Mukul is himself an avid online shopper and the director of Business development at Hi-Tech International. As he has his client base spread globally, exchanging gifts or sending something particular to someone who lives in a different part of the world was a perpetual concern for him since it always proved to be an arduous affair. Even his favourite e-commerce websites couldn’t rescue him from this ordeal since their services were limited to India only.

Apart from this, he wasn’t oblivious to the fact that the booming online shopping industry was giving opportunity to manufacturers and retailers across India to capitalise the power of Internet and churn good money out of it but at the same time small scale retailers and suppliers were being isolated from this trend partly due to their illiteracy and mostly due to the lack of awareness.  

The startup is of the opinion that profit is never the ultimate aim of CartMyDeal. They are reaching to small scale manufacturers and suppliers across India, explaining them the merits of Internet, bringing them onboard, marketing their products and accomplishing mutual growth.

However, in the enigmatic field of startups, there are innumerous companies vying to garner the same position. “Every emerging e-commerce firm particularly those venturing into multiple products retail are either getting crushed by the competition or couldn’t handle the destructive challenges, be it related to logistics, technology infrastructure or COD, that this sector has to offer. If market observers are to be believed, no player is making a unit profit on anything and that explains the big face values of capital that this ecommerce players are raising from VCs and investors to help them keep going. Backed by the investors they are in a race to formulate more luring schemes than their counterpart to lure customers. It appears that everybody is relying on investors rather than their consumers for profit. This is the biggest hurdle that we are facing, the ongoing trend, which leaves you with two choices either look for investors or get acquired by some giant within few years of inception.” added Ajit of CartMyDeal.

According to Ajit, CartMyDeal is showing a healthy progress everyday and he believes in a couple of months they will be able to silence their critics who were sceptical about the startup right from the very beginning.

“It is often said that future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. The type of life we are living today was once considered “impossible” but the dreams of some who chose to go beyond the ordinary debunked the claims of those who chose to be “realistic”. Many opportunities are lost daily because people are out looking for four-leaf clovers. Don’t try to chase luck. Chase your hunger for experience, risks and you will never end up disappointed.” is the team’s advice to budding entrepreneurs out there who are trying to emerge victorious in a battlefield replete of juggernauts. 

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That precisely should be the motivation behind a startup like Campus Sutra that aims to create a link between a person’s ‘most cherished’ days and the future that he plans to head to.

Before we go further, take a moment off to think about it. Imagine yourself sitting and looking out of your window. There are vehicles buzzing past, people rushing back home after a busy day. The stars are beginning to shine. The view below is of the Marine Drive that glistens and reminds you of the countless evenings you spent with your college buddies- either cracking jokes or playing pranks or even discussing some of the oh-so-important career decisions that would determine your future course of life. Suddenly one of you bursts off laughing and pats your shoulder and says- Chill buddy! Right now, enjoy the scenic beauty (whatever caught your fancy at that moment. I wouldn’t get into the details because you know that better! ;)).

You break out of your reverie and lo and behold! You seem to be wearing that very same ‘hoodie’ you wore that day! Was it the hoodie that took you back to those times? Might be! But who cares, you just had a great time and you gently stroke your sleeves and the creases settle down, settling your otherwise jumbled up mind because that’s exactly why you had opened your wardrobe, took out that hoodie, wore it and sat near your window when there were so many other things to have been dealt with! Procrastination eh? Naa.. You needed to get back to the wondrous phase of your life that you suddenly seemed to miss a lot.

It just not was an ordinary hoodie. It was the personalized one that you got when you were passing out. It has the year of your batch inked on it along with that symbol your whole gang loved so much. It would be one thing that would remain with your batchmates, reminding you time and again that no matter how far you all go from one point, you all will always have a similar thread that links you all together.

We at Startoholics, had the opportunity to get in touch with Campus Sutra, one such startup that caters to the people who wish to be linked by a common emotion throughout their lives as a memento when they bid goodbyes to their group to head forward or just wish to ink their togetherness with a mark that would stay for a long time.

