How do you define #success? Every #entrepreneurial journey is unique so perhaps comparing two #startup journeys even in the same industry, isn’t a fair thing. When I started my business my idea was to have an organisation that touches lives of common people, who aren’t perhaps as fortunate as I was. Fortunate in terms of education, job opportunities and exposure. I aimed to create an enterprise that might not be known to have big names associated with it, but it would be known to do things in a big way.
In last 18 years #HeartyMart moved from a single retail store in a remote area of Juhapura to multi-locational super markets across Gujarat. It moved from trading grocery products in #HoReCa sector, to manufacture its own brand of spices, bakery and other food products. My employee base is rural and the various micro-enterprises under Hearty Mart umbrella is run by rural community entrepreneurs.
An enterprise succeeds if it continuously work on its inherent strength. Hearty Mart’s success is attributed to the strong community backing, a diligent loyal staff and the vision of the top management, which percolates down in the entrepreneurial hierarchy.
In this journey we had come across many instances when the need of funding was realised. Perhaps the organisation would have scaled manifolds if I had grabbed that opportunity and entered the race of valuation. But, at the end it depends on how comfortable you are with the idea and how open you are to share the vision with the investors. Our funding requirements got fulfilled through debt and community funding. I can say that we are a community-strapped organisation.
Every person entering a gym, isn’t there to contest in a body building competition, the core idea is to achieve fitness and remain healthy, same is the case with a #startup journey, you need to create a set-up that impacts the society in a positive way along with providing you with desired revenue and returns of your hardwork. That defines true success.
#entrepreneurs #business #opportunity #community #retail #management #growth #horeca #HeartyMart #growthstory
