"If You Are Running a Business, It Has to Make You Money"

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

I have 4 ventures. ART-ery is my first – a Jewellery & Accessories business that sells through our website and exhibition. ART-swathe is a block-printing unit that I co-founded with my mother, which sells block-printed sarees. Beforemint is a blog dedicated to healthy and happy cooking. And finally Girl Boss Going Places is a Facebook Group with close to 500 women entrepreneurs, which is a platform for them to find support, motivation and business collaboration.

2. How did you come up with this idea and go about executing it?

I have an academic background in this field – graduation in Fashion Designing and a Post Graduation in Fashion Merchandising (which is the business side of Fashion). I worked with brands like Fabindia, Esprit, Tumi, Canali, Armani Jeans and Paul Smith as a Store Manager, and this is what honed my business and customer service skills. So the choice of the domain, in the case of ART-ery and ART-swathe, came to me quite naturally.

I started Beforemint because I’m passionate about the subject of happy living through food. As for Girl Boss Going Places; I went through several challenges in my entrepreneurial journey and one aspect I missed the most was the access to such a platform. I want other women entrepreneurs to not have to face the same.

It also so happened, that Girl Boss Going Places launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, which brought many businesses to an unfortunate, abrupt halt. The women in the community are using the time to build skills, find partnerships and do all it takes to rebound quickly, and much higher, once the world opens up.

3. What has been the biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?

To be honest, I have always needed a lot of validation. And while you believe in your idea, till you make it work, most people are sceptical. I have had to fight this fear and also learn to rise above this need.

There’s also the common, strong (yet illusionary) fear of not having a fixed income and not being able to make ends meet. And finally, entrepreneurship has forced me out of my comfort zone into having to learn and build skills that I never foresaw – digital skills, financial discipline and so much more.

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

It may sound cliched, but I can’t stop stressing on the importance of passion. If you are not passionate about what you are doing, you will never see it through to success. Also, passion must not be equated to a continuous affinity.

There will be instances where you do not at all like what you are doing, but you can still be passionate about it. The best analogy that I can draw to this is human relationships. Friends and loved ones aren’t always likeable, but yet you are ready to go through hell for their well-being. That is passion.

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

First and foremost, you must accept it and always treat it for what it is – a business. Which means, you must be making money and never run out of it. Financial discipline isn’t spoken about often enough in entrepreneurial stories. If you are running a business, it has to make you money.

Secondly, in the age of social media, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of constant comparison. You must realise that while keeping track of the competition is important, your path must be your own. Finally, it’s important to always stay humble – because nothing fails like success! Keep learning, keep staying at the forefront of the business environment and keep innovating.

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

You must have a clear business plan when you start off and constantly refer to it and refocus. You must be continuously optimistic, but with your feet on the ground and not get carried away from reality. And I can’t help but repeat this – you must have financial discipline. Finally, take care of yourself because your well-being will be closely tied to that of your business.

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

Money should never be the reason for holding you back from starting your business. There are more people out there with money than with ideas. It is easier to find capital or seed funding than it is to find a breakthrough business idea. I always recommend that you start small, sell to your personal network, and then continuously reinvest to grow the business.

That said, in the case of a capital-intensive business, find a professional who can help you put your financial projections in place. Then join entrepreneurial forums and communities and participate in investor pitches. There are also a plethora of government schemes and financial offers from banks which can give you your start.

Interview by - Sejal