Turning your ideas into reality in Goa, at the BLINQUE of an eye!

Are you an entrepreneur struggling to take your business to the next level? How does a ‘no-obligation’ coffee consultation sound? Well, look no further than Blinque Advisory, the brainchild of three visionaries from Goa, Ryan Rodrigues, Abigail Roberts and Robert Dourado. 

With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic a lot of companies did not want to lay people off, cancel expansion plans, or cut back on marketing expenses, but had to do so. This led to a lot of Goans returning back to Goa with no jobs and confused as to what to do next. The pandemic left a number of businesses at a standstill in Goa, as many of them were not well equipped to adapt to the new online trends. With everyone working from home and behind their computers during this pandemic, an efficient digital marketing campaign is vital for brands to attract the right audiences. It became a time to shift the focus to their social media handles and websites, to tell their audiences what services they offer and what makes them stand out in the best way possible.

The partners at Blinque Advisory took it on themselves to create a platform to help businesses reinvent themselves and also help Goans who are ‘jobless’ set an entrepreneurial path for themselves. Marketing and Brand Recognition is often ignored by many businesses and there was a huge gap in the market of Goa for honest, straightforward and acceptable advice that could be implemented in the Goan business models. The businesses in Goa have the capability to go national and even global, but very few of them have the determination or right guidance to do so. A genuine advisory firm was needed to help carve a path where businesses can achieve their expected goals and attain the success they all aspire to, within a short span of time. 

‘Ease of doing business’  as their mantra, let’s hear how Blinque Advisory brought about the ‘Out of the Box’ approach to help businesses in Goa seek a new perspective. At Goan Insider, we spoke to the partners at Blinque Advisory. Below are the excerpts from our conversation.

Give a brief info about BLINQUE Advisory?

BLINQUE Advisory is the result of the entrepreneurial vision of a group of professionals who are passionate about helping others succeed. We are not a bunch of marketing gurus or authors. Having explored corporate life outside India, and taken bold steps in building a business from scratch, while surviving the previous recession, we opened our doors to journey with ambitious clients who want to redefine the future.

Our business was formed on the premise that our clients should benefit from our hands-on knowledge and experiences. As first generation entrepreneurs, we understand the struggles of relocating back into India, especially Goa and have experienced the impact of changing economic reforms while witnessing the business landscape in India and Goa transform over the last decade.

We see the recent global crisis as yet another opportunity to embrace change – that which will further transform the way we do business altogether. We partner with our clients keeping the end goal in mind and work alongside as we walk that path with them. We bring deep, functional expertise, practical insights and honest opinions; we can achieve clarity as we help your business take confident strides towards achieving its full Potential.

What made you start this brand and what problem does it solve?

During our journey over the last decade and the numerous interactions we have had with our clients through our branding arm, we have noticed that clients seek business advice as the first step over other needs.

We are here to solve challenges that entrepreneurs may face in reinventing their business in the current scenario and also to guide new start-ups to embark on their entrepreneurial journey. BLINQUE Advisory has the experience and expertise to help clients gain clarity on issues and discover new opportunities and reduce the gap between what is and what can be.

Has this always been a dream project?

It was not a dream project, however we connected the dots understanding the actual needs and challenges entrepreneurs had to sail through. There was a huge gap of honest, straight forward, acceptable advice that could be validated and implemented in their business model.

Where is your brand based out of? Why do you think that is the best place for you?

We already have existing businesses in Goa which is our home ground. We like the vibes and what Goa has to offer. Being existing business owners this provides a good platform for us to share our experiences and challenges to others that we have faced in the last decade. We are based in Nuvem, South Goa.

Who are your competitors and how are you better than them?

Our primary objective is to be a trusted partner in the advisory arena to entrepreneurs who seek genuine help. We are not in for the rat race, however we would like to carve a path where businesses can achieve their expected goals and attain the success they all aspire to. We would like to promote ourselves as a honest, transparent and confidential partner. We would also like to be recognized as a genuine advisory function and not a competitive business.

