My Two-Year Journey: How Pain, Setbacks, and Faith Shaped the Marketer I Am Today

My Two-Year Journey: How ????????, ????????????????, ?????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?? ???? ??????????

???????? ?????? ?? ?????????? ?????? ???? ???????????????? ???? ??????????????. Often, the lessons we learn come at a cost—time, pain, and struggle. Over the past two years, I’ve come to understand that growth doesn’t happen in a straight line. It’s messy, unpredictable, and sometimes downright painful. But looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.

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A Forced Pause: The ?????? ?????????????? That Stopped Everything

In ???????? ????????, my life was moving fast. I was wrapping up college, freelancing, working on my personal brand (Faris Talkz), managing lead generation, learning SEO, and juggling so many things at once. I was in constant motion, always looking for the next opportunity. Life was good. Busy, but good.

Then, suddenly, everything came to a grinding halt. I had to undergo ACL surgery. At first, it felt like my world had been turned upside down. I couldn’t do the things I was used to doing. I was bedridden, unable to move, and for the first time in a long while, I had to slow down. It was strange, disorienting even, but looking back, it was a ????????.

I spent those next ?????? ???????????? not working, not pushing forward in my ????????????. Instead, I focused on something I had forgotten to prioritize: myself. I reconnected with my family, laughed more than I had in years, and rediscovered the simple joys of life. For a while, I even convinced myself that I was okay with slowing down.

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But, of course, life had other plans. Just as I was getting comfortable with my downtime, I received a call. It was from an agency based in ????????????????, ??????????—Antpuppet Mediatech. They had heard of my work, and their CEO wanted me to join them as a ???????????? ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ?????????????? for their academy, QukGrow.

Excited but nervous, I decided to take the opportunity. I remember going to my doctor, ????. ??.??. ???????????? ?????????? at Ganga Hospital and asking if it was okay to travel. He gave me the green light as long as I promised to continue my rehabilitation and resistance exercises. And just like that, I was back in the game—or at least I thought I was.

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???????????? ???? ?????????? was harder than I anticipated. I arrived late at night, tired and unsure of myself. I didn’t even have a place to stay. Thankfully, a friend working as a software engineer in Infopark helped me find a shared room. It wasn’t ideal, but it was enough for the night. I remember lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Something didn’t feel right.

?????? ???????? ??????, I put on a brave face and went to the office. I walked into the new environment, trying to act like everything was fine, but deep down, I felt disconnected. I wasn’t sure if it was the two-month gap I had taken from work, homesickness, or just the overwhelming sense that I wasn’t ready.

I sat through meetings, prepared lectures, and tried to immerse myself in the tasks at hand. But it was like trying to start an old engine that hadn’t been used in years. My brain just wasn’t firing. I felt stuck, out of place. During lunch, I confided in one of my new colleagues, telling him I wasn’t feeling the vibes, that I might leave. He reassured me, told me to give it time, but I knew deep down that this wasn’t for me.

By the end of the day, I made a tough decision. I went to the CEO and told him I was leaving. He was shocked, confused even. “??????? ??????’???? ???????? ??????????????! This is a great opportunity,” he said. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I wasn’t just physically uncomfortable—I was mentally and emotionally out of place.

So, I left. I handed in ???? ?????????????????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ??????. Some people might call it a failure, but to me, it was the moment I chose to listen to myself. It was the moment I chose to put my well-being above everything else.

?????????????????? ????????: ?????????????????????????? ???? ??????????????

When I returned home, I felt a sense of relief that I can’t quite describe. There’s something about being back in familiar surroundings, with the people who truly know you, that puts everything into perspective.

I began to reflect on my journey. ?????? ?????? ?? ??????????? ?????? ?? ????????????? ?????? ?? ???????????? ?????? ??????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?? ???????????? ?????????

I have always believed that everything happens for a reason, that both the good and the bad come from God and serve a purpose. Looking back, I realized that leaving Kochi wasn’t a setback—it was a redirection.

I started job hunting again, determined to find something that aligned with my goals and values. Soon enough, I landed a role with?????????? ??????????’?? ?????????????? ???????????????? ??????????. This wasn’t just any role—it was magical. I was responsible for implementing their entire marketing strategy, running South India’s largest marketing campaign, and managing over $230,000 in ad spend. I collaborated with three agencies, and for the first time, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.

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After my success with the sanitary brand, I was offered an even bigger opportunity with Motionray Marketing Consultancy in ?????? ??????????. I managed a diverse portfolio of clients, each with unique challenges and goals. This role wasn’t just about doing marketing—it was about ????????????????, ??????????????????????????, ??????????????, ?????? ????????????????????.

Every client taught me something new, every campaign pushed me to think differently, and every failure pushed me to grow. Looking back, I’m grateful that I didn’t settle for Kochi. If I had stayed,?? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ??????????, ?????? ??????????????????????. I would have become stagnant.

But because I took that leap of faith, I was able to grow, to learn, and to push myself in ways I never imagined. My portfolio became a testament to my journey—the sleepless nights, the failures, the learnings, and the wins.

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Today, I’m an ?????????????????????????? ?????????????? ????????????????, managed ????+ ??????????????, handling large ad spends, and working for one of the ??????’?? ?????????????? ?????????? ????????????????. But none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t made those tough decisions if I hadn’t listened to my gut and walked away when something didn’t feel right.

Joining Haris&Co. Academy in Dubai has been another milestone in my journey. For the past 1.5 months, I’ve been learning the?????? ???? ??????????????????, ???????????????? ??????????????????, something Haris Aboobacker lives and breathes. This experience has reignited my passion for marketing and reminded me that no matter how much I think I know, there’s always more to learn.

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The past two years have been a ?????????????????????????? ???? ????????????????—????????, ??????, ??????????????????, ?????? ??????????????. But every single moment has molded me into the marketer I am today. Every setback was a lesson, every failure was a stepping stone, and every tough decision was an opportunity to grow.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned,????’?? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????????. ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ?????? ????????????. ???? ???????? ???????????? ???? ??????????, ?????? ???? ???????????????? ???????????? ???? ??????????????????????. ?????? ??????????, ??’?? ?????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??’?? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????? ?? ????—?????? ?????????????? ??’???? ???????????? ??????????????????, ?????? ?????????????? ??’???? ????????????, ??????????????, ?????? ??????????.

And this is just the beginning.....

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