Bulbuli Handcrafted: Catering the needs of handmade home decor

 

Bulbuli Handcrafted is a home decor platform founded by Shubha Sahay and Aaksnksha Shankar. Shubha  stays in Bangalore whereas Aakanksha is currently in Panipat.

 

 We are an all-women team. Right from the co-founders to the artists, to lady in packaging department. All the artists that work with us have connected with us on social media in response to the vacancy announcement that we publish from time to time, says Shubha.

 

We got an opportunity to talk with Shubha, it is an inspiring story of the co-founder. Read her full story to know more about the startup.

 

 

Give a brief info about your startup?

Bulbuli Handcrafted is a home décor and art platform where art meets utility. We make hand-crafted and hand-painted exclusive and unique home décor artworks and in the process, generate employment for women of different socio-economic background.

 

What made you start your startup and what problem does it solve?

Being in the corporate world, both me and my business partner had experienced that time doesn’t belong to you. You have to be constantly available for the office. So, we realized that if there is talent, it has to be formalized and made into a profession and devote yourself to your own venture. Also, it empowers us to generate more employment and do something worthy socially.

Bulbuli Handcrafed gives you a wide array of handcrafted contemporary home décor artworks to choose from. We use a unique combination of paints and inks to create ‘pencraft’, a technique developed by us. It also facilitates customized requirements that the clients sometimes have. It’s a very hands-on and approachable firm. We believe in training and generating a source of income for all the people related to Bulbuli. We also provide corporate gifting options and wall paintings for commercial as well as residential spaces.

 

 

Tell us about yourself, your previous jobs/ventures? What were you doing before this startup?

The co-founders of Bulbuli Handcrafted LLP are Shubha Sahay and Aakanksha Shankar

Shubha Sahay

Co-founder and Creative director

Shubha completed her bachelor’s degree in fashion designing in 2005 from NIFT. She possesses work experience of 10 years in the fashion industry. She has worked for brands like Gini & Jony, Levi’s ® ,  Peppermint clothing.

Beside a fashion designer, she is also a versatile artist. She is acknowledged by her acrylic canvas painting and fabric designs and graphics. Shubha is known for her mastery in combining Indian Art with a modern outlook. Contemporizing is the key- word for her style of art

 

Aakanksha Sinha

Co-Founder and Creative Director

Aakanksha completed her Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Pune in 2010.She commenced her career as a sports reporter and worked for CWG 2010, anchored programs on Dordarshan. She possess over five years of experience in media, public relations, social media marketing. The journey from a journalist to an artist has been interesting. Her designs have been appreciated and acknowledged. Aakanksha has been creating abstract designs inspired by Indian heena art and has been projecting it as a miniature art. She is known for her unique and exclusive style of Pen-craft style of art.

 

 

Where is your startup based out of? Why do you think that is the best place for you?

We are registered in Ranchi, Jharkhand. We have a branch office in Panipat. Our major area of backend operations has been Ranchi, Patna, Gurgaon, Panipat and Delhi NCR. We will be opening our branch office in Bangalore shortly.

Ranchi is my home town. So, what better place to start the firm than our roots.

North region has specifically been very receptive of our designs and décor. We deliver all across India.

 

As a startup founder, what are you paranoid about? What keeps you awake at night?

You know, you are paranoid about something, if it doesn’t come out of your heart. If the business is what makes you happy, its not scary. But yes, we did have to train ourselves in different aspects of finance and accounts related stuff. Because when you are in business, you cant be done by merely creating masterpieces. You also have to be in tandem with the rules of the business.

 

 

Who are your competitions and how are you better than them?

We really had to fight out the imported Chinese factory made home décor products to carve out our niche. We offer better artwork than any factory made stuff, as they are all hand-crafted, the qualities are double checked before shipping, and they are rooted in the soil of our country.

 

How hard is it to have a work life balance as a startup founder and how do you manage it?

The greatest challenge for us is to balance our little ones with our business and passion for creation. Between the two of us, me and my business partner, we have three kids, aged 5, 2.5 and 1 year old. We started Bulbuli Handcrafted to be creatively engaged and do concrete commitments towards it; We have been blessed to be better-halves in the real sense of the word for business. We take charge of things looking at the situation and deliver them.

 

 

Have you raised funding? If yes, then we would like to know the details. If no then please tell us if you are looking to raise.

We started this business with a very humble investment of Rs.10000. It has ben sustaining on itself. But yes, we are looking at expansion and funding.

 

 

What’s the biggest misconception people have about you? Why do they have that? What’s the reality?

I would say, the biggest mis-conception is that they think being hand-made it will be exorbitantly priced. The fact is, we have the starting price point as Rs 250 only.

 

 

What gets you excited about this company?

The immense growth potential and seeing it grow step by step is so exciting.

 

Tell us how a day in your life looks like? Your schedule for a day right from the time you get up till you hit the bed at night.

Well, Me and Aakanksha, we both are working mothers. The day starts with settling the kids and then coming to business. Making relevant phone calls, creating new designs, taking a follow up on orders, getting the delivery boxes ready, making sure that they reach the clients properly, taking the clients’ feedback. This is what we do on a regular basis. Apart from this, we discuss new ideas, new business collaborations, new product range etc. There is a geographical distance between the two partners, Aakanksha being in Panipat and me having shifted to Bangalore from Gurgaon recently, there is harmony in the thoughts. We understand the requirements of the hour and act accordingly.

 

Tell us about your team and how did you meet each other?

Firstly, we are an all-women team. Right from the co-founders to the artists, to lady in packaging department. All the artists that work with us have connected with us on social media in response to the vacancy announcement that we publish from time to time.

 

 

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