Leading Ladies

34 RETAILER APRIL 2014 34 RETAILER MARCH 2016

The ecosystem to catapult women entrepreneurship in the country has

emerged. And braving the change, we have women leaders/entrepreneurs in Retail who are very different from their

male counterparts. For male retail leaders, the business is filling in the demand and supply gap, getting investors on board and making the most out of available

resources. But a woman leader is different. For her, business is a fusion of her ideas

and passion channelised with right amount of experience and fuelled with her ambition that she transforms into a

revenue generating machine. In nutshell, her business is her loved baby whom she

nurtures out of love along with carving the best retail strategies to outshine in given

domain. Acknowledging the women power, Retailer catches up with the women retail

leaders to know their brands from their perspective, because as someone said, “She

believed she could, and she did.”

BREAKING THE GENDER SHACKLES

sharmila das

MARCH 2016 RETAILER 35

Leading Ladies eRetail

My life...my mottoAn engineer from BITS Pilani, Richa Kar acquired her Master’s degree from Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies. Like a true entrepreneur, she always dreamt of starting her own venture. Destinity it would be, she started doing her research in the lingerie penetration in India while she was awestruck to realise a good amount of Victoria’s Secret’s revenue comes through its’ online sells. That was the EUREKA moment that shaped the fate of Zivame to offer lingerie for every size and requirement. As she says, “We want every woman to experience Zivame where shape and size is not a bar. We want our women to

be confident and whenever we achieve that, it’s a great contentment.”

WOW momentsThere have been quite a few. However, the incident when she and her team went extra mile to deliver exact products for a to-be wedded and injured girl stood significant.

Future horizonIn her words, “Revenue wise, we aim to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore in the next few years. We also plan to focus aggressively on our private labels and see Tier II cities as the next drivers of growth.

LEADING THE SIZING BUSINESS

My life ...my mottoThe only Indian to receive the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarship for studying Economics at Cambridge University in 1994, Suchi graduated from St Stephens College, Delhi University and procured her master’s degree in Finance & Economics from the London School of Economics where she won the British Chevening Scholarship.

Suchi has had an illustrious career yet she calls herself a Delhi girl who has come home after over 15 years to build LimeRoad.com, a venture conceived after the birth of her second child, while snatching a few minutes of me-time flipping through a magazine.

Wow MomentShe has also been selected as one of 15 women worldwide – high potential leaders under 40. Lately, she was chosen to address the Startup India Standup India Event and shared dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She Values...She has great admiration for people who have questioned status quo and made lasting change happen in their own contexts, and all her core partners reflect the same grain

Richa Kar Founder & CEO, Zivame

THE FASHION ENTREPRENEUR

Suchi Mukherjee Founder & CEO, Limeroad.Com

ISSUE FOCUS

APRIL 2014 RETAILER 35 MARCH 2016 RETAILER 35

Leading Ladies eRetail

My life...my mottoAn engineer from BITS Pilani, Richa Kar acquired her Master’s degree from Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies. Like a true entrepreneur, she always dreamt of starting her own venture. Destinity it would be, she started doing her research in the lingerie penetration in India while she was awestruck to realise a good amount of Victoria’s Secret’s revenue comes through its’ online sells. That was the EUREKA moment that shaped the fate of Zivame to offer lingerie for every size and requirement. As she says, “We want every woman to experience Zivame where shape and size is not a bar. We want our women to

be confident and whenever we achieve that, it’s a great contentment.”

WOW momentsThere have been quite a few. However, the incident when she and her team went extra mile to deliver exact products for a to-be wedded and injured girl stood significant.

Future horizonIn her words, “Revenue wise, we aim to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore in the next few years. We also plan to focus aggressively on our private labels and see Tier II cities as the next drivers of growth.

LEADING THE SIZING BUSINESS

My life ...my mottoThe only Indian to receive the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholarship for studying Economics at Cambridge University in 1994, Suchi graduated from St Stephens College, Delhi University and procured her master’s degree in Finance & Economics from the London School of Economics where she won the British Chevening Scholarship.

