Priyanka Gupta
Name: Priyanka Gupta
Priyanka Gupta
Business: At Chocolics, we pride ourself in making quality handmade chocolates, made form the finest and freshest ingredients available. For our business, customer satisfaction lies at the heart of every decision, and we endeavour to satisfy every customer, from the bulk buyers to the individual ones. We also offer fully customised boxes, and have often worked with our clients to deliver a range of customized gift boxes and chocolates, with each piece of chocolate handcrafted with delicate care.
Thanks to the overwhelming response and the quality of our work, we have had the opportunity to work with some well known corporate companies.
The Woman behind the Entrepreneur:
I have always been an entreprenuer at heart, and never felt comfortable with a “day job”. I wanted to start something which utilize my creativity, something which would bring a smile to people’s faces with an outstanding product. I have always enjoyed working with people, and have believed in the virtues of hard work and dedication, with an open and refreshingly honest approach to doing business.
When did you first start your business and how did the business idea come about?
Chocolics was started in the autumn of 2007. I always had a vested interest in making chocolates, and had been making them for my family members and relatives. Based on their response, and noticing a lack of quality handmade chocolates in Delhi, I decided to blend my chocolate making skills with my creative outlet, and started this venture. I further went to the UK and did an advance course in chocolate making, which further homed my skills.
www.chocolics.com
How much capital did you start with?
Chocolics was started with a minimal investment of Rs 10,000.
In how much time did the business turn into a profit making venture?
The business turned profitable within 3 months of opening it.
What were the initial years like?
As with any venture, the starting times were difficult. I had to go to remote areas in search of box suppliers, as well as sourcing my raw material from more sustainable sources. With a limited budget, advertising was also a challenge. Depiste all this, it was a great learning experience, and this experience was invaluable in propelling the business forward.
What are some of the top challenges you faced and how did you surmount them?
There were many challenges, both from a business and personal point of view. I guess one of the bigger challenges was fighting the stereotypical view of a woman establishing a business, which is even more evident when dealing with people from less educated areas. It took a lot of time and patience of interacting with a variety of people from all walks of life before I gained enough experience to handle situations tactfully.
Another major challenge was marketing, due to a limited budget. We started off small, and even took some gambles which didn’t pay off . I soon realised a better avenue, which has definitely paid dividents in the long run.
What challenges do you continue to face and what is your strategy to tackle them?
One of the biggest challenges at the moment is people’s perception of the product and service we offer. Handmade chocolates are still often compared with sweets, and on many occassions people do not appriciate the delicate process of making chocolates. We continue to explain to all our customers the delicate care we offer to their product, the process of manufacturing the product as well as the background information on chocolates, in order for them to develop a better understanding of chocolates. We also keep similar material on our website, and we hope going forward that we can make some difference to the perception surrounding chocolates.
What drives you?
The biggest motivating factor for me is being able to help bring a smile to people’s faces when I discuss new ideas with them, and deliver them a very unique and personalised gift box full of luxurious chocolates. I have had thousands of happy customers comment on my work in the past, and that certainly is very encouraging. At chocolics, I get to combine both my creativity and my professional ideas into one, and this in itself is a great driving factor.
How many hours do you work per week?
My typical week could range from anything between 25 hours to 50 hours. It just depends on the amount of workload at the moment.
What tips would you like to give to budding entrepreneurs?
My suggestion to budding entreprenuers would be to stay focused, be realistic about achieving their goals and start small. Its all well and good to have grand ideas, but execution of any idea should take place in small incremental steps rather than one massive change. Also, always be honest to your clients, and be prepared to go out of your way to help them, specially when starting out the business.
Can a budding entrepreneur reach you for guidance? If yes, how can she contact you?
Sure, I am always happy to talk to entreprenuers wishing to start their own business. They can reach me at info@chocolics.com.
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