Sumitra Senapaty
Sumitra Senapaty - Founder, WOW
Name: Sumitra Senapaty
The Enterprise: WOW Club, Women On Wanderlust is a travel platform for women of India, NRIs and foreign women who want to explore India. It is a one stop shop for all travel arrangements, such as holidays in India & overseas, flights, visa, insurance, treks, wildlife safaris, cruises, wellness programs and much more. We have offices in Delhi & Bangalore and are a web based business model. We are the pioneers and market leaders in all women travel, a niche that never existed before we started it.
The Woman behind the Entrepreneur:
I am a wanderer at heart, thats the real me, passionate about adventure, wildlife, nature, gourmet foods and wine. I enjoy traveling and meeting women from all walks of life. And I LOVE my work! Addicted to it. I was a hotelier for a few years, after which I became a writer, and worked with the Times of India for a number of years, before I started on my own as a freelance writer, contributing to various magazines.
When did you first start your venture and how did the idea come about?
As a travel writer, i used to travel the world and women called me lucky, and hoped that they could also travel.i saw genuine passion for travel in their eyes.I decided to use my knowledge from globe trotting to provide the platform for them.
How much capital did you start with?
5 lacs.
In how much time did the enterprise turn into a profit making venture?
In the first year itself. But it became a business in 2 years.
What were the initial years like?
From the word go, it has been a great journey, and there has been no need to look back or regret any single move.
What are some of the top challenges you faced and how did you surmount them?
The only challange i faced was how to spread the word around. here the press came to my rescue.the WOW story caught the fancy of the press, and the rest , as they say, is history. i am very grateful to the media for making WOW, what it is..WOW!!!!
What challenges do you continue to face and what is your strategy to tackle them?
Even today, the challenge is the same- how to let more and more women know about wow. and how to distribute the product on all india basis- the problem of up scaling.
this year, we will partly address these two issues, with increased ad budget, and by opening another office in bangalore, besides, revamping our website.
What drives you?
The great WOW women! Appreciation is the icing on the cake.
How many hours do you work per week?
Never calculated. Maybe 60 hrs.
What tips would you like to give to budding entrepreneurs?
Come up with an original idea. Once convinced, go for it, till you succeed.Believe in your self.
Can a budding entrepreneur reach you for guidance? If yes, how can she contact you?
My email and phone number is there for all to see, on my website. I travel often. But if the budding entrepreneur is persistent, which in any case is a quality she must have, she will be able to reach me, and I will be open to give guidance.
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