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Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeWe caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jaya Iher a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was raised in India and have always been interested in fashion. I have did my undergrad and PhD in Fashion Merchandising. After being in academia for five years, I decided to move to the apparel industry. I started my company through a kickstarter campaign and the company has now been around for eight years.
I sell clothing and accessories for the whole family. My main goal is to get rid of gender stereotypes that exist in the apparel industry but making STEAM themed clothing for everyone. I also make sure that my clothing is comfortable, easy to use, the designs have a story to tell, and all the dresses have pockets.
I am really proud of the fact that my customers keep coming back to me and they tell me that Svaha USA dresses always bring them a lot of compliments and make them meet like minded people. They love to be able to wear clothing that shows their interest in various subjects. The clothing also makes their dream of being Ms Frizzle come true.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
I believe that it is important to be authentic and connect with your audience. If you are genuine, people can see it. You have to make sure you identify their concerns, their needs, and what would make them like what you have to offer. I always take the time to ask my customers what they would like to see on the dresses and then make it happen. That makes them feel heard. These are some of the ideas that have always worked for me and I believe can be applied to any business.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I have always wanted to be a business owner. I tried a few business ventures which failed due to various reasons. But, I didn’t give up. I had my first kickstarter campaign with the current business fail, but I didn’t give up then either. I spread the word, made a better pitch and relaunched. After that, there was no looking back. I always tell everyone, if you believe in your idea and yourself, then it is important to keep at it and not give up.
I say this to so many business owners: All you need is a great idea of a product or service that people want. You don’t always need a lot of money to start a business. My only investment in the business has been $500 to make the initial set of samples. After that, the business has been paying for itself. Many people get scared to take the path of being an entrepreneur. But, lack of money does not have to be the reason for it!
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