[100 Emerging Women Leaders] Meet Akhila Krishnamurthy who found the sweet balance between journalism and performing arts

Akhila Krishnamurthy is many things—writer, independent journalist, performing arts entrepreneur as the founder of Aalaap, a ten-year-old boutique arts management company based in Chennai. She is also a TEDx speaker and winner of the Original Idea of the year award 2013 from Femina. She was also the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at the Startpreneurs 2017 CII, Tamil Nadu Conference. 

While her vocation was a journalist and a writer, Akhila’s love for art had begun early on. 

“Growing up, I was exposed to arts, my mother ensured I was initiated in the arts. I studied classical dance and music. Though during my teen years, I did go through a rebellious stint of trying to discontinue, but my mother was insistent and in hindsight, I am very glad,” says Akhila, in a conversation with HerStory. 

During her stint as a journalist, Akhila realised for any of the art related event coverages, she would end up putting her hand up. “I had understood it and I had the training and exposure as well. I simply started growing network of artists by writing about them and having conversations with them,” adds Akhila. 

When she became the editor of supplements for the Times of India, she felt she had reached a level of saturation, and it was then she decided to do something of her own. 

“It was a natural progression to move into the sphere of arts, as I had a network and goodwill. I also wanted marry my learnings of art and experience in journalism and thus Alaap was born,” says Akhila. 

The company had started as a performing arts magazine, which was curated well, and Akhila was the editor. But as an entrepreneur, she realised that the business had to make money to pay for printing and distribution. Thus, from a magazine the company grew into a performing arts initiative and then an arts management company. 

The decade long journey has had its ups and downs. “When you are an editor of a big publishing firm it comes with several perks. You just need to pick up the phone, and you realise that the brand opens doors for you. But when you move from corporate to entrepreneurship, suddenly there is no brand backing you. This means you need to create a brand from scratch, and it should open doors for you,” says Akhila. 

Another challenge was the segment that Akhila had chosen. There already where publications for sports, women, film, men etc. But the Indian performing arts didn’t have a publication. Akhila had to thus get into the unorganised world of performing arts. 

“The performing arts field in India follows a very traditional guru-shishya mode, and I wanted to change that. I was bringing professional working systems in an unorganised sector. This meant I had to show my face and use my personal contacts, where I had to meet people and convince them,” adds Akhila.

As a solo entrepreneur, it was hard, especially in the services business. This meant negotiating different kinds of behaviours. 

“It is a big high and also a big low, as it is exhausting to constantly navigate egos and people and human behaviour and artists. This is hard from suddenly being a corporate professional to becoming an entrepreneur. As a solo entrepreneur you are both CEO and an office boy,” says Akhila. 

Entrepreneurship teaches one a lot, and Akhila equates it to a spiritual experience. The learning curve is high, where you learn about relationships, behaviour and space you are in. Akhila adds the return on investment is the handwork you put in, and the commitment and passion and consistency you bring in. 

“Both as a corporate professional and an entrepreneur, the one thing that hasn’t changed is my commitment to my work. It is about showing up everyday, and not compromised in anyway. Being in business is really a habit, irrespective of how frustrating it can get,” says Akhila. 

Advising women entrepreneurs, Akhila says staying the course is crucial. “If I take the example of Aalap, we are not a VC backed firm and don’t have crores, but we have a strong belief. Even if you can make a small impact in some way, and touches people it is worth it. Small can stand tall too.”