Tag: Career Lessons

Posted on

Perfumery at home: Meet Sheetal Wathodkar – Perfumer amongst homepreneurs

On some days, the air just smells right, even before we get out of bed. By chance or by divine providence, we breeze thru the day. Certain smells have the ability to lift up our mood. Could be a freshly brewed coffee for some, or could be smell of freshly cut grass for someone else. Our olfactory senses have the uncanny ability to take us back in time; through the memory lane. Not just that, we humans relied on our sense of smells since ancient times to forage for food, notice subtle changes in the weather, and alert an incoming danger. With the passing time, we now need stimulants to rekindle our sense of smell.
Before I formally introduce Sheetal Wathodkar, now would be the right time to read into the glossary of terms provided at the end of this post.
Sheetal Wathodkar, having quit the corporate sector 4 yrs back to nurture motherhood, she now runs a natural, bio-friendly perfumery from her home. She says this way she gets to enjoy both realms. Join me as Sheetal tells us more about the field of perfumery, and how this translated into a homepreneurial opportunity.
Hi Sheetal, happy to have you here. Perfumery is a very niche segment, more so like a secret society. We don’t get to read as much news about this segment in the media as compared to others. You cater your services to such closely guarded / watched circle. But, I am sure there is more to Sheetal than being a perfumer by trade. Tell us a bit more about yourself.

I was born & brought up in the Orange city Nagpur. I grew up in a middle class Marathi family along with my loving siblings and caring parents. I did my schooling from Somalwar High School Ramdaspeth and later did B. Tech in Cosmetic Technology from L.A.D & S.R.P College for Women, Nagpur

While I was expecting my baby I thought of studying further and I joined PGDBA program in Marketing management from Symbiosis Centre for distance learning and completed this course while taking care of my baby.

I just completed NAHA Level 1, a certification from NAHA (National association for Holistic Aromatherapy) to enhance my knowledge in the Aromatherapy field.

Wow, so in a nutshell, you are a cosmetologist armed with a marketing degree who has embarked on a journey to sell aromatic preparations that are high in the therapy-index. In more simpler terms, your preparations’ are addressing the beauty and health aspects of the user, and marketing them yourself ensures that it reaches the right kind of audience. Your competitors must be seeing this as a deadly combination.
So, what is this fetish with smell? Your profession demands one to have heightened olfactory senses. Do you?

Since childhood I used to remember smells of soaps, talc, food unknowingly. I could feel that the breeze smells different in different weathers like summer or during navratri or Diwali. Strangely none of my friends could understand what I am talking about.

I studied cosmetology which taught us about making of various types of cosmetics, their quality assurance etc. I also studied Perfumes & Colours as a subject and I liked that. It was about basics of Perfumery.

Incidentally, I got the campus placement in the Perfume Company and there I really got the feel that this is it what I want to do. My childhood Odour memory helped me to learn things about perfumery.

I worked as a Fragrance Evaluator in the Fragrance & Flavour companies in Chennai & Bangalore post my degree education to evaluate their creations.

“Fragrance Evaluator”, that’s a job profile I haven’t heard until now. What does a Fragrance evaluator do?

Fragrance evaluator is a person who is the bridge between perfume creation and marketing. She/he is responsible for selecting and recommending fragrance samples according to customer requirements.

FE has to translate the market requirement into fragrance language for perfumers to create. She/he must understand market trends and also should have good smelling skills to guide the perfumer. FEvaluators work in a tandem, and they must share good understanding so that the outcome is best perfume.

Perfumers are very intuitive and Evaluators know what is required from the customer point of view.

Up until now, I haven’t given much thought about perfumes per se, branded or otherwise. However, I would always make it a point to visit my local florist for a string of Jasmine Flowers or a lone Pink-Rose. I find their fragrance so enchanting. That is pretty much my knowledge about perfumes.
However, you on the other hand, deal with perfumes day-in and day-out. How it all did begin?

After working for almost 5 – 6 years with perfumery chemicals, I got breathing difficulties and I consulted many doctors. Almost every other person told me to change my profession. How could I leave something which I love to do?

I was blessed with a daughter and I had quit the full time career in Perfume Company. What I noticed during this time is that my breathing allergy problem was getting solved. I realized that remaining away from the chemicals relieved me from allergy and that gave me the “WOW” idea of making perfumes which do not contain synthetic chemicals.

I am a true craft lover. Creating something new is my passion. Creating could be anything from a craft article, a painting, greeting card, even a recipe…yeah..I enjoy cooking. Right from my school days I used to enjoy watching various craft shows and then making those craft projects…

I then felt, why not create perfumes? However, I didn’t get an opportunity to become a certified Perfumer as per the industry norms.

You were associated with the corporate sector. Then, you went solo. This calls for lot of determination, discipline and above all an inspiration so strong to pull one away from a secure paying job. How did this happen in your case?

I was a career woman at one time, and later, I found myself as a home manager balancing family and taking care of my baby. I wanted to spend more quality time with my daughter in her growing years at the same time I wanted to channelize my creative energies.

My daughter is my biggest inspiration to start this business.

I am a mompreneur now who is a mom first and then an entrepreneur.

I am loving every bit of it.





Bless your little bundle of joy!
Although France (Paris) seems to be the most sought after destination for perfume brands to launch their creation, the art of perfumery is not new to India.
Archaeological evidence suggest that ittar/attar (perfume) have been in vogue since the Indus valley civilization. The Mogul emperors used to gift ittardan (small crystal bottle that contain a highly concentrated preparation of perfume) as a mark of respect and goodwill.
Not just that, we have evidence in Sanskrit literature that cites usage of scented oil to enhance mood. ······· I do keep telling that homepreneurs should make Google their best friend·····
So, your uncanny ability to distinguish subtle change in odour could be perhaps a genetic memory, latent in people like me.What happened next when you decided to go solo? How did your idea take shape? Take us for a walk though your memory lane

AromaOrchard, this is the independent perfumery that I run from my house

AromaOrchard was conceived in my mind almost a year and half ago, in January 2011. Then I explored more and did brainstorming sessions on the feasibility and finally it started taking shape in August 2011. I started sharing my work on my blog in October 2011. I blogged about my perfumery work and shared my idea of Natural Perfumes with my close friends. Almost everybody felt a potential in it

My preparations (for Men and Women) are 100% natural, and are inspired from the beauty of this nature and the complexity of Botanical Essences. These perfumes are made from natural exotic perfumery ingredients & creatively hand blended in small batches using the traditional European perfumery technique.

The scent experience is subtle yet luxurious, personal, enriching to senses, and free from alcohol & synthetic chemicals. I believe this will be a great choice for those who prefer eco-friendly products and/or allergic to synthetic materials normally added to perfumes.
My preparations are specifically for all those people who love the fact that the perfume they are putting on their body is synthetic/chemical free and is EARTH friendly.

Now that you have your perfumery all set up, how did you market the product? I am sure your PGDBA would have come handy. What other services do you offer as a perfumer?

My blog visitors also contact me with their queries and product requests.

Right now I am selling my perfumes online through www.itshandmade.com. It is an interactive online market place for handmade, designer products. Profile | The Shop

I am an artist perfumer and I have a niche segment of consumers I want to cater to. Apart from my Perfumes I offer customized perfumery services which are unique. I conduct Perfume Parties to make an event more special. Personalized perfume for individuals is the ultimate luxury. To make the wedding day more special, I offer customized perfume blending service for Bride & Groom. Apart from this we also provide gifts and favours for special occasions

Word of mouth is of great help anyway. (Facebook is instrumental)

So much …out of that little bottle… astonishing
Do you still remember the scent of your first sale?

