A long pending post....I'd written this article for a dear friend - Ruby, when she asked me about my journey as an entrepreneur....
This was written in April 2017 and hadnt seen the light of the day, until today!
Read on for a snapshot of the last 3 years of my life :)
10 years of IT and I had begun to feel rusted...and deep within, I was feeling worthless!!!! I was going about my job, it was paying me well, and we were the perfect Dual Income Single Kid family. But, the satisfaction and happiness that should have come along was missing! So much so that I hated going to office by the end of 2011. And, finally I put down my papers in Jan 2012 and honestly, that was the single most best decision I had taken for myself until then!
I began to enjoy my life with my older daughter and somewhere along, my younger one came along. It was on seeing the milestones achieved by my younger one that I realised how much I missed of the growing years of my older one! Amidst all this, the only thing I missed was my financial independence. And, that’s when I happened to talk to a senior from college and the discussion went ahead with them offering me a position in their start up! But, I soon realised corporate life was over for me! I was not doing justice to the position and salary offered and we bid an amicable goodbye! During the series of goodbyes, I met up with Ruby. We chatted over chai, carrot cakes and more. The cake is relevant and the turning point of the story! Ruby had forever wanted me to bake for her (the after effects of some of the gorgeous pictures of food that my husband clicked). A good bye seemed an apt moment for some "sweet" talk. While we were talking, she popped the question "Why don’t you take this skill of yours forward". I brushed her aside because, honestly I never thought I was "entrepreneur" material...
I went back to life...kids, school, home and the routine! But, the itch to "work" remained. Some well-meaning friends encouraged me to open my kitchen out to the public. There was nothing to lose and I decided to give it a shot! My mother and I decided that we would do "after school snacks". This was well received and orders began trickling in slowly and steadily. People began appreciating our food and they began to spread the word amongst their friends and family too. When we started in November 2015, it was a small WhatSapp group of just about 10 friends. When I closed for the summer holidays in March 2017, the group had nearly 100 members and all within my apartment complex of 300-odd flats alone!
Ruby asked me a very poignant question “What are my learnings when I made a business out of my passion”?
I hadn’t ruminated on it before. But when she asked, I began to ponder -
When I joined Global eXchange Services in 2003, the HR head told me "The day you wake up in the morning wondering why on earth I am going to office, is the day you should realise, you have nothing more to offer to the job". That advice has stuck to me for all that I do since.
Kerala cuisine or infact any cuisine is an art! And, in Bangalore I have only seen this art being murdered! "Authentic Kerala Cuisine" is a board that you'd see at aplenty across Bangalore! And, trust me they are all anything but authentic! This is the gap that I aimed at filling when we started out! Our motto was simple "regular Kerala style food that you will find when you visit a friend in Kerala". This meant using coconut oil for our cooking. We were initially apprehensive regarding the reception of coconut oil, thanks to well-meaning doctors and nutritionists who have certified that coconut oil is your one way ticket to hell or heaven! But, all our fears were thrashed when even north Indian friends took an instant liking to our food! And, they said "Oh, so this is how coconut oil tastes, it’s actually ok!"
So, learning #1 - stay true to your roots!
Nothing can match the high one gets when hard work is appreciated! During my stint in IT, I've slogged days and nights. But 7 times out of 10, the reaction would have been "Ok, is that your best". And, frankly, that is the most demotivating thing you can do to someone else. During the 1.5 years our kitchen has been open to the public, the gratification has been instant. And, that instilled within us a deep sense of pride and achievement. This made us want to make our next dish better than the previous one!
So, lesson #2 - there is no better motivation to do well in your career/life than being genuinely appreciative of another's effort, however little. This has made me a better parent too, where in I have learnt to appreciate even the little things my daughters do without asking "Is this your best".
As clichéd as it may sound, love what you do and particularly, so when you cook! For the love's out there for all to see at the end! My paternal grand mom was a genius when it came to cooking! She could make even the most boring vegetable a delectable affair! Such was her love while cooking for her family! There is no space for a half-hearted effort!!!! And, her life is our lesson # 3!!!!
It will be 3 years this November, since we started our home based business. I have ventured out into a full time job as well...but our kitchen is still open to orders!
There have been many moments when both mom and I felt beaten up and too tired to even wake up the next day! We have had our downs, our not so great moments in the kitchen, but the ups have been enough and more to keep us going! And, hopefully, when we reopen after the holidays, it will be better than before! After all, the progress has been from "after school snacks" for 4-5 friends to a full-fledged Kerala Sadya for nearly 30 people! And, my heart swells with pride each time I remember what my friend said after the sadya "Will you cook for my son's shaadi!!!" And, the son is just 11 years old!!! That, my dear people, is all it takes for us to go on and on!!!!!
