[NewsMaker] Nandini Parshotam

Nandini Parshotam has recently been appointed Editor of MamaMagic Milestones magazine and is also the Communications Manager of Exposure Marketing, which publishes the magazine and runs the MamaMagic Baby Expo founded by Projeni Pather, MD of Exposure Marketing. MamaMagic has a free distribution model. Parshotam has worked on various magazine titles over the last seven years, from intern to managing editor, including the communications department of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She has a BA in Media, Marketing and Management and was awarded a scholarship to do her Masters in Communication at the University of Hyderabad, India.

Q: What is your editorial focus right now?
A: MamaMagic Milestones targets the pregnant mom, as well as parents of babies, toddlers and children up to the age of five.

Q: What is your core strategy for the magazine?
A: Milestones was born from MamaMagic, The Baby Expo - SA's biggest pregnancy, baby and parenting expo in Africa. MamaMagic is currently in its 11th year and since its inception we have established our name firmly in this industry, both through our relationship with our exhibitors and with the community we have built. Also by hosting four national shows every year, we have been able to have a presence across the country, which has aided us in producing an authentic and proudly South African publication. We decided that Milestones has to be a free publication because parenting comes with so many costs, and we don't want our information to be an additional cost.

Q: Most important attribute needed to do your job?
A: Listen and respond to what our readers want and be able to engage with them on the pages of Milestones. It's also very important to build and grow relationships within the industry, as the industry as a whole wants to help parents, and so we need to all work together towards giving them the help they need - whether it is through information, services or products. Plus a good eye for detail and a solid team doesn't hurt.

Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry?
A: We recognise that today's parents want to stay informed about best practice in parenting; they are no longer prepared to do something for the sake of tradition or the fact that their parents did it - they want a reason behind their choices. And as such, they are prepared to go out and seek information. Therefore we are building on the MamaMagic community we have, so that we can talk to them and hear them, and ensure we are offering these parents as much information as possible, in the most accessible way possible, so that they can make these decisions for themselves from an informed perspective.

Q: How will you make an impact?
A: The biggest impact Milestones has in a parent's life is that we are giving them invaluable information, advice and support - for free!

Q: What inspires you?
A: Strong, hardworking and determined individuals who go out there and make a success of themselves even when the odds are stacked up against them. Also, my recent introduction to motherhood with the arrival of my baby girl, Puja, has taken me on a journey onto the other side of the page.

Q: Your life philosophy?
A: Always remember your roots and treat people the way you would like to be treated. Also hard work never killed anyone - what you put in, is what you will get out.

Q: Tell us something about yourself not generally known?
A: I am a very spiritual individual who is very in tune with my heritage and culture. And... I have a tattoo!

Q: At the top of my 'bucket list' is...
A: I have had the good fortune to travel and live in many countries, but there's one place I would still love to visit and that is Egypt - for its culture, architecture and ancient history.