Suchi has had an illustrious career yet she calls herself a Delhi girl who has come home after over 15 years to build LimeRoad.com, a venture conceived after the birth of her second child, while snatching a few minutes of me-time flipping through a magazine.

Wow MomentShe has also been selected as one of 15 women worldwide – high potential leaders under 40. Lately, she was chosen to address the Startup India Standup India Event and shared dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She Values...She has great admiration for people who have questioned status quo and made lasting change happen in their own contexts, and all her core partners reflect the same grain

Richa Kar Founder & CEO, Zivame

THE FASHION ENTREPRENEUR

Suchi Mukherjee Founder & CEO, Limeroad.Com

ISSUE FOCUS


Mira Kulkarni is an Ayurveda

aficionado used to casually give away her self-made, Ayurvedic handmade soaps to friends in her college days. She had no clue then that she would one day be busy with the final details of opening her stand-alone stores across the country for her natural skincare and hair care brand made from Ayurveda recipes ‘Forest Essentials’.

When Kulkarni started Forest Essentials in the year 2000 with a seed capital of Rs 2 lakh, and a product range of just handmade soaps and candles, she claims to have been unfazed by competition from established brands like Biotique and Shahnaz in the niche market for Ayurveda personal care products. Kulkarni graduated in Fine Arts from Stella Maris College, Chennai and she educated herself in various fine arts.

My life...my mottoI have donned many avatars of a journalist, of an entrepreneur, has been a career woman all my life. Last 10 years I have learnt so much, everything related to marketing and everything from sketch board to the shelf, demand and supply, visual merchandising, a 360 degree experience I have which is probably the culmination of which makes a success in my present role...

BOLD AND BOUNTIFUL

Kalyani Chawla VP-Marketing & Communication, Christian Dior

Highs and Lows in lifeIt’s been always high in my career as I learnt from my mistake. Low for me always being money as I’ was not a very expert in handling finance and in business, one cannot have the attitude of leaving this responsibility to someone else.

Wow MomentsWhen I had my shop in Calcutta, then when I was hired by Indian Express, when I started my own factory and started supplying to the best people and brands and it was absolute high when Dior hired me and allowed me to continue with my own business.

A situation you could have handled better?I could have had a fashion accessory export company. I could have run it better if I could have handled it better.

ESSENTIALLY GLAMOROUS

From being a Delhi University rank holder with a passion to be a historian, Shriti Malhotra made an abrupt shift to

fashion, joining NIFT in 1992. And that move laid the ground for her entry into retail.

“I opted to join retail because I wanted to be part of something new and to be in a brand that excited me. I joined Benetton and the first three years in the company as a Management Trainee and then as a Product Manager doing multiple roles, which provided hands on, on-the-job training in retail,” Malhotra says. The Body Shop, which entered India in 2006, now has over 125 (approx) stores across 40 cities.

THE AVID LEADER

Shriti Malhotra

COO, The Body Shop

Mira Kulkarni Director, Mountain Valley

Springs India Private Limited

Leading Ladies Retail

ISSUE FOCUS


Journey so far...My experiences at Marriott in the states, Gstaad- Switzerland or Phuket, Thailand all have been wonderful and all these experiences led me to brave it out on my own journey. In 2011, NurtureU enterprise was formed and we got Joost/Boost franchise, master rights for India.

Low MomentAs we got the franchisee rights and started approaching market, another international brand of similar nature was winding up business in India. All malls and commercial places had a doubt of the success a ‘juice bar’ could achieve. That felt like a low point. You are new in the field, excited as you just have obtained the master license after a lot of hard-work and it felt like you are constantly being questioned about your decision. But it didn’t last long thankfully.

THE JUICE DIVALife on a high The high point of course was recently when I turned down a location on a ‘product ethics’ basis and we lost the ‘site.’ And like they say, truth always prevails and the best man wins! We were asked to return after another brand (no names mentioned) started operations and failed miserably. The customer complained and on public demand the management had to get Joost back. The joy of going back and claiming grounds as you know, your products are honest and your work is good was a certain ‘high point.’

