My journey selling Indian ethnic clothing on Lazada began 12 years ago. I founded Utharsh Designers in 2010. Since then, the company has been growing every day. I started with zero capital, and today I’m able to generate five-figure sales. We strive to be one of the best resellers out there and today, we offer the best quality Kurtis in the online market, which we’re very proud of.
Upon graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology, I worked in the field of my studies for a few years. Back then, I started my business as a side hustle on a pre-order basis, and gradually began to stock my items based on demand. When my day job was done, I was always very excited to focus on my online business at night.
There were days where I would skip meals because I was so passionate about my online business and excited to fulfil my orders. One of the reasons why I started this business was because I didn’t enjoy working for someone else’s company. There was a part of me that knew I would quit one day, as my goal was to have a career with flexible working hours and also the freedom to do what I want. Since I loved fashion so much, I decided to venture into Indian ethnic clothing.
Starting my online business was quite a challenge. In the beginning, I sold my clothing on Facebook. But in 2014, the algorithm started to change, resulting in my posts and engagement rates going down, which affected my business. I spent up to RM1,500 monthly on Facebook ads but there were no returns. This was when I decided to move my business to Lazada. And the rest is history. My sales grew so much especially during the MCO period. Lazada University helped immensely in prepping me as a seller, and using Lazada Sponsored Solutions really helped boost my sales. It’s my favorite seller tool to date.
I am very much a one-woman show. I’ve been running my business alone from the start without any helpers or staff. My family ended up becoming my occasional staff! The reason I’m more comfortable doing everything alone, whether it is buying stocks, to inventory management, managing the online store or packing orders, is because I am very protective of my business. Maybe one day when I expand my business I will eventually consider hiring staff.
I’m incredibly passionate about my work. Even during my pregnancies, I never slacked off or went into holiday mode. There are a lot of competitors out there and I want to maintain what I have right now.
I went to India I was 5-6 months pregnant, which ended up being an important business trip for me. We went to a few locations to get the stocks I needed, and some of the places we visited were really challenging. The warehouse was very hot and there was no ventilation. They weren’t very welcoming either, and I ended up choosing stocks on the floor while I was heavily pregnant. Nevertheless, it was an important process for me.
I’ve always needed to see the items and touch the materials myself, in order to choose the best for my customers. Thankfully my husband and my son were there to help me out. Since then, we travel frequently to India to not only find stocks but also suppliers. I’m looking forward to returning there next year.
We have made some great progress over the years. I didn’t have a warehouse in the beginning, and our house turned into one. With my husband’s support, we managed to get a warehouse a few years later, which is now located right above my husband’s restaurant! He believes in my dreams, my vision, my goals for the business and helps me to grow it every step of the way. I am very thankful for his support.
My parents who were initially against the idea of me quitting my full-time job and doing my own business, are also very proud of me now. Ironically, my parents also ran their own business and I used to travel a lot with them when I was younger. They have inspired me and I hope to inspire my kids, who are my everything. I would do anything in my power to make sure they succeed in life.
My dream is to own my own store at Little India one day. I’d like to have the opportunity to serve my customers face to face. But for now, I’m thankful that I’m able to grow my journey as an online seller on Lazada. My goal is to ensure that customers will always feel comfortable throughout their shopping experience with us, and if they require our assistance at any point, we wish to provide them with the best support they can find online.
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