At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring to our community some of the finest stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this endeavour, we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur – Richa Gadia for an exclusive interview with us. Richa is a Seasoned Entrepreneur, Leader, Mentor, Advisor, Change Enabler and Consultant. She is the Founder of VGrow. Let’s learn more about her inspiring journey, her background and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Richa:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as a women entrepreneur, please;
Life for a woman begins at 40. My journey as an agri-entrepreneur started when I turned that age. I was a first attempt Chartered Accountant working with MNCs like PwC and Deloitte, on projects related to restructuring and funding. My life had a perfect balance of a successful corporate job and fulfilled motherhood.
However news of adulterated food items like acid-washed ginger or colour coated greens made me very apprehensive of the food I was serving my family.
I felt I myself should be the change rather than expect others to change things for society and myself. My journey as a farmer started with this thought. It was a difficult decision but it proves to be an enriching experience. I realized that many mothers like me had a similar concern which gave me the drive to make organic produce available for people around me as well.”
To start, I took basic training for organic farming from Kitchen Garden Association and learnt to make my own manure and compost. In about three months on a rented farm at Gurugram, I started experimenting with a natural way of farming and had a small production of seasonal vegetables. I knew it would take time for the soil to regain its strength without chemicals so it did not demoralize me. My parents and brother’s support kept me motivated. Dr Anjani Kumar and his team of scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra kept on guiding me and provided seeds and exposure to best practices.
The concept of urban farmer started gaining acceptance in society. My farmers started understanding the planning and marketing of agricultural produce. Many news media like zee news, dainik jagran and reality media took my interview.”
The next step was scaling up which is in progress currently. We have expanded to another very adulterated segment of foods viz-packaged products like oils, honey, spices etc. The contamination and adulteration are very high in this segment and most of the households require them. We want our packets to be speaking for themselves. Every package is traceable down to the farmer and processor through blockchain-enabled QR codes. The consumers can scan tamper-proof codes and understand the journey of the product. This gives them the capability to make informed decisions. This feature we provide as a service also to other farmers and producers who want to maintain quality of the packaged products.
Being a woman never deters me. I get the sense of fulfilment, a sense of completeness because I am a woman, a mother. And as Oprah Winfrey has beautifully quoted “It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn – which is what life is all about.”
What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career?
I left my corporate career of 15 years in big air-conditioned buildings for agri-entrepreneurship. It started with the fear and passion of a mother. My entrepreneurial journey is a statement that if we seriously look for solutions we can find them ourselves.
I found a gap in the ecosystem and thought why not reach out to other urban consumers who are health conscious and are willing to pay extra money for healthy food instead of wasting it on medicines.”
It was to make a social impact and create awareness in urban setups. As a bonus, my quality of life improved by going out in the fresh air. It gave me flexibility in working hours and an understanding of the agri-sector.
‘Vgrow’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving with the help of your startup?
Vgrow stands for growing quality food for ourselves. It started as a farm whose produce could be shared with friends and family. However, for agriculture-based business, it is important that it is sustainable so we extended it to the neighbourhood. Vgrow is now not only providing farm to fork model but through technology trying to assure the quality of packaged products like honey and oils. Under VGrow we keep all products unrefined and unprocessed, as close to their natural form as possible.
During this COVID-19 crisis, what are the measures you have undertaken to continue your business without disruption?
Lockdown was a very tough period. We were into food supply but our farmers could not go out for deliveries. Even later when lockdown opened there were hindrances in supplies in multi-story buildings. But demand for chemical-free good quality products increased so with some changes in our style of working we could manage to flow with the change.
~ Technology has become very important now and we believe in embracing the change. Our farmers are also educated and are able to operate WhatsApp and the internet.
~ We are also doing our research in honey-based products and are continuously trying to attach more and more farmers with us.
~ Consumer awareness and online marketing have become important and we are updating our Instagram page, youtube channel, website etc.
How do you manage yourself and keep on going despite the challenges? What drives you?
When I go in the field and in silence listen to the rattling of leaves and chirping of birds….. it is bliss. Mother Earth gives a bounty if you are willing to walk the extra mile. When my farmers boast of their vehicles or land holdings when they were in debt 3-4 years, back it fills me with satisfaction and when my customers give me thankyou messages I feel rewarded.
It is the beginning of the journey I have yet to reach a lot many people but at least I have made a start. With honest intentions and the right approach, I think everything is achievable.
My driving force is my desire to make healthy food identifiable and reachable to urban society. I want to eat unadulterated food and educate people to pay extra to our farmers for growing chemical-free products. It is important to give the farmers their due. They work very hard in the fields and they deserve a respectable amount for the hard work they put in.
In your opinion, what is more necessary: An idea or a good team for a successful startup?
Nothing can happen without an idea but then it’s the people who make it work. So a dedicated team working with commitment and faith in an idea is important for a successful startup.
Given the rapid pace at which the world is changing, what are the leadership traits that are necessary for success?
A leader needs to lead by example. She needs to take everyone along while marching ahead and should not shy away from decision making.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned building your startup?
1 – The biggest lesson I have learnt is to keep learning. No work is small and there is no age limit for learning.
2 – Another lesson is to value your team, Work of every person whether an officer or a worker contributes to the strength of the startup.
3 – The third lesson is to value your customer feedback.
What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story?
My business mantra is honesty. I believe that it is important to run a business with ethics. Success is a by-product.
Please share with us – what has worked well for you so far?
Integrity. Customers are aware and educated. The only business which is actually selling genuine products survive in the long run
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
I have come so far that I don’t think I can do anything else now. This has become a part of my life, my journey towards happiness, my nirvana. Vgrow is my identity, my communication with society, my creation. It is a reciprocation of trust by my friends, neighbours and, family. It signifies trying new skies and giving wings to my ideas. I am sincerely thankful to people who have given acceptance to me and my products.
We would love to know your advice for all those starting out as an aspiring women entrepreneur?
Just stop thinking of yourself as a woman, instead, think of yourself as a human being who has the same capabilities as any other person. Don’t create walls for yourself. Do what you want to do. It is one life, make it happen.
As it is said the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
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.