WOW momentEvery time I receive a message with ‘Joost selfie’ as people try Joost at airports and various other locations and appreciate it. It’s a ‘WOW’ moment for me.

Take on Industry As an industry, it’s important to come together and work with the current government, to make it a hospitable environment to flourish F & B business in the country.

Future growth plans At this stage we are a strong team. Our past years of experiences have made the difficult part of this business the ‘perishable raw material sourcing’ streamlined. From training to building the juice-bar, Joost has never been in a better shape to expand. Joost starts franchising in the year 2016 and you shall see many more franchisee stores this year onwards. We plan to end this year with at least 30 stores.

Rivoli Sinha Founding and Managing Director,

Joost Juice Bars


Journey so far...My experiences at Marriott in the states, Gstaad- Switzerland or Phuket, Thailand all have been wonderful and all these experiences led me to brave it out on my own journey. In 2011, NurtureU enterprise was formed and we got Joost/Boost franchise, master rights for India.

Low MomentAs we got the franchisee rights and started approaching market, another international brand of similar nature was winding up business in India. All malls and commercial places had a doubt of the success a ‘juice bar’ could achieve. That felt like a low point. You are new in the field, excited as you just have obtained the master license after a lot of hard-work and it felt like you are constantly being questioned about your decision. But it didn’t last long thankfully.

THE JUICE DIVALife on a high The high point of course was recently when I turned down a location on a ‘product ethics’ basis and we lost the ‘site.’ And like they say, truth always prevails and the best man wins! We were asked to return after another brand (no names mentioned) started operations and failed miserably. The customer complained and on public demand the management had to get Joost back. The joy of going back and claiming grounds as you know, your products are honest and your work is good was a certain ‘high point.’

WOW momentEvery time I receive a message with ‘Joost selfie’ as people try Joost at airports and various other locations and appreciate it. It’s a ‘WOW’ moment for me.

Take on Industry As an industry, it’s important to come together and work with the current government, to make it a hospitable environment to flourish F & B business in the country.

Future growth plans At this stage we are a strong team. Our past years of experiences have made the difficult part of this business the ‘perishable raw material sourcing’ streamlined. From training to building the juice-bar, Joost has never been in a better shape to expand. Joost starts franchising in the year 2016 and you shall see many more franchisee stores this year onwards. We plan to end this year with at least 30 stores.

Rivoli Sinha Founding and Managing Director,

Joost Juice Bars


My life…my mottoHaving always been interested in design as a child and possessing a natural skill for it drove me to experiment and take on new challenges with design. My foray into the retail sector in retail design began in 1998 and has devoted significant energy to mastering the nuances of the retail sector. As the founder and chief creative lead at Studio J, which I set up in 2011, I have spearheaded hugely successful concepts in space design and visual merchandising for a host of brands in India. Being the recipients of various design awards and recognitions have been enriching

BRINGING RESPONSIBLE EXCELLENCE IS HER FORTE

and push us to challenge our design thinking further. High & Low MomentsAs a design firm, recognition of our expertise and seeing the impact of our design concepts when it comes to actual numbers for the brand has always been extremely gratifying. The times that we pushed the boundaries of traditional design to come up with innovative and one-of-a-kind concepts that had our clients applauding our efforts as design collaborators is also memorable for us as a firm.I don’t see anything as a low point because no matter what path you choose to follow, challenges are a part of the journey and the way to build your mettle in the business. Take on IndustryThe factor to consider is that though expectations are to meet the level of imagination and ingenuity of design concepts like the west, do we have the resources to meet the standards of quality,

finish and design thinking that it entails? To make the industry

a viable one, we also need to nurture and train talent in

the proper manner. Skill development that would enable the retail design business in India to meet international standards isn’t really happening. The need of the hour is to begin

from the basics and set up a system that results in a

steady stream of skilled and talented design professionals.

