July 8, 2025

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Harshita Gahlot, an account executive at KeyMedia Solutions.

Name: Harshita Gahlot

Age: 30

Hometown: Jaipur, India

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

My first full-time job after college.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The community, the slower pace of life, cost of living and the opportunities available while still having a small-town feel.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

Learning about different industries, creating meaningful connections and helping businesses connect with the right audiences.

How did you get connected to your industry?

It all started with a series of fortunate events after I met Korena (Keys), our CEO, at a YPN event in the summer of 2024. That year, one of my top priorities was to intentionally grow both my personal and professional network. I didn’t know it at the time, but that one conversation would open the door to another career shift.

By the end of 2024, I found myself wondering what was next and exploring new career opportunities. I wasn’t actively searching for my exact current role, but when I saw Korena was hiring, I reached out for a coffee chat to learn more — and ended up loving what I discovered. The opportunity felt serendipitous, like something I was meant to stumble upon, a much-needed fresh start and a case of “right place at the right time.”

Transitioning into marketing wasn’t something I had planned — it just felt like a natural career progression.

What I love most is creating meaningful connections and helping businesses reach the right audiences. I get to learn about different industries, adapt quickly and creatively problem-solve for businesses of all types. This is your sign to lean into the power of networking and building genuine relationships — you never know where it might lead.

Describe your workplace in three words:

Dynamic, collaborative and supportive.

What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

I was a vegetarian for the first 18 years of my life — now birria tacos are one of my favorite foods. I’m a part-time artist. I can dead hang from a pullup bar for over a minute. I’m also the first person in my family to ever go swimming, and I even went snorkeling — even though I can’t swim yet.

What’s your favorite way to give back to the community?

By taking care of my surroundings and people, supporting local businesses and volunteering.

What’s one business you’d love to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here yet?

Without giving away too many of my future business ideas — a fully plant-based restaurant, a miniature/interactive/illusion museum or more holistic medical facilities.