Arokia Foods founder Sarala Bastian started here business venture growing ‘nutritious’ mushrooms with a capital of only Rs 15,000. Today, her company Arokia Foods makes mushrooms, pickles and soups and markets them in Chennai and neighbouring areas.
Sarala Bastian got married at a very young age of seventeen, but she wanted to be independent and did not wish to be confined to home. Starting with a capital of 15,000 (received from her father), Sarala started her mushroom farming business in 2004. There has been no looking back since.
Couple of decades later, she is a successful entrepreneur, and an inspiration for many.
Here’s how Sarala transformed herself from a simple housewife into a successful entrepreneur with minimum resources at her disposal.
The Beginning Years
I was happy with what my husband earned but it was my dream to start something on my own, be independent and offer jobs to other needy women. I strongly believe that women should not be dependent on men and not remain mere ‘doormats’. That is why 95 per cent of my employees are women. My dream is to make all women financially independent.
The idea to cultivate mushrooms came to my mind as I felt it was a very ‘nutritious’ business and had not been attempted by many.
Funds to Start the Business
My father gave me the initial capital of Rs 15,000 to start the business in 2004. I started a mushroom farm in my backyard. Before starting mushroom farming, I attended training classes at eleven different places, including the agricultural college in Coimbatore.
I continued with my training because I was never satisfied with the knowledge I got from each place. I had so many doubts, I did not get proper answers anywhere.
Finally, I learnt many things from my own experience.
Initial Struggles
There was a time when I used to go to the supermarkets and beg them to keep my mushrooms in their shops. They used to reluctantly agree after a lot of persuasion.
Today, early in the morning, they call me and ask me, ‘Madam, how many packets would you send today?’ It takes time for any business to flourish, but ultimately you succeed. Within three months of starting my business, I made a profit of Rs 65,000.
Whatever profit I have made so far, I have put back into the business. More than making money, my aim is to expand the business.
Besides fresh milky and oyster mushrooms, I also sell processed foods like pickles, soup powder, jam, etc. I make a turnover of around Rs 250,000 every month these days.
Now, my aim is to inspire more women. So, I meet many self-help groups and ask them to do something worthwhile.
Sarala also received mentoring in her entrepreneurial venture by the Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST), a non-profit organisation.
Advice to Entrepreneurs
My advice to all those budding entrepreneurs is: dream big, have the self confidence and the courage to face, both, success and failure. No business will flourish without setbacks. So, be ready to face such situations.
When my shed collapsed on top of hundreds of mushroom beds, I lost Rs 7 lakh (Rs 700,000). Although I had insured my shed, the man who came to make the report asked for a commission to write a report in my favour. I refused to pay any bribe. Why should I pay any bribe when I was right? So he wrote against me and I did not get money from the insurance company.
Though I was badly affected, I did not abandon my business. Instead I started all over again with a vengeance.
I don’t have a business role model in life; I want to be one myself. I want to do what no woman has done so far, and I want to achieve what no woman has achieved so far.
We really hope this story inspires you to start something of your own.
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