Once my products were ready…I did my first exhibit during a community function in Diwali. The response was good because people were seeing 100% natural perfume for the very first time. First perfume was picked up by a lady who was the first visitor to my stall; she whiffed the perfumes and made a decision by herself to pick one bottle… I was very happy..

It feels great when you receive your first payment.

It was not new for me as I was working earlier in a very decent corporate job with all the fancies…But that was the money I got for working for someone else. The real charm is when you receive money for the work you have created all by yourself and when you are working as your own boss.

I was really touched when one woman entrepreneur placed a good big order for Women’s day to gift it to her women employees…that was the best gesture done by a woman for a woman on women’s day!!

Indeed, most often it is said about gifts that “it is the thought that matters”. However it takes a little extra effort (on the heart to shell out a good amount of cash) to put that thought into action. What were / are the challenges you had to encounter as a perfumer?

The ingredients used in perfumery are very exotic and sourcing them from right supplier is a task.

Also, I find it very difficult to ship my product as it is a liquid and have to depend on Speed Post service offered by India Post. They are doing the job very well.

Ah! You are the second person to mention about the Speed Post Service of India Post. Priya Agarwal says it has been a deal-saver for her.
Every industry has its share of scamsters, so are the legitimate opportunities. However one has to watch out for signs of scam to safeguard our interests. How is it with the perfume industry? How would you describe scamming in perfumery?

Perfume industry is very secretive in terms of what goes in the perfume formula. So, one has to be very careful not to hand out your formula to ANYONE by any means. People may ask very casually, take away your information and copy the perfume..All the hard work goes down the drain.

Perfumery is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration!!!
It takes thousands of iterations to get that perfect smell in a bottle if you are original in your thought. The materials used for making perfumes need to be of very fine quality…inferior materials don’t make them smell that good.

You need to have very good supplier who doesn’t do adulteration…especially for materials which are imported like Lavender, Bulgarian Rose etc. And we have lots of such exotic ingredients in our perfumes!!!

This is one question I ask all homepreneurs.
How do you maintain focus and deliver your products on time? Especially when we work from home, the distractions are equally unpredictable. We homepreneurs derive strength from the support of dear ones at home. Is it the same with you as well?

It may sound simple:

As an entrepreneur & as a Mom you have the best of both the worlds. You get to do what you want professionally & be at home to take care of your family; but it is the most challenging. The business needs you and equally your family.

More than finding a balance, I feel prioritizing and time management is the key. We all are running against time and all have only 24 hours in a day. We need to find out how many hours we want to spend for business activities, family time & last but not the least “Me time”. You need to master the time management skill.

We wear too many hats and we are care too much which brings in the guilt. When you are working you feel your child is neglected and when you are playing with your child, you feel work is taking back seat and you need to put in efforts to become successful. To overcome this guilt is a tough cord to strike but it is not impossible

You need to get inspired to do something good and need a sound support to execute the idea. I have all that given by my loving family. My daughter is my inspiration & husband is my great support. We together manage the household chores, take care of our daughter and try to give best values to her. I focus on very important work when my daughter goes to preschool or takes nap. Checking mails, social media networking happens when she is playing.

My husband works in IT and has his work pressures but he is always enthusiastic about my work, my ideas. He guides me in the financial aspects. My daughter recharges me with her never ending energy! My mother, my siblings and my close relatives from husband’s side encourage me to stretch to achieve my dream. I have few close friends who give me the strength I need.

YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE

What would be your word of advice for aspiring homepreneurs who might be interested in perfumery? Could you please share some trusted resource (so that they are not misguided by fake sites when they are beginning to think about it)

There is whole lot of information available online..Thanks to information technology. You can get almost any information on any topic sitting in the comfort of your home. I learnt a lot of time management techniques from various mom’s in business who are working from home…you just need to Google it and you have it. I listen to the Blog-talk radio by Lara Galloway, the mom biz coach.

However, for perfumery related info, here are my recommendations

  • http://www.leffingwell.com/
  • http://www.basenotes.net/content/
  • http://www.perfumerflavorist.com/
  • http://www.isipca.fr/isipca/home.nsf/P_CONS


Where do you see AromaOrchard heading in the next 5 yrs?

I have always been an ear and shoulder to lot of my friends and family. I can feel and listen to people deeply and relate to their emotional ups and down. In the coming years I want to marry this ability with my knowledge of perfumes to help people overcome their emotional problems with the use of their very own customised perfume.

Smelling Good and Feeling Good !!

Last, but not the least, AromaOrchard’s journey thus far appears to be highly fulfilling. However, most readers are still apprehensive about the thought of working from home. What would you like to tell them, so that they can find their inner strength to plunge forward with their dreams, just like you did?

I have just started shaping my dream and the journey so far is very exciting, very very encouraging. I feel there is a place for everybody in this huge market (perfumery, as this is where I belong) as long as you believe you can create a difference.

When you are inspired with a dream, God has hit the ball into your court & you have to hit it back with a commitment. Believe in your dream & your abilities; put your heart and soul into it… Success will follow.

Learn to put yourself first, hardest to do.

How can you be there for anyone else if you are not there for yourself.

Yes, to put ourselves first is indeed the hardest thing to do. May be that is what drives all entrepreneurs. I am sure even the most inane minds will find wisdom in your words, and gather the courage to “try”, before concluding if working from home is a practical possibility for their circumstances.
Thank you once again Sheetal for taking the time and talking to us about your journey thus far. We all wish you all the very best for AromaOrchard, and hope to see you as a master perfumer in the coming future.
Readers, you can connect with Sheetal @Twitter, @LinkedIN, @Facebook.
Glossary of terms :
Perfume : A substance, extract, or preparation for diffusing or imparting an agreeable or attractive smell, especially a fluid containing fragrant natural oils extracted from flowers, woods, etc., or similar synthetic oils.Perfume – is derived from latin Per – fumum which means through smoke
Perfumer : A person who makes perfumes
Perfumery : A place where perfumes are prepared
Cosmetology : Study of cosmetics preparation and its uses.
Cosmetologist : An expert in the preparation and use of cosmetics
Aroma Therapy : The art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.

Posted on

MBA graduate who chose to be a homepreneur: Meet Priya Agarwal – Jewellery designer & craftswoman

Homeprenuer_Priya_AgarwalComing from a remote town call KUMARDHUBI (DHANBAD dist, Jharkhand state), the MBA in Priya Agarwal willingly choose to pursue her creative spark, rather than to follow a corporate path… and launched her first homepreneurial venture on 2 Feb 2011, via face book page Stop n Stare. With no other capital investment, other than a few handmade hoops and cards, and through smart networking, her custom made jewelleries are a huge rage amongst ethnic lovers.
Here, in this interview Priya Agarwal shares her dream & vision with aspiring homepreneurs. . Her venture is a standing example of making working from home a practical possibility without being too technologically (read computer/software/ IT) oriented
Hi Priya, great to have you here. During the course of this interview, I made several pit stops at your page @ Facebook, Craftsvilla, Mirraw etc. Your designer jewelleries are awesome. They appear to be light, handy and above all safe (given the era of chain snatchers and knife-point robbers). So, before we discuss your designs and the inspiration behind that, please tell us a bit more about yourself.

