I don’t talk to anybody related to business or some advice; I just search on Google and YouTube. It's better than asking anybody; you can search immediately on YouTube and Google.
I got the idea of doing business through my Guruji. I received Matarani's blessings, and when I asked Guruji, he suggested that I do it. He said there was no issue and that I would understand everything gradually. My Guruji's name is Shri Arun Shukla, and he lives in Tata Nagar. He is a teacher in a Vidyalaya and teaches students. I met him while going to the ashram for 'puja-paath'. So, our contact increased gradually. When I talked to him, he asked me to come the next day and said there was no issue and that I would grow slowly. If he had not advised me to start a business, I would have done something else.
I talked with my guruji about 'puja-paath'. I asked him whether I should do this work and if it is fair or not. Yes, I asked him whatever I did not understand. I said, 'Guruji, should I take this path or not? Should I buy puja-related things? Puja ki saamagri.' I asked him whether I should go to Kolkata, Mumbai, Kanpur, or Banaras. I asked him which route I should follow to get a better response from the person in front.
I decided to give a 10% discount to customers on the total amount. It has been my nature since the beginning. Guruji suggested that I offer a 10% discount to everyone, regardless of age. Whether it's a small kid or a senior. I decided 10% because the items are different. Some items have a 10% discount, some have a 5% discount, some have a 50% discount, and some have a 20% discount.
It has been a week that I am using a smartphone. Guruji has given this to me. He scolded me a lot and then he bought this for me. He says I have to change with the times. When we go there for an hour or so, they tell us about all of this. He teaches me how to use this phone. He has taught me everything, even how to download apps.
I decided to spend on customers instead of advertisements. It is about our thinking. We are normal people - engineers, laborers, and businessmen. We eat food according to our needs. It depends on how much you utilize your brain. How much brain am I utilizing in my business? I think about how to increase my business, so we think and discuss with our mummy, and then I decide.
There is no way to discuss business. I wake up in the morning, and I have to reach the shop at 10 am. My shop opens at 09:30 am, and by 10 am, it is ready. So, I have to sit at the counter at 10 am and instruct my staff about their work. The shop closes at 10 pm, and then I go home, go to bed, and watch videos about businessmen like Adani ji and Ramdev ji. If they can achieve high growth, then why can't we? To reach their level, we have to utilize our minds and search for things on the internet to grow our business. These things help us, and by observing successful people, we can apply their strategies to our own business. Yes, then I discuss what to do to bring growth, but I don't take ideas from anyone else; they are self-generated ideas.
I take advice from my husband about business. He takes advice from his customers on what they want. And the rest, he takes it from the wholesaler.
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.
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.
I take advice from my uncle (mama ji) related to business. Because he encouraged me for this so I take advice from him.
As I told you, if I have any finance-related problems, I have my uncle who can advise me. Alternatively, I can ask my sir, who was my teacher during my college days. If I don't find a solution from the CA, I usually get it from my sir. Whenever there is a problem with GST, any entry, or anything else, I always find someone who has a solution. Otherwise, I search for it online and find something somewhere.
I rely on my thinking abilities, and for relaxation, the representatives from the company visit me here. For instance, the person from Havells comes and updates me about their product. Almost all the company representatives come here. In today's fast-paced world, you don't have to go anywhere; instead, all the company folks will come to you. There are some local products that I purchase by going to Kanpur. For example, if you consider the GI boxes and such, I have them manufactured in Kanpur under my name, "Sri". So, I have to visit Kanpur for this purpose.
I decided to keep Milton as I see that if I keep Milton items, I would benefit, and if I keep toys, I would also benefit. So, based on that, we started keeping the products. One of my relatives had this kind of shop, and I also took feedback from him. I know someone who lives outside of Durgapur, and I also took feedback from him. I gained some experience from him. Then I started this.
I wasn't getting anything on the main road. I found out from a friend that this place was available. The development was starting here, and that's when I started booking it. And hence I chose this location.
I know which distributors to go to because I have purchased goods from them. If I have bought goods from them about 8-10 times and seen that the stock is of good quality, then I continue with them. For the first time, I would have heard about the distributor from a friend. Word of mouth carries great significance in my line of work. I also have a friend who owns a garment shop and he has told me about them.
The experience of running a fancy store over there is very different from this one. In the fancy store, you have to display all the items and let customers select what they want, then give it to them. But here, you have to give customers whatever they ask for. So, if I had any doubts, I would ask people around. In this area, there are a couple of grocery shops, so I can find out if any new items have arrived in the market and what the prices are. In the fancy store, customers have to search through the whole collection of fancy items just to buy one thing, but here we need to give customers whatever they ask for.
There are a few business associations. If any issues are raised, we will reach out to the association regarding them. There was a meeting held 2 weeks ago. They will ask if there is an issue, if there is a problem. If there is an issue, they will take care of it accordingly. There is an office.
I have a deep understanding of the business, around 99%. I can analyze and understand why a company is doing something, even when it comes to circuitry. So, I don't need to ask many people. I might inquire about market trends, rates, customer expectations, or the market situation. I don't typically need to seek business advice, given my experience.
I have never approached anybody for business ideas. I am used to it from the beginning. Even if I want to open something, it depends on me. If my family members say no, I am not going to listen to them. My son has a different idea. He is studying in the business field, so he may open something of his own liking.
I don’t ask anyone for business advise. If I take a decision it doesn’t matter whether it is my in-laws, wife, siblings, parents or whoever that is asking me not to do it, I will still do it. No one can change my mind.