How hard is it to have a work-life balance when you have a new brand on your sleeve and how do you manage it?

We exceptionally manage our young families; make time for marathon runs, assist animal volunteer groups and we had an active social life till the pandemic put the world on pause.

We work hard and play harder!

What are the biggest misconceptions about consulting firms in Goa? Why do they have that? What’s the reality?

There are many misconceptions created of the advisory or consulting function. Consultancy is viewed as a business that has monetary benefits to the advisor. Actually it is completely the opposite, as I am sure most would agree that doctors, architects, lawyers etc also do charge a fee for their professional consultancy.

Genuine advice is what everyone needs and we can confidently say that all consultants who are operating today come with a certain background, depth of knowledge, expertise on various subjects, which can help others not to repeat the same mistakes in their entrepreneurial journey. Consultancy is something that exists across the world and is accepted by all leading companies or businesses. Every brand today has a consultant.

Yes, Goa is still an evolving market to accept such management thought processes. A consultant brings to the table an out of box approach where many a times businesses fail to implement or recognize an idea that has been sitting in front of them for many years. The business landscape is changing in terms of technology, methods and processes. We believe that every business today especially small to medium size, need expert help to survive the competition and break away from old age practices. Ease of doing business is the new mantra.

What gets you and your team excited about this company?

The fact that our clients have accepted our thought processes and seen positive changes in their businesses keeps us highly motivated and enthusiastic. Our minds are always thinking, open to new approaches and filled with energy. This is what excites us at BLINQUE Advisory.

Tell us more about the minds that are behind BLINQUE advisory (your team)?

Abigail Roberts is our brand advisor. Straightforward, practical and perhaps somewhat defiant, her business knowledge, diverse experience and unconventional approach has earned the support and encouragement of a reputable client base and exciting projects. Abigail has functioned as Brand Advisor and custodian for Jewellery, Lifestyle and Food Brands which she has helped nurture and develop over the years. She has also been providing support to startups as they battle with their first few steps. Her fresh perspective and infectious energy coupled with her innate desire to go against the flow has helped businesses find new ways to approach challenges and re-invent themselves with new strategies. 

Ryan Rodrigues, Business Advisor at Blinque Advisory is a passionate, creative and forward thinking personality having over 21 years experience in Human Resources specializing in Recruitment and Employee Engagement with Blue Chip Multinational Companies in the Middle East and also in Hospitality Management in Goa nurturing a resort from inception, setting up operations across various departments like Housekeeping, F&B, Front Office and Sales & Marketing. He started his journey with DHL Express, was a key player in handling Employee Recruitment, Mobilization, Induction & Training for 150 staff to launch Virgin Music’s biggest store in the Middle East. His Recruitment, Customer Service & Employee Engagement skills led him to managing pre-opening projects with leading brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Max Mara, Mango, Oysho, Paul Cafe & Pulp Juice Bars. Ryan strongly believes in creating experiences for customers – Moments which will be Cherished and not forgotten. He lives by the Mantra – Treat your Customers and Employees well and the rest will follow.

Robert Dourado, a Business Advisor has almost 2 decades of extensive industry wide experience and successful accomplishments to his credit. He holds a strong track record working with international organizations such as DynCorp Intl (Defense Contractor for U.S. Air Force, CENTAF – W.R.M program), Khimji Ramdas Corporation (oldest trading firm in Oman- Since 1871), OHI Telecoms and PRD Nationwide (Australian Real Estate Firm) – MENA Region. His natural enthusiasm to take on new challenges made him shoulder varied careers head-on at a broader spectrum with different industries, even steering his career through a brutal 2008 financial market crash. With experiential knowledge and the hunger to follow his passion he soon leveraged his strengths from his corporate years to collaborate and begin his entrepreneurial journey way back in 2011. He combines his specialist experience in diverse business and technical environments to bring in collective complementing expertise and skills into this venture. 

Where do you see your brand heading say 5 years from now?

We are confident that we will transform 40 businesses in the next 5 years. This will define our success Mantra.

To get in touch with Blinque Advisory visit their Website

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