Future Growth PlansStudio J has bootstrapped its way through the last four years and it hasn’t stopped us from taking on big and incredibly ambitious projects. This year will have us teaming up with international collaborators to enhance our vision to be among top design services company in India.

Jen

ny A

ndre

ws

Foun

der

& D

irec

tor,

Stu

dio

JLeading Ladies Retail

ISSUE FOCUS

ACHIEVEMENTSCreative business of the

Year award (2013) by the India Retail Congress,

VMRD Award for Best Visual Merchandising (2012 & 2013)

at In-Store Asia,

Award for Best Display (2012)

Conferred with the Designomics award for Best Visual

Merchandising in 2013.


My life…my mottoLearning is an ongoing process. I believe every day is a new learning. While education builds up your thought process, experience broadens your vision. The whole journey of building the brand from two stores to 55 stores has been challenging yet an exciting one. Support of the family is the biggest booster one can get and I feel blessed to have so.

Everyone has highs and lows that they have to learn from. Introducing Rosso Brunello in the bridge to luxury footwear segment has definitely been a high point in my career.

Although Motherhood is a beautiful feeling and a full time job, the constant effort of juggling between commitments at work and at the same time devoting time to my kids took me a while and I had to drift away from work for some time.

Wow MomentMaking Da Milano an award-winning renowned brand in the leather accessories market will always be the WOW moment of my career.

About the industryThe retail industry is unique that relies strictly on aggressive marketing and continuous innovation. Yes, advancement in technology is one area that needs constant development in order to increase profitability and lower the costs.

Future HorizonAny decision we take is in the best our understanding and well thought off from the perspective of growing the brand. We refrain ourselves from taking decisions in a hurry because that’s when problems look bigger and solution gets fizzled out.

The brand`s strategic expansion efforts are now concentrated at international markets like UAE, Middle East, South East Asia and Europe. The brand aims to expand across pre-eminent locations in international realm.

THE LUXURY QUEEN

Shivani Malik Director- Marketing, Da Milano


My life…my mottoLearning is an ongoing process. I believe every day is a new learning. While education builds up your thought process, experience broadens your vision. The whole journey of building the brand from two stores to 55 stores has been challenging yet an exciting one. Support of the family is the biggest booster one can get and I feel blessed to have so.

Everyone has highs and lows that they have to learn from. Introducing Rosso Brunello in the bridge to luxury footwear segment has definitely been a high point in my career.

Although Motherhood is a beautiful feeling and a full time job, the constant effort of juggling between commitments at work and at the same time devoting time to my kids took me a while and I had to drift away from work for some time.

Wow MomentMaking Da Milano an award-winning renowned brand in the leather accessories market will always be the WOW moment of my career.

About the industryThe retail industry is unique that relies strictly on aggressive marketing and continuous innovation. Yes, advancement in technology is one area that needs constant development in order to increase profitability and lower the costs.

Future HorizonAny decision we take is in the best our understanding and well thought off from the perspective of growing the brand. We refrain ourselves from taking decisions in a hurry because that’s when problems look bigger and solution gets fizzled out.

The brand`s strategic expansion efforts are now concentrated at international markets like UAE, Middle East, South East Asia and Europe. The brand aims to expand across pre-eminent locations in international realm.

THE LUXURY QUEEN

Shivani Malik Director- Marketing, Da Milano


Sah

iba

Nar

ang

Dir

ecto

r, I

nfin

ite

Luxu

ry B

rand

Pvt

Ltd

Rac

hna

Agg

arw

al

CE

O, I

ndus

Lea

gue,

a d

ivis

ion

of F

utur

e Li

fest

yle

Fash

ions

Lim

ited

My life...my mottoFrom getting my first salary to launching Chumbak, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy many highs in my career. No low points as such. No opportunities lost. We believe in learning from every mistake and experience at Chumbak - it helps us make better products and happier experiences.

