What Happened When This Entrepreneur Decided To Launch An Online Store In The Birds And Bees Industry!
While growing up I was told to be brave, follow my heart, and speak my mind….you know all that kind of gyan. Intelligent that I am, I took that advice to heart. But, when I actually started following my heart and speaking my mind…what do you know…they (family dearest, friends, and everyone else) made me feel like I should go hide! Really! Not kidding.
The reactions from close family and friends when we (Mreenal (hubby) and I) announced our decision to launch it’spleaZure, an online adult store, actually made me feel like there’s something wrong with us…and at times the conversation got so awkward that I prayed with all my heart that ‘yeh dharti phat jaye aur mein is mein sama jaon’, sounds dramatic? It was, trust me.
When we introduced our ‘business’ or told people what we are ‘into’….all we got were weird looks, uncomfortable silences…..and oh well…..we hope you know what you’re doing or the proverbial ‘log kya kahenge’ - which always reminded me of the famous Rajesh Khanna song ‘kuch toh log kahenge.. logo ka kaam hai kehna... chodo bekar ki baton ko….but I managed to keep my musical thoughts and response to myself ..…can’t afford to aggravate the junta too much…can we?
Initially, these reactions hurt us, then annoyed us, now they amuse us. In fact, by now we’ve become so used to the shocked looks or disapproving glances, that we’re disappointed if we don’t get any!
I’ve put together some of the times/incidents which at the time were worrying but now are simply funny memories of a worthwhile pursuit, to motivate all of you who are thinking of trying out something different, something not yet socially acceptable, but still right!
When your doting pa in-law thinks you’ve lost it! Who would have imagined that a simple email informing people of your new venture, asking for their wishes and support would result in a frantic and urgent call from a very worried parent thinking their offspring is on the verge of launching a business in the galat industry (read - porn industry)? Sigh.
But, that’s just what happened. My pa-in-law got so worried when he received the email that he assumed the worst and hoped it was not true…does it make sense, no….right? But, that’s how parents are. He was so worried that he didn’t even dare say the words….probably fearing that they may become true? He called me and asked very cautiously and like most Indian parents would do - euphemistically – ‘Tum log kuch galat toh nahi kar rahe ho na? Nahi, No....Papa…we’re not doing anything galat.
When you go a-hiring! Fun as it was to see the nervous, comical expressions when we explained our ‘business’ to prospective employees, it became a challenge to hire a great team to give shape to and take our idea forth! We said sexual wellness and they heard porn, porn, porn! And then, they ran, ran, ran away! People, has no one ever told you – sex ≠ porn? Dictionary dekho, please.
That’s how it was during the last few months…candidates that we liked and wanted to be a part of our team…ran away…literally! It’s changing now….thank god!
Social Media Abandonment – This was a bit extreme. Not at all expected. Equal parts amusing and exasperating. A while back we ran a small contest on Twitter #WhyShyIndia; somehow, this contest went viral and was trending for almost six hours. We received a great response from the participants and needless to say were ecstatic, till the next day. Our bubble of happiness burst when one of our followers (a lady) told us that she lost almost 70 followers on Twitter just ‘cause she participated in our contest!! Unbelievable, right? Try to create a dialog about sex in a healthy manner and people unfollow you! This is surely the everything of hypocrisy! #ReallyIndia?
A Conversation with the Writer Girl – We had been searching for someone to do some content for us, for a while. We found a team of women who agreed to do it for us....couldn’t believe our luck. Our request for a call to discuss the work was met with a request to – ‘please call me after 5’ from one of the writers. Curious, I asked her, ‘Why after 5?’, to which I got the most unexpected response – ‘Kyonki 5 baje Papa walk pe chale jate hain!!! You’ve got to be kidding me! You can write about the subject, but can’t talk about it? Not even euphemistically...something like how to spread love in a war torn country (read marriage)? Or an even greater cause like promoting world peace? No, she said....not before 5. So, I waited patiently for 5 o’clock and for the discussion on world peace.
It’s incidents like these – at times worrying and at times funny that make our work day eventful and exciting!
By Divya Chauhan, CoFounder ItsPleazure
