Everybody likes to celebrate their child's birthdays with fervour and first birthdays are the most memorable occasions. Mothers would go to any extent to ensure the day is perfect in every way. When doing so, one such mother came across hurdles that led to a business idea.
Let's hear Neha's side of the story!
How did the idea of Confettish Innovations come about?
Confettish was a result of our love (my co-founder's and mine) for celebrations and making every occasion memorable. While looking for the perfect birthday favors for my daughter's first birthday, I came across many sites & stores which had kids' party favors - but they were either not personalized, or they were not innovative enough.
It was during those few months of putting this much awaited celebration together (an arduous task for any working mom) that Gauri and I came together to create the first favour-hamper which was completely personalized and handcrafted. There was no looking back - because we were hooked.
We decided to create an online store offering innovative, personalized, handcrafted goodies for all occasions - initially testing the waters through our Facebook page. We finally brought our store to life in 2014, as the name suggests, we have a fetish for 'confetti' ; where confetti symbolises celebration!
How are your products different from others in the similar market sphere?
Our key differentiators are our product designs - which definitely are our strength and the ability to customize & personalize much smaller quantities than most online stores would do for a retail customer. We are also focussing mainly on the personalization of favors and gifts and we do not just offer party supplies, which are more commonly found in the online platform.
What are the challenges you face in this line of work?
One of the greatest challenges is to manage orders within tight timelines - since the essence of any gifting business is delivering well in time for the occasion. We understand that even a single order, delivered a day later, becomes a waste for the customer - we are constantly prioritising and aligning the supply chain to ensure every single customer has a satisfied smile on their face when they receive our products.
Give us a brief insight of both you and your business partner - (how both of you bring in different qualities into the business)
Gauri is the creative master of Confettish - she manages the design team as well as new product development for each category. Her love for craft and all things handcrafted made her quit her Corporate Communications job - her need for perfection ensures that every product which leaves our warehouse is of a high quality standard.
I bring to the table a complusive need to organize every last detail, manage all client communications and focus on the online tech piece as well as the marketing strategy. I have a background in Management Consulting and Sales.
But like all start ups, we are often found topping multiple hats and crossing over to the other side. However, the common quality that we both have is our deep commitment to making our customers satisfied and happy with each purchase they make from Confettish.
What does it take to succeed as an entrepreneur?
In our ongoing entrepreneurial journey, if there are 3 key things which we have learnt and believe in, they will be:
1. Get your hands dirty - In a creative products business like ours, if we haven't done it ourselves, we will never be able to build a supply chain for it to perfection.
2. Believe - After every long day, there will be another long day - but one happy satisfied customer's feedback mail will make it all worth it!
3. Think Big - As a start-up, we often get bogged down with a daily tasklist, but it is always the question of scalability which finally helps us in critical decision-making for our business. The biggest fear is to lose sight of the bigger picture.
What advice would you give women thinking of starting their own entities?
We are great believers that women can multi-task everything in the most beautiful way - and their commitment to each task they take up is mind blowing.
The one and only advice we can give is what we follow everyday - Be fearless and Take the Plunge – no one can hold you back from achieving your dreams except you yourself.