Gee-Gee: An online store for all your child’s need

 

Gee-Gee is a Hydrabad based company which has presence all over India. It is started by Priyanka Nimmala.

It helped mom’s who are interested in flashcards and wanted different concepts in flashcards other than just alphabets and numbers. So we do take customised flashcards according to their kids interest and budget and the size of the flashcards which is not available anywhere else,says Priyanka.

We at Bangalore Insider had the opportunity to catch up with Priyanka, the founder of  Gee-Gee and to know more about the startup, read her inspiring story.

 

 

Give a brief info about your startup?

Gee-Gee is a brand owned by Priyanka nimmala(founder). It was started in 2017, which used to sell only flashcards then. In 2018 since November we have launched our wooden products. We make handcrafted non-toxic wooden toys. These toys are designed and conceptualised by me, and the end product is made by local artisans of India.

 

 

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

Being a SAHM I wanted to do something from home. That’s when i started blogging in 2016, and my love towards Montessori  and education lead me to start making flashcards for little kids and my son, he was 2+ old then.

It helped mom’s who are interested in flashcards and wanted different concepts in flashcards other than just alphabets and numbers. So we do take customised flashcards according to their kids interest and budget and the size of the flashcards which is not available anywhere else.

 

 

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

I am basically from Hyderabad. I got married at young age and i was pursuing my MBA then. Soon after my studies was placed in an MNC. I worked for 1 year and then was blessed with my son, so had to quit my job because of pregnancy. My son was born in 2014 and from then i started following montessori. Very soon in 2016 was again blessed with a baby girl . That’s when i  started to resume my job career but it didn’t work because of an infant and a toddler. So started blogging and launched a web store on the site itself to sell flashcards. Since 2017 did my own research on wooden toys(handcrafted as well as machine made). Finally in 2018 i could start my venture with the help my dad and my loving husband who is very supportive.

 

 

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

My startup is based in hyderabd but it serves pan india.I think now a days everybody is looking for channapatna to get toys made. But it involves lot of time and huge shipping cost if you are based out of karnataka. Also frequent visits was a problem for me with 2 kids. So did my own research and searched for toy maker in Telangana itself with the help of my dad’s network. One of my dad’s friend was a toy maker 20 years back. So from his connections could trace out toy makers who does excellent work in Telangana itself.

 

 

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

No, i am not paranoid about anything. My life is very smooth and bindass kinda life with supportive husband and lovely kids. But Sometimes my dream towards my goal wakes me up suddenly at nights, thinking how to connect with people? How to showcase my brand ? what if I don’t get good response even after years ? what if something happens to me ? I am I balancing my work and my personal life? And many more..

 

 

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

OMG This is a very tough question. Iam not competing with any one, and I don’t want to. Because have started this as a momprenuer and want to take it very smooth and enjoy my work without taking any stress, atleast for few years. I will definitely come up with good ideas but not as a competition. Because momprenuers need to encourage each other where ever possible .And more over all momprenuers intention, who are into toy making is to ban china made products in India and encourage our Indian artisans so that we can give our kids safe and non-toxic quality products.

We want more of “made in India” products than “made in china” products.

 

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

Yes, this is a very good question. Untill 2017 I didn’t plan anything  and just did whatever I could and whenever it was possible.But  in 2018 I made few short term goals to achieve them one by one. Because for any women to handle kids is a very tough job. And i have 2(1 started schooling this year and other will start next academic year). So my daughter is with me every time. She doesn’t leave me alone even for a second, and it’s because of her why I dropped my idea of doing a job again. So i do my work when she is sleeping or when I go to my mom’s place. When I go to my mom’s place i do my maximum work without giving time for myself. It’s the only time where I am free without any responsibilities to handle. If I don’t complete my work at mom’s place, then it gets postponed and remains pending.

From 2019 I start making my own planner and techniques to make my life very productive and accountable, as I will be left with ample of time, when kids are at school.

 

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.

No, I haven’t raised any funding from other’s. It’s just my husband and dad who helped me in Toys venture. And Before that when I had this idea of launching a web store I took help of my best friend to credit me some amount in revamping my website. But surely will take help of banks to grow my business further.

 

 

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

I don’t think people have any misconception about me, because very few people know about me. I make sure that they don’t miss understand me. I like to communicate straight forward. So there is no chance of misconception.

 

 

What gets you excited about this company?

I think being a mom of 2 kids I am able to work in my own space and my own time lapse. I am able to look after my kid’s. This is what I wanted (always to be around them). And my son started giving suggestions in what type of toys I need to make (not for other’s, but he asks for himself) and how he can play with them, how it engages him and all. So at least for him and to make all his toy wishes come true I must take this forward. I am excited to hear suggestions from my daughter when she grows bit older J

 

 

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.

I usually wake up around 7’o clock(Yes you heard me right, My new year resolution is to wake up early at least 6 for few months then eventually will start with 5’o clock). I make breakfast and get my son ready for school. Routine house hold chores till 10. By 9 my son leaves to school and till 10 my daughter occupies my time, sometimes she take more time from me. I get 2-3 hours of free time after she sleeps. But I am doing my work even when she is awake since a month. She is trying to understand me and my work. So she doesn’t interrupt me while I am on my laptop. So over all I get minimum 3 hours to maximum 4 hours of time to work daily.

After my son is back from school(that is at 4 p.m) I don’t get any time for myself. I don’t even get time to check mails. So it’s the time when I am active on Fb because it’s easy to reply someone and check messages on phone. So whatever i can do from phone I do that in the evenings most probably. In between 5-6.30 dinner preparations happen. At around 6.30 – 7 p.m my kids have their dinner ( I feed them). And in between 7.30 – 8 I finish my dinner. My son sleeps early so he sleeps by 8.30, sometimes 9. My daughter sleeps between 10-11p.m . I get to sleep around 12 or sometimes along with my daughter itself by 11. But this won’t be my schedule from next year. Everything changes with kids schooling schedule.

 

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

I don’t have any team, I manage everything myself. I take help of a web developer in case I need any help in that. I met my web developer on FB. She is a freelancer and I am really glad that I met her and I chose herJ. Coming to shipping, I have partnered with Delhivery, which is so far very good and my products reach in time and very fast. That’s it..!!

 

 

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