I am Priya Agarwal coming from a small town Dhanbad but with big dreams to conquer the world with my creativity and talent. I have done my graduation, PGPM and jewellery designing in Kolkata. The best word to describe me is PASSIONATE. I am passionate about life and try my best to learn and create new things every day.

I basically design all forms of costume/ fashion / imitation jewellery. I especially love to make beaded jewellery. Other product categories are cubic zirconia’s . Victorians , polki’s sterling silver jewellery etc . I ship all over the world .

Indeed, the most creative minds are the most passionate of us all. I have witnessed this more than once, and yet again. The fact that you specialise in handmade jewellery invariably takes me back in time. In our school curriculum, we used to have one class set aside for “Arts & Crafts”. Except for few craft-savy students (such as yourself), rest of us would use this to catch up on chatter and gossip. Did you have a similar exposure to handmade craft items? How did this all start?

I have always been very very creatively inclined. I didn’t realize this myself. Of course, it is our friends who just help us recognize ourselves. I used to doddle doodle and the all the time scribble on my notebooks. During my 12th, like every ambitious girl, way back in 2005 , there weren’t much jewellery designing schools to hone one’s skills.

I moved to Kolkata for higher studies and after much hard work ,found out SINGEM. I also had a list of career choices. But there was just something about these little treasures that I just loved. But, of course, after doing a course one has to start off somewhere. I had been researching and networking with a lot of jewellery designers. But I never really had the confidence to start off big.

After my MBA , I came back home and really had to start off something somewhere. And, I knew the beginning will always be small. I wrote over 100 names then finally decided on the name “Stop n Stare” on face book, never knowing, one day I would writing this as the name it ought to be.

Believe it or not, I didn’t even have any raw materials to start off. All I had was some hoops and recycled beads that I had been collecting from here-and-there. I put lot of love and effort in designing these treasures, be it sketching, or making them with materials. I am really glad the people love them and appreciate my efforts

Oh dear !, It must have been a rough start with such a negligible capital investment. When did you actually take the plunge? And, how long did you have to wait to make your very first sale?

I started with a face book page with a few handmade cards on 2nd Feb 2011, and took around 4 – 5 months to get my first order. Luckily, my friends were my first clients. J Made me so glad.

Since then, I have nurtured this page like my baby. I like to work as much as possible with materials directly in my hands.

As a homepreneur, I am constantly interrupted by sales people, telephone calls, unannounced guests etc. On some days, the interruptions are so severe; I force myself to keep the phone off the hook, and refuse to answer the doorbell.. just so that I donot loose my cool AND my focus.
How do you maintain focus.. especially when your work demands attention to detail. What is your routine?

There is no such fixed routine. I start to work at 5am or even at 11am or someday I don’t work at all, J I am completely dedicated to what I do. My focus never shifts or never gets diverted. If I commit myself to something, I will do it even if I have to sacrifice sleep, food, or rest. The one thing that keeps me going all along is most certainly the proud smile I see on my parent’s face when I share my recent accomplishments with them

You said, friends were your first clients. Most often friends are “nice”, and appreciate our efforts. But when the time comes to pay up for the much appreciated service/ product, they seem to dissipate like trained ninjas. However, you seem to have (honest) friends who actually walk the talk. Lucky you !!! So, how was it to make the very first sale?

It felt awesome. There was feeling of accomplishment that something u did and created with your own heart and mind, and, people loved it & own it. This is just a superb feeling.

I think my first amount was some Rs 400 and I was so happy that I used it to give free gift to everyone. I still have the habit of doing that. All I want is a positive smile burning with energy from whosoever gets in touch with me.

Since then the journey has been very smooth and positive. I have faced lot of issues but I gradually was able to tackle them and solve them all.

Little or more, money is money. Every paisa matters. For some of us it is of monetary importance and for passionate hearts such as yourself, it is of sentimental value. Glad that you were able share your happiness with such dear ones.
Talking about custom made jewellery; I understand that it is necessary to show / display your wares to prospective customers. At this internet-era, things got much simpler. All one had to do is to take pictures and upload them.
I have seen the pictures of your jewelleries at FB page. I was very much impressed by the quality and attention to detail in the photographs. How did you do it? Did you had to take help from professional photographers?

I do all the photographs, another passion of mine. I simply love each and everything I have made or I have sourced, and, I put a lot of attention to make it look as it looks to my eyes. I try to do everything on my own

That’s the attitude of homepreneurs, we try to do everything ourselves. Not sure if it is a boon or bane, but most of the times, it works. So, armed with the photographs to flaunt your wares online, what are your other marketing efforts?

I try to create good relations with everyone I come across. I don’t like to be professional in my deals. I prefer to deliver good products at affordable prices, so that it doesn’t pinch people’s pockets. And, it gives such a good feeling to the association so that they love to buy from u with a smile.
Initially I tried to use only the facebook page, but now we have online market places as MIRRAW , CRAFTSVILLA etc who have huge audience and its great to work when we get such good exposure.

Indeed, I have always believed in “Every skill has a market, and there is a client at each marketplace. The trick lies in being persistent enough until we locate such a marketplace.
Earlier in our conversation, you mentioned that you had some troubles initially. Can you please elaborate on that and how you came about resolving them? After all, it is our duty to remind aspiring homepreneurs that things are not always rosy-rosy, when we choose to work from home. Every venture has its own share of issues to tackle…be it aam-admi or ambani
Sure,

When I started to make jewellery , I didn’t have any raw materials , I knew what was to be used but then had no idea about where to get them from , what price do they sell , what to make etc. I had placed my trust entirely on my heart, and put my mind to work on the creative side. Soon, I gained the confidence, which grew multi-fold when people kept coming to me with their orders.

That aside, (on a personal level) I had trouble with billing and banking. I was having an ICICI bank account at that time. Every time I get a new order, the bank used to deduct Rs.165 as transaction charges. This might seem like a small amount. But when the number of orders started pouring in, I was losing out a huge chunk of money, and this was creating a rather large hole in my pocket. I had overlooked this aspect at the launch of Stop n Shop (due to the excitement of starting on my own). Later, I had this resolved with the bank.

Then, there was courier. As I sell a physical product, it became important that I find a suitable courier to ship my product…That too… When you have a global customer base, and have to ship worldwide. As I am from a small town, this became a great cause of concern. Most courier agencies (DTCD, Flyking, etc) refused to take my shipment due the label “Jewellery”. Hence I used the good old Indian Postal Service’s Speed Post.

People think that it is old-fashioned and retarded system. But, take it from someone who has actually used this…their service has come a long way..And it is goood… not to mention..Life-saver in my case.

Oh my me!!!
It must have been a heart-ful for someone who has started on baby steps towards work from home. Happy to know that you were able to find the resilience and perseverance to fulfill the demands of Shop n Stop.

Yes, It was a very disturbing phase. Online venture to sell my wares was a new attempt in itself. I had no idea about what price to quote. I was also shy to ask-for-money. Gradually I learnt how to conduct a business.

Another thing I would like to put emphasis to is that, when we are new, we don’t have much idea about prices. So we easily fall prey to those who are here to SELL-AND-GO. So, before you invest somewhere your hard earned money, be pretty sure about it being reasonable. Be calm, have immense patience.

Patience is a MUST.

