Ad land’s young guns: Aanya Jain, Co-founder, Run Frenzy

Aanya Jain is the Co-founder of Run Frenzy, a production house and a creative agency that turns bold ideas into powerful stories. Founded by Jain and Meghna Sahgal, Run Frenzy thrives on innovation and imagination, redefining the way brands connect with their audiences. In just two years since its inception, Run Frenzy has worked with high-profile clients such as CRED, Disney+ Hotstar (projects like ‘The Night Manager’ Season 1 & 2, ‘Karmma Calling’, ‘Koffee with Karan’ Season 8), ‘Love Child by Masaba’, Book My Show (Prateek Kuhad Tour Launch Video), ‘Call Me Bae’, and many more.

In conversation with Adgully, Aanya Jain, Co-founder, Run Frenzy, shares how the name reflects their fast-paced, disruptive creative energy. She discusses balancing creativity with business, structuring her days for efficiency, and staying ahead in a dynamic industry. Inspired by mentors and industry icons, she emphasizes bold storytelling, strategic growth, and fostering client trust.

What inspired the name ‘Run Frenzy’? Could you share the story or meaning behind choosing this name for your creative agency?

‘Run Frenzy’ encapsulates our relentless energy and passion for creativity. It took us months to settle on the name because we wanted something that reflected both the dynamic, fast-paced nature of our industry and the creative chaos that drives innovation. “Run” symbolises momentum and constant motion, while “Frenzy” captures the disruption that fuels innovation (it also represents all the chaos that goes down on-set!). Together, it perfectly represents who we are as a brand: always on the move, always pushing boundaries.

How do you balance your diverse roles as both creative visionaries and business leaders while managing high-profile projects? What are the key challenges you face in juggling these responsibilities?

Balancing creative and business roles is a constant learning process. On one hand, at the core of our company is creative ideation and storytelling, and on the other, we’re managing budgets, teams, and timelines. The biggest challenge is ensuring one doesn’t overshadow the other, creativity needs structure to thrive, and the business side needs innovation to grow. We’ve learned to delegate effectively, trusting our team to execute while focusing on big-picture vision and strategic decisions. It’s about embracing adaptability and constantly prioritising where we’re most needed.

What does a typical day at Run Frenzy look like for you? Could you walk us through the 5-7 key activities that are essential to your creative and operational processes?

No two days at Run Frenzy are ever the same, but this is the loose structure I follow, however there are always last minute things and fires to put out!

Night-before task planning: My day starts the evening prior, where I use Asana to map out tasks for the next day. This helps ensure clarity and focus for myself and the team.

Morning check-ins and client outreach: The day begins with client check-ins to maintain relationships and ensure alignment on projects. I also dedicate time to outreach for potential collaborations and client acquisition.

Deep work sessions: I allocate 2–3 hours to what I call “deep work,” where I dive into specific verticals for the day. Each day of the week is dedicated to a particular focus—short format, long format, or other upcoming verticals we’re currently developing (but not yet revealing!).

Production work: We consistently work on pre and post-production tasks for on-going projects. This includes 2–3 hours of pre-production for upcoming projects and 1–2 hours of post production for ongoing ones to ensure quality and alignment with our creative vision.

Creative brainstorming and strategy sessions: These sessions are a cornerstone of our process, where the team collaborates to ideate, strategise, and refine both client and personal content.

Learning and research: Our team places great importance on staying informed and inspired. This includes reading, taking courses, and exploring new tools or trends in the industry. We try to dedicate an hour every week to run through new learnings and content we've been watching!

Your journey to founding Run Frenzy is inspiring. What sparked your interest in this field, and how did you prepare for the creative agency space alongside other career pursuits?

My journey began as an assistant director, where I gained firsthand experience in filmmaking. While I loved the creative environment, I realised my true passion lay in blending creativity with business. And along the way, I was very fortunate to find a co-founder who aligned with this vision. This clarity drove us to build something that seamlessly merges both, the creative and the commercial – Run Frenzy.

