Acing creativity and business

design diva

Women entrepreneurs may be commonplace in today’s modern world. However, this is a story that dates back to 1985 – a time when entrepreneurship among women was rare.

As I catch up with Nina Lekhi, managing director and chief design curator of Baggit, I understand how hard she has worked to not just sustain but take her business to newer heights all while balancing her personal and professional lives perfectly.

Rewind

Nina admits that she was very mischievous as a child and rebellious by nature, and did things that her mother forbade her from doing. “As a 17-year-old, I’d head to Chor Bazaar to buy gifts for my friends and loved ones. I always had a soft spot for eccentric clothes and accessories,” she recalls.

What attracted Nina to making bags was the versatility of the accessory and the scope for experimentation it presents. “One can never run out of ideas when it comes to designing a bag; you can put a telephone, metal shards, and so many other quirky things on it,” she says with an excited chuckle.

Three decades ago, Nina realised that she and her friends did not have anywhere to go to buy funky and contemporary bags in India. “My design background helped me start off with one bag. Then, I started making more and sold them at exhibitions. I also supplied exclusively to a few retail stores in South Mumbai. I learnt a lot of important lessons and gained customer insights on the shop floor. One day, during the screen printing class, I found myself wondering why we don’t design bags with graphics,” she recalls.

One thing led to another and an entrepreneur was born. “No woman in our family had ever worked, but my mother was extremely encouraging,” she says.

Business matters

Nina picked up the tricks of the trade very quickly. “My challenges were more internal to me, but they led me to prove myself and be accepted seriously as a person. Armed with the urge to succeed, I set up the production unit and started handling different stores, despite being unaware of what kind of sale I would do,” she reminisces.

‘Beauty without cruelty’ is Baggit’s motto. “We use materials that are non-leather, recyclable and eco-friendly. We also make it a point to incorporate fashion and functionality in our products,” she explains.

Her energy and resilience guided her through her initial years of struggle. “Through hard work and support from my team, I have made Baggit a successful brand. My belief is that if you work with a positive attitude, people appreciate your work. I have also learnt that direct interaction with the customer gives you innumerable insights about business processes and product design,” she says.

Nina is inspired by Richard Branson, who she says is a great example when it comes to maintaining the work-life balance. “My husband Manoj also inspired me to incorporate the values of Sidha Samadhi Yoga in my day-to-day life; this helps me manage my work and personal life efficiently.”

Facing challenges

As a female entrepreneur, Nina faced minor obstacles and stereotyping during compliances, but she overcame them as she was very clear about her goals.

“I believed in my idea and was very passionate. This got me a lot of support from everyone. In my experience, if you are a good business person, your competitors will take you seriously, rather than discriminating based on your gender.”

Women have the secret power of multitasking, Nina says, which has helped her ensure that all the different roles that she embodies have been fulfilled to the best of her ability. “I have been lucky as I always had my family’s support to do what I liked. My mother-in-law was a great source of support to me whenever and both my husband and I were busy,” she says.

Balancing act

Nina has a policy of spending only three days a week in the office. “I take out three days for myself and visit Rishi Gurukulam in Katarkhadak, on the outskirts of Pune. My husband and I have adopted the institution. It is a pleasure spending time with the kids and my own daughter who is studying there. The time away rejuvenates me before I go back to work,” she says.

Being a fitness freak, Nina also goes cycling, swimming and trekking frequently.
As the purchasing power of Indian consumers is increasing, her major focus is to penetrate the different zones in the tier II and III cities of India. “Online retail is also showing signs of growing tremendously this year. Our long term target is to have a presence in every city of India. We are also hoping to grow internationally,” she concludes.