In our quest to identify and share with our community some of the unique startup stories, we interviewed yet another promising entrepreneur, Arijit Mazumdar – Founder & CEO at NorthMist. NorthMist is a sustainable apparel company that excels in producing 100% organic cotton t-shirts. Free of harmful chemicals, the t-shirts are good for your skin and good for the environment. Let’s read more about his journey, way forward and his advice for others!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with him:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey, please;
Hi, my name is Arijit Mazumdar. Originally from Rourkela, Orissa, I moved to Bangalore in 2014 with a great job opportunity. After working in different places throughout the years, it was in 2016 that my co-founder and I decided to start our own business. I was working in sales, and the idea at first sounded a bit drag. But we kept working anyway to achieve what we wanted, save the environment. Because I like networking and helping people, the journey to establishing a business became a wee bit easier.
And before we move, I would like to say that I love reading books and am a self-proclaimed ice-cream aficionado.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
The jobs I was doing didn’t make me feel great. I mean, yes, I had a steady income and was getting appreciated for my work, but my motive was always to help. The environment and the people. But my jobs didn’t give me the opportunity. So, I decided to take a chance and do what I wanted to do. To achieve balance and create a better world. Also, I belong to a business family and have witnessed my father create an employment opportunity for a lot of people. This further influenced my decision.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e., what’s your source of motivation?
The idea of doing something good for society is what has motivated from the very beginning. Every morning when I wake up, I think about facing new challenges and further overcoming them. Our business is niche and falls in uncharted territories; it just gives me great motivation to break grounds and do something that no one has ever done.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
The biggest challenge we faced was to get investors. We got rejected by almost 350 investors; however, we kept persevering. Well, and the rest is history. The second challenging factor was convincing the customers about the products and what impact it made. It took us some time to understand their approach, mentality, and tone. It was quite tricky, but we kept interacting with them to get a better picture of their needs. Since I was in B2B sales, shifting to a B2C market required me to enter territories I had no idea about. This also slowed the progress in the beginning. Finally, building a reliable team has been a challenge, but eventually, I have found one I can trust on.
Tell our audience more about your failures? How should one bounce back?
Focusing on failures is something that I don’t believe in. The more we focus on our failures, the more we get stuck in a loop. The idea is to find yourself with every obstacle. When I started, I had no idea what I was doing. But once I found my foot on the ground, there was no going back. I don’t look over my shoulder to brood about what could have been. I keep my eyes fixed on what can happen. Persevere. That is my mantra to victory.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
Well, when under pressure, I distance myself from everyone and take time to think. Many a time, it happens that when we are under stress, we lash out at our loved ones. But the consequences can be dire. So, I go somewhere and take time to process everything. I also listen to music a lot. Instrumentals mostly. It helps calm my nerves and think clearly.
What advice would you give to someone starting, particularly to aspiring entrepreneurs?
First, find out what you are passionate about. I was excited about helping society; hence, it was easier for me to start this project. Once you find out your calling, do your research. Know your audience, what they are looking for, market demand for your product/service. Get feedback from people and reach out. Don’t let rejections put you down. Don’t give up. Confidence. Empathy. Persevere. This is my motto, and this is what I keep telling every aspiring entrepreneur.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, Stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