There will be times when u think

  • nothing is happening,
  • nothing is working out and
  • people around you will say ,what crap , what online , etc etc ,

DO NOT pay heed, move on move on and move on 🙂

If any of you reading this interview has any questions (even if u belong to the same profession, please feel free to ask, I would love to cooperate)

Please don’t hesitate.

Priya, that is such a wonderful gesture.
When I started out as a (part time ) Homepreneur, there was no useful information about how to go about this. Every bit of learning was by trial and error. In this process I (we … would be a more appropriate word) burnt my fingers more than once… not to mention… the huge hole in my pocket with non-paying clients..
We know how it feels to be gullible, and have learnt… How to read the warning signals.
It makes my heart full with pride and happiness when we use our experience as a learning chapter to others who are starting out, and, are in need of direction. I am sure your fan box is going to be flooded with requests to help learn the tactic of working (& doing business) from home.
Thank you Priya for taking time out for Homepreneur-online, and taking us with you along the memory lane. Wish you all the very best in your future endeavours.
Readers, you can connect with Priya @Twitter, @LinkedIn, @Flickr

Posted on

Homepreneur Fashion consultant : Meet Supriya Ghurye – creative fashion consultant

Supriya Ghurye is a post graduate in textile processing technology from Mumbai. She had her stint as a fashion merchandiser with popular brands in Mumbai and Bangalore. After giving 5 yrs of her time to the corporate world of fashion, she decided to call it quits, and choose to be a homeprenuer. Since 2008, she has been successfully running her fashion consultancy business from her studio at home. She loves origami amongst loads of other things, and aspires to create wearable fashion inspired by origami
Hi Supriya, great to have a fashion guru amongst us. Before we talk about fashion and its trends, give us a peek into the mind from which these ideas take shape. Tell us about yourself.

I’m Supriya, from Bangalore.

I grew up in Mumbai, but have been staying in Bangalore for over 5 years now. I graduated from Mumbai university with a major in Chemistry & then did my PG in textile processing technology which helped me gain in-depth knowledge of the apparel industry. I worked as a Fashion Merchandiser for 6 years before starting my fashion business.

I use my free time for sketching, painting, listening to music, traveling, meeting new people, reading books & fashion magazines. I am also interested in Origami, the Japanese art of paper-folding to create intricate designs. One day I wish to create a unique Origami inspired fashion collection of wearable art.

We have heard that creative minds are the most passionate of all. Is it the same with you as well? How passionate are you about fashion?

Fashion is my passion. Colors play a significant role in my life. They reflect my state of mind. Fashion should be fun, creative & above all it should be comfortable.

I’m a Creative Fashionpreneur – Providing research, design, development & consulting services in Fashion.

With a passion for dressing up & helping others select the “right” outfits, I grew up deciding to change my interest into a full time profession. Fashion being close to my heart since childhood, I always wanted to be a creator of new trends, wherein I could express myself best through my designs. That’s when I decided to use my creativity to explore & fulfil my aspirations as a designer. The outcome of this journey is”Fuel4Fashion”.

I am always keen to experience & explore the world around me though the vehicle of art. My experiences influence my work in terms of contemporary styling. I’ve enjoyed whole hearted support & encouragement of my husband in pursuing my creative entrepreneurial venture.”

You are passionate about fashion amongst those who think it is fashionable to be passionate. Good to know. So, when did you decide to leave your plum job as a fashion merchandiser to work from home on your passion.. rather.. fashion?

In 2008, I decided to leave my full time job in Fashion merchandising to fulfill my aspiration of running my own fashion design consultancy out of my home studio in Bangalore. Prior to that I worked for 5 years in a well known buying agency in Mumbai followed by a leading apparel manufacturer in Bangalore for a year. Having spent 6 years of my career in merchandising, I decided to shift my focus from a technical side of the fashion & apparel industry to a more challenging & creative side of fashion & apparel designing. So over all I had a very smooth & well planned transition from being an employee to a Creative Fashionpreneur at Fuel4Fashion.

So, you are the founder of Fuel4Fashion. Tell us more about what kind of fashion projects are looked into here.

I’m a highly creative Fashion design consultant with an impeccable sense of taste and trends. I specialize in Women’s wear, Mens wear as well as Kids wear in multiple product designing across various categories within the apparel industry. I mainly work with international clients especially the start up labels & mid size companies, helping them build their collection from concept to completion. I help my clients to generate the fashion ideas based on their concepts and convert them into the clothes that people desire across all three major segments – menswear, ladieswear and kidswear. For individual clients looking to make a style statement, I provide style consulting for events and wardrobe management services.

As fashion consultant, I understand that you get to handle projects that range from sketch ideas on paper, to, deliver a cut-and-stiched-apparel as end product shipped to the customer. Sketches, yes, I understand are conceptualized and shared from your studio at home. However, it makes me wonder how you manage the production.. ie… complete range of stitched apparel shipped to the client. Do you work on this from your studio at home as well? Do you employ additional hands?

I provide customized solutions based on my client’s requirement. Some ask for fashion sketches , some for sketches+samples & some ask from concept to completion ie from idea to sketches to samples & then with production.

I collaborate with sampling units & manufacturers across mumbai , bangalore & tirupur accordingly. I provide design services from my home studio. I provide them with all the details ,visit them once in awhile to monitor the development. They dispatch final delivery to my client’s location

It gives me freedom to work at my own convenience yet get the feel of being working with lots of people

Indeed. Freelancers are best known for their skills in recognising latent talent and encouraging collaboration. I see that you have taken this to a different level with 3rd party unit collaboration. Since how long have you been working from home?

I have been running my fashion consultancy from my home studio for past 3 years now & I’m very glad that I made a wise decision then, to leave my full time job to experience entrepreneurship which was lingering in my mind for quite sometime when I was employed .

You said that you have no prior experience in running a business, and venturing out on your own was a bold step in this direction. So, what strategy did you adopt to spread the word about your services?

Being a self taught fashionpreneur with no prior experience in actual fashion designing, I almost took a year to settle down in business, network, gather work contacts & generate client leads. Being born & raised in Mumbai and then starting up a new business in an altogether unknown city like Bangalore was the most challenging task for me.

Being in a creative field, initially I started with circulating copy of my physical fashion portfolio to the potential & prospective clients who were placed locally. For my global clients, I created an online portfolio & started sending them in emails with my profile.

Social media was booming in 2008, so I feel I’m fortunate to have adopted it right from its growing stage. I started keeping a tab on all the latest happenings & hot start ups in the virtual world especially in the fashion industry & started evaluating on how best I can utilize each one of them for my fashion business. Professional networking sites, fashion networking forums, social media sites, entrepreneurial networks, online consulting sites etc provided me a strong online platform for showcasing my visibility for Fuel4Fashion on the web world.

We start as toddlers and eventually learn to walk. Its the same with business as well, isnt it? So, how has the journey been since you established Fuel4Fashion from your studio at home?

My journey since the time I got my first client for Fuel4Fashion has been very challenging & yet interesting. I had my share of ups & downs , good & bad, But, the most important thing is I sailed through all them. In 2010, I started with designing for one client in women’s wear but over the time, I carefully & gradually progressed to handling several clients in multiple categories in women’s wear, mens wear as well as kids wear.

Few learning that I would like to share :

I figured out focus, patience, discipline & self motivation is the key to successfully manage business for any homepreneur. Time management is crucial right from the day one, once you master that art, not only you have a dedicated time for your work, but you also have a free time for your family & yourself. Never underestimate your potential talent, you will find lot of people around to De-motivate & discourage you. Have patience, trust yourself & keep going. People don’t understand concept of homepreneurs,so dont go out of the way to prove yourself to anyone. Sooner or later your work will speak for you. That is your greatest achievement. Enjoy that phase.

