Meet The SHEROES: A QnA With Arpita Kalanuria Pahuja

Arpita Kalanuria Pahuja the Founder of Colorvan, an online platform that showcases creative work of artists and designer's from all over India speaks to us about the idea behind her venture and her entrepreneurial journey today,

Tell us about yourself 
I've had a classic South Bombay teenage life. When I realized that I had to pursue a career in something creative, I studied BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media) at KC College, after which I assisted in production and direction of several feature films. I switched to brand management with Saif Ali Khan, which was quite an experience, and it opened the doors to my next role as Marketing Head at Kunal Kohli Productions. After working with films for almost 7 years, I was fortunate to experience the amazing work culture at Red Bull in my short stint as Culture Marketing Consultant.

How did the idea of Colorvan come about?
Oh, it was a very functional-need of the hour sort of thing. There was a wedding and a big exhibition in the family in the same month, and finding vendors for the most intricate to the biggest jobs was a herculean task! That's when I thought of creating a platform to amalgamate creative talent across India.   

What sets Colorvan apart from other portals that also showcase a designer's / artists goods?
First off, we have over 100 categories across Art, Food, Design, Fashion, Technology & Lifestyle. The kind of talent that you will be able to find on Colorvan, it'll probably take you hours rounding up similar results from various different portals in India. And second, you don't have to wait to receive an artist/designer's portfolio or price lists; you can compare, review, choose the style of work beforehand. 

Can you tell us a little about how the process works? How does it benefit the creative artists and the end user?
On Colorvan, you'd be able to book creative services or buy the products online effortlessly. Online payment systems for creative services protect the artists/designers' interest, as well as help users choose the artwork style vs prices beforehand. To put it simply, it's a Zomato for Creative Services/Products. We often catch our interns off guard, they're so amused that they can't help but browse through thousands of portfolio's of highly creative work.  

Can you tell us a little about the kind of designers / work you can find here?
My personal favourite categories are a little off the beaten track: Graffiti Artists, Food Critics, Digital Media Marketers, Dog Training Services, 3D Printing Services, Shoe Designers, to name a few. 

Professionally, where do you see yourself in the future? Another venture in the pipeline? 
I've just returned from IIM-B, where I studied entrepreneurship, and that's where I discovered my love for psychology. It's likely that my next product would be to bring tech and psychology together on a single platform. But all of that after Colorvan has finished its teething period in the tech world. 

What is a typical day at work like for you?
I'm a workaholic, my day starts and ends with work! I'm constantly ideating and I'm a believer in brainstorming, and I usually set daily targets for myself and the team- it's like instant gratification and keeps everyone happy!

Any thoughts to leave our readers with?
Yes! It's an excerpt from a note I wrote while on campus at IIM-B, analogy explaining difficult situations in life/work:

'A Hundred Acres in High Heels'

As I spend my last morning on campus connected to the 'IIMB-Student' wifi, I feel thankful for all the things that have transpired in the past weeks. I walked a hundred acres (exaggeration for poetic effect only) in high heels, because I broke my slippers in the first week, and no amount of bandaid or industrial strength glue/staplers could hold it together. So yes, I did try to literally bootstrap, but when that didn't work, I decided to take the high road in my 3-inch heels, and it was pure wholesome discomfort. But I thought to myself, if I can do this, I can do anything- I will survive and make do with what I got. Not that it is a great measure or judgement of strength by itself, and I have overcome far greater real life challenges to my credit, but it is good to keep reminding one's self through the little things, that 'I can do this'.