Young entrepreneurs making it big online

They reveal how they turned their hobbies into thriving businesses during the pandemic

A lot of online businesses have come up during the pandemic. Some have folded up, others are going strong. Metrolife asked the latter how they do it.

Zaiba Zaheer

For Zaiba Zaheer, it was about being in the right place at the right time. She had started @creative_____outlet, an Instagram page to showcase her DIY art projects, in June 2020. But it was only in February this year when her hobby took a commercial turn. “I displayed my artworks at The Church Street First Event and that boosted my page views. It was never intended to be a business. It was a creative outlet in the beginning,” shares the 24-year-old software engineer. Today, she is selling bookmarks, mandala art, and paintings done in watercolour, poster colours and acrylics. She can customise every order, which is her USP.

Sabah and Saher Aslam

Home food business has grown exponentially since the pandemic and sisters Sabah Aslam (24) and Saher Aslam (20) can testify that. They started their Instagram page @the.cake.bliss in September 2020 when a lot of bakeries in the city weren’t operating steadily. “We started delivering the order via Dunzo. Today we get a lot of orders for our theme birthday cakes, doughnuts, pinata cakes, cake pops. The Rasmalai Cake is our signature item,” says Saher, who’s an engineering student while Sabah is a nutritionist by training.

Yeshaswini PV

All of 24, Yeshaswini PV has made a name for her New York-style cookies in the city. Some customers say it reminds them of the cookies from New York’s very own Levain Bakery. Her Instagram page @_renae_patisserie_ has turned into a cloud kitchen in a matter of eight months. About her USP, the culinary arts graduate-turned-chef says, “During the pandemic, people were sceptical of ordering from bakeries, fearing what if the items turn out to be stale. But with home businesses, they know the food will be fresh.”

Pallavi Shankar

It was on a friend’s suggestion that Pallavi Shankar started participating in pop-ups to sell quirky stickers. Until then, the architecture student was making the merchandise to indulge herself and her followers on Instagram. The 23-year recalls her journey, “In December, I got a chance to display my work in two restaurants in the city. Post that, I also displayed my artwork during the
Church Street First event.” These outings got her a chance “to network” with the art lovers and before she knew it, her hobby had catapulted into a business venture. Today, she is doing commission artwork. @pshankar_ is her Instagram page.