Until my mid-twenties, I was on a path well-trodden, with a master’s degree in Computer Science and a good government job. But after my son was born, I wanted to do something different that would let me look after him and make a name for myself.
Since I have a strong background in computing, my husband suggested that I head the fledgling e-commerce arm of the family business, Chetanya Loomtex. Our company makes beautiful artificial grass carpeting as well as bedsheets and handloom products.
It was an exciting idea. At that stage, we were a purely brick-and-mortar operation. But the year was 2018 and e-commerce was truly taking off across the country. We knew that going online was not an opportunity that could be missed.
We launched our online operations in 2019 and I took charge, handling product packaging and shipment for our steadily increasing online buyer base. Then the pandemic hit. I consolidated our warehouse and manufacturing facilities in Panipat to make the supply chain leaner. And I joined Walmart Vriddhi in March 2020.
Being an active participant in the program has been an enriching experience. The training modules on marketing, customer satisfaction, effective packaging, and reduction of production costs, in particular, have been very helpful. I also learned strategies that we could use amid the pandemic to aid our recovery.
Walmart Vriddhi also gave me a pathway to connect with the Flipkart marketplace and directly reach millions of customers across India.
We only launched our eCommerce operations two years ago, but our online business now accounts for 70% of sales. What’s more, our total revenue is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, with last year’s e-commerce festive season sales giving our recovery a huge boost.
I’d like to encourage other ambitious women business owners to explore e-commerce. I really appreciate the support I have as part of the Vriddhi program and I love the flexibility that online operations give me to expand the business while also raising a young child.
Everyone at Chetanya Loomtex is excited about what we can do next. I hope to upgrade our seller status on the Flipkart marketplace from Silver to a Gold. And I want to explore online B2B (business-to-business) sales by onboarding with Flipkart Wholesale.
My dreams have taken flight and the future is looking brighter than ever.
