Bengaluru-based Bharathi Kumar’s entrepreneurial journey began with a simple desire to connect with loved ones. With her children living abroad, Bharathi started sending them premixed recipes to ensure they could enjoy the comforting flavours of home. To her delight, her mixes were an instant hit.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, this 61-year-old woman began experimenting with her recipes. Encouraged by the enthusiasm of her family and friends, she decided to start her business.
She started participating in different programmes to learn about the nitty-gritty involved in a new venture. With the learnings from such programmes, she has been able to transform her passion into a thriving venture.
She expresses her feelings, saying, "I felt inspired to learn new things and explore opportunities to grow my business—whether on a small or large scale. The program taught us the basics of planning and introducing our business to the world".
Her transformation journey from preparing food for the family to preparing recipes for her business has been astounding. But she does not forget to acknowledge the support from her family, friends, and the people around her.
The Journey From Hobby To Hustle:
Bharthi, like many from her generation, married early and spent much of her time raising her children. Four years ago, she and her husband found themselves with an empty nest. Even though her children lived far away, she still wanted to provide them with the taste of home.
This desire led her to create convenient, ready-to-cook premixes like pongal, upma, bisi bele bath, pulao, and dal-fry. Initially, she sent these mixes to family and friends as a token of love. Then, she pushed herself further with support from the family.
Living in a society with over 2,000 flats, she took a leap of faith and offered free samples through the community WhatsApp group. And the flavors could not remain under wraps anymore. The response was overwhelming.
She shares, "I had to hire help, buy a large kadhai (Wok), and invest in packing materials and a sealing machine just to keep up with the orders".
Resilience Through Challenges:
While the first wave of the pandemic gave her time to experiment and work on her passion, the second wave brought unexpected challenges forcing her to pause her operations.
However, she remained determined to rebuild. Undeterred by the challenges, which she considers temporary, she now plans to establish a factory in her husband’s hometown and relocate there. With additional space and equipment, including a dryer for fresh produce, she aims to scale up production and reach a larger customer base.
Hard Work And Dedication Paid Off:
Through hard work and dedication, she gained recognition and prize money, which provided a boost to her business plan.
Notably, she nurtures more interest than just cooking. "I enjoy gardening, stitching, reading, socialising, and helping people", says she. Thus, she used the funds to expand her offerings and introduce a line of skincare products made from natural ingredients.
"I’m thrilled to see my dream grow bigger. It’s exciting to see my products bring joy to even more people, whether it’s through the delicious flavours of food or my new skincare range," says Bharathi with pride.
Age is not a hindrance to dreaming big for those who want to go out of their comfort zone, keep learning, and take calculated risks. From humble beginnings to scaling new heights, Bharathi’s journey shows the power of resilience, community support, and the courage to dream big.
The article is contributed by the GetSetUp team.
