11 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Dream it, build it
It often starts with a simple idea — a soap handcrafted in a home kitchen, a puzzle designed at the dining table, or a small store on a bustling street deciding to take the plunge online. Ahead of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day (June 27), it's these stories that deserve the spotlight, stories of humble beginnings that dared to grow, adapt, and dream bigger.
'Earthy Sapo started as a passion project, not a business plan,' shares Sheetal Kabra Mohanty, founder of the Hyderabad-based personal care brand. 'When I first began making soaps, I shared them with friends and family and participated in farmers' markets around the city. My goal was simple, to connect with people, understand their skin and hair care concerns, and see if my products could genuinely help. I wasn't in a rush. I spent nearly two to three years just doing that — listening, learning, and gathering honest feedback,' adds Sheetal.
What followed was no overnight transformation. Sheetal spent years refining formulations and deepening her understanding of what customers truly needed. 'The response I received was not just positive, it was heartwarming. That's when I began thinking of Earthy Sapo not just as a passion but as a business,' she says.
A key turning point came in 2017–18, when a loyal customer encouraged her to explore online retail. 'Amazon was the first e-commerce platform I joined. Their onboarding was seamless, and their vast reach — both across India and internationally which helped me take Earthy Sapo beyond local markets. Their robust logistics, user-friendly tech tools, and deep expertise in online selling made a huge difference. For me, Amazon became the launchpad that transformed Earthy Sapo from a farmers' market brand into one serving customers nationwide and beyond,' she notes.
