I had always dreamt of starting something of my own and was smitten by the entrepreneurship bug from an early start. After my MBA from the U.S, I worked with a finance company in New York and was stuck in a 9 to 5pm cubicle till I realized that I’m not cut out for this rattle. I pursued a stint in Interior Design from Parsons, which was an experience in itself and taught me a lot about the industry. Combining my business degree with it, I wanted to start something where I could use my knowledge, skills and expertise. Rugs and Beyond came into inception in late 2014 and was a result of seeing a highly unorganized carpet market. India accounts for more than 70% of the world market share where handmade carpets are exported worldwide. However, the local weavers and craftsmen who put in their heart and soul into the weaving of a rug are usually touted by the middlemen and are paid by a meager salary.
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
As you know. Rugs and Beyond empowers these weavers and is a platform between the craftsmen and the end user. It is an ecommerce aggregator providing “One of a Kind” handmade rugs to customers worldwide. Keeping this in mind, it empowers local weavers, especially women and we strongly propagate, “No Child Labor” policy.
I did face a lot of hardships right from the nascent stage of conceptualizing the website, dealing with vendors, hiring the right people and building a market strategy. I staunchly believe that prior to assigning any task, it is crucial to know the ropes of the game rather than blindly following people. Keeping that in mind, I also enrolled myself for a 6-month digital marketing course to understand the nuances of online marketing. Nevertheless, it has been a great journey so far and entrepreneurship has taught me a number of things, which are as under:
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
1)Sky is the Limit- Once, you are equipped with the right tools and are clear about your vision, sky is certainly the limit and there is no stopping. When you aim high, shoot for the stars. It is important to enjoy the journey but also keep your eyes intact towards the end of the tunnel of your destination.
2)Trust your instinct
In any business, an entrepreneur will face a lot of ups and downs. The key is to never give up and always trust your gut instinct. It is wise to take advise from experienced professionals but eventually do what you think is right for the business. To conclude, nobody said it would be easy, but it would certainly be worth it. With that aphorism in mind, I take each day as a challenge and strive with utmost gusto to excel in whatever I undertake.