Khushboo and Sonal Agarwal

Could you shed light on your life before Campus Sutra? What was your previous work?

The ship at Campus Sutra is captained by Khushboo and Sonal Agarwal. Before starting Campus Sutra, Khushboo was in charge of handling crucial business operations at Order Book, a corporate gifting venture which had acquired more than 80 corporate clients. Her insight into business comes from her specialisation in Operations & Finance which she acquired with an MBA and her experience of working in the industry. The Design Head, Sonal’s education at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) with work experience at Quetsel incites her designs that are both creative and unique.

What motivated this startup?

A disappointed return from an Alumni Meet at Khushboo’s college triggered the idea. The cause of disappointment was a stall put up in the college campus for selling customised merchandise. Khushboo’s delight of cherishing the old memories was hit by the low quality of products on display at the stall. Not only did it make her feel bad, it also encouraged her to make way into the competitive market of customised merchandising by bringing in changes such as high quality of products, proficient supply chain and competitive pricing. This was the start of a change that has made way through difficulties to stand as Campus Sutra.

How did you take your first step towards Campus Sutra? Did you receive any funding from angel investors?

The initial capital invested in Campus Sutra has come from personal savings and borrowing from family and friends. Looking out for investors in the initial stages of the business is something that we do not believe in. Having said that, once the brand grows further with time, we’ll look towards approaching potential investors to enhance the company’s commerce.

What differentiates Campus Sutra from the rest of your competitors?

The aim has always been to stir up the market’s conventions and bring about a change in how people perceive customized merchandising and the quality of service, at large.

Right from the beginning, we at Campus Sutra have made it a certainty that high quality of our product range, proficient supply chain and competitive pricing is maintained throughout all business orders served. The team works day in and day out in ensuring that we cater to a wide range of orders from varied customers with utmost priority given to quality of service and products. Our attempts at constantly improving the range of products and their variety have helped us make a mark different from others.

What challenges have you faced in your entrepreneurial journey? What has been the toughest decision you had to make lately, if any?

Embedded perceptions in customers’ minds about customized merchandise was the first difficulty to pass through. It has been a common perception that customized products are of low quality and least to mention, hard to get delivered on time. Over time, the unorganized players in the market and discrepancies in their services have made these notions grow.

The team at Campus Sutra has been successful to change our customers’ perceptions by providing them with a wide range of high quality products which are both unique and reasonably priced. A major change was brought into the picture by setting up a widespread supply chain that would deliver swiftly across the country and abroad. The number of products sold has crossed the mark of 3, 26,501 today and we are still counting.

Do you have an international portal too?

The company’s international presence is at UAE. As an attempt to widen the brand’s reach, this is just the first step with many more to follow.

What more do you wish to include to take Campus Sutra to the next level?

The expansion would be made both in terms of product range and also, business tie ups with organizations. Bringing in innovative changes to the look and feel of the products has also been on the cards. This is what led to the tie up with Swarovski, which would result in specific T-shirts with precious stones embedded on them in place of embroidery or a printed design. It just marks the beginning of endless ideas coming in the near future.

Finally, what advice would you like to give to other young entrepreneurs?

A ‘belief’ is all you need for doing wonders. The young entrepreneurs need to believe in their ideas and in the fact that they can enter into a competitive market and turn it all around.

One misconception that they need to get done with is that e-commerce is all about setting up an e-commerce website and thinking that everything’s ready to be served on the table. No, it’s not only about that. Setting up a website won’t bring in satisfied customers and most importantly, strengthen your business in the longer run. Knowing the nuances thoroughly before making use of them must be one of the first things on the checklist.

Lastly, focus your business on your customers and not yourself. What you want barely matters, what matters is the customers’ needs and wants.

Already on ‘Mission Time Travel’, are you?

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 “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.” 

