Soniya

Yes, I have taken a loan of 2,00,000. It's still going on. Yes, it's still going on. I have taken it just now. It hasn't been a year yet. I had a lot of problems after the lockdown. My husband's business was down. I had a lot of problems. I took out a loan. With that, I was able to purchase the stock.

I got married in 2011. I started my business in 2016. Initially, I operated the business from home. I specialize in selling unique products, specifically pure fabric clothes. I am the only one in the entire Pratapgarh region who sells pure fabric clothes. I exclusively purchase pure fabric and sell it. Additionally, I also buy designer clothes. Pure chiffon and georgette fabrics are not sold here. Only clothes from Surat are available. I source my products from Jaipur and Kolkata. Kolkata has pure georgette fabric, while Jaipur has the craftsmanship. I obtain my products from there and do not buy anything from Surat. Jaipur is known for its bandhani work, while Kolkata has pure fabric but lacks the craftsmanship. Jaipur specializes in handwork.

I started my business in 2016 from home, and after a year or so, I opened a shop. However, there were some problems, such as my husband's business declining. Nevertheless, I decided to proceed with my business despite the lack of support. When I went to Kolkata and saw the fabrics, I liked them and thought I should sell them here. In Surat, the work is not good, but in the whole of Pratapgarh, there are 250-300 Maarwadi families. Maarwadi Chowk has 250-300 families. Therefore, they had to obtain fabrics from Kolkata or through someone else. When people learned that I am selling clothes from Jaipur and Kolkata, they became interested in my products. I mostly have regular customers who appreciate and wear the clothes I sell. Other customers don't usually come because I don't offer affordable options, and they are unfamiliar with pure fabrics. These fabrics are not washed at home; they are only dry cleaned.

I came to know about Marwadi families here as I am a Marwadi, and we have a Mahila Samaj Samiti Sangathan, Khandelwal Samaj Samiti. We are all connected, so whatever happens in Khandelwal, the whole Khandelwal and people from nearby areas come. There are prize ceremonies for the women who work, and in that event, my name was also there. I am here as a woman who struggled for so many years, and I received a prize and respect. People also got to know about my shop, and more people got connected.

I have been a part of the sangathan since the beginning. As a Khandelwal, I knew what people liked and bought clothes accordingly. I personally purchase the clothes every time, going on my own and staying outside for 4 days with my staff. I don't order online. I am familiar with women's fashion and understand their concerns, such as lace, so I carefully inspect the work before making a purchase. Handwork can irritate the skin and stomach, so I make sure to check before buying.

Actually, I follow my father's formula only. Whatever he taught, I do and buy that. It means taking less credit and accepting lower margins. I don't aim for excessive profits. My principle is not always to seek a 20% profit. I am satisfied with making 10% or 15%. My main criterion is that customers should be happy. I eventually want to expand my business, but I have reached this point slowly due to the prevailing environment. When I opened the shop, the environment was quite dull. Now, with the presence of malls, there is a rush. People were not aware of super net and pure fabrics. I introduced and explained the benefits of wearing them. They are better than cotton. Now, even other castes like Thakur are also wearing them. They buy pure fabric clothes from me and they like it. Previously, they used to prefer cotton, but cotton becomes soft after washing and requires ironing before wearing. It is not suitable for wearing outside, and people don't even wear it during puja. Super net fabric has workmanship. It can be worn outside and gives a royal look. So, I convinced people to start with something low-priced, and now everyone buys it. My business has expanded to other castes as well. Previously, only the Khandelwaal community used to buy clothes from me. Now, people from other castes also purchase from me because they don't know about pure fabric. They are only aware of what is available in Surat. What I sell is different from what is available in the market. You won't find the clothes that I sell anywhere else here.

Other shopkeepers obtain clothes from Surat, while I source pure fabric clothes from Jaipur and Kolkata. For instance, the pure Bandhani fabric is available, but they settle for a copy from Surat. There is a noticeable distinction between pure fabric and copy fabric. Initially, they were unaware of this, but now that they have started purchasing from me, they have come to understand it. The price remains the same, but the fabric quality differs significantly. This is because chiffon and georgette have a grainy texture. Other shopkeepers sell smooth fabric and label it as chiffon. As a result, people can now perceive the difference and choose according to their preferences.

