"I mixed my passion of tech, fitness and fashion and incorporated in the product" - Sahib Bhatia

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1. Tell us more about your company and your journey.

To be honest, ADCOM is my father’s brand, or his baby as our family calls it. He started this company back in 1996, and he started this company working as a distributer/trader with many other top IT companies of that time. Stepping the ladders steadily and learning from them, in 2002 he started his own IT brand called ‘ADCOM’. ADCOM is short form for Advantage Computers which is the firm name. ADCOM launched IT products such as Computer Cabinets, Mouse, Keyboard, Webcam, Motherboard, etc. You name it and we had it under our hood. In 2008, ADCOM launched mobile phones and was one of the first Indian brands to do so. 

In 2012, ADCOM launched tablets and power banks. However, 2015 saw the rise and boom of E-commerce and entrance of Chinese companies/MNCs in India. Just like other Indian brands, ADCOM had taken a big hit in this time, and was forced to go behind the scenes to do some homework and to reworks it’s strategy. No products were being manufactured/launched, no sales were being made, no after sales service was being provided under ADCOM. 

Meanwhile, in 2016, I had just completed my under graduation from Canada and had come back to India for my holidays. In this time, I started working with a Chinese Smartphone Company, and later got the news of our ADCOM brand. I decided that I needed to switch roles, and this was the time when I decided to restart ADCOM and this time go for the e-commerce channel. In October 2017, I started formally working on ADCOM, and with a fresh new concept and branding, ADCOM’s first new product was launched in August 2018, and fast forward to almost two years later, ADCOM has 30+ fashionable youth oriented tech lifestyle accessories in the lot and becoming close to it’s journey in becoming a household name.


2. What has been your biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?

There have been multiple challenges along the way. Since this journey was not to launch a new brand, but to reboot an already once well established brand. The task on hand was monumental. It was to reach the same peak, where the brand once was. The task still continues as we talk. One of my biggest challenge in this journey was to get the ball rolling. Initially all the work was to be done on it’s own. No team, no agencies. A 360 degree approach was taken to change the brands logo, tagline, focus, and pretty much everything we could think of. 

Now in this super competitive space of electronics heavily dominated by the international brands, we had to think of a niche to target. How to be different? Eventually, over time I mixed my passion of tech, fitness and fashion and incorporated in the product’s line up and we introduced gaming accessories, fitness oriented fashionable audio headsets, mobile photography lenses and much more. I feel if enough passion is there, with dedication, discipline and determination, no challenge or obstacle could stop you from achieving your goal.

3. What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?

For any successful entrepreneur, failure is a must. In fact, multiple failures. Facing failures in the short term and long terms. Facing failures every day. If you are not facing failures, challenges, obstacles, criticism, then you can never achieve your true potential. Consistency is also key. If you give up after a couple of years, you may never know your next product/service may be the next biggest thing. Doing the right thing at the right time is also very important, I feel.

4. What are some of the most important factors for running a successful business?

A good well balanced all rounded team. You can start off your journey without a team. However, you will only succeed in the long term, if you have right people with you. I also feel a brand can only be built, when people talk about it positively, when you are not in the room.


5. What are your tips for first time and aspiring entrepreneurs?

If you are not passionate about it, don’t do it. If you are passionate about it, and the whole world tells you not to do it, you go ahead and do it and success will come to you. The job or the task on hand won’t matter. Do not look left/right. Don’t think about how big or small, just think about what you are doing is right or not. Think about these questions: Will it help others? Will it harm the environment? How can I give back to the society or the customers? Is it something long term am I doing? Think about all these things very critically before starting your business, and half of your problem will be solved. Apart from this, stay consistent, find a distinguishing factor for your brand, and go for the six.


6. How can one overcome a hurdle of lack of funds when starting up?

This is a difficult question as we are currently in the same situation. We are currently a team of 5-6 members. To scale up, we need funds. I might not be the best one to answer this, but I do know that meeting the investor and pitching him your plan may or may not get you investment.

- Sahib Bhatia

Interview by - Haseeb Haroon