Akshay Dua gets recognized in 'Times 40 Under 40' List of Leaders

In a glittering award ceremony recently held in Gurugram, a dynamic entrepreneur from Kolhapur, Akshay Dua for his exemplary leadership in the FMCG sector, has been named in the coveted list of Times 40under40 Leaders and has been awarded by the hands of famous Bollywood Actor & Philanthropist, Sonu Sood.

Times 40under40 is an exclusive platform created by Optimal Media Solutions under the aegis of Times Group that identifies, encourages, and provides recognition to the top 40 brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders, achievers, and innovators who are under 40 years of age and have been game-changers in true sense.

The recipients of the exclusive Times 40 Under 40 recognition belong to various categories like Auto, Retail, Real Estate, Health Care, E-commerce, FMCG, Sports, Entertainment and Service Industry to name a few. To recognize these bright minds, a survey was conducted, and several entities were assessed. Undoubtedly, the winners fared through an exhaustive criterion and made it to the top 40.

Akshay is associated with multiple successful brands across niches, with a single common denominator tying them all - building for society. Over the last seven years, Akshay has brought impactful ideas to life and pioneered innovations that have become great successes.

Taking a road less taken, Akshay forayed into the professional field while he was still young. At the age of 17, he started his journey as a Forex broker, and soon changed into a digital marketer by 20. He was all of 21 when he found his footing in entrepreneurship with the launch of PocketWEB - a performance marketing agency.

In no time at all, PocketWEB merged with ConversionX, and this was a turning point in Akshay's entrepreneurial approach. "I realized we were not "just another service agency". In fact, we were able to reach and impact millions of lives and hundreds of brands with our services, and this was the power of entrepreneurship for me," Akshay notes.

Soon, he began pondering how to blend this impact with true purpose. This led him to enter the FMCG vertical with the goal of reaching out to and empowering women on a daily basis. The brand he launched - Impower - was dedicated to producing women's safety products and created a niche for itself as a bestselling pepper spray brand in India, already selling half a million pepper sprays in no time. Earlier this year, FemTech startup Sirona acquired Impower, impressed both by the product and the brand's philosophy.

The road was not all smooth up to this day, however. In the wake of the pandemic and government-induced lockdowns, people were not stepping out anymore. The demand for safety products like pepper sprays automatically fell. The seasoned entrepreneur knew better than to reel in this sudden drop in demand, however. He decided to take his brand in the direction of women's wellness and lifestyle solutions with immediate effect and reconsolidated Donna FMCG's standing in the market as a strong contender.

Speaking on occasion, Akshay said, "Stay Humble, Hustle Hard"

It is his zeal for experimentation and learning that has made Akshay the dynamic and impactful personality he is today. He has recently launched Mins by The Man Company as an entrepreneur in residence. According to the visionary, "Running solo has a lot of learnings to offer, but collaborations can help you achieve the biggest dreams." This is what Akshay hopes to achieve in his latest stint and in the future.