No, I wanted to do a clothing business only. My father told me this. You should see and work in a ladies boutique. People will connect more. I thought about being a teacher, but I didn't pursue it because my education was limited due to getting married early. That's why my father said this is good. My relatives like wearing nice clothes, similar to boutique style. So, in the beginning, I offered a wide variety of clothes. They appreciated whatever I gave them and encouraged me to start my own business. Yes, I provided clothes to my family. I ship clothes to Lucknow and even Bombay. I send clothes to Gwalior, Chattisgarh, Raipur, and everywhere else. I send clothes to whoever lives near my relatives and likes them.

Yes, when I was forced and people told me to start it. So I went to Kolkata and bought the clothes. I bought clothes for only Rs 20k - Rs 30k. I gave them to my masi and they purchased them from me and really liked them. They ordered more, saying that other people are asking for them. So when I went again, I got clothes for Rs 50k because there was pure fabric available there. And the profit margin is good for clothes made with pure fabric. People aren't aware of the price of pure fabrics. I get clothes from the place where they are made. So I get clothes at a slightly higher rate than the manufacturing rate. If I get them from here, then the cost will be higher. So I got them from there and started slowly. Then I built it into a boutique. I have 2-3 tailors who stitch blouses for me. If people ask for a fancy blouse, I show the photos to the tailor and get them made for customers.

I knew where to get the fabric from, right from the beginning. Marwadi people enjoy eating and wearing nice clothes. So I have known about it since the beginning because I have seen my mother always getting stuff from Kolkata. Since childhood, I have known that clothes from Kolkata are good and Jaipur has good craftsmanship. That's why I didn't go to Surat because I knew that there are multiple shops that get clothes from Surat. If I sell something unique, people will come to me even if it takes time.

Yes, I talked to people and understood what they wanted, but I started with Khandelwaal Maarwadi families because other people didn't know about me. They started coming slowly and kept buying things from me. Now, so many families come and buy clothes from me. Everything happened very slowly.

I started with 20 sarees at home, and I used to call people and tell them that I had clothes from Kolkata. I would invite them to come and see. At that time, I didn't use online platforms, so I would just make phone calls. I had friends who liked wearing super net clothes, so I would call them. I had the numbers of anyone associated with the Maarwadi Sangathan, including my mother-in-law and my father-in-law's friends. I would call them and let them know what I had. When they came, they would appreciate my collection. Gradually, I started feeling more confident and decided to expand my collection and sell more clothes.

I decided that I wanted to open a shop. There were problems in the house. The house isn't big, so it used to get congested. Customers used to come, and children were also there. I faced problems. I asked for my husband’s support and told him that I wanted a shop. So I got furniture made. With everyone’s help, I set up this shop. I started with 20 sarees. I don’t have a lot, but it's enough for me. I sell antique clothes, and whatever money comes in, I use to get more stuff. I don’t want to become a big businessman. I want people to like it, and I will eventually get there. Right now, I want to tell more people about what I sell, which are pure fabric clothes. I want them to come and check and tell me how good it is to wear during the summer. I don’t want a lot of profit or a big shop.

I don't want a large shop. Either I open the shop in the main market. This location is far from the market. People don't understand, and I have to convince them a lot. The clothes that I sell are expensive, and customers see and say that it is expensive because they don't know what pure muslin is. I don't keep clothes for everyday wear, so they find them expensive and they don't buy. They prefer the market only. That's why I will grow very slowly. I want people to come again and buy things; they should know that I don't make a lot of profit. That's how I will attract proper customers. Many people aren't interested because they find it expensive.

I chose this location because all 22 shops here actually belong to my father-in-law. They rented it to me with a proper agreement. They didn't rent it to me without a proper agreement just because I am a daughter-in-law. I made a proper agreement for 11 months and I pay the electricity bill. My husband told me that he won't allow me to do business outside in the Punjabi market. My son was very young, around 5-6 years old. He said there would be problems and advised me to start from here. He said that we'll see when it grows. That's what he said. My husband told me that. The family doesn't want me to go outside and work. They want me to open a business near the house so that I don't have to go far. They think that as a woman, it won't look good if I go out and work.

