Nishith Mathur did a degree in Electrical Engineering, soon after which he started working in Technical Support for Ricoh India Ltd. Being a passionate Apple user, he soon moved on to selling Apple products, which enabled him to be the first Apple Authorized Reseller in Rajasthan. Realizing how brick and mortar stores are gradually evolving into ecommerce stores, Nishith conceptualized iZiffi.com, which focusses on selling premium brands of US in India belonging to categories, such as Fashion, Beauty, Electronics, Apple Accessories, Baby Products, Pet Care, Kitchen, Home Automation, Gaming, and more.
Please provide a brief overview of your product/ service.
We are selling premium brands of US. We are selling in Fashion, Beauty, Electronics, Apple Accessories, Baby & Kids Products, Pet Care, Home & Kitchen, Home Automation, Gaming etc categories.
What inspired you to build the above product/ service?
On my trip abroad, it was the visit to one of the LifeStyle Mall that left me with an idea. I noticed that the mall was loaded with high-end fashion brands that people love to carry in India as well. However, the access to limited brands in India does not allow people to get them as many people in India are not frequent travelers to other countries. So Iziffy was a bridge for them to reach their favorite brands. It was my trip to overseas and the things that happened there inspired me with this concept.
What is your life mantra?
I am a passionate admirer of Steve Jobs. I strongly believe that if one is passionate about bringing a change through innovation while keeping customer experience in focus, the dent in this world is bound to happen.
What was the most challenging part of your journey till now?
Challenges are a part of the journey and have to be fought wisely for a smart triumph. The major challenge was the lack of knowledge for running e-commerce backend process. Daily struggle with codes and struggle of being dependent on the developers was a real battle. In fact, this struggle was becoming worse till we found a solution for it. We strive at setting up the robust technology. The answer to all our problems lay with our in-house team of developers. Things became systematic and we were able to move forward on our way.
How did you overcome those challenges?
When we made our first move we found that online marketplace was restricted with around 5 to 6 major players of ecommerce business and consumers had a mindset that those are the only providers of best in class products. However, it was our initiative to create our own new trustworthy and customer friendly platform where we can cater the eminent quality by reducing the hassle of third party transactions.
Share some details about the investments that you have been able to fetch for the business till now.
As of now, our business is self-funded. With time, we plan to gain the confidence of venture capitalists to invest in our brand.
According to you, what are the three qualities an individual must have to achieve success?
While driving towards success, one must do hard work and maintain a balance between professional and personal life.
Which online tools/ services/ apps do you use the most and would like to recommend as well?
Social media was the most useful tool that helped us to reach more people. Along with this Mail Chimp, Google and Open Cart were other important tools that we used.
Share any one habit which you think makes you more productive.
I believe that a 30 minutes workout and 20 minutes meditation is my mantra. This not only makes me composed but also makes me think better.
Share any one habit which you wish to change in yourself.
Habit is something that is really difficult to change. If I am given an opportunity then the first thing I would want to change is my habit of working late night and waking up late in the morning. Most importantly, by waking up late, I tend to miss the view of a beautiful morning that nature has blessed us.
Answer in less than 50 words
Most of the times, solutions are very close to problems. We should concentrate to have a mindset to find it out before others find.
- One mistake you believe every individual must avoid:
Family should be the priority before anything and you must never compromise on your family life.
- One most important lesson that you have learnt till now:
Human resource is the jewel of every organization. Keeping employees happy is the most important task as in turn they will keep customers happy.
What are your plans for next 3 years?
In first 2 years, we shall be focusing on the domestic market by putting efforts to increase our presence in 7 metro cities with offices and warehouse. Thereafter in the third year, we plan to touch the overseas market as well.
If you get a chance to start your career again what would you do differently this time?
An answer to this lies with no second thought that I would choose to be a photographer or a writer to express my thoughts in words or pictures.
What are your top three getaway destinations?
Kerala, Singapore, and Las Vegas. These places are a combination of fun, beauty, amazing activities and everything that a tourist destination must have.
Share a quote that inspires you the most.
“Always think beyond your success and failure.”