From Street to Shop: Vikas Lende’s Success Story

In the bustling premises of Talegaon station, life is always on the go. The once deserted suburb of Pune is now crowded with buildings—residential and commercial centres, shops, malls, and restaurants. Near a popular grocery chain, , stands a little shop, adorned with various items for sale. If you take a quick peep inside, you see beautiful photo frames and colourful hangings decorating the walls. Various household items, gift articles, bowl sets are neatly stacked on the shelves. A couple is busy showing various articles to a customer. Welcome to Suyog Gift Gallery, a bustling enterprise run by the hardworking businessman Mr. Vikas Lende – and his supportive wife. While Vikas and his wife sit comfortably in their shop today, shielded from the harsh rays of the summer sun, their journey here has been anything but comfortable.

Humble beginnings

Vikas, who is a grade 12 graduate, had to toil hard to make ends meet for his family. Ten years back, he ran small stalls on the roadside at bustling locations like Fergusson College Road and Kothrud. He sold various products like acupuncture equipment, heating pads, massage devices, steamer belts etc. Life was hard under the blazing summer sun and in the chilly winters of Pune, but Vikas had no other way to feed his family. He also tried other options like door to door marketing, but something was amiss. The entrepreneur inside Vikas was craving for more.

Dared to dream big

Vikas could have continued running his stalls without making any profits if he hadn’t dreamt big. But he dared to. Armed with determination, he decided to turn his dream into reality. He set up a shop in Talegaon and named it Suyog Gift gallery. However, he was in dire need of funds to purchase articles for sale.

Deceit and disappointment

The path less travelled is not always rosy but most often rocky. Vikas borrowed money from some private money lenders but suffered severe losses while paying the interest amount. Having burnt his fingers, he felt his ship was sinking. That’s when he decided to look for help.

Ray of hope

One fine day, he heard about deAsra on the radio. A smart entrepreneur never misses a good opportunity. Vikas quickly noted down the address and contact number and approached deAsra. He narrated his situation and expressed his need for finance. deAsra assisted him in getting a loan from Syndicate bank where he holds an account. Vikas could finally get a good number of articles for his gift shop.

Marching towards success

Slowly and steadily, Vikas has overcome each obstacle to finally establish a successful gift shop. His customers are mostly housewives and women who need to buy utensils and gift sets. He is now adding different items to his shop according to the season and different occasions. During festivals like Ganpati and Diwali, his shop gets a complete makeover with glittering lights and decorative items. Come monsoons, he welcomes the rains by adding umbrellas and raincoats to his shop. He makes fortnightly visits to Pimpri and Mumbai to purchase goods. He is fully supported by his wife who helps in running the shop.

Bigger Dreams

deAsra helped Vikas kick-start his business dream. He is still in contact with the deAsra team who are always ready to lend him a helping hand. Vikas feels he can expand his business even more if the banks provide greater financial support.

Vikas has dreams in his eyes and determination in his heart. He has all the qualities required to be a good entrepreneur and we are sure he will go far in his business journey! As Ralph Waldo Emerson has said,

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.