Upload
arun-mishra
View
4
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Anita Dongre, The Designer Who Broke Societal Stereotypes to Be an Entrepreneur - HerStory
Citation preview
8/6/2015 AnitaDongre,thedesignerwhobrokesocietalstereotypestobeanentrepreneurHerStory
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22posttitle%22%20style%3D%22margin%3A%200px%3B%20padding%3A%200px%3B%20border 1/5
133 108 25 0
PreethiChamikutty|March03,2014at11:00am
Anita Dongre, the designer whobroke societal stereotypes to be anentrepreneur
For50yearoldAnitaDongre,lifehasbeenaninterestingjourneyasawoman.ShewasborninatraditionalIndianhouseholdwherewomenplayedallthestereotypicalrolesthatsocietyexpectsthemto.Hercousins,aunts,sistersandotherwomenintheextendedfamilywerehappybeingwivesandmothers.Butdespitebeingborninatraditionalhousehold,lifehaddifferentplansforAnita.
IgrewupinafairlytraditionalSindhifamily.MygrandparentswerefromJaipur.IspentlotofmysummervacationsinJaipurandevenasachildInoticedhowrestrictivetheenvironmentwasformycousinsthere.MyfathermovedtoMumbaijustafewmonthsbeforeIwasborn.Mumbaiwasaverydifferentplace.Herewomenhadcareers,andwereentrepreneurs,recallsAnita.Therewerenowomenentrepreneursinherfamily.Noneofthewomeninherextendedfamilyof50cousinseverworkedanywhere.SowhenAnitatookupajobafterherinternship,everyoneinthefamilywasshocked.TherewastotalshockandIwassubjectedtoalotofcounselling.Backthenitwasassumedthatifawomanwantedtoworkitmeantthatherfamilywasunabletolookafterherfinancially,saysAnita.
Butnowallthatseemsalongtimeago.Today,AnitaDongreisamongtheforemostfashiondesignersinthecountryandhasdressedmanywellknownandunknownfaces.HerStorycaughtupwiththissuperseamstresstochalkherentrepreneurialjourney.
The beginning
Comparedtowhatlayaheadinherlifeasanentrepreneur,familyobjectionswereperhapsthemosteasytotackle.Anitaspulltowardsfashionhappenedataveryyoungage,whenshesawthewomeninherhousecreatebeautifulstuffwithfabrics.HermotherPushpaSawlaniwasaskilledartist,whostitchedclothesforAnitaandhersiblingswhentheywereyoung.
8/6/2015 AnitaDongre,thedesignerwhobrokesocietalstereotypestobeanentrepreneurHerStory
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22posttitle%22%20style%3D%22margin%3A%200px%3B%20padding%3A%200px%3B%20border 2/5
NextsteptowardsherdreamwasadegreeinfashionfromSNDTUniversity,Mumbai.Designandfashionwastheonlythingthatinterestedmeevenasa15yearold.ManyfriendswhomIstudiedcommercewithinNMcollege,becamecharteredaccountants.ButIfoundthatveryboring.Onlyfashionexcitedme.SoIwassurethiswaswhatIwasgoingtodo,saysAnita.
Shestartedthebusinesswithheryoungersisterinasmall300squarefootareaandfewyearsdownthelineheryoungerbrotherjoinedthebusinesstoo.Theinitialyearsweretough,becausetheydidnthaveaplacetoworkfromandhadtoconstantlymovefromplacetoplace.TherehavebeentoughtimesandinthoseearlyyearsIdidthinkofgivingupacoupleoftimes,butthatwasverymomentary.Iwouldwakeupinthemorningandsay,whatthehell,Iwilldoit,recollectsAnita.Thereweretimeswhentheirlandlordthrewthemoutbecausetheyfailedtopaytheirrent,sheclaims.
Moneywasahugeprobleminthefirstfewyears.Butafterthat,itwasok.Ithinkforanentrepreneureverydayisachallenge.Everydaythrowsupnewchallenges.EventodayatthisstageIfacechallengesdailybutIthinkyoujusthavetolearntodealwiththem,sheadds.
Her business acumen
Whilefashionisherlove,AnitaDongrehasalsobeenveryfocusedinthewayshedidbusiness.Today,hercompanyiscalledANDDesignsIndiaLtd(ADIL)andithasfourlabelsunderit.ANDwaslaunchedin1999andretailswesternwear,GlobalDesi,launchedin2007,sellsethnicwear,Intrepretisalineofeverydayclothing,TimelessisbridalwearandGrassrootstandsfororganicfashion.However,Anitasaysshedoesntspendmuchtime
8/6/2015 AnitaDongre,thedesignerwhobrokesocietalstereotypestobeanentrepreneurHerStory
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22posttitle%22%20style%3D%22margin%3A%200px%3B%20padding%3A%200px%3B%20border 3/5
strategizingordrawingbusinessplanswhenitcomestolaunchingnewproductlines.
