Business Ideology

When I started this business and opened the shop, I didn't think about the future. I didn't open this business thinking that it would earn me a profit. I started this business thinking that it would grow to some extent in the next five or six years. But now, I feel that I have made the wrong choice by entering this cosmetic segment. I should have chosen some other segment. The thing is, there are too many cosmetic companies available in the market right now. There was a time when Lakme used to be the most popular brand. After Lakme, Maybelline became the most popular brand. Now there are too many brands like Sugar and local cosmetic brands in the market. Due to this reason, there is quite a fluctuation in the market.

I sell all types of products, including pillow covers and bed sheets. There isn't anything that I don't sell at my shop. The thing is, local people can buy every product they need from my shop instead of going to the nearby market and paying a transportation fare of 30 rupees. So, customers can save a lot of their time and money by buying products from my shop. Whatever discounts they can get from the shops in the local market, I offer better discounts than them. I started my business after considering these factors, and I am still running my business in the same way as before. I haven't thought about doing anything different in my business. Right now, I am thinking about how I can grow my business. I would appreciate suggestions on things that I can do to expand my business. If you provide suggestions on how I can grow my business, I will take them into consideration and definitely implement them. If I achieve good results from doing that, I will wholeheartedly thank both of you. I have been running my business on my own for a long time. It is unlikely that I am doing something wrong, but I don't know what it is. I am dealing with and communicating with customers. I am providing products to customers. Despite doing all this, I am still not getting enough customers at my shop.

Let me give you another example. I keep Lakme aloe vera gel at my shop, and its price is 340 rupees. I have a similar product called Astaberry aloe vera gel, and its price is 110 rupees. So, the question is how can I satisfy the customer and make them buy the Astaberry aloe vera gel instead of the Lakme aloe vera gel? Lakme is a well-known brand, whereas Astaberry is not. Not many people know about the Astaberry brand, so I have to convince the customer. To do that, I will let them try out both products to see which one feels softer on their skin. These types of products often come with a test or trial pack. I will encourage them to use the Astaberry aloe vera gel at least once. If they don't like it, they can always go back to the Lakme aloe vera gel. This way, I can convince most of the customers. However, the issue is that I am affecting my business by selling the Astaberry aloe vera gel, which costs less than the Lakme aloe vera gel.

I want to start a new business. The thing is, a successful businessman should be involved in various types of businesses. If I run multiple businesses, then failure in one of them won't have any impact on me. I am not attracting enough customers to my shop because people nowadays prefer to purchase products online. Nowadays, people can order food online through platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. If this particular business of mine is not performing well, I will have to switch to a completely different business. As you may know, Bengali people have a love for food. Whenever Bengali people come across a new restaurant, they tend to visit and dine there. That's why I want to open a restaurant because I am confident that I will have customers throughout the year.

I sell all types of products at my shop. I engage in various types of businesses. I am an agent of ICICI Prudential, and I have passed the IRDA exam. I also provide mediclaim services. Additionally, I am an IRCTC agent, which allows me to use my laptop to book train tickets. The key is to offer a wide range of products at my shop, as customers are more likely to visit a shop that offers a diverse selection. Therefore, I strive to stock my shop with a variety of products so that I can fulfill any customer's request. It is important to me that no customer leaves my shop empty-handed. At Smart Bazaar, you can find a wide range of products, but you cannot book train tickets there. However, at my shop, you can not only purchase all types of products but also book your train tickets. I typically assist older individuals who are unable to visit the railway station to book their tickets.

I also do insurance. The thing is, I can't just stick to one thing. I have to survive in this world. I have to diversify my business and income in order to survive. If I can't earn money from one thing, I can earn it from another. That's why I sell so many products and do so many things. So, this is how I run my business in a very haphazard way.

I also do occasional business. By occasional business, I mean that I sell colors at my shop before Holi, and I sell firecrackers at my shop before Diwali. Similarly, I sell Rakhis at my shop before Raksha Bandhan. So, I have to do these things to earn money.

We just take God's name and be normal. Even if no sales are made all day, I am still happy. I am happy whether I get it or not. I will try to be happy and chant Sita Ram. There is this saying that God is always there to watch over you, which is in Ramcharitamanas. The house gets managed. If we are doing good deeds, then God will definitely bless us. He will make sure that you get your daily bread. Nothing changes in the budget as such; we make the necessary compromises immediately. I will work according to my budget and not more than that.

