It was not easy for Ssamridh S Aggarwal to navigate through choices and fixate on his career path, like any other young millennial; he was full of energy, passion and the will to try his hand at every opportunity that came his way. But, his bustling life took a turn when he got the responsibility of managing an event at his college. It was in this process that he realized his true call was events. His rollercoaster of a journey as an event manager started from there and today he is the COO of Livepixel Events International one of the countryÂs finest event management companies.

When asked about his venture Livepixel events international, Ssamridh said, ÂLive Pixel Technologies which happens to be our parent company are pioneers in the field of Entertainment technology they are known for colorization of Bollywood milestones, including ‘Mughal E Azam’ which happens to be IndiaÂs first movie to be colorized.” After making a mark for themselves in various segments of Entertainment technology, Live Pixel Technologies decided to venture into the Event Industry. “It happened to be a perfect opportunity for us to come together and I was given the job to form LivePixel Events International. Since its inception in 2019 Livepixel events International has catered to various MNCs and PSUs and has also successfully conceptualized and executed it’s IPs like Megaa Model.” said Ssamridh.

Having stepped into the professional industry at an age as young as Ssamridh did, it can get challenging and intimidating at times. Dealing with professionals that are senior in terms of age and work experience both, it often happens that younger players are not taken as seriously as they should be. “I remember once going to a renowned realtor for a meeting which was set by my partner and CEO of Live Pixel Technologies, Mr. Rajeev Dwivedi and I overheard the person saying that kids are now being sent in for meetings. The comment did not bother me and I just went ahead, focusing on my presentation, the client came onboard and we had a successful business alliance with them. I recently went to Ranchi for a presentation for a government project and it was a great compliment when one of the senior officers quoted that it’s really nice to see young people like you showing interest in government-related work.” Ssamridh said highlighting both sides of the coin.

When asked on how the Covid 19 situation changed the event industry, he said, “In January 2020 we had got news about Covid entering India but it did not seemed such a threat then and we assumed it to be a phase which will go away, but it started to get really troublesome when our office shut down and events stopped. It was a time when I even started questioning my decision of choosing event management over ICWA. I started thinking about the event industry not being a stable business. But then I realized it was time to think out of the box and explore other options and its then when we came up with Megaa Model which is an IP of Livepixel events international curated with the aim of providing a platform to young aspirants who dream of becoming a model. The success of Megaa model motivated us to explore more in the virtual space and it led to us curating events for various MNCs online, we even created Megaa Virtual Expo – a virtual exhibition platform which can provide people experience of a physical event but virtually. This is where I learnt that challenges can truly be changed into opportunities.” Virtual events are a feasible option wherein at a minimum expense; maximum audience can be catered to.

Ssamridh is someone who believes that life will throw us the sourest lemons and what we can do is take them and turn them into lip-smacking lemonade. On being asked about his role model, Ssamridh said, “M.S. Dhoni has always been seen handling situations in the best way possible; cool, calm and composed. Being a student of ICWA taught me a lot about management and the skills one needs to manage efficiently.” He also believes that a good leader is someone who knows how to walk along with his team. He works closely with his team of trained consultants and motivates them to present their thoughts to the table, he encourages them to get critical and analytical about every move and ensure there is a checklist of pros and cons for every decision they make as a team .because that is how he gets the best of every situation himself.

For someone like Ssamridh, who works in a high-pressure environment with tight deadlines and a hectic schedule, maintaining a work-life balance can be difficult. “For an event manager, it sometimes becomes very difficult to give time to family. The initial two years are very crucial as you are trying to make a mark for yourself in the industry and once things get streamlined it works in an automated manner. But definitely, there are times when it is difficult to take out time for your family even though you are under the same roof. I remember it was a work from a home module of working while Megaa Model was going on and I was locked up in a room glued to my system and phone executing the event, but whenever I can, I take out some quality time out of my schedule for my family and friends.”
When asked about his vision for LivePixel Events International he said how he sees his dream company which he founded alone standing strong with a team of 200-250 in the coming 5 years.

When asked to share some tips for upcoming event managers, Ssamridh said, “There is no such tip but yes I can share what I believe in. Three things one should always keep in mind are first and foremost one should always listen to your parents as they are your true well-wishers and will give you the best guidance. It was at the insistence of my parents that I applied for jobs in the event industry. While working for big names I understood the meticulous mechanism that goes behind the events and learned a lot through my experience and enhanced my skill. Learning from industry mentors as an employee made me industry-ready”.

“Secondly, event management does not mean a party rather it is the hard work and sweat that goes behind making the party a memorable experience for others. I made only 250 rupees when I did my first event. I slogged myself for 3 days, was lifting boxes and sleeping under the stage. Yes, I was exhausted but that feeling was also accompanied by the feeling of happiness and satisfaction of doing my job well. And that is my dream. Going to bed satisfied with my work. The most important thing that can keep us going through difficult times like these is to believe. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can do everything and take it one day at a time”, he further added.