Fashionista, Entrepreneur and Franchisor...
Opportunity India Desk
Sep 29, 2017 -
3 min read
If the 70’s saw women coming out of the houses to join the workforce, then the wake of this millennium has witnessed the rise of woman entrepreneurs. They have a significant stake in SME and MSME sector contributing to 3.09% of the industrial input. The franchise fraternity has also seen women gradually shifting from safety and security seeking franchisee to a more profound role of a franchisor. In an exclusive interview, Chinu Kala, Founder, Rubans, speaks to Utpala Ghosh about her incredible entrepreneurial journey and plans to venture into franchising.
Please share about your entrepreneurial journey and discuss about the challenges you faced and how did you overcome these issues?
I kick-started my entrepreneurial journey by establishing 'Fonte Corporate' and since then worked with some big brands such as Segrams, Microsoft, Oracle, ITC Limited, Max IPL, to name a few. What followed was a natural progression of my creative talent. I combined my expertise with my business acumen to put together a fashion label - Rubans.
Balancing professional and personal is always a challenge but over a period of time; I have learnt to juggle multiple facets of my life with ease with the help of proper planning.
Please share the USP of your business?
Rubans is a high-fashion accessory brand. We bring international runway-worthy fashion to India at an affordable price. We also have an in-house designing team which keeps the freshness of designs intact and also helps us introduce new designs on a fortnightly basis.
Why did you opt for franchising?
Investment is a common roadblock in any entrepreneurial journey. I think franchising helps to take care of the investment part in the best possible way as you get your franchise partners to put in money in the expansion of your business. Also, I was looking at a model that would allow me to promote faster growth through multiple associations in different cities. Hence, as a company we decided to go with franchising model.
Please elaborate about your franchising model? What do you offer to a potential female who wishes to follow your footsteps and become your franchisee?
We have just embarked on our journey to franchising and we are looking ahead to open 20 more stores by the end of this year and have our presence in all the cities of this country by 2020. Starting something on your own can be quite cumbersome since any business involves a huge amount of investment, manpower, research and time. I have overcome these hurdles and have successfully created a format for this business ready to be franchised. Our franchisees get to be associated with a brand that is readily accepted in the market. We provide them with a ready market research report, manpower support, hand holding and training during initial setup and a full proof business model. I am looking to reach out to potential women of this country who are in need of mentorship.
Please share a message for all of the aspiring mothers who wish to become an entrepreneur and how franchising can help in acting as a growth booster?
My message to all the aspiring mothers would be to follow their dreams and not let anything stand in their way to success. We would provide a ready platform to them to nurture their entrepreneurial skills, generate revenue and at the same time have a decent work-life balance.
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