Well said, Supriya. Homprenuers should focus on what they do best (the actual work which will fetch the $$) .Actions speak louder than words, and sooner or later (the very same demotivating ) people will come out of their own free will to know your success mantra, and will want a piece of your pie.
Can you share some of the resources that have found to be useful as a fashion designer

  • Women Online: www.wearewomenonline.com
  • The Location Independent Lifestyle: www.LocationIndependent.com
  • Where women create : http://www.wherewomencreate.com
  • Mogul Moms : http://www.themogulmom.com/
  • Entrepreneur magazine: http://www.entrepreneur.com
  • Independent Fashion Bloggers: http://independentfashionbloggers.org/
  • HEN Networks : http://www.henindia.com

In any creative field, idea is money.This is like a double edged sword. Unless you share your idea, clients will never know how creative you are. But, at the same time, once you share ‘your’ idea, its out there in the open and you have absolutely no control over it. TRANSLATION : How do you protect your creative ideas and restrict others from using it without making payment to you?.. how to avoid getting scammed by unscrupulous minds?

In any creative field, most of the prospective clients ask to provide your previous sample work. Once you share your idea, its out & then you have no control over it. So be careful about what you are sharing, how you are sharing & with whom you are sharing. Never accept to do free work for any client- big or small, irrespective of the scope of the project. 9 out of 10 people are looking to get free work done under the name of sample work.

Keep a reliable work contract handy & use it whenever you acquire any new projects to avoid any misuse of your services from your clients. Work out in advance your business operating cost, liabilities & any other overheads so that it becomes easy for you to set up your project charges. By doing this you know your scope of negotiation. Never work for peanuts if your deserve a slice of cheese.

Very true, It seems scamsters are the most democratic ones. They have no caste creed or color..and is the same across all categories.. All that they focus on is to con gullible minds off their time and efforts for free. So, now that you have come this far..Where do you see yourself in the next 5 yrs

Building up base for the business is the most important aspect at the present time. In next 5 yrs business would have acquired sustainable momentum & would have branched out in number of areas. The retail space is continuously expanding with new options & hopefully Fuel4Fashion will have a strong role to play in a significant number of areas. Upcoming designer can now target global audiences & micro niches are now viable markets. With the increasing number of avenues for designers there will be a scope for companies like Fuel4Fashion to provide solutions that cater to this segment.

That is just wonderful. Great to know that you have mapped out the next 5 yrs for Fuel4Fashion in the same systematic manner as in which you made your transition from a regular employee to a homeprenuer. Such planned approach will add value in terms of effort and results will follow. It was great having you at homeprenuer-online, and thanks for sharing your journey thus far. Once again, thanks for agreeing to mentor willing minds in the field of fashion.

Readers can connect with Supriya Ghurye via Twitter and LinkedIN

Posted on

Homepreneur during holidays: Meet Divya Aswani – School teacher cum glass painting artist.

That is the fun about being able to work from home. We actually get to choose when and what to work on. It so appears that Divya Diverre from Kolkata has put good use of the philosophy of homepreneurship.
Divya is a teacher by profession who dabbles with paints and glass. One look at her Facebook page, I am awed at her artwork. She says, being a school teacher has its advantages. She gets to enjoy a month of summer vacation completely off work. Such a long vacation would make most of us lazy and lethargic, but, not this teacher. She has taught herself glass painting and other art work. Now, her hobby fetches money. She does customised paintings on tissue holders, vases, clocks etc. Read along how this homepreneur-by-summer-holidays made it this far.
Hi Divya, happy to have you here. Please tell us about yourself.

Hi..I am Divya..Basically I’m a teacher and I teach at The Heritage School, Kolkata. I teach at a the primary level..children who are 3 yrs old and believe you me its not an esay job!! They are so innocent and fragile and its not only fun teaching them but a great responsibility..because they are going to be our future.I love being a guide and friend to them.

Since my working hours are good..I am back home in the afternoon. So I get to do make paintings and products..all on stained glass..lots of colour and happiness :):) I enjoy my Stained glass work.

So, you are a painter by hobby. What kind of paintings do you do? The kind of canvas you specialise in?

Stained glass paintings and products..Like Nameplates, Photo frames, Clocks, Vases, Ganesh and Shubh labh Hangings and even with wooden fittings..I make trays, pen/tissue/letter holders and many more!!!

Wow, that is a huge variety of canvas to showcase your painting skills. In addition to being a school teacher by the academic year, you dabble with paint as well. Since how long have you been selling your work from home?

I started working during Diwali 2012- where I put Ganesh and Shubh-Labh hangings at an exhibition..Which, in turn gave me lot of encouragement and I knew I was on the correct path 🙂

Uoo hoo.. atta girl!.. This nudges me to ask you about your moment of revelation. Do you recall THE moment when the idea of working from home hit you? Or, is that you were ruminating on the idea, and one fine morning it was all just right to start?

The summer holidays..!

Being a teacher I get the luxury of a month’s holiday. So I realised..Since I’m independent on my feet…let me learn how to do glass painting…never thought i will be so encouraged by my parents and family members to take it further..And start venturing more into glass paintings and today I sell my products from home and through the net…
Support from your family and the determination is the success of a Homepreneur 🙂

That seems to have been a rewarding summer vacation for you. Once you realised that you have mastered the art of glass painting, how long did it take to set-up shop? I mean, foray into the market and sell your wares

It took me around 4 months to understand the needs of my customers and get all my work set up!

My friends, my neighbours, my family, all have a great social life. So all I did was show my work to them…let my work do the talking, which impressed them and that’s how it all started. When people saw my products at their friends house they approached me in no time 🙂

As the ABBA’s Money-song goes Money Money Money, Always Sunny in a rich man’s world. We all need money. So, tell us about your first paycheck. this will help aspiring homeprenuers to have a reasonable benchmark to start with, rather than fall for false promises that assure huge returns.

My first payment came from the sale at an exhibition. Though I had not many products..working all by yourself makes it difficult to achieve too many orders. But it felt great holding your hard work and effort..from what I have known and understood money..rs 7000 is not a small amount and I felt very proud and ecstatic having a good start!

That’s absolutely great. So what is/was your best client experience?

My best client has been one of my relatives…she puts up a stall at an exhibition every time during Diwali…having diyas… and it was her suggestion of me making some wall hangings which will go during Diwali. It is then, when I thought of making Ganesh and Shubh Labh Hangings…

And the worst client?

The worst hasn’t come so far, thankfully!! But I had this lady who had picked a lot of stuff from me. And since it was my beginning I gave her a good discount and things were fine. 🙂

But she called up recently and asked me if I had any item of Rs 10-12!!!
Its very hurtful to hear such a thing…what exactly do you get at that amount??? And, it is not just that..she has seen my work..and she knows I work hard. I think sometimes people just forget to look at quality. But I got over that conversation with her..lol…that is the extreme experience I have had 🙂

Since then, how has been the journey like, till now? Expectations and lessons learnt

I would say it is going fine.
Lesson learnt is give in all u have..!!
Give in your best 🙂

How do you maintain focus and deliver work on time? Who would you say has a tremendous impact on your homepreneurship efforts? Our readers would certainly want to hear from someone who has made working from home a realisable dream (and not some far fetched idea)

Working hard on weekends, and, evenings during the weekdays made it all possible to finish my work on time. As you get used to your work, your pace increases and you are able to do your best part! My support network as I have said before is foremost my family! Then my friends, relatives, my colleagues at school, and probably everyone to come to think of!! They all see my work recognise my talent and encourage me all the time!