This is important. The vendor is important. Without them, our work won't happen. Only when they give us the products, will I be able to give them to the customers. If they are not there, then who will manage? A shop is not made with just 2 people. If the vendor is not there, then we won't be able to work. Without them, we can't do any work. Wherever we go, we can't do any work without the vendor. If they don't provide us with the materials, what will I be able to sell? If we are not available, they will take care of things. If we don't have these items, how will we help the customers? Is it right or wrong? Second is staff, third is inventory, and fourth is the customer.

Online shopping. People order everything online. If they don't like the item, they can return it. Even pooja items are purchased in the same way. The customer is never your buddy; they can spend money anywhere to get their desired item. Their satisfaction is important. If we are paying for something and not happy with it, it doesn't matter what we give, we won't be happy. We should be content with what we receive. We are studying this subject at the institute, where the teacher is instructing. If you are not satisfied with the teaching, neither the teacher nor the student will be satisfied. If the student is not cooperating, how can the teacher be happy?

I thought that starting a furniture business would be a good idea. It's like using our brain - if our stomach is hurting, we take medicine for stomachache, not for a headache. So, I surveyed the market and realized that there is a demand for furniture because everything else is available except for furniture. That's why I decided to open a furniture store. I also noticed that there are good clothing shops, saree shops, and a few mattress shops, including dealers of Sleepwell mattresses. In the village, when people need furniture, they have to order it from carpenters because there are no ready-made options available. They struggle to find good furniture and end up spending more money. Considering this situation, I believed that a furniture shop would be successful. I opened my showroom on October 31, 2020, and after a month, I started the manufacturing unit, even though I had no prior experience. I knew that I would learn things gradually, and it's better to face losses and run your own business than to learn things while working for someone else. I faced some challenges at the beginning and suffered losses, but I persevered, and with God's grace, everything turned out well.

You will not get homemade food in a hotel, so their motive online is to provide products to the customers. People will not know about its quality. In my experience, you will not get good furniture online. Customers have claimed this themselves. They have said that if something is 20,000 offline, then the same thing is 19,000 online, but they provide a bad product. They will give 1000 more offline, but at least they will see it and then decide because the material is good. That's why we don't prefer online products. I don't sell furniture online.

This is a neighborhood shop. I mainly cater to people who are looking to buy saris below 1k. They would prefer to go to a larger shop for more expensive items. They specifically look for items priced below 1k. Otherwise, they would go to another place. I also stock innerwear and hosiery items. I began by keeping only saris. I had kept around 8-10 saris. Then I saw that they weren't selling. Then I realized that one has to keep everything in the neighborhood shop. I slowly started keeping all the things the ladies around the colony asked me to keep. Someone might ask for a bedsheet while shopping for a sari. So, I began keeping those as well. That is how I went about it. If someone asked me for a vest, I went ahead and got one for them. That is how I have ended up keeping so much already. You would get an idea of what people in the neighborhood want. You would find everything.

I have items in my shop based on what you want, such as a sari or a handkerchief. You can also find vests, innerwear, and underwear for both men and women. I have it all. I also have bedsheets. I have items for small children and people aged around 40-45 years or so. I also have lungis and dhotis for the elderly. The customer doesn't have to leave disappointed. Usually, you don't find everything in one place. A shop selling saris would only sell saris. If it sells dhotis, then it would only sell dhotis. What I have done is sell everything. If they want a dhoti, pant, or anything else for that matter, they can find it all here, in one shop. I have done this based on the customers' requirements. I listened to them and stocked up accordingly because I am their neighborhood shopkeeper. They would rather come and pick something up at my shop than spend money on traveling to another place. They say it's better to get it from me.

