To Start a Business Has Become Relatively Easier Than Before - Harshini Devatha




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

The business had started out as a hobby while I was studying in college, I was good at various hobbies and my creativity helped me boost my scope for making something out of this talent that I had possessed.Since 
I saw some tangible demand in Chocolate making venture, I came up with designer chocolates , this sustained my inspiration so far.

Even before my kids grew up to be independent, I always had lot of aspirations to do something. Keeping this in my mind i had daily responsibilities such as managing the household work or tending to the kids and despite these responsibilities i tried to pursue my cause.

It was a great challenge to manage my business and my In-laws as the business grew at a higher rate than expected. Chocolate making requires lot of time and labour work and yes, I did manage to work through these hurdles to be where I am today.

In 2010 , I served as a volunteer for 5 years to an organization which was providing food , accommodation and education to visually impaired students who scored merit. Inspite of being visually impaired these girls used to come from villages and do very in their academics and this inspired me to empower women in my capacity.

With the concern towards society to empower women, I started doing lot of CSR activities .


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

The idea of women riding and contributing her time to the development of society in my opinion breaks the sterotypes of the society. The idea itself is very impactful and stands out definitely. 

With the blend of passion of biking and supporting a noble cause is the outcome of 26th jan 2020 event which was one of its kind event which happened ever.


3. What has been your biggest challenge that you faces and how did you overcome that?

The biggest challenge of it all was to gather 150 women bikers from every nook and corner of Bangalore for this event. As i wasn't acquainted to any groups as such. And all bikers aren't normally enthusiastic to participate for rides in city limits!

And to be able to gather women to drive gypsies and vintage cars for our events wasn't easy either.And the most daunting task of it all was to get permission from both Law & Order and traffic police as there were many jurisdictions to be covered! Doing this single handed was a herculean task .

Eventually I did get some support and a few women bikers joined this cause and assisted me . This turned out to be one of the best Republic Day ever. Passion is the fuel behind every success !


4. What are the important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?

  • Motivation
  • Invest time in yourself 
  • Up-skill yourself 
  • Do a road map 
  • Hard work 
  • Dedication 
  • Commitment 
  • Will power 
  • Confidence 

Last but not the least,your attitude is the key element for any successful entrepreneur. “Life’s not about how hard of a hit you can give… it’s about how many you can take, and still keep moving forward.” ― Sylvester Stallone


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


To obtain funds today to either support a cause or to start a business has become relatively easier than before! With reference to my event. And the continuous donations we receive post the event, this was possible only because of the branding and positioning of our NGO and what it stands for

If you pitch whatever you want well enough fuelled with passion and insights no one can stop you from achieving your goals! One more important point: Network, Network, and Network!

Only by talking to the right people can you be able to convert thought into action!


- Harshini Devatha, Entrepreneur
- Interviewed by Shilpy Sharan