Sajan Raj Kurup and Prahlad Kakkar launch Dining Table

Creativeland Asia’s founder and creative chairman Sajan Raj Kurup and chief mentor Prahlad Kakkar have launched ‘Dining Table’ - India's first marketing, communications and business consultancy for family-owned business (FOBs) and small to medium-sized business owners (SMEs).

Founded by Kurup, the Dining Table salutes the spirit of entrepreneurship, recognises and understands the challenges that come with owning a business. The new entity is one-of-its kind in India, providing end-to-end solutions, which includes marketing, design, business, legal, communication services, and organisational transformation all under one umbrella. Dining Table Creative Services lets SMEs and FOBs have a conversation about it over a meal, without the jargons or the intimidation that a boardroom comes with.

The Dining Table will bring in the best suited experts renowned in their fields to provide customised solutions, along with Creativeland’s creative prowess and Ventureland’s backing.

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Speaking on the launch, Kurup says in a company statement, “In my personal experience, I have seen most SMEs and Indian family-owned businesses struggle a lot trying to navigate the creative and media agency models that exist today, leading to an environment of mistrust, doubt and mismatched expectations. These businesses finally end up roping in trusted individuals to navigate the confusing world of marketing communications and media based more on their comfort rather than their competency. The Dining Table is designed to become perfect balance of competency and comfort for these business owners. The Dining Table will customise and aggregate everything an SME/Family Owned Business needs.”

He adds, “The idea is to first create solidarity and trust, where the darndest questions can be asked without the intimidation of a boardroom. Then arrive at tailor-made solutions that the business needs in the most cost-effective manner. This is a place of comfort, a place for friends and family, and a place where crucial decisions are taken. Hence, we have curated a space, wherein there is no need for complex words, egos or formalities. From finding the right agency fit, arriving at right research methodology, restructuring marketing departments, choosing the right business consultants, to a complete design refresh, IP creations, Dining Table will be a business owner’s go-to place to find exactly the right fit or all their marketing, communications and brand transformation needs.”

Sharing his view Kakkar says, “When Raj discussed the concept with me, I jumped at it and I’m excited to kick start this unit with him. Dining Table Creative Services is a great refreshing concept and exactly what business owners require today. I have been closely involved with SMEs for the last 10 years and I am also the chairman of the SME forum in India. Having spent bulk of my time consulting and convincing them on the value of brand creation, I have realised that most of them are very savvy business owners but are uncomfortable about investing in building brands because they think it is going to cost a lot. Dining Table is the just the right place for them to get exposed to more cost-effective ways, discover newer brand building models and meet the experts of their choice and talk business in the language they are most comfortable in. And all this over my greatest passion, food!”

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The Dining Table will be both asset light and modular. Working out co-working spaces, Dining Table will have experts and a roster of creative and media and other marketing communications agencies with specific skill-sets mapped out.