I don't believe in this (laughs). I don't believe in all of this. I feel there's nothing like a man and a woman. Whenever problems arise, it doesn't see anything. Money is the biggest thing. Every relationship is connected through money. My husband never stopped me. I go alone to buy clothes. In-laws told me in the beginning not to go alone. How will you do that? My husband told me to do it and be independent. He only supported and taught me. I didn't know about Paytm; he taught me about that. You should do it on your own, what if I am not there tomorrow? He told me that. He taught me how to withdraw money from ATMs; I didn't know all of this. He opened an account in the bank and asked me to do things on my own. Now I make payments online. Earlier, I used to take cash. He used to appreciate and encourage me to go. Do it on your own. Yes, my husband has supported me a lot.

Yes, in the beginning, my in-laws asked me not to go. They said, "How will you go alone?" My sister-in-law stays in Kolkata, so they asked me to stay at her place. She will take you there. So I did it. Nobody stays in Jaipur. I used to go alone. I got scared in the beginning, but I stayed and bought things in the hotel of my choice. I used to get up at 7 and leave by 9. The market opens up at 10. I used to roam in the market and see. There are problems, but I do it. I took the clothes on my own and didn't use transport for it. I have used transport to get my inventory, but I had a loss of Rs 10k as they used to steal it. I am not a big businessman. I started with getting Rs 1 lakh inventory. So I used to get it on my own in the beginning.

I used to take staff with me earlier, but now I go alone. The staff can manage the shop, and I can complete the work there. I know where to buy items and how to get them packed. Now I have a new transporter, so I can get inventory through transport as well. Yes, earlier I didn't used to do this because of that tragedy. But now I have a transporter. The work is completed in a day, and I return home in a day or two by train.

The vendors write down the inventory and payment, and then it's their responsibility to send the items here. The clothes arrive after 5 days. I used to get them on my own before. It has only been 2 months since I started using transportation to get them. Because I used to carry so many clothes, there used to be a lot of hassle during train checks. Sometimes there are no porters available either. Jaipur's station is quite far inside, and Pratapgarh station is also far away. So sometimes the train used to come on the opposite side, and I used to face a lot of problems alone. That's why I decided to try using transport. I told the vendor about my fears and experiences, and he assured me that this won't happen. He said that he will provide his own transport which goes all over the country. So I decided to get the clothes delivered through that.

Yes, I used to feel scared in the beginning. There’s a metro in Kolkata and I used to take that. I didn’t know how to take the metro. But I learned quite a lot. Now I go alone everywhere, I don’t need anyone. My sister-in-law taught me in the beginning who lives in Bengal. She told me about the shops and we used to go together. And used to purchase everything on our own. But now she is also busy. So I manage everything on my own. She told me about the markets and told me about the retailer and the wholesale shops. First I didn't use to buy from wholesalers, I used to buy from retailers and used to sell it for Rs 100 more. But slowly I started learning who is giving cheaper or at a higher price. I figured this out slowly and found the main wholesaler and who is the biggest one. Now I buy from wholesalers only. Earlier I used to save Rs10 now I save Rs 15/20. Ma’am I got to know by going there and I used to ask those shopkeepers about wholesale shops. But you have to buy inventory for Rs10 lakh and you can’t take the stuff for less than that price from a wholesaler. You don’t get inventory for Rs 1 or 2 lakh. It starts from Rs 15 or 10 lahks. But in the beginning, you have to make them your customers as well. So slowly I started from 2 lakh and they used to listen to me.

The ones who are the middleman/broker, are in the market and they help connect us to the wholesaler and tell them that she is taking now but will come again as well and become your permanent customer. That’s why they used to give us in lower price as well, less than Rs 5 lakhs. Yes, they used to take me to the wholesaler shop. But I used to buy when I understood and I don’t buy if I don't understand. Brokers also have their profit. They will take from me and from shopkeepers as well. So I started with them in the beginning. I saw that I was getting the same rate that was there outside as well. Then I used my brain and reached there.

Yes. I have a lot of friends who have their own showrooms in Lucknow. I also talk to them. The wholesalers are called ‘bada ghar’ in Jaipur. So I asked them about it. I took some suggestions from my friends. So they told me to get the renovation of the shop done and to add more items. So I reached there through their help as well.