I was interested in electronics and music. I have been interested in TV, radio, and amplifiers since I was a kid. Now, even countries like China are assembling amplifiers. Now, everything is ready-made. So, the mobile field started to grow in 2007-08. The first brand I saw was Intex, and smartphones from their brand were very popular in Tamil Nadu. Samsung was next, but it wasn't Android; it was called Tizen. My friends suggested becoming a distributor of Intex. We thought of opening a mobile shop for retail sales. I became the super-stockist of Intex, Fly mobile, Kate Touch, and Lemon. We supplied to Erode and all districts. A super-stockist means I received the products and supplied them to a distributor, who then sold them to retailers and finally to customers. I thought that instead of doing this, we could open many branches and engage in direct counter sales to retail customers. So, I opened 13 shops, and it was going well.

There's no specific challenge in business. If I focus on challenges, it won't be beneficial. Business is something that adapts to our needs. I run my business based on my financial requirements rather than setting fixed targets. I don't strive for a specific profit. I'm content whether I make 1,000 rupees or 1,00,000 rupees. I don't chase after targets, and I don't compare my business with others. I work diligently and have experienced the profits. In today's business, you can't set fixed goals because the market has evolved. The online market has disrupted the industry, reducing prices by 80% and often selling refurbished products instead of new ones. The market dynamics have changed, and it's no longer straightforward. You can't set a goal because the market is somewhat broken. That's why I'm exploring additional business opportunities and adapting to the market.

My father and I operate in the same business, but I primarily focus on the rural demand. In rural areas, there is a society where customers receive 30 to 35% subsidies for their loans. We reach out to such places through our firm to raise awareness. Our primary concentration is on rural areas. Within the city, people are generally unaware of the government scheme through which they can receive 30 to 35% subsidies on bank loans for kitchen equipment. Rural residents are to some extent aware, but city people are often unaware that the government provides subsidies, especially to women entrepreneurs.

It was my idea to focus on rural area. During my college years, my friends were primarily from rural and interior areas. Our perspectives and thoughts often differed from one another. They had chosen our college because it was a women's college. The customers who visited us also had distinct viewpoints. It was then that I decided to focus on serving both rural and interior areas. We approach women committees and even they approach through google search. We are working on the web sites also.

Whoever (customers) comes to me is sent by God. They are God themselves, even if I sell for only 10 rupees. Once they enter the shop, it is earnings for me. It is not a loss for me. That's how I always think. They are from the nearby area. 7 to 8 years ago, people used to come from a distance of 10 kilometers as well. There were even people who used to come from a distance of 45 kilometers. There is a market here. I used to have 3 footwear shops and I had a large stock worth around 15 lakhs. Now I only have stock worth 2 to 3 lakhs. If the business was good, I wouldn't have considered changing my line of work. Because the business is slow, I want to change my business. If there was a guarantee that the business would improve tomorrow, I could invest an additional 10 lakhs rupees. But there is no point in investing money.

When a new customer arrives, I should welcome them warmly. When I had a grocery shop, I used to call them "annachi" (elder brother). If they are ladies, then I would call them "akka" or "amma". Since this is a chappal shop, I address them as sir. So, when they come, I first greet them by saying "vanga", which means "Please come". Then I inquire about their well-being. I mention that they haven't been coming to the shop for a long time. Even if I had met them a week or 10 days ago, I would still say that it's been a long time since we last met. Then I show them the models.I am courteous, and they feel happy about it. If we try to sell items with a frowning face, it will not happen. Even if we give them the items that they want, it would be like a machine dispensing things. So, it is always good to welcome them with a pleasant smile. When they enter the shop, it means money for us. They are walking on the road, so why should they come to us? Even if they purchase something for 10 rupees, it is profit for us. This is something that I learned in my childhood from my owners. They are gurus for us. I only completed my education till 6th standard, so all the shop owners whom I worked with are my teachers. But the present generation is not ready to learn from us. Earlier, people who worked under me are well off. But for the past 5 to 6 years, the people who come to me are not ready to listen. They choose the wrong path. As a result, these people have not succeeded in their lives. However, the people who worked with me in the beginning have started their own businesses. They thank me for guiding them. I am 53 years old, and my own shop owners are all 80 and above. But still, I remember them fondly.

The main aim of my business is customer satisfaction. To achieve that, we should have initial payment and bring new collections. Business will depend on the amount we have. My future plan is to buy more items. This is Deepavali time, so in 10 days I will go and purchase. I have to go in 5 days. Next month 12th is Deepavali. Before that Ayudha Pooja and Saraswati Pooja. I have to purchase those items.