Followingherhearthasbeenherstrategyforexpansion.Eventhereasontolaunchherownbrandwasbecausethestoreswhereshewouldsupplyherclothestorefusedtotakehercreationsofwesternwear.About1415yearsagoIcreatedacollectionofclothesIreallylikedwhichcateredtothegrowingpopulationofyoungwomenwhohadstartedworkingandwereopentoexperimentingwithwesternoutfits.ButnoneoftheshopsIsuppliedtowouldacceptit.IgotsoangrythatIdecidedIwilldothismyself,andthatshowAnitaDongreDesignswasborn,saysthedesignerwithasmile.
Iattributemybusinessacumentomygutfeel.Idontdoanymarketresearch,Idothingsveryinstinctively.Becausemyclothes(itwasabeautifulcollection)wererejectedbyeveryotherstore,IgotreallyangryandIopenedmyownstore,sheexplains.Anitaadmitsthatsheisnottoofondofthebusinesspartofentrepreneurship,butunderstandsthatitisavitalpartofbeinganentrepreneur.However,givenachance,shesays,shewouldjustliketoonlydesignallthetime.
Atpresent,ANDisretailedthrough250pointsofsale,whichinclude41exclusivestoresandover200otherestablishedmultibrandlifestyleformatslikeShoppersStop,Lifestyle,Central,Kapsons&Pantaloon.GlobalDesihas54exclusiveoutletsandpresencein130MBOs.GlobalDesialsoopeneditsfirststoreinMauritiusthisyear.TimelessandIinterpretarepresentacrossnineAnitaDongreexclusivestoresacrossIndia.
Theentirebrandhas104storesacrossthecountryandhasbeengrowingataCAGRof57%since2010.TheyareexpectingaturnoverofRs350crorebyFY2014.
Grounded yet ambitious
AlthoughAnitarecentlyopenedtwoGlobalDesistoresinMauritius,shecontinuestobebullishaboutampleopportunitiesthatexistwithinourcountry.Adearfriendtoldme20yearsagothathadIbeenintheUSwhenIstartedthebusiness,Iwouldhavebeen100timesbiggerthanwhatIamnow.Butitisok.IlovecreatingIndianstuffandtherearemanyopportunitiesthatexisthere,shesays.2015hasbeenearmarkedforaggressiveexpansionabroad.
8/6/2015 AnitaDongre,thedesignerwhobrokesocietalstereotypestobeanentrepreneurHerStory
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22posttitle%22%20style%3D%22margin%3A%200px%3B%20padding%3A%200px%3B%20border 4/5
Herfamilyhasbeenaveryimportantpartofherlifetheyhavebeenherpillarsofstrengthbothwithinandoutsidethebusiness.Herfatherlentherthefirstcapitaltostartherbusiness,forwhichhechargedherinterestjustlikeanyprofessionalloanshewouldhavetaken.MyfatherwasatoughmanandIamgladhewasnotanindulgentfatherandtaughtmethevalueofmoney.EventodaywhenmysisterandIrunthecompanywethinkofhimwheneverwehavetotakecrucialfinancialdecisions.Hetaughtustorespectmoneyandthatisveryimportant,shesays.
Herbrotherandsisterhandletheoperationsandretailsideofthebusiness,whileAnitacontinuestoleadonthedesignfront.Shesaystherearestillmanythingsthatshewantstodoinlifeandprobablythislifetimeisnotgoingtobesufficientforit.Predictablyhercorefocusisondesign,andhowtoremainaheadofthecurve.
Thecompanyrecentlypurchasedan180,000sq.ft.facilityinRabale,NaviMumbai,withtheplantointegrateallitsproductionactivities.Thisisalsoimportantfromthepointofviewofqualitycontrol,whichwillbekeyfortheirinternationaloutings.In2008,FutureGrouphadpickedup23%stakeinAnitasbusinessandtherehavebeenreportsofthemexitingthefirmbysaleofstaketoprivateequityfirmGeneralAtlantic.ReportssuggestaninvestmentofRs150crorebyGeneralAtlanticinADILforaminoritystake.
Anitasaysshelovesmakingclothesandwantstodothisforaslongasshecan.Anddespitethedisappointmentsandfailures,shesaysitshardforhertostopworking.Itsablessingtobeabletodresspeople,givethemfashion,makewomenfeelgoodaboutthemselves.Iamgoingtoworktilltheend.WhatIwouldliketoleavebehindisafantasticfashionhousethatbelievesinthevaluesystemwehaveset,saysAnita.
Behappy,stayhappyandbeproudofwhatyouaredoing,isAnitasadvisetowomenwhoarethinkingentrepreneurship.Haveagoodintention,andlookatwhateveryoudoasthebeginningofsomethingthatyouaregoingtodoabsolutelywell.Youcanneverstartanythingthinkingyouwanttomakelotsofmoney.Doyourbestandtherestjustfollows,statesAnita.
8/6/2015 AnitaDongre,thedesignerwhobrokesocietalstereotypestobeanentrepreneurHerStory
data:text/htmlcharset=utf8,%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22posttitle%22%20style%3D%22margin%3A%200px%3B%20padding%3A%200px%3B%20border 5/5