Wholesaler, then inventory, then customer and then staff. It is important because I can only sell the items if their quality is good. When I will have a lot of items then only the customers would prefer to come in my shop. When there will be more customers then I will need the staff.

I have 2-3 vendors in Jaipur. I buy from the ones I like. It's not like I buy everything from one vendor. First, I look around the market to see what's new and how it is. Then I buy from where I want to go. First, I look around the market to see what's new. I go to 4 places and look for fabrics. Then I go to the vendors and see if I can sell the items that they have then I buy them. Yes, I look for fabrics. I look for what is trending in fashion. I get clothes. I get that kind of work. But I look for something new. For example, I look for pots, pearls and sequins. I look for trends in fashion. There are a lot of sequins in fashion. There are no pearls in trend and sometimes it comes back in trend. I look for trends in fashion and work according to that. I see it on TV. I see people wearing it. I know from the actresses on what's in fashion and what's not. I know from the people in the demo. Yes, in the wholesaler’s shop. For example, when you go to the market then you see that the Banarasi pattern has gone and now something new is coming. I buy according to that. I look for designs, the kind of work that has been done in it and I look at its embroidery. That’s all I see. The main thing is the material so I pay a lot of attention to the fabric.

My shop runs on fabrics. I don't compromise on the quality whether you buy it or not. I look for quality. Once a customer comes, he'll buy it. If I wear a daily use kurti; it will remain the same if it will be washed 100 times. If you wash a market kurti once then you wouldn’t even want to look at it. That's the difference in my shop. I tell people and convince them. I tell them to buy it once and come back. They come after that.

I have to convince customers. Some customers can't buy it. They have an investment of Rs.500. How can they buy it for Rs.700? I tell them to buy it once and then tell me. When they wash it and use it then they say it's good. The only thing I have with my shop is that I don't compromise on the quality of my products. Customers come only for the quality otherwise they don't come to me leaving the whole market. As you can see, I don't have a lot of products. But in this, the customer is satisfied. They say that I have 100 designs and all of them are good. They tell me that they keep 1000 designs in the market out of which 10 are shown and they take just 2 of them. They say that they like all the 100 items that I show them and they can’t even choose 50. That's why I don't try to buy a lot of products. I only keep what's in fashion. It's not that if the fashion is out, your product is bad. It's not like that.

Yes. I keep changing inventory according to the trend in the market, according to that. I go to purchase the products every 2 months. It's not like I buy the same thing every 2 months. I buy something new. Only then will the customer come to me again. If he buys a sari, how will he come to me again? He'll say that I showed this to him last time. That's why I buy something new every 2 months.

Ma'am, I go to such vendors to ensure that the quality of clothes is good. That's why I choose the vendors carefully. That’s why I kept them on number 1 so that I get good quality items. There are a lot of vendors there. There are lakhs of vendors. I choose them because their fabric is the best. That's why I go to 4 places and buy from 1 place after looking at the material. They also satisfy me in the same way. They ask me to take their items and look at their work. They tell me that the poth won’t get black. They also convince me with their words and I also convince my customers with my words. I look at the fabric. Everyone's work is not the same. There are 10 shops there. But the goods from those 10 shops will be different. You go to everyone's shop. Everyone's goods will not be the same. Everyone's goods will be different. Yes, it's different in every shop because every shop wants to keep something different. They also keep it different. So I take whatever I feel will can be sold in Pratapgarh and what my customers will like.

I know what customers will like that’s why I take Marwari touch instead of Surat work. People don't like a lot of sequins but there is a thin variety of sequins which people like and it is different. You know, when I go to Jaipur, I get the same stuff for Rs. 500 in one shop and the same stuff for Rs. 800 in the second shop and the same for Rs.1500 in the third shop. In the beginning, when I went there, I was very confused. I was getting sequins for Rs. 1500 in one shop and for Rs. 500 in the other. They told me to show it to them. The items were from different shops but all of them were different. You can tell the difference in quality by looking at their different price.

