Kraftshala Marketing Launchpad Review: How the Human Skills Sessions Shaped Sahil Mirza’s Career at Publicis

Written ByNishtha Jain

Updated on 02 Jul 2026

This blog is a transcript of a video testimonial shared by Sahil Mirza, an alumnus of Kraftshala’s Marketing Launchpad. You can watch the full conversation here: Watch the video on YouTube.

Quick facts

Name: Sahil Mirza
Program: Kraftshala Marketing Launchpad (MLP)
Placed in: Publicis (~1.5 years) as Analyst, heading toward Associate Manager
In his words: “I used the word ‘investment’ instead of ‘sacrifice.’ That was the real winner for me.”

Two years into the industry, Sahil Mirza calls himself a “seasoned marketer.” His biggest takeaway from Kraftshala isn’t a tool or a tactic – it’s a mindset, and the human skills sessions he says feel like therapy.

What was your favorite part of the program?

The human skills sessions. The day was intense – you were pushed through a lot of concepts – and then in the middle of the day you’d go through a session that let you release all the stress and just be yourself: communicative, conversational, at ease. It’s actually like therapy.

After an intense day, you feel well again.

I’d also point out that the sessions taken by Eshu, the co-founder of Kraftshala, were really inspiring. A lot of the way I speak, I’ve gained from Eshu – the technical understanding, the confidence, the vocabulary.

The schedule is intense. How did you get through it?

If someone comes into Kraftshala with a mindset of ‘sacrifice,’ that will lead them to failure. In my case, I used the word ‘investment’ instead. It might sound a little cliché, but that was the real winner for me. If I call it an investment, I know the effort I’m putting in will give me a result – so I’m not sacrificing anything.

Even my family was concerned about why I was sitting so long at the laptop, because someone observing from behind the screen won’t understand the intense time you’re investing. The more effort and time I invest, the higher the return.

Do you see a difference between yourself and non-Kraftshala freshers?

Honestly, even people who’ve gone through Kraftshala don’t always admit this.

Kraftshala should steal Red Bull’s tagline, because it really does give you wings. It’s not even comparable to others.

You come out far more evolved and knowledgeable. Your understanding is greater than the peers you’ll work with, and you’ll be respected for it. A lot of people have knowledge but can’t put it across well – that’s what the human skills sessions help with. After those, you can put your point of view across in a way that’s understandable and respectful at the same time. The advantage you have – even over people with seven or eight years of experience, in understanding the problems you’ll be solving – is almost unimaginable.

What was your parents’ reaction when you got placed?

It wasn’t so much their reaction to the placement – it was the confidence they gained. Seeing the effort I was putting in, they felt, ‘This guy has now awakened.’ They started calling me mature, and they were proud.

For me, becoming financially independent was a big motivator – anyone past 22 wants that – and it’s something I gained from this. It’s very empowering.

Your advice to future Kraftshala students?

First, be confident in yourself. You’ll never be hand-held throughout your life, whether you go through Kraftshala or not. What counts is your understanding of the concepts – and you get that by asking questions, without worrying that you’ll look like an idiot.

If you don’t clear those questions now, you’ll look more like an idiot later. Ask the questions now, get past the fear, and become knowledgeable.

It’s been an interesting journey because I took that step of being confident without worrying about what people would say. Ask the questions you want to ask, and become a better individual as a result.