Say Yes - Meet AJ MANCHANDA

Anuj Manchanda completed a Summer Internship in 2022 as a Marketing Coordinator at the Royal Bank of Canada and Head Ambassador at CMA NXT while studying at the University of Toronto.

Telling Stories

I was born and raised in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand and fortunate to study at the University of Toronto. After gaining internship experience, I became intrigued by the ability to combine creativity and data-driven insights to tell stories. I think marketing is a great media to tell meaningful and impactful stories. These stories inspire people, communicate essential values, and have a positive effect on communities around the world. I love to travel, meet new people, try ethnic cuisine, and explore different cultures. 

Be Humble

Young marketers need to harness their communication, analysis, creativity, problem-solving, and writing skills when searching for exciting and fulfilling careers. Whatever you choose, be honest with yourself and humble about what you want.

Your Opinion Matters

At times I lacked the confidence to express myself, spearhead projects, or even ask questions. I struggled with self-doubt and questioned whether I had the skills to succeed when I was trying to land my first internship. Eventually, I learned to take things one day at a time, seek feedback about my performance and find ways to improve. At some point we all need to be kinder to ourselves and realize our opinions matter.

Say Yes

Learn to say yes. I said yes to every networking event, a failed start-up opportunity, a climate hackathon, and an internship, revealing my apathy toward law. Saying yes led to my closest friendships, acquiring more business experience, and a sizeable professional network. Saying yes opens you up to possibilities you may have been afraid to explore which is valuable even if it is not directly related to marketing.

Keep projects and experiences that you enjoyed in mind as you move forward in your career. Since we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, by saying yes, you give yourself opportunities.

Create Genuine Change

Over the summer, I received the Laidlaw Research Scholarship to pursue an independent academic project. My research project studied how tightly corporate environmental and social responsibility initiatives connect to products. According to my research, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative a company chooses is the key to the impact it will have on consumer perception and behaviour. I firmly believe this is crucial for businesses and marketers, whether it is cause-related marketing, environmental initiatives, social advocacy, or otherwise. Marketers can magnify the social impact of corporations and create genuine change while influencing consumer perception and purchasing behaviours.

Accomplishments

I am proud of the effort I put into every opportunity. The accomplishments I am most proud of include:

• Receiving the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship at the University of Toronto
• In the top 0.45% with a perfect score in the 2020 International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
• Achieving the Global Citizenship Diploma with distinction
• Founding the Alpha Sigma Phi Toronto Chapter and being named VP of Service & Philanthropy
• Humans of Bangkok - Sharing inspirational stories
• Rescued Glass Social Enterprise
• Helping build an artificial reef on Thailand’s islands
• Involved in Thailand’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) for three-years
• Raised awareness for initiatives like UN Global Goals World Cup and Pinktober
• Organizing concerts to raise awareness and funds for many causes including the conservation of the endangered Slow Loris in Northern Thailand.

Fulfilling a Vision

My most fulfilling endeavours have come from applying business subdisciplines through the lens of social entrepreneurship and justice. For the last three years, I have led a social enterprise called Rescued Glass. Rescued Glass upcycles and recycles used glass into sustainable and innovative household items, like snack bowls, decanters, glasses, and candles. We partner with various bars, restaurants, and hotels to improve their material waste management and established programs in five schools to teach students the power of social entrepreneurship. We also work with Second Chance Bangkok to hire and empower underprivileged women in Thailand’s largest slum - Khlong Toey and produce our upcycled packaging using old clothing. Enactus UK and Ford have funded Rescued Glass resulting in being featured in various magazines, podcasts, and events. Leading marketing efforts for Rescued Glass, from digital marketing to SEO and event organization, provide a medium to tell our story and fulfill our vision. 

Cherish Opportunities