e27 has been dedicated to nurturing a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs since its inception. Our Contributor Programme offers a platform for sharing unique insights.

As part of our newly introduced ‘Contributor Spotlight’, we shine a weekly spotlight on an outstanding contributor and dive into the vastness of their knowledge and expertise.

In this episode, we feature Sunil Nair, Co-Founder of Mela.live, a thematic commerce startup facilitating pop-up shoppathons without investments into technology and content production. A valued contributor, Nair, made his debut in Q2 and has been an engaged member of our community ever since.

Nair shares his personal and professional journey in this episode of Contributor Spotlight.

The driving force

Nair maintains an active community on LinkedIn, where he regularly shares opinion pieces and interesting stories, providing valuable content for his network. His motivation for becoming an e27 contributor is rooted in his belief in the value of sharing knowledge and insights.

“I came across e27 a couple of months ago and found the content and the community diverse and full of energy. This defined my decision to start contributing and selfishly to find a wider audience,” he said candidly.

Also Read: How brands are crafting communities through the art of visual storytelling

How it all began

After selling software and working for marketing and advertising agencies, Nair founded Nautanki.tv, the first Indian-distributed video content platform, in 2006. He has remained deeply involved in the video ecosystem, contributing to the development of OTT platforms such as ALT and launching the Silicon Valley-based startup Firework in India.

In his current role, Nair specialises in video commerce, leveraging short video and Live commerce to enhance e-commerce interactions and consumer connections. He anticipates that future advancements in generative AI and extended reality (XR) will transform brand interactions and content consumption.

“My professional goals have changed as I have gone older, and at this stage, it is my personal goals that have taken precedence. I work very closely with students and startups in Singapore and would love to see a few of them embark on their ventures soon,” he shared.

Advice for budding thought leaders

As part of his advice for budding or aspiring thought leaders, Nair emphasized the importance of allowing knowledge to come through organically. “Stop using ChatGPT or Bard, and stop oversharing. Let your native lived life come through your posts and opinion pieces,” he said.

Juggling too many things?

“Do what makes one happy! Early mornings for me are for myself; that is the time when I read and assimilate the world around me,” Nair stated.

In his daily routine, Nair incorporates regular walks around the neighbourhood to clear his mind between meetings. Occasionally, he also finds it beneficial to board the double-decker bus in Singapore, riding it to the end of the line and back, which aids in enhancing his focus.

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“Saturday morning coffee at a new cafe with my wife is a sacred ritual. That is the time when we discuss and connect about our daughter, about money and about the next few adventures we want to embark on,” he added.

He places a strong emphasis on personal interactions, frequently meeting with a diverse array of individuals. Nair is always open to sharing a cup of coffee and engaging in conversations, recognising the value of learning through active listening to people’s perspectives and experiences.

Nair subscribes to Benedict Evans’ blog for tech insights, Professor Galloway for a fresh perspective, The Morning Context for Indian startups, and relies on The Atlantic and The New York Times for general news.

“Life is beautiful, and most things seem impossible until they are not,” Nair concludes.

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Are you ready to be a part of a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and industry experts? Do you have insights, experiences, and knowledge to share?

Join the e27 Contributor Programme and become a valuable voice in our ecosystem. 

The post Spotlighting Sunil Nair: Charting a trail of scaling innovative video platforms appeared first on e27.