My Journey

Creativity was the beginning.
Digital growth became
the direction.

Hi, I'm Vikas — a visual storyteller who learned to design, then learned to convert. From photography to UI/UX, from pixels to performance, every chapter sharpened the same instinct: create work that catches the eye, holds the mind, and moves the metrics.

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  1. Chapter 1 · Where creativity started

    A passion for design and photography begins

    Before I thought about interfaces, campaigns or search strategies, I was fascinated by how a single image could tell a whole story.

    • Photography taught me to observe light, emotion and composition.
    • Design became a way to shape those observations into messages.
    • Curiosity slowly turned into a serious interest in visual communication.
    Visual storytellingCompositionCreative observationDesign thinkingPhotography
  2. Chapter 2 · Choosing advertising

    Bachelor of Mass Media in Advertising

    Dates to be added

    Advertising felt like the natural place where design, photography, storytelling, psychology and business could work together.

    • Studied the relationship between media, audiences and brands.
    • Built a foundation in advertising and visual communication.
    • Learned to interpret briefs and translate ideas into concepts.
    • Connected photography and design with commercial communication.
    • Laid the groundwork for later work in design, UI/UX and marketing.
    Media theoryAudience psychologyBrand communicationCreative briefs
  3. Milestone · Photography credential

    Photography Certificate

    Livewires Institute · Completed during my bachelor's degree

    A professional photography certificate that sharpened my eye for framing, lighting and visual narrative. The institute is associated with a well-known Bollywood film producer.

  4. Milestone · Filmmaking credential

    Digital Filmmaking Credential

    MAAC — Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics · Creative milestone

    Expanded storytelling from a single frame to a full sequence — cinematic composition, storyboarding, pacing and how visuals, sound and movement guide an audience.

  5. Chapter 3 · Applying the creative foundation

    Freelance Graphic Designer & Photographer

    Dec 2018 — Feb 2021

    Direct client work taught me that effective creative solves a communication problem — it doesn't just look attractive.

    • Interpreted client briefs and developed suitable visual directions.
    • Produced graphic assets for digital and promotional use.
    • Planned, captured and edited photography based on project needs.
    • Maintained visual consistency across related deliverables.
    • Managed revisions, deadlines and direct client communication.
    • Balanced creative preferences with the purpose of each project.
    Graphic designPhotographyClient communicationBrand consistency
  6. Chapter 4 · First full-time design role · Alongside ongoing freelance

    Graphic Designer — Cloud4Code

    Dec 2019 — Jan 2021

    Design became a daily discipline. I gained deeper exposure to social media marketing and entry-level UI design.

    • Designed visual assets for social media and digital communication.
    • Adapted creative work for different platforms and formats.
    • Maintained brand consistency across recurring design work.
    • Supported senior UI designers with interface layouts.
    • Assisted with wireframes, spacing, typography and hierarchy.
    • Prepared icons, images and UI assets for implementation.
    • Incorporated feedback from senior designers and stakeholders.
    • Developed a stronger understanding of responsive, user-centred design.
    Graphic designSocial media designEntry-level UIBrand systems
  7. Transition

    From visual design to digital product design

    My work gradually shifted from creating individual visual assets to thinking about complete digital experiences. Photography remained a personal passion I continued casually while travelling.

  8. Chapter 5 · Building UI/UX experience

    Entry-Level UI/UX Designer — OTPless

    Feb 2021 — May 2023

    I moved fully into UI/UX and began thinking beyond individual screens — user flows, interaction states and the whole path a person takes through a product.

    • Supported user flows, wireframes and interface concepts.
    • Designed responsive screens and interaction states.
    • Built prototypes to communicate behaviour and navigation.
    • Applied reusable components and consistent patterns.
    • Collaborated with senior designers, developers and stakeholders.
    • Prepared design assets and specifications for development.
    • Reviewed implemented screens and reported inconsistencies.
    • Iterated designs from feedback and usability considerations.
    • Maintained accessibility, readability and visual hierarchy.
    UI designUX flowsPrototypingDesign systemsHandoff
  9. Milestone · Google credential

    Google UI/UX Professional Certificate & Badge

    Strengthened a structured understanding of user-centred design — research, problem definition, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing and iteration.

