The Builders
We come from small towns — Balaji from Pollachi and Kount from Dindigul/Kodaikanal — and stepped into the digital world just as India's internet revolution was taking shape.
We later worked together at Sify.com, building products and driving digital growth — while also playing cricket together in the maidans of Chennai. Those early experiences taught us to think differently, act fast, and design scalable growth engines — principles that remain core to Thistle Media today.
Over the last two decades, we have founded and scaled startups, run agencies serving edtech, fintech, adtech, and e-commerce brands, opened new markets across India, the UAE, and the US, and guided teams through product launches and category creation.
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The Builders
We come from small towns — Balaji from Pollachi and Kount from Dindigul/Kodaikanal — and stepped into the digital world just as India's internet revolution was taking shape.
We later worked together at Sify.com, building products and driving digital growth — while also playing cricket together in the maidans of Chennai. Those early experiences taught us to think differently, act fast, and design scalable growth engines — principles that remain core to Thistle Media today.
Over the last two decades, we have founded and scaled startups, run agencies serving edtech, fintech, adtech, and e-commerce brands, opened new markets across India, the UAE, and the US, and guided teams through product launches and category creation.
Need Custom?
Live Chat
The Thistle Media Journey
Starting 2011, we began pioneering what would become Thistle Media's GTM-as-a-Service model — proving that great products need great stories, authentic communities, and strategic bridges to thrive.
We launched Cricbuzz in the U.S. market, generating revenue from 100+ direct brand advertisers. This experience became our blueprint, which we used to help other Indian digital media and adtech companies establish in the U.S., including Tercept and Reciproci.
We've worked across industries and scales, from heritage Indian brands to innovative startups. Community members have included Titan and Tanishq (helping iconic Tata brands connect with new generations), Puma (bridging global sports culture with Indian markets), Sikkim Manipal University, and healthcare innovators like LifeCell and Motherhood Hospitals. Each engagement taught us how to bridge cultures, translate value, and build communities — not just campaigns.
We also launched consumer startups as living proof of the Thistle Media approach: harmoney.ai, a gamified wallet for California teens that secured endorsement from U.S. soccer star Catarina Macario, and fitket, a cricket-themed wellness platform for corporate India that connected corporate wellness with social impact through CSR donations.
Through Unleash The Fiero, we're coaching and upskilling youth from Tier-B and Tier-C towns in India, creating a cross-border empowerment movement that connects talented young adults with professional services globally — completing the circular ecosystem we envisioned.
This is the Thistle Media model in action: creative ecosystems that empower startups to expand globally, help businesses compete locally, and enable youth to create careers while staying rooted.
Balaji Ramanathan
Pollachi → Global Boardrooms
Born and raised in Pollachi, Balaji brings nearly two decades of expertise in digital business strategy, creative storytelling, and performance marketing.
He pioneered SEO for Sify Sports & Sify Movies, achieving 400% traffic growth. Rooted in his hometown, he remains passionate about organic farming, sustainability, and the intersection of business, nature, and consciousness.
Kountinya Sai (Kount)
Kodaikanal → Silicon Valley
Hailing from Kodaikanal, Kount embodies building from the margins. With nearly three decades across advertising, eCommerce, adtech, and fintech, he's lived through and helped shape the cycles of digital evolution.
He launched and scaled Sify's eCommerce marketplace during India's dotcom era (1999-2010). ICF-credentialed coach and hypnotherapy student, passionate about helping founders and creators realize their fullest potential.
Where Expertise Meets Exceptional Results
There value of data-driven insights in business, marketing, or personal decision-making but also stresses the importance of human intuition, creativity, and qualitative factors.
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By optimizing your website for search engines.
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Marketing strategies are centered around your business goals
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Tracking and analyzing the results of every SEO campaign
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Success through precision: targeting the right metrics
Where Expertise Meets Exceptional Results
Where expertise drives innovation and passion fuels performance. We bring deep knowledge and unparalleled dedication to every project, delivering exceptional results that expectations.
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The Thistle Philosophy
The thistle is a resilient plant that grows where others can't — in harsh conditions, on rocky terrain, in places others have given up on. It produces beautiful flowers despite hostile environments.
"Access is the New Equity"
Traditional Approach:
Thistle Approach:
Founders scale globally. Youth build careers locally. Communities strengthen economically.
And the thistle grows where others can't.
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The Deviant Growth Method™ isn't for everyone. It requires courage, clarity, and a commitment to playing a longer game than your competitors. If you're ready to stop fighting over the same customers with the same tactics, let's talk about creating your unfair advantage.
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