Aditya Birla Group's products have been an integral part of each of our lives. Millennials as we are called, we have witnessed the rise of Aditya Birla Group (ABG) to the market position it is in today. It is difficult to fathom any sector of the Indian Economy which the ABG group hasn't catered to. The brand has done a great job in not only catering to the needs of Modern India but also kept intact the traditions of our country. Out of my personal experience, Forever 21 was one of the most fashionable yet affordable brands that I could shop from. It has truly changed the way youngsters dressed. Coming from Ahmedabad, we had to usually reserve time whenever travelling to Mumbai/ Delhi to shop at F21. I was overjoyed to know when F21 finally came to Ahmedabad. The huge line at the inauguration of the store spoke volumes about how Young India found shopping there as a top choice. While F21, on the one hand, brought us closer to the different styles of fashion, on the other hand, it has kept us all grounded with the major changes in the railway industry. It has integrated the values of modern and traditional cultures.
Growing up in cities connected with roads, travelling in trains to go to places far eating food wrapped up in Freshwrapp foil, talking on the phone for hours using Idea Cellular Network, walking on the streets wearing Forever 21; one thing that has connected all of it was Aditya Birla Group. The houses made up of UltraTech Cement, have been a go-to for all civil industry engineers in India; travelling in railways with the help of Birla Copper, which is one of the major suppliers of Copper to the Indian Railways! Eating home cooked food wrapped in Freshwrapp aluminium foil, Hindalco, make us reminiscence the good old days as a kid! It has introduced clothing brands like Forever 21, Liva, which has redefined the fashion industry. Allen Solly, a brand known by every woman in our country because it was the first brand in India to introduce formal work wear. And lastly, using Idea Cellular and Idea Internet Network like a pro as it has helped me come closer to my dreams! When I come to think about it, it's too much to fathom, about the revolution Aditya Birla Group has done in the Indian market. Aditya Birla Group has not just created products; they have created a lifestyle, with which the customer feels whole.
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger — something better, pushing right back.”, a famous quote by Albert Camus, has helped me sail through the tough times.
There are various challenges we face on a day to day level. One of the most challenging experiences in my life was when I started my venture, called “Merakhi Creations”. It was a small hand-craft venture, which had initially started with the idea of helping my brother, who suffers from down syndrome. He used to make handcrafted diyas and envelopes, and I wanted to put up a stall for helping him. However, I soon realised the minimum number of products needed to be put up by the stall was much more.
I inclined art since childhood, so I started making handcrafted products like lighted bottles, painted kulhads, dreamcatchers and many more. To my surprise, when I put up the stall, all the products were sold out. With this, I started my venture, and maybe see how businesses work. I hadn’t any prior knowledge in this area and relied on the help of my friends and family who put in relentless effort to help me in every possible aspect. Studying the market, taking feedback from the customers and expanding the product range, marketing on social platforms, creating the logo took up a lot of my time. I was also working with an MNC and also preparing for CAT at the same time. I had a tough time managing all these tasks, but I did not want to give up on what I now thought as my child project. There were days when I was down with all the challenges life was throwing at me, but I made sure I got back up and did what I had to do. Before coming to IIM Visakhapatnam, I did put up another stall, with every little detail in place, from business cards to huge banners to the packaging of the product, I think I have come a long way, and there is a long way to go. Sometimes challenges bring out the best in us!