I have to be very careful about customer’s likes and dislikes. Some customers like the design here and some customers like the design on the other side so I have to be very careful. I talk to my customers before I go. I talk to my proper customers and I ask them if they want to buy something. They tell me to buy something that has the booty below and not at the top. I have to be very careful about women's likes. Women see a lot of things in one sari. They see 100 of things. I have to convince them with a lot of things. It is very difficult. I have to tell them. I ask them to wear it and see in the mirror. So they see and tell me that they like it. I buy those saris whose lace don’t hurt. It should be nice and shouldn’t get torn in one wash. I pay attention to the work that’s done in the saris. The main thing is I am a lady and I know how to carry a sari and what problems do they give. If the work is done heavily at the bottom then it creates a problem to wear the sari and even walk in one. So I take those saris which have light work at the bottom and more on the pallu. I see there are no wide borders because then the plates won’t be made. I take care of all these things.

I bring less inventory because pure fabric items gets spoilt if we keep it for a longer duration. Yes, if I keep things that are pure, they get spoilt. So I bring such things that gets sold easily and I bring it again for them. I don't wait for 3-4 months and keep a lot of stocks. I purchase the items every 2 months and sell them. I bring a new stock after 2 months and I sell them again then I bring a new one. My kurtis also come from Bombay. I have pure kurtis. I have pure georgette, pure muslin, pure cotton. So everything is pure. I don't have daily purpose kurtis. I don't have kurtis in the range of Rs 200. I want to keep different things so that the customers come to my shop. Customers who don’t wear these things, they don't understand. But those who like to wear, they definitely come in my shop because they get something new which they like it. That's why they come.

Yes. You know, I went to Surat. I went with my husband to see the market and get to know why do people bring so many items from Surat. I bought items from Surat and none of it got sold in my shop. And I couldn't even sell the items. I was ashamed to show them to my customers. I bought them. Many customers come who want a low range and who don't wear expensive clothes. I bought for them. But I couldn't show it to my good customers. And those whom I sold, believe me, everyone returned it to me because after wearing it twice, their pants tear, their stitching opens. And in my suit there is double stitching with interlocking. There is no question of it tearing. This is the difference. I myself checked this difference and I came to know about it. It didn't sell at all. My stuff is completely useless. It doesn't sell at all. I keep it. I take it out. Like a lot of people come who want it at a cheap so I take it out and sell it. To be honest, a lot of my items gets sold and if it will be left then it will be the poor quality ones. So a lot of it gets sold and that’s why I go in every 2 months to get new items. And I don't buy so much that it doesn't sell. I bring them in a way that everything sells off.

I'm a businesswoman so I have to remember customer’s choices and demands. I have to buy stuff according to people’s choice. I remember it. In my call list, I call my customers and ask that I've come to Jaipur and if they want anything then they can tell me. They tell me that they want a pure Bandhej sari in the range of 5 to 6k. I bring it. I call them and send them a message. The day my stuff arrives, I can't even open it and my customers are already waiting to shop. I can't even tag them.

I set up my rate and tag them. There are so many customers. They think that if they come after two days then the stuff will be sold. They want it immediately. So I tell them that I will come tomorrow if I will be arriving today and then I ask them to come to the shop. Nowadays, there's an online system. I put all my products on the status. I put it online. I put it for people who are connected with me on WhatsApp. I put a status on WhatsApp that my new stuff has arrived and whoever wants to visit can come to the shop. Then they come.

No, I remember it about what customers want. If I forget something, I call my vendors that 2 saris are less so they send them to me. Sometimes I get four saris and they're sold. I don't have any more to show. People ask for more. So I call them. They send me the parcels of 7 or 10 saris whatever they have. No. It stays in my mind. I remember customers likes.

For putting price tags. The first thing is train fare plus the transporter fare. I add that with GST so that I can earn profit. I am not someone who wants 30-50% profit. I don't work on a percentage. I do it according to myself. I don't do it on a percentage. If you look at it then it can be 10%. I work on 10%.

Yes, sir. There are a few customers who have been with me for 5-6 years. I have a diary. I write in it. I don't remember it and I forget it sometimes. So there are a few customers who give me half payment. They are very nice. I don't have to call them for the payment. They come and give me the money. Then I cut their names once the payment is done. They come to buy one item but they take 4 of them from my shop. They bring the money for just one item so they take that but they also don’t leave the rest of them because they think what if they don’t get it afterwards. So I ask them to take the rest of them and do the payment afterwards. I know most of them and that’s how you build your customers. Loan is a must in any business. And there are a lot of ladies. They get pocket money. So they give according to that. So they get a lot of benefit in my shop. If they want to wear a necklace for a function then they take it and do the payment afterwards. Their work is also done. And I have to go every two months. My money comes before two months. So work is also done. Sometimes they give in installments. Some customers give in installments. Sometimes they give the whole amount together.