WOW MomentEvery moment has been a WOW moment - from seeing the first product we made, to selling our first product, setting up the first kiosk, opening our first large store, our first collection of apparel. Every

milestone has been memorable and looking forward to more and newer WOW moments!

Future outlookWe are in the process of setting up more stores across India; employing strategies to increase our pan India reach online and through store experiences. We also have international expansion plans in the pipeline. Introducing newer, vibrant and contemporary products and designs as always are part of the growth agenda.

THE WITTY LEADER

Equipped with a degree in Finance from McGill University and an inherent sense of entrepreneurship, Sahiba Narang has successfully run several family

businesses.Today, she carries this experience forward in her newest

role and endeavor at Infinite Luxury. Her comprehensive corporate experience in executing and developing new enterprises makes her a formidable player in the Indian and international business community.

THE ENTERPRISING WOMAN

THE MIND BEHIND ‘FRIDAY DRESSING’

Rachna Aggarwal, an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad, started her career with Coats Viyella Plc.

She worked with Van Heusen and went on to launch Allen Solly in 1993, when she introduced the concept of `Friday Dressing’ to the country, an achievement she regarded as one of her

smartest business ideas. Until, as CEO of Indus League, she affected the stunning success story of women’s jeans wear brand Jealous 21.

In 1999, Aggarwal co-promoted the venture capital funded brand-marketing firm, Indus-League Clothing Ltd along with seven other colleagues. It was acquired by The Future Group in 2005, and Aggarwal took over as CEO of Indus League in 2008.

Shubhra Chadda Co-founder, Chumbak


ISSUE FOCUS


There should be policies which attract investments while minimising the taxes.

Organised retail forms only eight per cent of the market, where in only four per cent consists of a formally educated workforce (post graduates)! There should be a better picture of this sector that the policy makers must present so as to attract quality students or workforce into this field, while establishing reputed educational institutions and introducing retail specific courses.

Future HorizonI would like to remain a part of this exciting domain of retail. Would also like to venture into the analytics part of it while exploring verticals such as consumer behaviour, decision making, and consumer trends, hence identify gaps in retail and address them.

My life…my mottoIt has been an exciting journey of over 23 years with vast and multi-faceted experience across several sectors such as education, film, television, amusement and retail amongst others. It would be difficult to define a single high point in this vast journey; while there have been several peaks during this journey. There have been no two moments alike with a plethora of new and exciting challenges. Being a positive person, I am motivated to face new challenges and grow with it.

With a rich experience of working with The Great India Place, we had put in a lot of effort in terms of planning key marketing campaigns, décor, leasing and operations in order to attract quality consumer base and there was a day when we clocked the mall footfall at over three lakh! That was indeed a high point! There was a significant amount of learning from there and insights on understanding your target group. Those key learnings came in handy while working with DLF Place, Saket. With an introduction of rich tenant mix aided by strategic marketing plans and value added services, DLF Place, Saket is a preferred consumer destination today and that is more than a high point for me!

There hasn’t been a low point per se, wherever I face a challenging situation, I turn it around to learn something and grow with it while moving ahead.

WOW MomentDuring my assignment with Mukta Arts (a film production company), we faced several challenges with the opening of Whistling Woods International Institute but we went through unencumbered with courage and were able to sort everything out and went ahead with a smooth and successful opening. It was truly a WOW moment for us back then!

Take on IndustryThere is a need for the government policies to favour retail, more ease needs to be given to the developers and retailers in terms of processes which should be an apt minimum.

WHEN BEST PRACTICES MAKE A LEADER PERFECT

Benu Sehgal Senior Vice President,

Mall Management, DLF Place, Saket

Leading Ladies Real Estate

ISSUE FOCUS


There should be policies which attract investments while minimising the taxes.

Organised retail forms only eight per cent of the market, where in only four per cent consists of a formally educated workforce (post graduates)! There should be a better picture of this sector that the policy makers must present so as to attract quality students or workforce into this field, while establishing reputed educational institutions and introducing retail specific courses.

