In our latest interview, we spoke to yet another promising women entrepreneur Gauri Gandhi who is the Cofounder/Director at Bombay Barons Pvt. Ltd. Her startup is simplifying and streamlining the distribution networks for manufacturers with a more efficient model and also bridging the massive gap in this space through their expertise. Let’s read more about her journey!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Gauri:
Talk us a little about your journey so far!
Since I was a kid, I was keen on doing something with food, on the lines of a café or restaurant. Having done my masters in the UK, when I returned I saw a gap wherein certain products from Europe were not available to the Indian consumers. The interest was to bring these down to India which led me to initiate collaborations with Indian brands for placements in the Indian market itself, assisting Bombay Barons to build a network across the premium outlets in Mumbai and other metro cities via a sub-distributor model. The idea was to offer unique, convenient and natural products. Soon enough we realized there is a big gap in the Indian market itself concerning differentiated products and lack of proper placements and efficient service. My Co-Founder Mihir Agarwal and I realized the need to professionalize the distribution space, back it with technology and provide transparent and complete information to the producers and consumers.
Started the journey in 2014, today we encompass a wide variety, having over 20 brands in our umbrella that we supply across offline and online marketplaces. The goal is to connect producers to new-age consumers via our widespread network. We not only help brands with distribution but also consult them with the ideal launch strategy. We soon came to be known as the polished distributors in the FMCG space. Today, there is a zeal to be able to develop a PAN India network that can be leveraged by foreign and Indian brands to establish themselves easily and with the entire data at their disposal. This in turn also gives us the option to engage our minds, use our experience and expertise in devising a launch strategy for our brands. Being an entrepreneur has been an ever exciting journey and I couldn’t be more grateful for the leap of faith I took to unleash unexplored potentials within me.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
Having grown up in a business family and identifying myself as a leader in sports and other areas, I always felt that I was meant for entrepreneurship. Even today whilst doing consulting projects, it is a great rush to help business’ turn around and pave a path for them as you are being able to apply your experience and letting someone benefit from it. All of this exposure is not possible very early in a job. I never fail to learn from people every day even my employees (biggest teachers) however I always wanted to start my own café/ restaurant or something in the food business to fuel my passion for business, strategy and likes.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
I love working. I love what I do. It is extremely challenging to be patient and persistent and constantly question whether you have chosen the right people to run your company and that’s what makes it so exciting to show up and prove yourself wrong and shine.
Having a purpose, learning every day, gaining experience, meeting new people, setting a strong foothold in a very unorganised and crowded space to identify a spot. It is ever so motivating.
Why should people choose your products/services?
Well, we usually don’t oversell but we believe in creating marriages with our clients. We aim to provide honest, authentic and a transparent relation to our associates. We are known as the polished distributors’ terms coined by many who meet us due to the organised fashion we work in as opposed to others, of course, there is always a scope of improvement yet we ensure our clients are in the loop with what is happening at all times. No hiding, no lying, no cheating. People want to work with us because of our ethics and code of conduct. Let aside the relations and network in the market. If you want unique products, they reach us, if you want peace of mind with service, again they reach us.
What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
Our experience and knack of understanding the pulse of the market and ensuring every fish out there get an opportunity to explore the sea without getting lost. Backed by technology to provide seamless service. We ensure to guide you to the right strategy for your company as opposed to filling our pockets with big bucks at your cost.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
Finding the right people to the job. Being too nice and expecting people to be nice to us. Focusing too much on growth and missing out on ensuring that the back end needs to be as strong to support front end.
What are your expansion plans/breakeven projections?
We are bootstrapped and trying to ensure that we can stabilise the foundation of the business to then focus on growth which will be unstoppable once our systems our in place. We want to have a presence in the North and South of India with our presence to offer a more wholesome service to our clients. We aim to introduce technology to all spheres of the company.
Tell our audience more about your failures? How should one bounce back?
You are learning at each step and with multiple interactions. Keep at it, take control and prepare systems. Systems drive the company to greater heights. Observe a lot. Ponder over what happened each day. Stress has only been a motivator to bounce back to what needs to be done to tackle a situation. Don’t get too attached, stay true to PLAN A always! Plan B means your mind is prepared for an exit. Train people yourself.
Keep evolving with changing times, modify the business plan and strategies, quick fixes are crucial so you don’t enter into a vicious circle.
What comes first for you – money or emotions?
Relations come first. The intent and vision come first, the right conduct comes first. The money will follow. EQ>IQ in my opinion, not discounting that IQ is very important but in today’s world where everything is based on relations, I believe that emotions play a vital role and the way one deals with it in shaping your company ethos.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
What I do is – Meditate. Exercise. Visualise.
Be grateful. Prepare schedules, deadlines and goals.
Attract the right people and opportunities.
Seek advice however follow your instincts.
What advice would you give to someone starting, particularly to women entrepreneurs?
Stick to the basics. Everything is in the details. Money gets money, don’t be penny wise pound foolish. Get the right people to do the job because people make your company.
If you believe it, you can achieve it irrespective of what anyone says. Use being a woman to your advantage because why should boys have all the fun. It has been challenging being a woman in this space and not being taken seriously multiple times to eventually realise it is in our mind and control how we direct a situation to our advantage of being a woman.
Always keep learning and every time you doubt yourself, know that there is a reason you are the point that you are and trust the process instead of throwing away all that you have put in for nothing.
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.
