Women have always been placed in situations where they must play multiple roles, such as daughter, wife, or mother. So it’s a surprise that many people today proudly wear the title of “entrepreneur.” It is easy to say that if a woman strives hard enough, she will undoubtedly succeed in creating her kingdom.
Today, we are in a conversation with such a woman who has found enormous professional success and owned many hats in her feather. The dauntless and the gallant Mrs Anupama Biswal, Director- Gayatridevi Groups.
Q1. Could you please brief us on what has attracted you to doing business the first-hand to become a leading female entrepreneur in the state?
Ans – I feel women as the centrifugal force of society. The universe revolves around us. The way we deal with the environment will behave and grow accordingly. So, being with this positive mindset, I always wanted to contribute to society in any form. In the first few years, I had prioritized my family and supported them to enrich their career.
But the urge to do business and excel was always there in my mind. Then I joined the business in full swing in 2019. Till then, we were successful in our Electrical construction wing, M/S Gayatri Agency. In 2019, an intention to provide Premium Outdoor living Solutions took shape in the form of Gayatri Devi Furniture Studio in my leadership with a brand like LOOM CRAFTS, a pioneer in luxury outdoor furniture and Pre-fab modular Cottage. Simultaneously we have also ventured into Food & beverage with Gayatridevi food & Beverages with the brand Big Cup Café. Then I, I never looked back.
2. What was the most challenging thing & time you had to encounter to set up a consumer brand Looms Craft?
Ans- We have started with LOOM CRAFTS with a bang. The response was tremendous, and getting calls and leads from all HNI circles as well as from leading institutions. But the break out of the pandemic of Covid-19 has made us stagnant. Market movement and operations were really tough during that period. Still, despite our hardship and having an excellent team, we could manage to sustain and looked ahead to prosper post-pandemic again.
3. You have done a stellar job in successfully making the 1st women Business Mela; what’s your vision for this?
Ans- IWEC Women’s Business Mela was a dream come true for us. Being at the core philosophies of helping each other, nurturing and excelling in business at IWEC, we were seasoned and committed to doing some big things in life. Organizing this event was a big challenge for us initially, but the vision got clear when we moved ahead. Finally, the success and response of the people all around us were overwhelming, and we feel we achieved what we aimed at. The new challenge will be to make it happen again and again in years to come on a larger scale.
4. Being a woman, do you think you have a distinct advantage of being connected to the core managerial skills of doing businesses in the likes of dutiful, passion, tolerance, patience, profit-oriented etc.?
Ans- Yes, you rightly noticed. Being a woman is advantageous. A woman is always particular; women are team persons, disciplined and overall may be the best manager every organization must-have.
I am passionate, aggressive, and tolerant of adverse situations, which makes me consistent in excelling in my business. In fact, to your knowledge, more than 50% of my team are women, and I love working with them.
Q5. What made you add a feather in your hat is Big Cup Cafe, which is leading in the B Town?
Ans- Big Cup café lies in the softest corner of my heart as my next child after my daughter. We have taken all extra care and efforts to set its ambience, quality of food, introducing new variants and the most crucial thing of providing customers with star quality service and satisfaction towards value for their money & time. I feel that’s the only reason for which it is very much leading in the B Town.
Q6. Gayatri Devi Group of industries has a presence all across. How do you see its future down the line?
Ans- As a group, we are into many things, such as,
Gayatri Devi Furniture Studio Pvt Ltd is the pioneer in Outdoor living solutions. Deals with Luxury outdoor Furniture and Pre-fab Modular Cottages of LOOMCRAFTS, whereas SYSTEMS India is another brand under its umbrella that deals with Solar and weather protection products. These outdoor products have gained a massive reputation of having their products placed in some high profile Govt., Corporate & residential spaces of Odisha.
Under Gayatri Devi Foods & Beverages Pvt Ltd, the popular coffee chain BIG CUP café, having a tradition of coffee over 150 years from Coorg, Karnataka, has spread its aroma all over the twin cities of Cuttack & Bhubaneswar and created a premium niche for its ambience, Coffee, Bakery & dine-in at Pahal, Bhubaneswar.
India’s Largest and Odisha’s First HAVELLS & LLOYD WORLD OF EXPERIENCE store at Pahal is very successful in another division. The popular electrical and electronic brand titled ANCHOR BY PANASONIC is also doing great under our roof.
We have introduced the most ecstatic and elegant product in our new launches, the SPOT micro Living. An ultra-Luxury modular home in a container. You can port it to any place of your choice, can be installed at your site in 24Hrs. Customize it as per your requirement may be for a Home, Office, Café, 2nd home or anything. Building time is as low as 30 days.
We are with a wide range of offerings from the group and look forward to continuing the same and would love to hear from you in our Toll-free no 1800 121 0000 25 or person at our outlets at Pahal, Bhubaneswar. And above all, we need the blessings and support of the people around us to grow further.
INTERVIEWED BY- PRISITA DAS