But if I have to take one name then it would be my mother. She is my friend my guide my strength and my support. Her constant positivity, belief in me, has made me come so far in life. I am here writing this because she has been there all the time, helping me in every way she can, and giving me lot of space and time to work!!! even when, I haveve been unable to help her with the household chores!

Nothing like a mother’s love and care 🙂

True, Nothing can replace a mother’s care and prayers.
Homepreneurs have to severely self-motivated irrespective of success or failure of a project. You seem to have crossed this bridge already. So, what would be your advice to aspiring homepreneurs? Would you be willing to share your knowledge if our readers were to approach you?

I think, read a lot of books on self improvement, on entrepreneurship, search the internet and you will be surprised all the information you will get!

Yes sure, I would love to talk and share my thought with your readers 🙂

Such simple, yet totally helpful for those who are persistent in their homepreneurial dream. So, what is your next milestone, or rather, Where do you see yourself in the next 5 yrs ?

I see myself doing a lot more, and reaching out to people all over the world 🙂

We learn everyday of our lives, and I take that, and i believe sky is the limit…Work hard and you will reach the top!!

Doing glass interiors of people’s houses and able to take my work far and wide is what I am aspiring to achieve 🙂

Thank you Divya, It was great having you with us today. 90% of the queries I receive start with the notion that anyone with a computer and internet connection can work from home. I have gone hoarse screaming that, this is just one aspect of homeprenuership. Please look into yourself and find your talent-spot.
Divya, even though you use the internet to procure clients/orders, your WORK is literraly Hands-On. This goes to prove one just need to look a wee bit closer and stay on the path a wee bit longer.

Posted on

Homepreneurial opportunities: Age old concept, before the (i)nternet age.

It had been awfully cold this winter at Bangalore. I was down and out with a severe bout of cold – sore throat and breathlessness on account of blocked nose. Yet another time of the year, to remind my waking soul, about the “goodness”(read convenience) of being a homepreneur. This also gave me enough time to think about the crux of this post.
If you are someone who grew up watching regional cinemas (..regional movies from India..), I am sure you would agree that its rather easy to identify the plot of a movie, when the first few frames depict a frail woman (single parent) with malnourished kids trying to feed her children a decent meal, without trading her dignity & honour. In the next frame, you would see her hard at work on a sewing machine / Tanpura … the camera zooms in (.. to indicate passage of time…) , and soon she is an old lady & ( those malnourished) kids are now all grown up, and want to “give a life of dignity” to their mother…”Oh! Mother…. I salute thee… !”.
Plots such as these used to be the staple of almost all regional cinemas from India ( Hindi – Malayalam – Tamil – Telugu – Kannada – Gujarati – Bhojpuri.. and many more) from 1970’s – to- fag end of 1990’s. May be its the same with other regional cinemas such as French / Spanish / Italian movies. I wouldn’t know.
But, cliché’s & the theatrics apart, this does seem to make sense one way or the other. Here are some of the characters that make me re-think about homepreneurial opportunities. Teachers being predominant on the list

  1. Neighbourhood Music Teacher: We used to gang up at her place every day after school at 5:30 pm for an hour of music lesion, vocal / instrumental.
  2. Tuition Teacher: We used to see all kinds of tuition teachers, All subjects, Math only, Science only, College level Chemistry tuitions undertaken, etc. Some teachers start as early as 5:30 am, so that we kids have just enough time to come home – have breakfast – rush off to school. Some tuition teachers earn a reputation that is envied by schools & their employed staffs.
  3. Summer crafts: The same teacher would be teaching us painting, wax modelling, knitting, embroidery. These classes would typically start at 11:00 am and continue until 2:00 pm, keeping them engrossed during the whole of a (boring) afternoon.
  4. Home-made condiments: – Sometimes, womenfolk would try to supplement their family income by making condiments such as pickles, chips, pappads, snacks, sweets and savouries at home, and sell them in the neighbourhood. The fact that these are prepared at home-by-someone known to us ( ..or known to someone known to us..) add a bit of credibility to the product. Based on the response, they would call in help from their family members to increase production during festive times. Soon, a cottage-industry is born.
  5. Pico work on sarees: I have never seen my mother in salwar kameez, trousers or skirts. I am not sure if saree was her attire of choice or the lack of any other choice. Pico, is getting the edges stitched in a rather special way, so that the threads would not “peel out” from the corner. Sewing machines used for regular mending work cannot do this. (May be the fashion maker of today can do this as well). When a new saree is purchased, she would diligently visit the “pico aunty”, and only after the pico work, the saree is ready to be worn. “Pico aunty” will be in great demand during Diwali / Shakaranti when textile shopping is at its peak.

These are some of the few women I grew up watching. Little did I realise then that, these are the people who were practicing homepreneurship without even realising it all along. Unsurprisingly, I realised this myself just as I was drafting this post…. So much we see around us … yet so little we look at …..
That said, would this explanation convince “Work from home”- wannabes, I guess not. After all, we belong to the i-age… anything from the pre-internet era is Spartan….I am not passing a judgement, just an observation as it is on the face-value
So, for all those minds with -willing to try-attitude (…& with a stable internet connection & basic internet usage knowledge..), I will be coming up with homepreneurial opportunities that can be performed from the comfort of your home; one-per-week. I will try my best to give you an indepth information on the technical expertise needed, the (unwritten) code of conduct to follow, warning signals that might help identify scammers, so an on so forth.
PS: The above list stands true even today, emphasising the fact that, internet is a mere tool, its up to us on what we choose to do with this tool.

Posted on

Entrepreneur, Homepreneur, Freelancer, Employee- A comparative study series; Part 3 (Concluding part)

Disclaimer: This analysis/ study is my personal opinion based on the experiences i have had as a freelancer. This is not in any way an authoritative document. However, you are free to discuss your perspective with me. Will be glad to know what you think.
Part1 synopsis:

  1. Becoming a freelancer is a transition, and not a degree/diploma.
  2. Help yourself – Educate yourself – Make informed choices.
  3. When in doubt, google it/him/them.. and… google some more.
  4. Perseverance is the key.


Part 2 Synopsis:

  1. Freelancers and Homepreneurs are indeed (dis)similar.
  2. Their dissimilarity lies in the manner in which they manage their time / priorities.
  3. Look deep into your upbringing, may be you have that homepreneurial spark, waiting to show up.