  10. Chapter 6 · A new country, a broader goal

    Moving from India to New Zealand

    A deliberate step outside my comfort zone — to gain an international perspective and build toward the wider business systems behind digital growth.

    • Chose to expand from creative craft into strategy, analytics and measurable performance.
    • Sought an international perspective on digital business and marketing.
  11. Chapter 7 · Expanding from design into digital business

    Master of Digital Business

    Apr 2025 — Oct 2026 · Expected completion

    Connecting my creative and product-design background with digital marketing, business innovation, analytics and growth strategy.

    • Applied digital business frameworks to practical projects.
    • Conducted audience, market and competitor research.
    • Developed digital strategy and campaign recommendations.
    • Connected customer needs with digital value propositions.
    • Worked with SEO, content, analytics and marketing concepts.
    • Built measurement frameworks — objectives, KPIs and metrics.
    • Collaborated on research, presentations and deliverables.
    • Communicated recommendations to academic and industry stakeholders.
    • Considered feasibility, ethics and customer value in decisions.
    • Connected academic research with practical business problems.
    Digital strategySEOAnalyticsInnovationResearchMeasurement
  12. Milestone · Project · Digital Business & Innovation

    Rewardly

    Supervisor: Prof. Noushad Feroz

    An opportunity to explore a dream digital-business concept through an innovation lens — connecting customer problems, value creation and business-model thinking.

    • Explored the customer problem and proposed value.
    • Developed and refined the digital business concept.
    • Considered target audiences and potential adoption.
    • Applied innovation and business-model frameworks.
    • Examined feasibility, differentiation and growth opportunities.
    • Presented the concept and supporting recommendations.
  13. Milestone · Project · Digital Campaign Proposal

    Digital Campaign Proposal

    Supervisor: Dr Surej P. John

    Turned research into a structured digital campaign — audience, message, channels, content and measurement, brought together into one connected strategy.

    • Researched audience, market context and communication problem.
    • Developed campaign objectives and strategic direction.
    • Proposed suitable digital channels and content formats.
    • Connected campaign messages with audience needs.
    • Defined KPIs and a measurement approach.
    • Presented an evidence-based campaign proposal.
  14. Chapter 8 · Applying growth marketing · Integrated Project

    Growth Marketing Intern — Endo45

    Founder: Juliet Oliver · Academic supervisor: Dr Lily Wisker

    The Integrated Project brings academic and professional practice together — applying digital marketing thinking to a real organisational context.

    • Conducted market, competitor and audience research.
    • Supported keyword research and search-intent analysis.
    • Identified SEO and content-growth opportunities.
    • Connected customer needs with relevant digital messaging.
    • Assisted with campaign and channel recommendations.
    • Considered practical KPIs and progress-measurement methods.
    • Communicated findings and recommendations to the founder.
    • Documented project learning for the Integrated Project.
    Growth marketingSEOKeyword researchContent strategyMeasurement
  15. Milestone · Semrush credential

    Semrush Keyword Research Essentials

    Strengthened a practical approach to keyword discovery, search intent, competition, keyword difficulty and mapping opportunities to content.

  16. Milestone · Meta credential

    Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate

    Certificate & Badge

    Strengthened my understanding of campaign objectives, audience selection, platform placements, creative strategy and measurement across Meta technologies.

The Journey Continues

Where creativity, strategy and measurable growth meet.

My path has moved through photography, advertising, graphic design, UI/UX, digital business and growth marketing. Rather than replacing one discipline with another, each chapter has added a new way to understand audiences and solve problems. The next step is to bring those perspectives together in work that is creative, evidence-based and built for growth.

Explore My Work