Why is Aditya Birla Group Big In My Life?
In a middle-class small town family of four, I was the only heir
To my father’s pharmaceutical wholesale business that grew up with me like an elder brother.
Multi-storeyed was an outlier,
Amidst houses whose courtyards still smelled of old English Ashlar.
If you did buy new clothes, you’d go local retail hopping,
‘brand’ was only a ‘snobbish’ thing.
Back then, there weren’t many malls.
You had to pay if someone called you, and phones were tied to the walls.
All your savings went to the bank account,
Until revolution seeped in through the cracks, and ABG took charge to surmount.
On its soil our wildest dreams germinated into truth
Gone were the days of telephone booth.
1 GB 4G data per day made the 100 free sms out of use,
Try all you want, take all you need, under the same roof, be it accessories, clothes or shoes!
Insurance, Wealth Management and Finance aren’t Hebrew
On its concrete breast, Industries, Urban sprawl, and Global advancement grew!
In the blink of an eye ABG had occupied an indispensable spot
After 23 years, I can’t imagine life without this protagonist of our plot!
They sort of remind me of the miles I’ve walked,
The columns of our renovated house, my clothes, all dipped in the ABG essence,
Even my smartphone’s SIM card slot!
If you’re still reading this, you’re probably just taken by amuse
At how they’re taking care of every breath of yours, promising a secured death too,
Truth be told, who can beat this conglomerate,
With their contribution to the growing economy and their R&D stunts all over the news ?
How Have I Made An Impact?
I started my first entrepreneurship venture in February 2018, before which I had been working at a start-up called Autogram, as a Software Engineer. It was an up-stream decision since in the eyes of my family, it somehow defies the whole point of holding a B. Tech degree from an NIT. I, on the other hand, wasn’t willing to let go without giving it the due try.
My trip to the village of Phulia, West Bengal, in January 2018, was an ice-breaker. What remarkable handicraft and embroidery! Every nook and cranny of the place is filled with impeccable prodigy and under-recognized virtuoso, waiting on the right kind of exposure. I strongly felt responsible for them and proud of their work. I could just not let such legitimate talent slowly die. After extensive research, I started, with a merchant account on an e-commerce platform, a Social Media page and diligent conscientious. Soon after, sales started kicking in and the brand gained recognition. I hired unskilled labor for logistics, and focused on the critical aspects of devising ways to generate revenue, optimize procurement, acquire market and expand the business.
Meanwhile, my grandfather, who had been my childhood best-friend, fell ill. My parents being working professionals, I committed myself to nursing him full-time, ardently administering him with the prescribed medication, alongside upholding my nascent business venture. He passed away three weeks before CAT. A part of me was rational about the void, but the remaining, challenged me with a crisis. In the last ten days, I strived to recuperate the aim of securing a Top B-school to pursue my MBA, alongside giving all the time and energy the business needed. I supported my father emotionally, coping with being the linchpin to the family, with undeterred focus on my career, especially at such crucial crossroads.
In the process, I learnt to compartmentalize affairs, and that the show must go on. I evolved with the capability to proactively take charge, understood that striking the right balance at every step, is the key to cope with tensity.
Today, TRIMAYA TRADITIONALS is one year old, with 200% growth in semi-annual turn-over, all of its profits catering to develop business in the understated hand-loom manufacturing remote villages, and has instilled in me integral first-hand experience in the nuances of business. I feel responsible for my stake-holders, realize my accountability to shoulder their earnings. I have a practical understanding of the opportunities and risks in ventures. My decision making and inter-personal skills are sharper now. I take a calmer and more confident approach to challenges, and believe in constantly setting and achieving sub-goals, to seize greater targets. And you know what’s the best part? The first thing my father says when he introduces me somewhere is, “all this, she did off her own savings”. But it wasn’t all so rosy when it began. The road was rough and full of odds, so much so that I kind of sport them as accolades now.
The success of my entrepreneurship venture, has changed my personality multi-fold, and today when I look back, the greatest takeaways are the numerous lives it has impacted since its inception, and the turnaround of everyone who doubted, into everyone who looks up to me as example now.