Couple of months back, I had been to the NASSCOM Product conclave 2010 at Bangalore. As an independent freelancer / homepreneur, I was not associated with any company. My business card read “Freelance Consultant” along with Homepreneur.com as the url. My corporate friends would agree that, formal way of introducing oneself is to say “I am __ from ___ Company.” All I had was, “Hi, I am Deepa & I am a homepreneur”.
This spiked the interest (.. which is good for me… I get to do my sales pitch), and wanted to know more. Here is a small snapshot of our conversation.
I do not have permission to disclose the identity of the fellow attendee, so here is the rest of the conversation.
Fellow Attendee: Hi, I am ___ from ____ (Company), heard about us.
Myself: Yes, I was briefed about your products and services by your colleague Ms.____ a little while ago. It is something very new to me. I should try it out soon.
FA: Great! Sorry I didn’t catch whom you represent.
Myself: :-), I am Deepa & I am a homepreneur. I do freelance consultations for Zoho applications.
FA: Yes, we have been hearing a lot about Zoho at this conclave. So you work with Zohocorp? Is it so?
Myself : Oh No!. I do not work for zohocorp… I am not employed by zohocorp. I do freelance consultations (Customizations, Developments etc) for people using zoho suite of applications. My focus is primarily on Zoho Creator. I develop customized applications in zoho creator for people who want to use a web based database oriented application with their business.
FA: Thats interesting. So what kind of applications have you developed?
— and we chat about it for some more time—

FA: You mentioned that you are a homepreneur. What is this supposed to mean?

Myself: Homepreneur is an Entrepreneur working from home.

FA: So, more like a Garage-Startup? Is it?

Myself : No, not exactly. All start-ups, however small, nourish the dream of growing into something big – have an office space – hire more hands etc. Homepreneur, on the other hand, is contended with being busy (& paid) for the time she can allot herself to work on any given day.

FA: So, you mean to say, homepreneurs don’t dream big? They would not want to have an office for themselves?

Myself: Some homepreneurs move on to become entrepreneurs. Some just remain as homepreneurs. For such enterprising minds, Homepreneurship is a transitory phase.

FA: How exactly do you think homepreneurs and entrepreneurs are different? Coz, As I see it, they are just the same, except for their place of work.

Myself: Indeed, that is the most obvious difference. However,

Homepreneur

Entrepreneur
Place of work Home Office
Nature of work Products / Services that can be predominantly handled by a single person Focuses on products / services as complete packed which involves diverse skill sets.
Delivery of work Physical products: Clients usually drops by to collect items personally. Popular example being Pico work on sarees. Physical products are manufactured & shipped to the clients.
If Services, it is usually delivered electronically. Most services are delivered electronically, but also tends to have a company representative at the client location to set things up.
Team Size Just 1 (oneself – to start with). However, if an ongoing client comes up with additional requirements, other like minded homepreneurs/ freelancers are called in to work as a team. So, Teaming-up is basically the need of the hour and not the essential driving factor. Vary from 5- 15 depending on the nature of the business.
Recruiting new hands Practically non-existent. Entirely based on client’s demands & if existing team members are unable to contribute or does not match the requirements. Aggressive recruitment.
Tends to have at least 2 (skilled) team members on the bench who can start of immediately (ASAP) on a new project.
Working hours Self Chosen.
(- multiple factors determine the exact working hours-)		 An Entrepreneur is forever working. Yet, the general perception of 9 am – 7 pm stands true to almost all of them.
Work Load Takes extra care to accept projects that fit just into her chosen working hours.
Being at home, does not ensure that she is available to work 24x 7.
Most often “Little Less” tends to be “Just Right” for harmony between work and rest of her responsibilities.		 Entrepreneur has a business to run & payroll to attend to. So, every employee on the bench is a resource underutilized && Costs $$ to company without any returns.
Hence aggressively looks for projects (so that CTC is justified)

The gentleman appeared to be convinced about my take on the difference between homepreneur and entrepreneurs. The conversation continued for a little more time, until the conclave volunteer announced the commencement of the next programme in the agenda.
I have to admit, it is this conversation with this gentleman that prompted me to make this comparative series between Employee: Freelancer : Homepreneur and Entrepreneur. It is likely that I missed out on few other things in this comparative study. Do feel free to share them at the comments. Will be glad to know more on your take on the (dis)similarities.

Posted on

Entrepreneur, Homepreneur, Freelancer, Employee- A comparative study series; Part 2

Disclaimer: This analysis/ study is my personal opinion based on the experiences i have had as a freelancer. This is not in any way an authoritative document. However, you are free to discuss your perspective with me. Will be glad to know what you think.
Part1 synopsis:

Becoming a freelancer is a transition, and not a degree/diploma.
Help yourself – Educate yourself – Make informed choices.
When in doubt, google it/him/them.. and… google some more.
Perseverance is the key.

Back in those days, when we moved into the suburbs of Chennai, we were the only family who had been to hindi-speaking-states. This was also the time, when schools, in addition to the state language ( Tamil) also allowed students to choose Hindi as the language option. It so happened that our neighbour’s kid wanted some help with her hindi and my mom offered to help…. the kind if favour we extend to neighbours. One thing led to another…soon… my mom had a new title “local Hindi teacher”. Neither she had any formal teacher’s training, nor was she working at some school… but her hindi was good & the kids were scoring good marks, taking part in Hindi essay writing completion et al.
Today, as I write this, it makes me wonder that perhaps this is my first introduction to homepreneurship. Our home was her “work space”, the dining table doubled up as the study table. Every inch of the floor is strewn with books, you could hear Kabir & Rahim’s dohas at every conceivable pitch. The frenzy of activities starts typically at 5:30pm and continues till 7:30 pm every weekday. Exam weeks are the only exception. There are special tests on weekend as well. The time 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm was of paramount importance to my mom. My dad used to back from work at about 8:00 pm, and we had to study as well. No amount of cajoling, lure of higher pay would convince my mom to work out of this schedule.

Typical Freelancer Homeprenuer
  • If he / she is the breadwinner of the family, there is tremendous pressure to get clients – work – get paid. Else, sees this as an additional source of income.
  • Also tend to fall into the trap of ” 24 hrs make a day, I can take work that fill all of this time”… often the realization of “we cannot be actually working all 24 hrs” sets in after he/she bite more than what one can chew.
  • Predominantly takes up solo contracts.
  • Has a great network of people who are great at other things… and team is called in to handle a project that needs wider skill set.
  • Choose their own “Time-to-work”.
  1. Time allotment ‘tend’ to change with each client.
  2. Temperamental with ASAP projects
  1. Has to consider chores at the house, family commitments before allocating time on a daily basis (eg: 1:00 pm – 4:00pm)
  2. Tries to accommodate clients within this time. For they rest, the homepreneur just has to pass.
  3. Accepts ASAP work under exceptional circumstances.

Between a typical freelancer and a homepreneur, the differences are not as stark as it is between an employee and freelancer. The difference lies in how they manage these similarities in their own unique way.

Posted on

Employee, Freelancer, Homepreneur, Entrepreneur- Comparative study series; Part 1

CosyEmployeeDisclaimer: This analysis/ study is personal opinion based on the experiences I have had as a freelancer. This is not in any way an authoritative document. However, you are free to discuss your perspective with me. Will be glad to know what you think.
Transitioning from a working professional, to a stay at home home-maker, to freelancer consultant, to a homepreneur has been an exciting journey for me(.. with all the ups and downs…) for the past 3 yrs. Freelancing in India is a highly untapped market. Though many are aware of its presence, no one is ready to “try” for the various “real and perceived” fears that come with the freelancing domain.
We all have our share of manias and phobias. But, it takes a conscious effort to react for / against these manias and phobias, so that we can see tangible measurable results that would in someway reflect in the things that we do every day for ourselves and family. During my early freelancing years, I had a hard time getting to know the concept and how things work. It was “Information Overload” with every Google search, and took atleast a year for me to put things to perspective. Now that I have gained ground, this is my way of giving back to the community, what a stay at home mom / homemaker can achieve with a little bit of discipline and perseverance.
T​o be honest, I was introduced to the term “Freelancer” in some movie (.. forgot which movie ), wherein the protagonist is a freelance journalist who gets caught up in the things that make up the plot of the movie. Then, dutifully like any other ‘movie goer’ I forgot all about this (…until a couple of years ago….)
I believe its safe to assume that we all know what freelancing means. For the uninitiated,

Freelancer is a person who gets paid-by-the-job, or paid-by-the-hour-for the services rendered. In short, Freelancers typically do not have steady income which we commonly know as ​Salary.

