Faisal Farooqui
Encyclopedia
Faisal I. Farooqui is an entrepreneur, best known as the founder- Chief Executive Officer of MouthShut.com
, a leading user-generated consumer review and feedback service. Faisal is often regarded as the man who introduced Web 2.0 concepts in India and a leader in the social media space.
The Wall Street Journal -Mint states websites such as Mouthshut.com and YouTube are alternative channels for advertisers to get consumer feedback.
Faisal's work has appeared in Entrepreneur magazine, CNBC, NDTV, Zee, Star, Times of India and more than hundred other magazines, newspapers and TV channels. He has been invited to teach and lecture on social media, marketing and technology related topics at IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Mumbai and tedX. Faisal is TiE
member and mentor . In an interview to CNBC-Awaz, Faisal mentioned that he loves mentoring young men and women on starting and scaling their own businesses .
from where he obtained a Bachelor of Science
in Management with dual concentration in Information Systems and Finance. At Binghamton, Faisal was elected to the Faculty Senate, the Student's Assembly, and was the Technology Editor of the campus newspaper- Pipedream http://bupipedream.com/current
After graduating from Binghamton University in 1999, Faisal worked in the Telecoms practice of American Management System, now acquired by CGI Systems, in Fairfax
, Virginia
. He later quit, to launch MouthShut.com in 2000
available on YouTube.com, Faisal revealed that the inspiration for MouthShut.com
came to him while in a media class at Binghamton University
. He also revealed the reasons why he chose the name "MouthShut" for a platform that encourages consumers to voice their opinion
Faisal was featured on the cover page of Winning Edge- marketing magazine, June 2008. He's a frequent speaker at conferences concerning Social Media, Internet technology, branding, Entrepreneurship and youth empowerment etc. Much has been written on blogs about his rockstar-style fan followers across the country.
"Burn your boats before you start on your entrepreneurial venture," advised Faisal to aspiring entrepreneurs at IIM Ahmedabad in June 2008
MouthShut.com won "Best Portal Award 2009" at the first edition of the IDMA (India Digital Media Awards
) held on March 11, 2010.
the auto-rickshaw advertising in India when MouthShut.com painted the backs of auto-rickshaws with its logos across Mumbai.
Earlier in January 2007, the mobile industry- GSM Congress invited Faisal to talk about revenue generation from UGC on mobile at its annual conference.
, France
in [January 2003] Faisal currently holds the position of Head-India operations for Zarca Interactive.
MouthShut.com
MouthShut.com is a highly popular user-generated content and consumer review website on the Internet.At the core of MouthShut lies a global Web 2.0 social media platform. Any visitor can become a member and then can influence or be influenced by others...
, a leading user-generated consumer review and feedback service. Faisal is often regarded as the man who introduced Web 2.0 concepts in India and a leader in the social media space.
The Wall Street Journal -Mint states websites such as Mouthshut.com and YouTube are alternative channels for advertisers to get consumer feedback.
Faisal's work has appeared in Entrepreneur magazine, CNBC, NDTV, Zee, Star, Times of India and more than hundred other magazines, newspapers and TV channels. He has been invited to teach and lecture on social media, marketing and technology related topics at IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Mumbai and tedX. Faisal is TiE
TiE
TiE is a global nonprofit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship. TiE has 54 chapters in 13 countries, with a total membership exceeding 13,000. TiE is most closely affiliated with the South Asian business community, and is recognized as an important networking forum for entrepreneurs and investors...
member and mentor . In an interview to CNBC-Awaz, Faisal mentioned that he loves mentoring young men and women on starting and scaling their own businesses .
Education and early career
Farooqui attended Binghamton UniversityBinghamton University
Binghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
from where he obtained a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Management with dual concentration in Information Systems and Finance. At Binghamton, Faisal was elected to the Faculty Senate, the Student's Assembly, and was the Technology Editor of the campus newspaper- Pipedream http://bupipedream.com/current
After graduating from Binghamton University in 1999, Faisal worked in the Telecoms practice of American Management System, now acquired by CGI Systems, in Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He later quit, to launch MouthShut.com in 2000
Inspiration
In an interview to CNBCCNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
available on YouTube.com, Faisal revealed that the inspiration for MouthShut.com
MouthShut.com
MouthShut.com is a highly popular user-generated content and consumer review website on the Internet.At the core of MouthShut lies a global Web 2.0 social media platform. Any visitor can become a member and then can influence or be influenced by others...
came to him while in a media class at Binghamton University
Binghamton University
Binghamton University, also formally called State University of New York at Binghamton, , is a public research university in the State of New York. The University is one of the four university centers in the State University of New York system...
. He also revealed the reasons why he chose the name "MouthShut" for a platform that encourages consumers to voice their opinion
Faisal was featured on the cover page of Winning Edge- marketing magazine, June 2008. He's a frequent speaker at conferences concerning Social Media, Internet technology, branding, Entrepreneurship and youth empowerment etc. Much has been written on blogs about his rockstar-style fan followers across the country.
"Burn your boats before you start on your entrepreneurial venture," advised Faisal to aspiring entrepreneurs at IIM Ahmedabad in June 2008
MouthShut.com won "Best Portal Award 2009" at the first edition of the IDMA (India Digital Media Awards
India Digital Media Awards
The India Digital Media Awards is India's apex and first award recognizing the great works in Internet and mobile space in India. The awards are organised by Exchange4media group, a leading web and print publications company based in Mumbai and Delhi...
) held on March 11, 2010.
Marketing Tactics
According to the Economic Times, India's largest business newspaper, Faisal Farooqui pioneeredthe auto-rickshaw advertising in India when MouthShut.com painted the backs of auto-rickshaws with its logos across Mumbai.
User Generated Content and Mobile Devices
Faisal's management and leadership at Mouthshut.com has given rise to multi-faceted innovative approach to many aspects of feedback management at a mass-level. His thoughts on integrating consumer-generated content with mobile phone and social media has been well recognized at international conferences. In December 2007, he was invited to speak at the joint session of Messaging Asia- Mobile TV Conference in Singapore.Earlier in January 2007, the mobile industry- GSM Congress invited Faisal to talk about revenue generation from UGC on mobile at its annual conference.
Democratization of User Opinions
In 2002 Faisal co-founded, Zarca Interactive, to help stakeholders manage perceptions using sophisticated market research technologies involving survey data and reporting. As CEO of Zarca Interactive, Faisal was in the news when he presented a seminal finding and suggested the integration of CRM systems and Market Research using attitudinal data at the Technovate seminar of European Society for Opinion and Market Research (ESOMAR), held in CannesCannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in [January 2003] Faisal currently holds the position of Head-India operations for Zarca Interactive.