A tough couple with a ‘never give up’ attitude

Achieving success in life is not something one gets by fluke or luck, but is something that is achieved by persistence – a combination of skills, effectiveness, hard work and good fortune. Snehal’s struggle from a simple housewife wanting to help her husband keep the home fires burning, to the couple realizing their dream of running a successful business, is proof enough.

A desire to lend a helping hand

Snehal & Dattatray Bagade, a happily married couple faced a serious financial crisis when Snehal was expecting their first child. With Dattatray, who worked in a private firm, being the sole bread winner, no family support and a baby on the way, the future looked pretty grim.

Wanting to lend a helping hand to her husband, and with her baby now being a year and a half, Snehal started looking around for something productive.

An idea is born

Working for a few days helping a friend painting and decorating diyas, ignited a burning desire to start something of her own – the only problem – lack of funds.

Small beginnings

With the festive season around the corner, the Bagades tested their business wings. They bought mehendi cones at wholesale rates and sold them in the local retail market at a 300% profit. This was the beginning. They soon diversified to various ladies cosmetics products, selling them in the local market at very competitive rates, resulting in a dramatic increase in orders as well as profits.

A roadblock along the way

Just as things were looking up, home responsibilities and adjusting business to their son’s school timings played spoilsport. Home, business and education expenses left little or nothing to put aside for expansion. Additionally, financial institutes and banks closed their doors when the Bagades could not furnish the relevant documentation. Once again the future looked bleak.

deAsra – a ray of hope

Just when the Bagades had given up hope, they were introduced to the deAsra Foundation, a not for profit association formed to contribute to social welfare by allowing entrepreneurship, which will create employment opportunities.

After listening to their early life, struggle and business ideas, deAsra evaluated ways to help them find a solution. By examining their business model in depth, deAsra helped them redesign every facet of their business by maximizing revenue, calculating the profit margins and formulating the procurement and supply chain plan. Additionally, the deAsra team went the extra mile and procured funds for the Bagades, by providing a guarantee, in their personal capacity.

Now with their financial needs taken care of with the help of deAsra Foundation, Snehal and Dattatray, explored the feasibility of moving from their current retail market business to the wholesale market business and have successfully moved ahead. Today, Snehal is confident enough to soon starting her own manufacturing unit and deAsra promises help and support her in the endeavour.