Hard hitting differences between an Employee and Freelancer,

Employee Freelancer
Financial Security
  • Absolutely YES.
  • Regular income, SALARY Cheque
  • Perks and other performance based commissions.
  • Paid vacations for self / Family.
  • Reimbursement of bills (fuel, medical etc)
  • Barely, for starters.
  • Established freelancers have steady stream of work.
  • Payment for work / services rendered.
  • No perks
  • No work –> means no payment.
  • so, vacations are financially dry days.
Starter’s Jitters
  • Company provides induction programmes.
  • Team / Mentor acts as support system.
  • Has to be a self starter & self motivator.
  • Freelance community and forums , tread with caution.
Dispute claims and settlements
  • Company takes care of most of the issues.
  • Elicit the help of the operating-freelance-marketplace, in event of a dispute
  • With private clients, be on gaurd.

I agree, this table is kinda scary. Being an employee is nice and cosy, and Freelancer’s realm seems to appear to be chaotic, uncertain, and with a serious margin for con.
But, being a freelancer has its own share of benefits. Here are my top picks

  1. I truly get to pick the days & time to work on.
  2. I get to pick and choose my clients
  3. Any appreciation or blame for my work comes directly to me ( No one is going to steal my credits, and impose their blame on me)

Transition to Freelancer brings up the all important questions,

  • When does one become a freelancer?

Typical answer: “You can become a freelancer any time you want”.

This is the most deceiving and dishonest answer I found to be. You just can’t wake up on a fine sunny day and decide to be a freelancer. Becoming a Freelancer is a transition, and not a title in your business card.

What do we do when a germ of an idea hits us? We ruminate on it, think about it, try to gather as much information as we can about it , so that finally we can make an informed decision… don’t you agree?..

Freelancing is no way different than this. The moment this thought takes seat in your consciousness, take time to research the idea.

  • What should I freelance on?

Typical answer : “You can freelance on absolutely anything”

This is a “grey area”. This is half true, and half false. Let me exemplify.

As human beings, we all are capable of doing all kinds of works. Yet, we need a painter to paint our house … we can as well hold the brush, dip in paint, and run it up and down the wall.. why do we need a painter to do that? …
The simplest reason being, he (painter) has the knowledge and skill that is needed for painting a house.

The trick is to distinguish between, “What you are capable of doing” AND “What you are best doing at ?” AND “What interests you the most? ” (…. which you would be doing anyway, even if no one was paying you…)

These are the hardest times one would face, while transitioning to a freelancer.

  1. Research on the things that you do KNOW.
  2. Explore the ideas that INTERESTS you.
  3. Take time to test and try ; this is a direct measure of your discipline.
  4. Do not feel afraid to ask about things that you don’t know.

A friendly advice :

  1. Get friendly with Google.
  2. Have a sensible email & use it to register at sites you come across during research. (Do not use your personal email)
  3. Spend at least 2 hrs a day (Monday – Friday),on research, documenting your findings.
  4. Reserve weekend for family, refrain from “working”

So, that’s pretty much for starting the series. In the next post, I will be sharing on how freelancers and Homepreneurs are same or different. After all, this is a comparative analysis.. isn’t it?

Freel free to share your thoughts. Your thoughts may prove valuable to an aspiring freelancer.


Posted on

NASSCOM product conclave 2010 – Lessons learnt by a Homepreneur

At this NASSCOM conclave, I have had people asking me, what does ‘Homepreneur’ mean?So, here is my definition of it.
HOME – I work from home as an independent consultant / freelancer &
(Entre)preneur – I manage this ‘business’ (of freelancing) on my own.
so, I guess that qualifies to call myself a ‘Homepreneur’ isn’t it.
A couple of years back, I didn’t even care what NASSCOM meant/ did. I had just about begun freelancing and was having a hard time convincing people about could apps as it is, forget convincing them that one-woman-working-from-home could answer their needs as well.
On one such regular (busy/chaotic) day, I had someone fwd me an email about the NASSCOM product conclave 2010 because they saw a mention of “Zoho” in the newsletter and it seems my name popped up in their head. God bless that kind heart…. (psst… thats me being humble.. okay !!).
Now, that caught my attention. I have been working on Zoho Apps since 2008, and here is an event where Mr.Shridar Vembu from ZohoCorp is going to deliver his speech at 3 different sessions. I couldn’t miss this for the life of me. I had to reserve a seat for myself, & I did…. btw, this busted another idea which I had, that “Only Companies” can attend events at NASSCOM. I signed up citing myself as a Freelance Consultant & it felt good too.
The D-Day had arrived, and I was not sure what to expect. But then, that’s the good thing. You go in with a clean slate (… and by the end of the day, I came out with a feeling of so many post-its-stuck-all-over-inside-my-head… Need to get these organized as soon as I finish this blog post…).
I sat through each one of these sessions, (barring a couple as there were parallel sessions happening), and here are some snippets that I found to be inspiring, and some of the things make better sense when we ruminate on them…
Vivek Wadhwa: “Selling is the SINGLE most important skill for entrepreneurs. And selling is a SCIENCE!”
Freelance consultants know this only too well. We work hard at selling the skills, before we comprehend the solution to the client’s problems. Homepreneurs have the added responsibility to sell the idea that, in spite of ‘being home’, we are disciplined about the work that we do.
Mukund : “I gave 1046 demos and closed 2 sales.”
The trick is to ask “qualifying questions” to your potential clients, says Mukund. Every wannabe freelancer (who is more attracted to the prospect of working in pyjamas.. I personally don’t consider them as homepreneur(s)…), jumps in and says “I can do this – I can do that”. Being all over the place, cannot help either of you. So, Stop-ask-evaluate, before committing on one’s services… &… timeline too.
Harsh Manglik: “Innovation is purposeful discovery of solution”
We have heard “Necessity is the mother of Invention”, Now, we must try to remember this alongside as well. I mean.. folks, this says it all.. what’s more to add here ??
Shridhar Vembu : “Not all Eyeballs are equal”
The context being, Unless all of the eyeballs (site visitors) convert into your paying subscriber base, it does not makes sense in “attracting eyeballs”.. the focus should be on “attracting the right-kind of eyeballs”.
As a homepreneur, It is essential that I see my client’s projects to completion on time, and then scout for another client to work for. This leaves me very little time left with to consider “advertising” my skills. Its for this very reason, I have a blog. But would “having a blog” suffice? No, absolutely not.
I guess its time to throw all the “SEO mantras” out of the window and find one’s specific site / forums / boards where the eyeballs really matter. If Homepreneur’s can harness those eyeballs into visiting their sites, it could as well translate into a potential client, or establish our presence in the chosen niche…. worst comes to worst… we still get visitors eh !
I guess this would have intriqued some of the eyeballs on who actually missed out on the Conclave. Fret not!.. NASSCOM_EMERGE has promised to upload it for all of us in a week or so

(btw, NASSCOM means National Association of Software and Services Companies, here is the Wikipedia link ).

Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions