumer trends, as well as create strategies for omnichannel sales.
One of my previous companies was a gamified social media play called the “Selfie Challenge.” Meanwhile, I was also building out a tech consulting and development agency for cost-effective mobile and web solutions. Eventually, my co-founder Yash Kotak and I merged our knowledge of social media marketing with web/mobile development to create Jumper.ai, which is the fastest and easiest way for brands to plug into the shoppable social media trend without needing a developer or long-lead project management. I would say our presence in Asia (through our Singapore HQ) has really supported our success, as has our amazing team!
Why did you take on this role/start this startup especially since this is perhaps a stretch or challenge for you?
That is the thing, actually. I never really acknowledged the challenge of being a woman entrepreneur to an extent that it would affect my ability or motivation to keep striving and building companies. There were certainly times when the people around me did not understand, but overall, my family has been very supportive. As was the case with my previous startups, starting Jumper.ai just felt like the natural thing to do.
Do you have a mentor that you look up to in your industries or did you look for one or how did that work?
I have been lucky to meet and receive support from some exceptional men and women through the course of our growth. These mentors have believed in me and my team, and have guided us along.
Now as a leader how do you spot, develop, keep, grow and support your talent?
Talent acquisition is definitely one of the toughest aspects of running a business. There is no one means and you have to rely on various channels to spot the right talent – from recommendations to job portals to hiring consultants, who then take on full-time roles.
At a startup, the best way to retain, grow and support talent is to give them ownership and accountability for their work, as well as celebrate their wins and breakthroughs.
Do you consciously or unconsciously support diversity and why? Unity in diversity is go very well with us.
Yes, it is important to have multiple views/lenses at a company. It fosters a rich team culture, with new ideas, views, and practices to stimulate and inspire each other.
What is your take on what it takes to be a great leader in your industry and as a general rule of thumb?
Curiosity to spot challenges and trends early on; Grit to steer through all the highs and lows; Competence to deliver more than you offer; and a desire to Empower others to lead the path.
Advice for others?
As far as what is next, we will be continuing to grow Jumper’s presence around the world with some very key partnerships and product integrations.
Our challenge remains in that we’ve built an offering that is actually unlike anything out there, and so we’re constantly working on speeding the learning curve for brands and agencies. We are totally up for the challenge. I suppose that would also be my piece of advice, challenge yourself.
If you’d like to get in touch with Nyha Shree, please feel free to reach her on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyhashree/ and twitter @nyhashree
To learn more about Jumper.ai, please visit https://jumper.ai/
