Host

BIO

Raj Girn is a multi-award winning entrepreneur and brand strategist, who is widely recognized as the premier expert in niche media and target marketing for and to, the South Asian diaspora in North America. Having worked with a vast array of multinational corporations as well as personal brands in the fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment spaces over the past fifteen years, she has developed an enviable reputation as being one of the most innovative niche branding experts within this arena. Additionally, she is an acclaimed, award-winning media personality who has amassed an immense portfolio of in-depth interviews with some of today’s most prolific A-list celebrities from around the world; personalities like Priyanka Chopra, Kim Kardashian, and many more.

Amongst her many accolades include: Winner of the14th International Women’s Day Achiever Award (presented by PCHS, Toronto, ON – 2016); winner of the Inspirational Achiever Award (presented by Roshni Media, New York, NY – 2015); and winner of the ICCC Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award (presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Toronto, ON – 2013).

She has also been featured in two coffee table books and a feature length documentary, and is often called upon for her expertise on the diaspora and her global knowledge in media, marketing, and entertainment.

Raj attributes her ability to produce mass and fast results for her clients to a three-pronged approach: meticulous due diligence and planning, where she doesn’t rest until she has mastered a workable formula; an extensive team of internal and external experts to successfully execute the plan; a substantial rolodex of diverse, global connections to pool from, as and when needed.

British-born and of Indian heritage, Raj has lived across continents in places like England, India, and Wales (in that order), and currently resides in Toronto, Canada. As a single, working parent, she has successfully juggled the work-life challenge by raising a son who is currently a nineteen-year-old university student, as well as developing two successful niche brands, both founded in 2002, and both of which have seen a continual upward trajectory of success ever since.

ANOKHI MEDIA – a highly targeted multimedia, multiplatform brand that has developed and incorporates media production, events, e-marketing, and social communities to target the South Asian community as a B2B and B2C business. She has spear-headed many successful campaigns that have brought together, A-list celebrities, multinational corporations, media, and the public; the most successful to date being the company’s 14^th annual awards show this past August 2016, which brought in over 3.1 billion documented media impressions from around the world.

OPEN CHEST WITH RAJ GIRN – a boutique media, consulting, and coaching business, where she personally cultivates the corporate culture of brands that are looking to get to that next crucial level. Raj’s approach includes aligning organizational, personnel, and marketing efforts to position her clients’ enterprises to best capitalize on reaching their target goals. She takes on a maximum of 11 clients per calendar year under this umbrella, so as to ensure to provide optimal as well as personalized service at all times.

Since inception, both marques have provided significant contributions to the pioneering efforts and forward movement of the South Asian pop culture scene within the diaspora, to which Raj credits her involvement in part to her personal growth barometer which has continued to develop through the many life lessons she has been exposed to over the years.

Over the years, Raj has been a strong advocate for supporting numerous causes through her companies and personally as well. These have included: Doctor’s Without Borders, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Canfar, the Aga Khan Foundation, and [free-them].

Raj  has finally come to know, accept, and celebrate the fact that she is a self-made, empowered woman who has immense value to add to her own life as well as to others. She continues in her pursuit of learning and teaching; forever the student, forever the guru.

PHOTO CREDIT

Agnes Kiesz, Pure Studios