-Coco Chanel

Every time a woman plans to set foot outside her home, she looks at a mirror. It’s not called self-obsession but it’s her way to make sure that she has done the best of what she could to make herself feel confident and presentable to the world. And that’s what lends a spring to her steps and joy in her heart as she continues with her life on the runway!

The right accessories always accentuate one’s personality and also reflect the innermost views which would never be expressed otherwise.

Team Startoholics met a team who focuses on providing women with the best from all over the world in order to meet their varied choices, notions and interests for the women of today, with respect to their accessories.

Sneh  and Sanchi, the founders of The Rummage were both working in the field of advertising since two years when The Rummage was about to be born. They were quite disillusioned with what they were doing. When they themselves felt that way just two years into their work, they realized that most people they met had other dreams and aspirations that somewhere down the line got suppressed because of their desk jobs. They were toying with the idea for around three months, until one day they just decided to just get started and that they would eventually figure things out along the way. And then in 2012, their dream became a reality, of course alongside their jobs initially.

Both of them are media graduates who have always enjoyed fashion. So while they were thinking of what they could do, that would give them happiness while still working for their respective firms, fashion instinctively featured on their list. And being media- savvy meant having to do something with ‘being online.’

Today it’s their full time job or rather their passion that they have given all of their time.

You’re young, don’t be afraid. Just go for it.

This was what fuelled their desire to chase their dream, their passion. The support that they got from their peers at work was really heartwarming for them.  In fact, many of their initial clients were from advertising and media backgrounds.

Unavoidable roadblocks

The backend work is often a nightmare. One mess up from the stock checking to the courier service can ruin a shopping experience for a customer.

Their real challenge is to create a system so smooth that they don’t have unhappy customers. They agree that it’s a bit too ideal to be true but then they say- “ If we get that right by even 70%, we’re home.”

On being asked about an important ability an entrepreneur should possess, Sneh says tongue in cheek – “Instinct, I think. And some balls.”

Marching ahead

These two entrepreneurs are now working towards going international with The Rummage since they have got a lot of requests from the UK and US. They are also looking at improving visibility in smaller towns like Nagpur, Agra, Indore, Silvassa.  On being asked why these specific places, this is what they had to say- “We’re very surprised to see what a big fashion appetite people have in such places.” That makes one come to the conclusion that fashion does not know boundaries. It is possessed by people irrespective of where they come from or where they plan to go to. 

Constant Innovation: Way to go!

They love sourcing. Getting more interesting kinds of accessories is something they’ve always looked out for. Currently their strength is their statement necklaces and clutches.

They want to sell kitschy shades, geek spectacles, big beach hats and so on. Everything that’s fun and tough to find easily in India and big on the international fashion radar is on their palette for their valued customers.

Polish your own shoes

Everyone who has good accessories to offer is competition for them. They haven’t marked any one brand or portal as their competitor because according to them, the minute one starts to compete with someone else, he forgets about bettering his own game.  

Everyone who has good accessories to offer is competition. Though we haven’t marked any one brand or portal because the minute you start to compete with someone else you forget about bettering your game.  

Their favourite startup- “Elitify.com. It’s absolutely fabulous.”

How the clientele of The Rummage would be was something that we thought would interest our audience. They gladly stated that every month brought a new client for them and that they do have some very faithful clients in Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Sikkim.

‘Regrets and mistakes, they are memories made’ said Adele, the famous singer. They chime a similar fact.

“Mistakes are such a big part of who we are. Both of our lives are a comedy of errors. We’ve tried to do so many things, have failed yet tried again. There’s no ‘one’ mistake, there are many and we’ve learned from them all. But there is always regret about why we didn’t do this earlier.”

And after having given their dreams wings, they now think that they didn’t need ‘that job’ so damn badly. If you are also one who thinks that your life would be better if you leave your job to pursue your passion but are tempted to stay just because it pays your bills and does just that, then probably you should take a cue from them (of course we are not telling you to give your resignation letter right away, but you don’t really have to put it in the backburner either!)

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