While there are many production houses and content studios today, we saw a gap in the market. Some are heavily Indian and mass-focused, while others cater exclusively to a luxury-driven audience. We aim to strike that balance, staying rooted in India’s rich cultural nuances, especially those inherent to Bollywood, while elevating Indian creatives to a global stage. Our goal is to create work that bridges local authenticity with modern, global storytelling, making Indian talent and narratives resonate worldwide.

The journey has been a learning curve; balancing bold ideas with the practicalities of managing accounts, teams, and operations. This dual focus on creativity and precision has been integral to Run Frenzy’s growth and continues to shape our path forward.

Did you have any mentors or industry icons who guided your career journey, and how did their influence shape the way you approach your work at Run Frenzy?

Yes, I’ve been deeply inspired by industry icons like Shonda Rhimes for her unmatched storytelling and Bozoma Saint John for her bold, boundary-pushing creativity. Their career trajectories highlighted the importance of authenticity, resilience, and innovation. I would consider my team from ‘Bhool Bhulaiya 2’ as my very first mentors in this industry and till today, they're the ones I reach out to first for any sort of guidance - it became a family of sorts.

Along the way though, we’ve sought guidance from peers, collaborators, and even clients who’ve challenged us to think differently and refine our craft. Their influence has shaped Run Frenzy into a brand that values relationships and bold, forward-thinking ideas.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance amidst demanding schedules? What are your go-to practices for managing stress and staying personally fulfilled?

Balancing work and life in this industry is tough, and the first year was especially challenging. There were points where it got really overwhelming, but over time, we’ve become much more intentional about setting boundaries and prioritizing balance. Personally, I find that physical activity helps a lot, it’s a great way to clear my mind and recharge. I also make it a point to plan my day the night before, which helps me stay organized and focused.

One non-negotiable for us is not working on Sundays (unless we have shoots planned, of course!). We’ve realized the importance of taking that day to relax, recharge, and simply enjoy our 20s! Revisiting our vision and reflecting on how far we’ve come also keeps us motivated and grounded. Most importantly, Meghna and I lean on each other for support, sharing the highs and lows, which helps us stay energized and aligned.

Could you share some of the key milestones or achievements in your journey so far, and how have these shaped your vision for the future?

Some key milestones for us include completing our first high-profile campaign in our first year, which validated our creative approach and teamwork. Planning our expansion into new verticals that push the boundaries of storytelling has been another exciting development. Additionally, building strong relationships with clients who trust us enough to return repeatedly has been a major achievement that we’re very grateful for. These experiences have shaped our vision to focus on fostering trust, expanding our creative boundaries, and creating meaningful, impactful work as we grow.

How do you stay informed and updated in such a dynamic field? Are there specific resources, tools, or strategies that you and your team rely on to maintain Run Frenzy’s creative edge?

Staying updated is crucial in such a fast-changing industry. We make it a point to follow not just content and film publications but also those covering design, fashion, music, and other creative fields, because in today’s world, creativity intersects across domains, and technology makes it easier to explore them all. Our team, mostly in our early 20s, is eager to stay ahead, so we actively participate in film and video workshops, conferences, and try out new software. Internally, we have regular discussions about trends and insights during team syncs. Tools like Slack, Asana, and AI platforms like MidJourney help us stay efficient.

Ultimately, keeping a pulse on audience preferences – whether through observing movie theater reactions, actively keeping track of platforms is our key strategy for staying relevant and impactful – anything and everything that gives us insights and sparks inspiration.

What drives your passion for leading a creative agency like Run Frenzy? How do you and your co-founders continue to grow and evolve in this space, ensuring that your work remains innovative and impactful for your clients?

Our passion lies in creating stories that break through the noise and leave a lasting impression, no matter the medium. We’re a young, dynamic team with a strong risk-taking appetite, always ready to challenge conventions and bring fresh, disruptive ideas to life. What keeps us evolving is our curiosity and appetite for learning, from exploring new tools to collaborating on diverse projects. We stay relevant and innovative by embracing change, whether it’s through exploring new technology, working with new collaborators, or continuing to learn and adapt with each project. Innovation, for us, isn’t just about tech; it’s about staying true to our vision while making bold moves that shape the future of storytelling.

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