Amidst the buzz of the Hundred Hands Festival of Handmade, I received a message on Instagram. It was from someone in my apartment sharing news about a Women's Day celebration on March 16th. They were looking for women-owned businesses to set up stalls at a fair price.
After experiencing mixed results with four previous apartment stalls, and feeling discouraged by the outcomes of the last two, I had resolved to avoid them unless a particularly enticing opportunity arose. However, the prospect of participating in an event within my own apartment building, coupled with the lower investment required and the significance of Women's Day, presented a promising proposition. With a month to prepare, I felt optimistic about the potential success of this venture. I expressed my interest and asked to be connected with the event organizer.
Following the Hundred Hands event, I assessed my inventory and worried that I didn’t have enough products for a full stall; I wanted to avoid presenting an empty-looking space. To utilise the offering, I contemplated conducting workshops alongside selling products and reached out to the organizer with my idea. However, she informed me that the event was dedicated for stall setups, with no room for workshops. Adapting to the situation, I opted for a half stall instead and decided to see if any fellow small business owners were interested in sharing the space with me.
I took to Instagram to find someone interested in sharing the stall. A few people inquired; some preferred to have a full stall on their own, so I passed along the organizers' contact information for them to explore further. Others were interested in sharing, but unfortunately, the event date didn't align with their schedules. Eventually, I connected with a mandala artist named Shrutika, whom I had met through the Hundred Hands event. Shrutika, who runs @nartikacreatives, expressed interest in the idea, and we agreed to share the stall space together.
On the event day morning, I hurried downstairs to check the table arrangements. After finalizing a table closer to my tower and the amphitheater where the evening program was scheduled, I came back home to get ready. I mentioned to Shruthika that reaching 30-15 minutes prior to the scheduled time should be fine, considering that people in the apartment tend to step out late. Upon returning, I found Shruthika and her husband had also reached and were just beginning with their setup. Soon we both felt that we should have taken a full stall. As it turned out, the organizers provided us with a shamiana /pandal kind of setup instead of a separate canopy. If it had been a canopy, perhaps a half stall would have been sufficient, as we would have had space to hang up our products from the canopy. She even checked for an extra table but then by the time we finished setting up everything it was manageable. They came up with the idea of tying rope in the front, which allowed us to hang up small pieces. Despite the initial challenge of space, our resourcefulness allowed us to make the most of the setup and create an inviting display for our products.
I was on the phone with my dad, conversing in our native language, while a customer nearby overheard our conversation and mentioned that she, too, hailed from the coast. She browsed through our products and really liked our 'Handle with Cord' bag, and decided to purchase it. I was thrilled because this bag was very special to me as it was knotted by me and my dad together. Overjoyed by my first sale, I instantly called pappa to share the exciting news with him, knowing he was eagerly awaiting for the sale of it. Needless to say, he was as happy as me.
Shruthika and I took the opportunity to chat about our experiences running our handmade products business. During our conversation, she proposed the idea of collaborating on a reel, and we shot a few glimpses for it. Additionally, I had planned to capture some content for my own page, seizing the moments when there weren't too many people around.
I also had the opportunity to chat with another stall owner, Laxmi. When I recounted my less successful experiences at the last two apartments, she suggested that perhaps they weren't the ideal venues for such events. She also shared her approach to planning stalls in apartment settings.
I, as usual took a quick stroll to explore the other stalls. I was captivated by the diverse collections and ended up shopping for a few items myself.
In the neighboring stall, a young girl was eager to sell her paintings alongside her mom's creations. Accompanied by her friend, who complimented our stall as her favorite.
If you've read one of my earlier blogs on my previous stall experience in our apartment, you might remember two girls who visited my stall and engaged in lengthy conversations. To my surprise and delight, they returned, offering an unexpected hug.
Ruchira, a lawyer turned baker @thelawful_oven who became a friend through a common WhatsApp group of small businesses, also participated in the event. However, she arrived only in the evening because she finds it challenging to store freshly baked products, especially in the hot sun where there's a risk of them melting and not remaining at their best. I was delighted to see that within a couple of hours, she was almost sold out. There were people lined up at her stall right from the moment she hadn't even fully set it up.
It was inspiring to share the space with other women entrepreneurs. The mutual support among us created a vibrant and empowering environment. As we navigated the challenges and celebrated the successes of the day, it reinforced the strength and resilience of women in business.
As the event unfolded, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the interactions and connections made throughout the day. I even took the opportunity to post a fun reel on how I often end up spending all my earnings from the stall by shopping at events from fellow business owners. The engagement on the reel was fantastic, adding to the overall success and enjoyment of the day.
-Archana Harish
Click here to watch the reel on our Instagram Page @knotsquare.in
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