Jasmine Batra, the founding-director  of Arrow Internet Marketing has come a long way and witnessed a lot change in the marketing industry since she first began her career.

In 1997 she was finishing up her MBA and completing honours in  Systems Management. It was a time where Jasmine says the Internet was beginning to boom, and a time where everyone was indulging in the ability to create a new .com.

“Even at that time though, I was thinking how would they market it, not what new technology, new site or new web app, but how would you reach out,” she says.

And then to Yahoo and everyone else’s disbelief, Google came along.

“Google has really changed the scene,” she says, “They really refined how and what people were looking for.”

From a very early time Jasmine knew that the Internet and Google sensation would transform business, the way people search for things and of course marketing, for a very long time.

However it wasn’t until after a lengthy career in web development and digital strategies that Jasmine and her husband of sixteen years Anup, decided to make the leap of faith and build their own marketing business.

”Not for a single day did we work from home, we had no client on board, but we decided to take an office,” Jasmine says.

This is because Jasmine has a strong belief in separating business and personal life.

“When I am at the office, I am here one hundred percent,” she says, “when I go home, I don’t think about work at all.”

Whipping up the deal for a small office on St Kilda road in January 2007, Jasmine and her husband had no idea of how they would pay their first month’s rent.

“We knew what we had to offer, and we knew it was a bit of a risk,” she says.

Now, seven years later, Arrow Marketing has expanded with a 20 member team and two offices, one in Melbourne and one in Sydney, and an array of awards under its belt, including the winner of The Best Australian Social Media Optimization Company for three years running.

“It is sometimes a bit of validation for yourself, and recognition from the outside world,” she says.

More importantly though, for Jasmine it is all about hearing the success stories of her clients, and hearing how much they trust her and the business.

“It’s what gives you the kick and the motivation to come up here every day and find out what’s next,” she says.

“I had one client who said “for me, this business is my life, and getting someone else to market it for you, is like going to a heart surgeon. I don’t know anything that you will do, but I trust that you will look after it – and this is my life, because if my heart stops beating I am no more.””

Her emphasis on trust, honesty and respect, comes from her cultural background that she says is ingrained in her.

“Coming from India, I have the values of doing what’s right, and believe in spirituality, [and] karma,” she says.

“That’s what really sets us apart as an organization from many others, is that our heart is in the right place.”

Likewise, she has an emphasis on keeping her staff bright and positive too.

“We have in our office, afternoon teas… we always try and have a theme for it,” she says.

“We just get together, forget work, eat together and enjoy and for me that’s important because life is a festival.”

Her focus on creating positive and happy work environments may also be inspired by her love of meditation, bollywood and dance.

“I like all things colorful, so events, festivals, all of those sorts of things get me going,” she says.

It may be just this, which encourages Jasmine to continue the sometimes difficult battle between motherhood and being a business owner.

“This is something that I think every woman will tell you,” she says.

“It’s always which part of me wins today. It is a juggling act.”

Fortunately for Jasmine, she has a strong and industrious team.

“I have very good people, who I know I can count on,” she says.

Jasmine and her team were at the Small Business Festival again, for the seventh time since they commenced business in 2007, an opportunity she is always grateful for.

“I’ve had a small business myself and to be able to give back and be in front of people and learn and share  is rewarding,” she says.