Future HorizonI would like to remain a part of this exciting domain of retail. Would also like to venture into the analytics part of it while exploring verticals such as consumer behaviour, decision making, and consumer trends, hence identify gaps in retail and address them.

My life…my mottoIt has been an exciting journey of over 23 years with vast and multi-faceted experience across several sectors such as education, film, television, amusement and retail amongst others. It would be difficult to define a single high point in this vast journey; while there have been several peaks during this journey. There have been no two moments alike with a plethora of new and exciting challenges. Being a positive person, I am motivated to face new challenges and grow with it.

With a rich experience of working with The Great India Place, we had put in a lot of effort in terms of planning key marketing campaigns, décor, leasing and operations in order to attract quality consumer base and there was a day when we clocked the mall footfall at over three lakh! That was indeed a high point! There was a significant amount of learning from there and insights on understanding your target group. Those key learnings came in handy while working with DLF Place, Saket. With an introduction of rich tenant mix aided by strategic marketing plans and value added services, DLF Place, Saket is a preferred consumer destination today and that is more than a high point for me!

There hasn’t been a low point per se, wherever I face a challenging situation, I turn it around to learn something and grow with it while moving ahead.

WOW MomentDuring my assignment with Mukta Arts (a film production company), we faced several challenges with the opening of Whistling Woods International Institute but we went through unencumbered with courage and were able to sort everything out and went ahead with a smooth and successful opening. It was truly a WOW moment for us back then!

Take on IndustryThere is a need for the government policies to favour retail, more ease needs to be given to the developers and retailers in terms of processes which should be an apt minimum.

WHEN BEST PRACTICES MAKE A LEADER PERFECT

Benu Sehgal Senior Vice President,

Mall Management, DLF Place, Saket


ISSUE FOCUS


My life...my mottoYou need to be passionate about what you do and it is this passion that keeps me going and makes it possible for me to keep attempting new things, without getting discouraged by any challenges that may come in my way. Also, I don’t pressurize myself by competing with others. I benchmark myself against my own work and always try to better myself with each new initiative.

WOW MomentA recent ‘Wow’ moment was when we won three awards for The Collection, UB City at the Asia Africa GCC Retail and Shopping Centre Awards.

Take on IndustryOne of the main problems associated with luxury mall growth is the lack of infrastructure. A luxury mall needs an eco-system that spells luxury surrounding it. You cannot have such a mall placed on a traffic gridlocked, potholed road. Infrastructural development is not always in the hands of the average mall developer and this has held back development to a certain extent.

A BORN LEADER

Uzm

a Ir

fan

Dir

ecto

r, P

rest

ige

Gro

up

The Journey so far…Pushpa Bector brings along an extensive experience of over two decades and has been a renowned name in the retail and mall business domain. During her previous role as the Vice President & Mall Head of DLF Promenade (for three years), she took the charge of the mall from its inception to making it a successful and admired fashion destination by designing creative marketing campaigns, and establishing cohesive operations and processes.

WOW MomentsIn the early years of her association with DLF, she has also headed the Food and Beverage Division. The concept of food courts initiated by her was a successful move making her a renowned name in the Food and Beverage segment in the country. Adding to her credit, she has been instrumental in establishing over six food courts and handling the leasing processes of the retail spaces in the mall business segment of DLF Utilities.

Moreover, she has been honored the International Women Leadership Award for the Excellence in the Retail Industry organised by CMO Asia in 2013. Most Admired Shopping Centre Professional of the Year at Asia Shopping Center and Mall Awards 2014. Women Leadership Award for Excellence in Retail Industry at CMO Asia 2013.

THE MALL STRATEGIST

Pus

hpa

Bec

tor

Exec

utiv

e D

irec

tor

& M

all

Hea

d, D

LF M

oI


ISSUE FOCUS


BAGFUL OF SUCCESSMy life...my mottoMy entrepreneurial journey commenced at an early age of 18. I did two part time courses: one in textile and another in interior decoration which have been instrumental in me having the sensibilities of design that continuously contribute to both Baggit and Nina Lekhi brands.

