This episode is brought to you by Yotpo.   Aditya Mahapatra and Sambhav Chadha say their youth is a challenge as they work on building the Augmentum Influencer Solutions brand. The co-founders say finding the time to balance their personal and business tasks is just "part of the journey."   "We've just worked hard to ensure we know our priorities and give ourselves enough time to switch off," Aditya says.   The co-founders say they're passionate about working with brands of all sizes and budgets. The process - regardless of size - usually begins the same: Finding out all they can about the brand and what the brand is looking for. It's that enthusiasm that's the critical component of influencer marketing.   "Authentic excitement is impossible to disguise," Aditya says. "It's also impossible to fake. It's why influencer marketing works because people trust people."   The pair has several tips for those looking to work with influencer marketing. The first is recognizing your existing customer base. If you don't understand your base, you can't properly sign on brand ambassadors, Aditya says.   Also, don't forget to consider micro-influencers.   "This is the year of micro-influencers," Sambhav says. "By this, I mean content creators with between 1K and 50K followers on Instagram. Typically what you find with the micro-influencers they've got high engagement rates. Their audience interacts closely with them. Their audience is passionate about watching what the micro-influencers do. It's more of a close-knit community feeling, and you're just more likely to buy products when you've got that close feeling within a community."   In Part 2, Aditya and Sambhav talk about:   * The challenges of balancing school, sports, and the brand. * Navigating social media and screening influencers. * The process of working with brands. * Why influencer marketing works. * Their general process of working with clients. * Tips for getting started with influencer marketing. * The micro-influencer trend. * The brand's plans for the next six months.   Join Ramon Vela, Aditya Mahapatra, and Sambhav Chadha as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Augmentum Influencer Solutions, visit: https://augmentumis.com/    Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.   *   This podcast is supported by Yotpo, the leading eCommerce marketing platform for brands looking to drive customer loyalty.   As I’m sure many of you know, customer retention is the new acquisition. With Yotpo, brands can provide value through a strategic loyalty program — and ensure shoppers come back time and again.   Want to know more? Visit https://yotpo.com/storyofabrand    And turn your one-time shoppers into lifelong brand lovers.