When you have your roots enthroned in a region widely known for its vistas and adobe, you can hardly move away from it. The same is the case with Rohit Bhat who could not let go of his Kashmiri roots and started a venture around the same. Rohit has around 10 years of corporate experience in operations and logistics. He has also directed many acclaimed Kashmiri plays under Vomedh Theater group, which he founded six years ago.
However, when it came to serial entrepreneurship, he picked the booming ecommerce industry. Kashmironestop is the one stop gateway to all those people who stay away from this region but want to own some part of it. Here users can shop for all the Kashmiri products including a special category for Kashmiri Pundits. Within a short span of time, it has attained huge buzz around it with support from across the country.
Please provide a brief overview of your product/ service.
KashmirOneStop.com offers edible products like the famous Kashmiri saffron, Kashmiri kehwa (green tea), almonds, and rajma, etc in its inventory. The portal also sells prayer items and set combos to cater to Kashmiri Pandits, a minority Hindu community in Kashmir. We offer Kashmiri delicacies like Kohlrabi Pickle and Kalari. We are also launching Apparel and Decor items soon.
What inspired you to build the above product/ service?
I and my sister-in-law Meenakshi once discussed the popularity of Kashmiri products and the difficulty in acquiring them. People from Kashmir, who are settled outside the state and those who have had a taste of Kashmiri products often long for it. But there are hardly any ways to get hold of these products. We refined the idea over time and finally KashmirOneStop.com was born.
What is your life mantra?
“Never give up” – is my life mantra. Even when your chips are down, follow your dream. Your belief in your dream should be unflinching.
What was the most challenging part of your journey till now?
The journey of entrepreneurship is always full of challenges. The first and foremost challenge is funding. I had first exhausted my savings on Vomedh Theatre Group and now on Kashmironestop.com. Another challenge is the reliability of shipping partner. It takes lot of follow up to ensure timely deliveries. Also sourcing of quality material is a challenge. You can sit back and expect you would always get quality. You have to keep looking for better and better quality. Because that is what gains us trust from customers.
Share some details about the investments that you have been able to fetch for the business till now.
This is a self funded venture. We don’t intend to go for external funding till we reach certain level of stability.
According to you, what are the three qualities an individual must have to achieve success?
One should first have a dream, a dream one identifies with and believes in. Then there should be passion and resolve to achieve the dream Finally, there should be perseverance to sail through ups and downs.
Which online tools/ services/ apps do you use the most and would like to recommend as well?
I am not too much into Apps and gadgets. I am more of the on the ground action guy.
Share any one habit which you think makes you more productive.
Having a check list is a must for me. I make a check list for next day before I go to sleep.
Share any one habit which you wish to change in yourself.
The habit of ignoring fitness and health. I am pursuing my passion of Theatre and KashmirOneStop at the cost of my health. I was Mr. J&K in 2004 and a bronze medal winner in Intra state college wrestling competition, such was fitness level.
Answer in less than 50 words
One tip to success:
Don’t give up. If you can’t pursue your passion full time, do it part time but don’t give up.
One mistake you believe every individual must avoid:
Losing faith in your self
One most important lesson that you have learnt till now:
Hardships are part and parcel of life
What are your plans for next 3 years?
To make KashmirOneStop a niche brand, expand the reach and increase the products and services
If you get a chance to start your career again what would you do differently this time?
I would jump into entrepreneurship early
What are your top three getaway destinations?
Share a quote that inspires you the most.
“whatever good things we build end up building us” – Jim Ruhn