No, sir I don’t get loans from vendors. I have to make the payment immediately. I don't get a loan. There is a rule that I can take a loan of 10 lakhs or 12 lakhs. I will have to cross a lot of levels to get that loan. I spoke to them but they said that I won't get it on credit. You don’t get it on credit for 2 to 5 lakhs. If you take 20-25 lakhs then you will get it on credit.

I took a loan to start this business because I didn't have the money. My father is the one who started this business. No, my father. He told me that I should do it. So he gave me the money first 20,000 and then 60,000. But I earned it and gave it back to him because the business was going well. My sales were good. I was doing it from home but people liked it. So my father supported me.

Yes, I had to take a loan. Sometimes people demand a lot. Suppose they demand for a lehenga and say that they will do the payment afterwards. I tell them to make the half payment. So they give me 2 to 4k but its price was 10k. My husband supports me. He tells me to take the money if I need it. When the customers pay me the money then I return it to him. I take my money with me but I have to add some more when I go to purchase the items. Even now I don't have to take a loan.

I have a lot of problems while managing shop and house. My son has grown up. He is 12 years old. He comes home and my shop opens at 9.30 in the morning. I go inside at 12.30. I make food and come back. I leave at 2.30 because he comes back from school. I make him eat his lunch. I eat and rest. I come back at 5:00 pm and I sit in the shop till 8:00 pm. If my customer comes in between then I have to come back. The customer can come at any time. The staff stays here. If the staff is doing some work or if my husband has called someone inside then this is the mirror gate and we can hear people’s voice if they tell us that the customers are coming. So I come outside.

The only problem is that I have to manage a lot. Everyone needs the food timely, there are customers too. Now my husband also has full support in his work since we both do the interior together. So I have three jobs and so I don't have time at all. I teach my child in that too but my schedule is fixed. If I am half an hour late here, then my work will be left there and if it is late here then it will be left there. I do all my work on time. Ma'am, I don't get time for myself. I can't get it at all.

Ma'am, that's my cash memo. I keep everything in it to record sales. Whatever is sold, I write it all. And the money that is pending, I write that too. And there is a separate account of the pending payments. Yes. There is a diary like this, I write in that too. So I will give you one receipt and I will keep one with me so that I remember what you took from me if you come to return it. If I get a receipt from you, I have it. So I write the date and time and I will write your name. I'll take out your receipt and give it to you and you can't say that I didn't give you this much or that much.

In case of a return, if anything goes wrong, I do it. I think the customer should be happy. If it goes wrong, I don't return the money, I give the goods instead of the goods. If the kurti is bad, you can take another kurti.

Ma'am, I have customers who are connected to WhatsApp. Relatives are also connected to WhatsApp. Customers from outside are also connected to WhatsApp. Yes, out of city like Jaipur, Gwalior, Bombay. I put all my products on WhatsApp. I put my saris on WhatsApp to sell. They like it. They order it on the phone. They give the address to me and I put the address, I put the courier and the product are sent to them. So WhatsApp is very important for me. Many customers can't come to me, they only take it on the phone. I put the photo of the saris, they ask me for a range of 2.5 to 3 saris. I put the photo of all the saris, select it and send it to them.

No, sir. I don't have WhatsApp contact with vendors. They don't have time. They only send photos of the saris. If you want to place an order, they will talk to you but they don't have time. The staff sends it to me not the big vendors. I am talking about small shops. I have taken their number. They have given me this facility. Since I have started buying more, they have made it convenient for me that If I am selling 4 saris and I want 4 more then they will send it to me.

I have a photo of the saris that I have sold. I only send a photo to the vendors. I tell them to place the order, 4 more saris. They don't have time to talk to me. They have a specific time to come on WhatsApp. Their WhatsApp opens from 10.30 to 11.30 in the morning. They check and reply to you. They don't reply all day. You have to wait and WhatsApp is not allowed in any shop and videography is not allowed be it Jaipur, Kolkata or anywhere else. If you take the phone and say to take a photo then you will be refused immediately. There is a big banner there because time is wasted. We are showing our four customers that it looks good, see this lehenga, see this lehenga and later they will say that it doesn't look good, let's go to another shop. All their time is wasted on you. So they have refused in all the shops that videography, WhatsApp, taking photos is not allowed. It happens for me because I am a proper customer. Sometimes I get stuck so they allow a little for me to take just take one photo. Otherwise we don't take out our phone.

