At 20 years of age, I was armed with a Chemistry Honours degree from Mumbai & a husband who promised to let me live my dream. At 23, I had a 1-year-old son & Rs 500 to start a business. I shifted from Delhi to Jabalpur to set up a kitchen unit in the backyard of my in-laws house.
I did not know the ABC of business (Accounts, Business and Costing). All I knew was I had to start a business and earn money. My son and Rs 500 were my assets with the technical and moral support of my husband who was a 1000 km away, in his job in Delhi. We could only communicate through the phone in the neighbour’s house.
My manufacturing process started with the manual mixing of chemicals in a plastic bucket and packing it for use as X-Ray developers and fixers. My arms ached with the continuous shaking of the bucket but the pains vanished as I got repeated orders. Next, my husband suggested was to apply for a loan.
I was horrified. My army officer father had taught me to never borrow money. But as I approached the bank for a loan I was thrown out by the bankers. I felt humiliated for the first time in my life; the humiliation changed into a challenge. I raised money for qualifying for a bank loan by recovering silver from waste X-ray fixer solution. I call it ‘resourcefulness’.
I was able to get a business partner and secure a bank loan of a sum of Rs 15000 by mortgaging my in-laws’ property of Rs 15 lacs. I had to take ‘calculated risks’.
I travelled the length and breadth of the country with my son. With the technical support of my husband, I started manufacturing chemical formulations for Offset Printing Presses. The word ‘entrepreneurship’ was little known and women entrepreneurs did not exist.
I was the Production Manager, the Accountant and the sales girl but my products and branding were so professional that the clients thought I was working for a big firm. My competition was MNC giants like Kodak & Dupont. My visiting card never had my designation printed on it.
Keeping start-up expenses low, the perseverant and persistent attitude helped my industry to flourish. With only one employee, who cooked, babysat and also helped me in the factory, my business started to grow. My husband and partner, both left their jobs to join me.
For us, with the birth of my second son, both, family and businnes grew. Bringing up sons and working full time, I realized that the challenges faced by my employees, especially women. So post lunch, my office changed into a creche with children completing their homework or dozing off on the office couch. I had an office family now.
My business was growing rapidly. Customers and press coverages, I was receiving appreciation. As with my business partner, the male ego took its toll; he could not handle a strong woman in business.
After 14 years of hardwork, giving all I had to Bromide Chemical Industries, I was forced to walk out of my own office and business, one which I had built. I was heartbroken and my life became miserable. I was not allowed to take a single penny of my capital or even an employee. My husband and partner were to run the business without me, a woman.
My partner challenged me to start a new business if I had the guts, which should have nothing to do with my old business.
With the moral support of my husband and sons, in 1992, I started a business of manufacturing photo colour processing chemicals and Haylide Chemicals was born.
Armed with degrees of experience, I got a bank loan without a mortgage. The ability to make my own business decisions took my business soaring to new heights. Haylide Chemicals was to compete with Fuji, Konica, Agfa, Kodak among others. I introduced incentives like foreign trips for distributors. Life was colourful and I was riding the high seas.
The competing MNCs decided to weed out small competition like us. For colour photography, they started giving free chemicals if the client used their equipment, film and photography paper. Nothing is cheaper than ‘free’.
Being versatile and resourceful was the need of the hour. I started to reach out far away and rural markets. Unfortunately, it resulted in high marketing costs and low turnovers. I had to face heavy losses. That was ‘negative resourcefulness’. But I never let my bank accounts and loans go bad. Though my goodwill and business integrity were never at stake, I was in the dumps, both morally and financially.
When in pain, help the vain. I decided to help other women entrepreneurs grow with my experiences. MAWE: Madhya Pradesh Association of Women Entrepreneurs, established in 2000, now supports thousands of women across the country to be self-employed and have access to finance, technology and international markets.
My practical approach and years of experience on the ground invited me to contribute to policymaking for gender and trade starting for the government of India and international agencies like WTO Geneva, United Nations New York, World Export Development forums, China, Brazil, Rwanda and more, who took me across the globe.
The spirit of entrepreneurship never dies. This time around, the idea was to manufacture value-added products and green chemicals for cleaning and sanitizing – for house keeping, laundry, kitchen, industry and personal care. The B2B model was started using the old premises, machines and employees.
My firstborn, now a Chemical Engineer, joined forces with me and infused youthful ideas. My husband again helped to fund and provide technical expertise. Using inhouse strengths, Haylide Chemicals, within 5 years, we were able to build a brand new spanking factory, with world-class facilities for exports and domestic market, Introducing green laundry and washroom products. Haylide Chemicals, today is a vendor to the big global brands. My pride and success lie in giving livelihood and improving the lifestyle of the many workers and education of their children, almost at par with my own children.
With my Green Business, I may not have made millions to buy solitaires or expensive cars but I consider myself successful for taking hundreds of people along with me to try and make their lives green and hence sustainable.
After 40 Years of entrepreneurial experience, I strongly feel that if other people can benefit from my practical experiences in life, I am there to share and guide them. I am focused on encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship in women
Keep learning, especially from people younger than you. They keep you energized and up with the latest in all spheres. However dire the circumstances are, never let your credit history go bad; your business loan EMIs determine your future. Sell to those who value your products and services, where your payment is secure and do not make distress compulsive sales.
Perseverance, persistence, resilience and learning from failures, will lead you to success.
-Team WS
