Always associated with brands I can relate to: Sachin Tendulkar

Interview with Sachin Tendulkar

An idol for an entire generation of cricket lovers, Sachin Tendulkar, has joined the likes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, actor Priyanka Chopra, entrepreneur Richard Branson and politician Shashi Tharoor as an influencer with professional networking company LinkedIn. The Master Blaster explains to Urvi Malvania what drew him to collaborate with LinkedIn, how he keeps in touch with his fans and his experience as an entrepreneur off the field. Edited excerpts:

What made you agree to become an influencer on LinkedIn?

In today’s networked world, the power of social media is tremendous. I have enjoyed engaging with many on my social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The most exciting part of engaging on social media is that it is flexible and direct with no go-in-between. The idea of LinkedIn interested me because of its unique nature and characteristic, which will add another exciting dimension to my engagement in the social media. I am hoping to share my experiences and insights from on and off the field and participate actively in shared learning from the many personalities and followers on LinkedIn. I also feel I owe it to my followers to share engaging content, which may play a small role in their overall development and broaden their horizons. 

While sports managers and brand managers have made ample use of the platform, very rarely does one see a sportsman use it. How do you see LinkedIn’s potential for active sportspersons in terms of networking and opening avenues for their career?

The opportunities that the networked world offers is tremendous. However, the multiplicity of choices does not undermine the need for patience and commitment to pursue your dreams. For 24 years, I had the same employer but I enjoyed every day of that relationship. There were ups and downs, disappointments and desperations, as everything in life comes in a package. I hope that sharing my thoughts on LinkedIn will help professionals to learn from my experiences and look at the challenges being faced by them in a more rounded manner.

Apart from LinkedIn, what other touch-points are you exploring to interact and engage with fans and consumers?

I am already active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and engage with many of my fans in a direct manner. I have also been meeting with many fans across the country and beyond and have been overwhelmed with their love and support.  

What kind of brands would you like to be associated with and why?

I have always tried to be associated with brands which I can relate to and can be comfortable in a relationship. I have a professional team, which evaluates a potential brand relationship and then we discuss it together before considering a relationship. 

What kinds of business opportunities do you intend to take up and why?

I have been keen to encourage entrepreneurship and back compelling business ideas. The excitement of being part of a journey right from the start is unparalleled. At one level, I am involved with Smartron, which is creating next-generation connectivity devices. I also am engaged with giving my thoughts on the fashion and styling of a range in TruBlue, the protective sportsgear being developed by Spartan. On the sporting side, the three years with Kerala Blasters have been interesting to say the least having witnessed the highs and lows as a co-promoter which is vastly different than being a player.