The world is changing faster than ever before. The strongest leaders don’t merely keep up or react to change. They are prepared to meet current needs while staying focused on the future by being proactive, agile, and visionary in their decision making. A transformative leader drives innovations and inspires new ways of thinking, harnessing a team’s creativity to respond to change. These personalities focus on empowering others and inspiring change.

To achieve these ends, transformational leaders are constantly open to innovation wherever it may arise. They constantly seek new opportunities to do things differently and always welcome new ideas leading to innovations. This sheds the spotlight on Falguni Shah, Managing Director of EORTV-India’s first LGBTQ+ premium OTT platform. Falguni brings in a decade of experience working with leading broadcast, video-on-demand, and digital companies.

Shah’s expansion of portfolio comes as EORTV continues to expand its commitment to the development of the OTT marketplace. Falguni continues to hold her position at the EORTV’s production arm Dreamzz Images Studio as well.

She has twelve years of experience in content creation, brand integrations, syndication and marketing. Prior to her experience in the entertainment industry, she has held plump positions in the companies like Standard Chartered Finance Ltd, HDFC Standard Life, Tata Teleservices Ltd and BPL (Loop) Mobile, post which she switched from corporate to the content industry joining Dreamzz Images Studio.

In an interview with Insights Success, Falguni shared valuable facts about EORTV highlighting its presence as a Premium OTT platform focused on the LGBTQ+ community.

Please tell us about the saga of EORTV since its inception.

EORTV is India’s First Premium OTT platform focused on the LGBTQ+ community. Since its inception, EORTV was a video streaming app offering thousands of hours of premium, exclusive and original content from leading Producers and Publishers. Today we have a large bank of originals, and users can view some of the best movies, TV Shows, web series, music videos, LGBTQ community originals and short videos.

We are a seven-month-old start-up but made some significant strides and are sitting on a fairly robust slate of originals. We strive towards equality and acceptance for this careworn community and hope that we evolve as a society where people from the LGBTQ+ community do not face discrimination and live in threat. So yes, it feels like a saga and a massive journey, and we have just started; there is so much more to do.

What inspired you to venture into the modern industry as an OTT platform focused on the LGBTQ+ community?

During the trial stage of making a video-on-demand platform, my viewers’ motivation has been the most significant fuel factor. We are focused on quality and unique story-telling that will resonate with one and all, not just the people from the LGBTQ+ community.

Simultaneously, we would like to create more employment opportunities in the entertainment industry for artists from the community and outside of it. We have also envisaged taking this Indian brand to the international market to increase export sales for India. But above all, the biggest inspiration was to really make a difference in society. We are just a start-up, and we aim to have a massive journey ahead.

What were the initial challenges that you had to surmount to ensure the EORTV’s success reached greater heights?

Today, OTT platforms have shaken the Indian television industry. With the advent of so many OTT platforms, the content market is cluttered. Our platform predominantly offers content focused on the LGBTQ community, and we want to reach out to a larger database of users. The Indian audience now realizes the value of quality over quantity, and our constant challenge is to penetrate into the urban and rural populations with equal fervour.

I have over a decade of experience working with leading broadcast, video-on-demand, and digital companies. My commitment has been to focus on the development of the OTT marketplace alongside our own content slate. As a start-up, every challenge is an equal challenge, we are still at the initial phase of our journey, but with hard work and focus, we have managed to develop a relatively strong slate of content.

What professional values and qualities do you think your clients value in you and EORTV the most?

We believe in keeping it real and being honest with our products, stories and corporate policies. It is a very transparent and flat organisation; we don’t believe in hierarchies, though, for practical purposes, we have designations. We really have a very open-door culture.

As for our content, we really want to make a difference in the LGBTQ community and society, which I believe reflects in everything we do. Our commitment to creating jobs, taking an Indian brand onto international platforms and creating acceptance for this careworn community will always remain our main drivers.

What are the USPs that highlight EORTV’s uniqueness as a premium OTT platform?

Our focus on creating human interest stories on the LGBTQ community and not stereotyping the characters is one of the USPs of all our shows. Our platform predominantly showcases stories around the LGBTQ community in a way we are committed to the cause. Bringing in acceptance for the community, creating job opportunities, and expanding our horizon to international territories are some of our USPs that keep reflecting in our work.

As an experienced professional, what would you like to advice the budding aspirants willing to enter the business world?

All I can say is just one line—Perseverance is the key. Rome was not built in a day. So, hang in there and show up.

How do you envision EORTV ‘s operations with the emerging technologies and automated tools that are revolutionizing the business world by enabling innovations?

Our company is an embodiment of new-age technology. We are an app. Innovation is a critical aspect of our line of business, and I believe we are early adopters. Of course, there is work in progress areas, but that is the thing with technology you have to keep upgrading and move with the time.

So yes, we will embrace innovations every step of the way. But as an entertainment company focused on the LGBTQ+ community, we will always pour in our resources to create quality and engaging content and unique stories and truly strive to create acceptance for the community in workplaces and society at large. This is just the beginning; we have a long road ahead.