Misbah Quadri- The Entrepreneurs of India Magazine

Misbah Quadri is the founder of MQM, a strategic communications and media consultancy based in Goa, specializing in public relations, media visibility, and image management. Her journey began in 2008 at the news desk of DNA Newspaper, where she developed a foundation in storytelling. In 2013, she transitioned into public relations with Adfactors PR, learning to craft narratives for brands across sectors such as FMCG and BFSI. Over the years, she managed national launches, crisis communications, and brand campaigns. After a decade in corporate roles, she decided to bootstrap MQM, driven by a vision to provide authentic and accountable brand storytelling.

Early lessons from her career shaped Misbah’s approach to client relationships. She realized that building trust and understanding the client’s core vision was more valuable than focusing purely on deliverables. In the beginning, she made the mistake of treating interactions as transactions, but over time she learned to invest deeply in relationships. “Listen more than you speak. The work will follow stronger collaboration,” she advises, a philosophy that now defines MQM’s operations and client partnerships.

Navigating the Indian business environment requires discernment and focus. Misbah highlights that in a country where networking is central to opportunities, the right connections can open doors that no amount of cold emailing can achieve. At the same time, she learned to filter feedback from noise, identifying which advice aligns with her vision and ignoring distractions. This clarity of focus allowed her to grow MQM into a brand known for integrity and accountability in PR and strategic communications.

Family support, though from a distance, was important for Misbah. While she has spent years away from home, she emphasizes that parents’ presence without judgment or pressure creates a foundation for entrepreneurial confidence. She believes that an emotionally supportive environment allows young entrepreneurs to take risks, experiment, and pursue unconventional career paths without fear of failure.

Starting MQM required bootstrapping with her own savings, but Misbah considers her most valuable resources to be her expertise, experience, and network built over nearly two decades. While financial capital was limited, her reputation and relentless drive allowed her to operate from Goa with focus and clarity. Shifting from being a service provider in a large agency to the face of her own brand was a challenge. Every success and failure became personal, requiring a mindset change from executing tasks to making strategic decisions that defined her company. MQM focuses on building and protecting reputations for startups and established brands alike. Its services range from media relations and brand strategy to crisis management, always guided by transparency and accountability.Misbah believes her industry is misunderstood, and her consultancy stands out by ensuring clients’ narratives are honest and sustainable. Being based in Goa gives her a calm perspective, which she uses to deliver results for clients nationwide.