E-Paper
Startup Saturday: Data, leg-work and FBing it onto the arts and crafts trail
Inspired by the eco-friendly lifestyle and successful business of the Amish community in the US, city-based techie Radhika Naware quit her job to launch her travel company that aims at uplifting cottage industries in the country
When Radhika Naware, the founder of Treasured Holidays, was vacationing in the US, she visited the Amish community where she saw their lifestyle was the exact opposite of an average American’s. They follow a very eco friendly lifestyle and made a living by selling their produce. This visit led to an idea that later became Treasured Holidays,a niche travel company that offers designer craft and textile trails across India.
Preparing the database is everything
Naware was working with an IT company when she decided to quit her job. After extensive research and gathering information about the art and craft sectors of various states in India, she began travelling in order to study the places and visit the craftsmen and their homes.“Initially these craftsmen were wary of me. After all they did not know whether I would help them or would steal their designs, art. Building relationships took time and several visits.” Preparing a database was one thing. The next was devising the itinerary, planning a trip.
Multiple brains storming
Says Naware, “I told people I wanted to start a niche travel company and I received terrific advice and help. Doreen D’sa a previous colleague who started EcoTours company guided me on how to set up an itinerary, the pricing. Nandita Khare a marketing expert helped me with social media marketing.” Help also came from DeAsra who showed me how to write a business plan. On Sept 27, 2016, Naware launched her company, Treasured Holidays. “I do not take more than 10 people on a trip. The artisans live in small homes. How would 30 people be able to see and learn from say a bagru printer or a khunn weaver ? It would not be feasible.”
But does this mean that travellers only see the arts and crafts, people and villages and miss out on the regular tourist spots? “No, we also show them around the place. So in Hampi you will not only see the khunn weavers, their work and homes but also the Unesco sites. In Himachal Pradesh you will drive through apple orchards and witness silver river streams. The trip though focused on the arts, also takes the tourists around typical spots.
Funding
Naware does not wish to reveal the quantum of her funds. But she bootstrapped all the way. “I want to grow organically. When I started my first tour to Kutch Gujarat,even though I had just five people, I still went ahead. It took me a year to hit break even. So far I have taken 19 trips in the past two years since I launched my travel company.” More funds? “Well yes but I don’t want to get a venture capital or angel investor.Currently I am working on my website. I think maybe after two to five years I may think of getting an investor. As of now it’s okay.”
In the last one year Radhika has had a turnover of Rs 20 lakh. Up until this financial year she was in the red. “ My artisans and the boutique owners who come on my trips make more money than I. But that’s ok, I’m happy the artisans are doing good business.”
Her trails cost from Rs 8,800 to Rs 32,000.
Ripple effect
In Karnataka, Naware’s trails helped a woman weaver of Ilkal saris get back into weaving full time. “She used to work as a weaver part time as she was not getting enough orders. But our trips helped generate business for her to such an extent that she now has roped in her two brothers to serve the demand. This is deeply gratifying for me.”
FB and word-of-mouth (same difference)
As of now sales come from word-of-mouth and her Facebook page. She aims to develop her online presence through her website. “But I don’t want to increase the number of people I take on a trail. The artisans will not be able to manage it. I may do more trails to the same place, but keep the number at 10.” Naware’s business model takes into consideration, the artisans work and families. It takes into account people’s carbon footprint. And carefully understands that the business comes with limitations. “We encourage our travellers to carry bottles that can be filled with water whilst on a trip. Buying mineral water is then redundant.
“What gives me the greatest pleasure is to see our artisans’ business grow. To see a dying craft revived. To know that my trips to their homes help not just them but make more and more people understand the role arts and crafts play in our lives. That is my greatest joy.” That it earns money is an added joy. Treasure Trails was awarded the champion entrepreneur award by DeAsra and has been long listed for Indian responsible tourism award 2019.
So though Naware is the only person in charge of the operation, she has helped generate income for the 50 artisan families that now do good business on account of her Treasured Holidays.
Textile Trails
Treasured Holidays offers designer craft and textile trails across India. The trails are currently organised in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Rajasthan. They organise a total of eight trails in a year with a group of eight to 10 members each. They cover about 52 artisans across these eight states.
