With an MBA from the US, this woman used her entrepreneurial skills to create a one-of-a-kind online venture
With an MBA from the US, this woman used her entrepreneurial skills to create a one-of-a-kind online venture
An Internet connection is all you need to enter the convenient gateway of online shopping. A mere click or tap of a key can open up a million options on the screen. From apparel, jewellery, flowers, mobile phones, furniture, electronic items and home décor — everything is available on the net. A number of leading players have tapped the net savvy crowd and come out winners. Radhika Aggarwal, who is the chief business officer of ShopClues has emerged as a name to be reckoned with. The journey to become an entrepreneur has not been an easy one. It helped that Radhika had 14 years of experience in the US working with leading companies. She holds an MBA from Washington University and a post-graduate degree in advertising and public relations.
Talking about the birth of ShopClues, Radhika says, “With the boom of the ecommerce industry in India after 2012-13, we conceptualised this with the aim to offer an innovative shopping platform to the Indian masses. We had already learnt that the online shopping sector in India was still in its nascent stages, and the existing online players presented the replica of a mall for online shoppers. We tried to break the monotony of a shopping mall experience and our objective was to de-clutter the conventional e-commerce sector with a mass market brand that offers value-for-money deals to the customers, especially the middle class shoppers.”
Radhika is also the first Indian woman founder to enter the prestigious echelons of the Unicorn Club but she prefers to share the credit with her members. She says, “My team and I have partnered to make the venture what it is today. Our teamwork has made it possible for us to reach incredible milestone.”
Sharing more information, Radhika says that she always knew that she was born to be a business woman. The challenges that a woman entrepreneur faces are myriad and the journey more of a challenge, considering the work- home balance expected from a woman. Radhika opines, “The challenges are the same in entrepreneurship, man or woman. The challenge is there because there are so few of us, so people end up asking questions like, ‘How do you ensure work-life balance ’ You need a support system at home and work as your responsibilities grow. It is one of the biggest challenges to maintain a balance between work and family. I am privileged as I have a very supportive family and staff, who help me in achieving my targets. At the same time, I prioritise my tasks and stay focused to meet my day-to-day targets.”
The busy woman loves reading which is why her Kindle accompanies her everywhere. She also loves to write about fashion and had maintained a social portal where she would write about contemporary fashion, customary designs etc. Travelling also gives her a high and she says, “I love visiting and exploring new places. I have seen a number of countries but I adore Maldives for its striking natural beauty, but prefer New York when it comes to shopping. In India, Dalhousie is my favourite holiday destination. There is never a single dull moment in the Himalayas.”
Before she ends she ruminates, “Today, when I contemplate, I realise that my venture is what I was destined to be at and I have achieved my goal! I would, however, wish to write a book on my journey someday!”