High & Low Moments of lifeHistorically in 2001, the retail market in India was revolutionising and the SOR model was introduced, and we were feeling vulnerable to be part of this new model but at the same time being an entrepreneur means charting into unknown territories. So we jumped and became part of this new model and the result of this initiative was tremendous business success at every moment.

Future HorizonWe have a plan to open 50 new stores by the end of this year especially targeting Tier II cities. We are working towards opening at least one store in each city of India. Internationally, we want to spread our wings in other countries as well.

Nin

a Le

khi

Foun

der

& C

reat

ive

Hea

d, B

aggi

t In

dia

Pvt

Ltd

.

My life…my mottoBorn in New Delhi into an Air Force family, I’ve had a fair share of growing up across the country and having friends of many cultures and religions.

My first job was at 15, selling credit cards. This was my first encounter with the real world. I cannot forget my first day at work after a day in training. I started designing wrought iron accessories, furniture and cushion covers under the brand ‘Knots & Krosses’ at 20. I would sell them, retail them at home stores in the city including Bombay Store, Contemporary Arts & Crafts and several more. My love for retail drove me to become a design entrepreneur.

In 2008, I set up Atelier

Homes in Pune. Atelier Homes, started as a 1,000 sq ft home store in a quaint by lane on the outskirts of Pune is now a 7,000 sq ft home decor boutique in Koregaon Park, Pune.

Highs and lows of lifeThe day a customer rates their experience as delightful is the high and seeing an unhappy customer is the low.

WOW momentWhen a customer says, “We love the experience.”

Future growth plansSpread our retail footprint to1.5 lakh sq ft in the next five years.

Roh

eena

Nag

pal

Foun

der

& D

irec

tor,

A

telie

r &

L’O

rang

e

THE DESIGN EMPEROR


ISSUE FOCUS


BAGFUL OF SUCCESSMy life...my mottoMy entrepreneurial journey commenced at an early age of 18. I did two part time courses: one in textile and another in interior decoration which have been instrumental in me having the sensibilities of design that continuously contribute to both Baggit and Nina Lekhi brands.

High & Low Moments of lifeHistorically in 2001, the retail market in India was revolutionising and the SOR model was introduced, and we were feeling vulnerable to be part of this new model but at the same time being an entrepreneur means charting into unknown territories. So we jumped and became part of this new model and the result of this initiative was tremendous business success at every moment.

Future HorizonWe have a plan to open 50 new stores by the end of this year especially targeting Tier II cities. We are working towards opening at least one store in each city of India. Internationally, we want to spread our wings in other countries as well.

Nin

a Le

khi

Foun

der

& C

reat

ive

Hea

d, B

aggi

t In

dia

Pvt

Ltd

.

My life…my mottoBorn in New Delhi into an Air Force family, I’ve had a fair share of growing up across the country and having friends of many cultures and religions.

My first job was at 15, selling credit cards. This was my first encounter with the real world. I cannot forget my first day at work after a day in training. I started designing wrought iron accessories, furniture and cushion covers under the brand ‘Knots & Krosses’ at 20. I would sell them, retail them at home stores in the city including Bombay Store, Contemporary Arts & Crafts and several more. My love for retail drove me to become a design entrepreneur.

In 2008, I set up Atelier

Homes in Pune. Atelier Homes, started as a 1,000 sq ft home store in a quaint by lane on the outskirts of Pune is now a 7,000 sq ft home decor boutique in Koregaon Park, Pune.

Highs and lows of lifeThe day a customer rates their experience as delightful is the high and seeing an unhappy customer is the low.

WOW momentWhen a customer says, “We love the experience.”

Future growth plansSpread our retail footprint to1.5 lakh sq ft in the next five years.

Roh

eena

Nag

pal

Foun

der

& D

irec

tor,

A

telie

r &

L’O

rang

e

THE DESIGN EMPEROR


ISSUE FOCUS

Leading Ladies

Documents

Transcript of Leading Ladies