I get to know about fashion from Google. For example, when I go somewhere, I don't know about the shop. I get to know about it only through Google. I get to know about it there. For example, when I go to stay in a hotel then I get to know about hotels through Google.

I sometimes use Google maps, I don't know where the place is. I type on Google Maps and show it to the auto driver that this shop is here. So that’s how they drop me to a place.

Youtube has a lot of videos. There are a lot of people who tell me new things. For example, I watch videos on interior design for my husband's work. I don't know much about fabrics. So I use YouTube to get information.I look for the best showroom in Jaipur or I look for the best shops in the market on YouTube. I look at that on Google as well and very less on YouTube.

Very few people know about my business. Like you asked me to add my shop on Google. I haven't been able to do it yet. Maybe if people post it, more people will connect with me. But I haven't done it yet. I don't even post about my saris on Facebook so that people know about it. After the lockdown, the online business has improved a lot. Everyone used to do it online. But I couldn't do it because I didn't have time.

Yes, I have joined a few groups on Facebook. Rajasthani Koshak, Gift Packing, New clothes group to know what's going on in fashion, what kind of saris are in trend. I get some information and see what cost I am selling it at and what other people are charging for it.

The change before and after using the apps is that before, saris were only available in shops. The customers who couldn't come, couldn't see them. If you put up a status on WhatsApp, the customers can see them. All the people I have put in contact list can see them. And a lot of people who aren’t added in my contact list also see my status. They place the order if they like it. So my business has expanded a little bit because of WhatsApp. The big thing is that if someone needs it urgently, I can put up a photo, if they like it, I can send it through my staff. My work is done. I got the money and I sent the goods.

For the next 5 years, I want to fill up my stock a little more. I want to have more collections than what I have. I won't have a collection from Surat. I want to increase the number of lehengas so that the customers don’t go empty handed. They still don't go but I want more people to come and buy at a cheaper price. I don't want everyone to buy at a higher price. I want to keep it at a lower price but I can't because I don't like it. If I don’t like it then what can I do for others? Many of my customers go back because they want it at a lower price. If they ask for a sari in the range of Rs 1,500, I have to look for it a lot. If they ask for a sari for Rs 2,500, I can find that. I want to keep saris from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 so that people can buy them. People buy saris at such a low price for gifting purposes and not everyone will ask for Rs 2,500 or Rs 3,000. I want to increase that a little more.

No, I don't want to open another shop. I want to renovate this one. I want to put up dummies outside. If there are a few dummies outside, then people can see it. I have thought about it. I will do all this slowly. I don't have a lot of profit. So I am moving forward slowly. It takes a lot of time to do one thing because I haven't taken anyone's support. I am doing it on my own. I don't want anyone's support. Because it's just that there are a lot of problems with borrowing money. It's in the mind that I have taken a loan. It will be fine if it will be my own money and if the sales aren’t that much or if I couldn’t sell saris. If it's someone else's loan then you have to return it at the same time. A lot of people offered me. People from Surat offered me to give me stocks. They asked me to give them 2000 per month and they will give me a stock for Rs. 2,00,000 per month. I said no. If I can't even pay you 2000 rupees a month then what will I do? So whatever I have is mine. I don't do anything that would stress me out.

We are not able to reach out to people. We are only able to reach out to the people who are in the contact list. I don't have that many followers on Facebook. As I told you, I'm far away from social media. I don't even use Facebook or Instagram. If more people connect with me then I might be able to sell more. I'm only selling it to people whom I know. Everyone likes to wear nice things. If you give them something nice, they will wear it nicely.

It's been 2.5-3 years that I have been using online payment method. I check it immediately and then only I let them go. I check my SMS in the Paytm app. Sometimes I get SMS and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I open the bank's app and check if the payment has come or not. Sometimes I don't get a message.

I trust my father with business related advice. I trust my father and my husband for it. I take advice from them and do my work.