Desi Business Service Brands: Copy-Paste Culture Is Holding You Back
As a marketing auditor, I’ve noticed a rising trend in the South Asian/Desi entrepreneurial space — particularly among marketing service providers, consultants, and business brands.
Everyone claims they’re “different,” “unique,” “empowering,” or “breaking the mold.”
But a quick audit of their websites, bios, and offers tells a different story.
They’re not different.
They’re all saying the exact same thing.
🧾 What Most of These Brands Say:
- “We help South Asian women build a brand they love.”
- “Authentic branding rooted in culture and community.”
- “Empowering Desi creatives and entrepreneurs.”
- “Helping women of color break glass ceilings through strategy and support.”
And while the intention might be pure — the execution is painfully redundant.
🎯 Why This Is a Problem
When your mission, messaging, services, and tone are indistinguishable from 15 other Instagram brands…
🚫 You’re not positioning yourself —
⚠️ You’re blending into a very saturated sea of soft fonts and vague empowerment.
This isn’t about calling anyone out maliciously — this is about holding the standard higher for our community.
You can’t claim to “disrupt” the space when:
- You don’t show data or results
- You offer the same Canva templates, brand clarity calls, and vague “mindset meets marketing” packages
- You don’t audit what others in your niche are doing
🕵️♀️ Examples of What I’m Seeing (Patterns):
(Note: Brand names are withheld, but these are actual observed trends)
- Every brand says “empower Desi women entrepreneurs” — but no case studies, no niche clarity, and no community-specific insights.
- Overuse of soft neutral beige aesthetics — inspired by Western minimalist girlboss brands but with added mandalas or brown girl emojis.
- Every brand’s offers include “1:1 strategy sessions, Instagram audits, brand alignment.” Nothing proprietary. No visible signature process.
- All claim “authenticity,” yet their site copy sounds like a slightly localized version of Marie Forleo’s website.
🔍 The Harsh Truth:
If your goals, language, services, and strategy look like every other Desi-owned marketing or business service brand…
👉 You are not differentiating — you’re duplicating.
And when brands duplicate, the market tunes out. Even if your work is technically good, it will struggle to stand out.
✅ So What Should You Do Instead?
- Conduct a Competitor Audit.
Actually see what others are offering. Compare tones, service stacks, pricing, messaging. - Create a Signature Method.
What’s YOUR way of solving a problem that no one else is doing in this niche? - Use Data, Not Just Vibes.
Show results, examples, or original thought — not just pretty carousels and Pinterest mood boards. - Don’t Be Afraid to Have an Edge.
Not every South Asian brand needs to be “soft,” “zen,” or “safe.” Boldness, wit, and disruption are allowed.
If you’re in the Desi brand, biz or creator space — you owe it to your community to bring authenticity, not aesthetic mimicry.
Let’s go from being yet another to being the only one who…
And that begins when we stop copying… and start creating.