From Fashion Shoots to Social Strategy: Shikha's Creative Reset at Gulabi Mango

Meet Shikha, our Social Media Manager, someone who traded 4-hour daily commutes and rigid creative roles for the flexibility to finally explore the layouts she'd always dreamed of. With a fashion design degree and years in graphic and communication design, Shikha found her way to Gulabi Mango. 

{Below is a candid conversation captured between R (Ritika) and S (Shikha herself)}

R: Let's start from the beginning. How did you first come across Gulabi Mango?

S: I stumbled upon Gulabi Mango while looking for a job on Instagram, specifically roles that would let me dive deep into graphics, layouts, and packaging design. With my fashion design degree and years in graphic and communication design, I'd been focused entirely on the fashion field through shoots, marketing, and social media layouts. But I was ready to fully pivot to graphics.

The agency's bold, playful packaging work jumped out at me. It felt like the perfect chance to explore layouts I've always dreamed of. Plus, the work-from-home setup promised a break from my exhausting 4-hour daily commutes. Joining here has let me branch into exciting new brands outside of fashion.

R: So the WFH aspect was a big draw for you?

S: Honestly, yes. Those 4-hour commutes were draining me. I had no energy left for anything, not creativity, not friends, not even cooking. Switching to WFH freed up so much mental and physical space. Now I'm experimenting with simple weekday cooking, I have time to talk with friends and family, and I still have energy for weekend plans. That shift alone changed everything for me.

"Pick work that truly fires up your creativity over plain convenience. WFH didn't just save me time, it gave me my life back."

R: What were your first impressions once you joined?

S: It's been an absolute thrill, creative, supportive, and energizing.

A standout moment was my first team brainstorming session over Google Meet. We shared ideas freely without any hierarchy. We talked about social trends, how other agencies work, what's happening in the world from fashion to tech to food. It didn't feel like a "meeting." It felt like a conversation with people who genuinely cared about the work and each other.

R: How has your role evolved since you joined?

S: I started as a Social Media Manager handling posts and layouts, but it's expanded so much. Now I'm working on emailers, quick sweatshirt designs for a wellness beverage brand, building portfolios for our website, planning shoots for Cozyhome furniture and Suri toys, and even creating visuals for an Amazon listing for a magic bag brand.

I've gained the knack for bending my creativity to juggle different brands and their different requirements, a real stretch from my fashion-only days. It's taught me how to adapt quickly and think across categories.

"There's no hierarchy in our feedback sessions. Just honest suggestions that make the work better."

R: What's something you've learned at Gulabi Mango that you didn't expect: professional or personal?

S: How open and easy the feedback flows in our daily Google Meets. There's no hierarchy. Just honest suggestions that level up our work.

Personally, it showed me I thrive in collaborative vibes. My past workspaces were more solo grinds, and I didn't realize how much I needed that team energy until I found it here.

R: What's been the most creatively fulfilling project or moment for you here?

S: Planning the Cozyhome and Suri shoots. Coordinating visuals from mood boards to on-site execution felt like blending my fashion shoot experience with fresh graphics. Seeing the final social posts go live was such a rush.

And I'm pumped for our upcoming team on-site shoot. There's something about being physically present for a shoot that brings everything together in a way that screen-sharing just can't.

R: If you could describe Gulabi Mango's work culture in three words, what would they be?

S: Creative, flexible, inspiring.

It's the spark I needed after rigid past roles where everything felt formulaic. Here, there's space to experiment, space to mess up, and space to grow.

R: Who or what has inspired you the most at work and why?

S: My coworker Reana! Her approach stands out from anyone I've worked with before.

She dives into every project with free-form creative exploration. She grabs any project, picks a reference, puts her own spin on it, and keeps tweaking till it's something totally new. Watching her work reignited my own boldness in graphics. She reminded me that design doesn't have to follow a formula, it can be messy, experimental, and still work beautifully.

R: What's something about your role that people outside the agency might not realize?

S: That social media management here isn't just scheduling posts.

It's making layouts, emailers, shoot plans, all of it connects to the bigger branding picture. We're setting the vibe that carries through everything else. People think it's just quick social stuff, but it's actually building the foundation for the whole brand story.

R: What's your go-to way to reset when work gets hectic?

S: A quick 10-15 minute balcony walk or playing with my kitten. It beats the old commute crashes and brings me back with fresh eyes for those graphic details that need precision.

R: What's one habit, ritual, or mindset that helps you stay grounded or inspired through workdays?

S: Scrolling through sites like Cosmos or Pinterest, or peeking at how other agencies handle layouts. It keeps my creative eye sharp, shows me fresh trends, and sparks ideas I bring back to our client work.

I also follow a lot of design accounts on Instagram. Seeing what other creatives are doing even outside of branding keeps me inspired and reminds me there's always room to push further.

R: If you could tell all working professionals one thing about balance, burnout, or passion, what would it be?

S: Pick work that truly fires up your creativity over plain convenience.

For me, switching to WFH after those draining 4-hour commutes freed up my energy big time. Now I'm experimenting with simple weekday cooking, I have time to talk with friends and family, and I'm still buzzing for weekend plans.

"Go for roles that make you grow and feel alive, not just scrape by."

R: And finally, what does Gulabi Mango mean to you beyond just the name or the workplace?

S: My creative reset button: sweet, bold, and full of surprises.

Gulabi Mango gave me back the energy I didn't even realize I'd lost.