At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Manini Sutaria Shah for an exclusive interview with us. Manini is an Entrepreneur and Founder at Ochre Revival. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Manini:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
Growing up in an unorthodox environment—where art, business, philanthropy, and nature coexisted freely—I always knew that art was what truly enthralled me. Artistic energies felt like home. Nature was my first and most enduring muse, and it continues to inspire me even today.
Although we were part of what would be considered a modern, non-conservative family in the 1960s, my father was fiercely protective of his four daughters. As a result, I couldn’t convince him to let me apply to the National Institute of Design after my 10th grade. Fate, however, had its own plans.
With the help of my aunt, I found myself visiting MSU, Baroda one summer morning in 1984. On arrival, we discovered that the entrance examination for the BA Fine Arts course was scheduled for the very next day. So, we stayed back overnight, hurriedly sourced materials, and I appeared for the exam. I cleared it.
Soon after, I was sitting across from the Head of the Department, being interviewed about which course I should opt for. I had absolutely no idea—except for one certainty: I belonged there. That was also the first time I heard of a course called Applied Arts. Ignorance was not an emotion I wished to reveal at that age, so I leaned into my passion and confidence—and it worked.
As much as I admired and aspired to be a “real” artist of the kind I had grown up revering, I instinctively knew that painting was not my strength—design was. Perhaps this clarity came from growing up with self-taught designer parents.
They designed everything with beauty and precision: furniture, jewellery, clothes, gardens—the list was endless. I had grown up witnessing design as a way of thinking, not just creating. Design is thinking made visible, and that was exactly what the Applied Arts course promised to teach.
So when asked if I was sure, I stubbornly stated that Applied Arts was the only course I would apply for. And just like that, a chance trip to MSU turned into my formal training in design. Confidence and stubbornness were on my side that morning—and eventually, so was my father. He had to be.
College wasn’t easy, but it was immensely fun. Living away from a protected home life and standing on my own taught me some of my most important growing-up lessons.
My professional journey in applied design began immediately after graduation. I worked with various agencies to gain hands-on experience and to understand the everyday conversations that shape work, clients, and creativity—even within the unique rhythm of the Gujarati advertising world.
My stint with Contract, Delhi was both educative and exhilarating. I was part of the core team that helped launch Cellforce, later known as Vodafone. From there, I moved back to Triton Communications as a consultant, while simultaneously freelancing on the side.
Work consumed most of my early years—and I loved every bit of it. My family calls me a workaholic, but it never felt like work to me. Collaborating with advertising stalwarts, understanding clients, consumers, and products, and learning the nuances of the field were all stepping stones. I always knew that one day I would start my own agency.
And I did—on the very same morning my daughter, Anamika, was born.
Life since then has been full, intense, deeply loved—and one hell of a roller coaster.
‘Ochre Revival’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please.
Ochre Revival was born from my lifelong love of nature and my favourite colour—ochre. Ochre is a natural earth pigment found on land and sea, formed from ferric oxide, clay, and sand. Its warm, grounding tones have always resonated deeply with me.
The name came to me one quiet afternoon in 1998. It blended my connection to this colour with the idea of revival—a return to light, to natural colour, and to design that feels thoughtful, conscious, and alive. Ochre Revival, to me, symbolised light being reawakened through design.
The studio began as a one-woman organisation. I did everything that needed to be done—meeting clients, taking briefs, understanding their needs, conceptualising and designing, getting approvals, reworking when required, delivering artworks, and at times even managing production. Life was tough, but it was also immensely fun.
Along the way, I met a wide spectrum of people involved in the creative journey—from idea to final execution. Every new client taught me something new. Every person in the production line taught me humility and the value of every role, no matter how invisible it might seem. Those early years shaped not just my work ethic, but my worldview.
With Crossword already on my client list for a few years, some of the first official clients included Fun Republic, followed by Radio Mirchi. As work grew, I began looking for a rental space and designers to hire. But I didn’t have the funds to pay salaries. That’s when luck—quiet, generous luck—found its way to me.
I met a wonderful trio of wannabe designers, and together we discovered a way of working on a commission basis. It worked beautifully, and Ochre Revival was officially launched. I truly believe that when your intentions are good, good things find you.
A kind friend shared his office space with us for six whole months without charging a single rupee. At the same time, I found three creative minds who shared my passion for design. I couldn’t have asked for more.
So, with three young adults eager to learn and nurture design—and an even crazier me—we ventured forward. Clients kept coming, work kept evolving, and the journey from that day to today has been nothing short of invigorating.
Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
Design is often taught as a problem-solving process. In school, we are trained to research before we create—to define problems, conduct interviews, and practise empathy by stepping into a client’s shoes. These methods are essential in disciplines like UX/UI, industrial design, and other function-driven practices.
As a graphic designer, however, I don’t believe design exists only to solve problems. While functionality is critical in engineering and material production, design is not limited to providing solutions alone.
Design is also about aesthetics.
At its core, design is art. And art does not always need to justify itself. If something is not meant to be functional, it doesn’t need to be. If its purpose is to be beautiful, it deserves the freedom to simply be beautiful. If it is meant to tell a story, then that story deserves to be told—without apology.
Not every design needs to defend its existence as a solution.
At Ochre, we don’t just solve problems. We create brands.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
My team, and a deep-rooted passion to keep going—no matter how tough life gets, I always rise.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
The three most important lessons I’ve learned are simple.
First, the foundation of any business is strong relationships.
Second, work is only good if it works.
And finally, a brand isn’t created for shelf life, but for life.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
Success comes from honesty, respect, and a willingness to work hard every day.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Keep your eyes and ears open. Breathe it all in, listen carefully, learn, and absorb as much as you can.
Follow your heart and trust your gut instinct. It rarely fails you.
Not every job will be your dream job, and that’s okay. Each one teaches you something. With patience, persistence, and a willingness to keep learning, the right work will come.
And remember, not every job is about the bank balance. Focus on delivering good work. When you do, you’ll be paid your worth.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
What makes my journey satisfying is the longevity of the relationships I’ve built. Retaining clients for as long as Ochre Revival has existed is deeply rewarding.
What keeps it exciting is the constant evolution, welcoming new clients, applying new strategies, experimenting, failing, getting back up, and continuing to move forward. Always learning. Always flying.
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.
