Being an entrepreneur in today’s cut-throat competitive landscape is not an easy task. One needs to have a solid grip over the subject they are dealing in, bring in innovation, and have a rock-solid plan. Change is the essence of life and given the fact that the market is rapidly evolving, an entrepreneur must be ready to adapt to the changing market. It does not matter whether you incepted a business and turned it into a brand, all on your own or you are running a business that you inherited from the legacy of your family, all it matters is how successful you have been in your efforts. Manish Maurya , the Owner of Shree Ram Sweets & Snacks, is one such entrepreneur who has proved his business acumen by taking his family business to new horizons of success.
Talking about his journey as an entrepreneur, Manish Maurya shares his insights about being one.
1. What according to you makes a successful entrepreneur?
For me, no one thing makes an entrepreneur successful rather there are a bunch of traits that one should possess. An entrepreneur needs to have a curious mind as it will consistently allow them to seek new opportunities. However, with curiosity, they also need to have an awareness of structured experimentation so that they try and run tests before fully bringing any of their vision into reality. A great entrepreneur needs to be adaptable to new changes and should have the ability to make difficult decisions. Most importantly they should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of every member so that no shortcomings ever hold them back. Lastly, they should be risk takers and should not fear failures because, in the end, it is persistence that will help them get through every setback.
2. Tell us about your journey so far and what inspired you to start this venture.
Our business Shree Ram Sweets was incepted by my father Rajendra Kumar Maurya who is the MLA of Sadar Pratapgarh. He started this venture with the thought of making it a one-stop shop for buying delicious Indian sweets. I took forward that legacy and led the Shree Ram Sweets and Snacks Pvt. Ltd. Our Ras Malai and Laddus have put us in the spotlight for ages and I want to maintain the benchmark we have set. Additionally, we have a wide range of relishing confectioneries and Indian treats that have made people travel from nearby distracts to our store. We are well known in the Awadh part of Uttar Pradesh and our franchises are located in cities like Allahabad, Faizabad, Sitapur, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, and Raebarelli. The journey for me has been a rollercoaster ride and I aim to take my family business to new horizons of success.
3. What difference do you bring to the table in order to compete in this era of cutthroat competition?
We at Shree Ram Sweets make sure to maintain the quality of our products. We assure you that in today's world where there is adulteration in everything, our products are made of pure ingredients. Our famous Ras Malai is always made up of fresh cottage cheese and the milk flavoured with cardamom is special. Our sweets are surely loved by regular customers but even the VVIPs drool over their taste. Even when Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the country, visits the Awadh region for the inauguration of a specific project or to address the masses during an election campaign, a special order is placed with our franchise for him and all this is because we have been maintaining our taste with quality since ages. For me, quality and innovation are 2 aspects that I would like to carry on and I feel, this is what makes Shree Ram Sweets & Snacks stand out from other competitors.
4. What is your success mantra and apart from Shree Ram Sweets what prerequisites do you behold?
Well, for me, the traits that I think have helped me reach heights are consistency, the urge to learn & do new things, dedication and the ability to accept constructive criticism. I stay motivated by consistently telling myself that there is no problem that cannot be tackled with a good brainstorming session. As a result of all this, I have been successfully able to spread my wings in other industries as well and not keep myself restricted to one particular business. My other enterprises are Shree Ram Vatika, Shree Ram Inn & Maurya Resorts which is a luxurious hotel for wedding events and other special events, Kutumbh Infra Real Homes Private Limited which is a Lucknow-based developer of luxury apartments and has been in the industry for seven years and a production facility Shree Ram Gramoudhog, that uses fruits and vegetables to make amla murabba, pickles, fruit sweets, juices, fruit barfi, fruit laddu, etc.
5. What is a piece of advice you would like to give to the budding entrepreneurs in the industry?
To sustain in the food industry, nurturing a passion and having the ability to make food are not enough. Additionally, to be a successful entrepreneur, one should have a practical business strategy, branding, product positioning, supply chain management, self strategy, adequate packaging, and routine quality checks, among others. Today consumers hold a great role in making or breaking a brand as they do their research before purchasing stuff from any big brand or a small food startup. So it becomes very necessary for a venture to listen to the feedback given by their customers and work on them to reach unprecedented heights.
