All posts filed under: ENTREPRENEUR

Discover passionate entrepreneurs and read their stories

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Interior Designer and Founder of ‘Interior Healing’ Nagaland – Atila Aier, Talks About Soul Healing Through Well Designed Spaces

Published by Nara Longkumer

“I was fascinated by how often, a beautiful space can evoke positive feelings within us – giving way to healing the inner soul. Realizing this potential of something as simple and basic as a well-designed space ignited an interest in me to pursue a career in interior designing.”  Meet Atila Aier, an interior designer from Dimapur Nagaland. She is the founder of ‘Interior Healing’, a design firm that believes in the power of a positive home and space, to set up the foundation for a positive life. She grew up being fascinated by activities around home decor. Atila Aier – founder of ‘Interior Healing’, a design firm in Dimapur, Nagaland Hi Atila, so good to have you here with us! Please introduce yourself. Hello, my name is Atila Aier, I am currently living and working in Dimapur, Nagaland. I have attained B.E in electronics and telecommunication engineering from Pune University. I was very privileged to have an opportunity to pursue my passion and love for interior designing by studying the same from INIFD Kolkata and …

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Wojanbeni Yanthan, DIY Artist and Founder of ‘HomeMish Crafts and Designs’ Nagaland Shares Her Very Inspiring Journey

Published by Nara Longkumer

“We all have enormous potential in us, which can be unlocked when we allow ourselves to see the limitless in our limitations, the opportunities in our difficulties, the awesomeness in our uniqueness, and the possibilities in our impossibilities based on the simple truth that you and I are wonderfully made.“ Wojanbeni, Creator of ‘Homemish Crafts and Designs’, believes in the art of DIY – and shares a strong passion for creating things using her own hands. She talks to us about what made her pick this art up and how she is teaching other people the same. Scroll down for the full interview. Hello Wojanbeni. Please tell us something about yourself? Hi! I’m Dr. Wojanbeni S. Yanthan, an Assistant Professor by profession, a mother of two, and an avid DIY (Do it yourself) enthusiast. Born in the hills of Wokha and raised in Kohima, Dimapur, Jorhat, Bangalore, Kathmandu (Nepal), and now settled in the foothills of Patkai (Nagaland). I  have been blessed with one enriching upbringing. Growing up in different places and experiencing diverse cultures …

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Gugu Kuotsu, Owner of Gutouch Restaurant In Kohima, Gives You A Touch of Authentic Naga Dishes

Published by Menule Chirhah

I’Gu we offerThe Gutouch Cafe is a cute eaterie in Kohima Town with an aesthetic setting, adding to the ambiance of the restaurant. The place is famous for its ‘Galho‘ and has been the talk of the town for a while. We decided to have a little chat with the founder of the restaurant , Gugu Kuotsu to get more insight into her restaurant. Hello Gugu. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I am Gugu Kuotsu from Kohima. I am the founder of the Gutouch restaurant, I also have a jewelry brand by the same name –  that offers traditional and fusion-made jewelry. What is the story behind ‘Gutouch’ Well, the name of the Cafe was suggested by my friends like Mengu Suokhrie, Onen Nenty, and Athe Rhi, since I already have a brand name Gutouch, a jewelry brand. In addition, my love for food – especially homemade Naga food pushed me to add a restaurant to my existing brand. I finally launched Gutouch – the restaurant in the September of 2018. Tell …

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Inla, The Owner of Inla’s Genesis, Talks About How She Quit Her Corporate Job to Launch Her Jewelry Business

Published by Neha Fernandez

Inla had been working in the corporate sector for 10 years but always knew that her passion was jewelry-making. In 2015, she took the bold step of quitting her well paid job to start her own jewelry venture, Inla Genesis. She hasn’t looked back since! A passionate business woman and artist from Kohima, she creates customised jewelry pieces. No two customers of hers have the same piece and that’s what makes her venture special. We chatted with the inspiring woman about her work and more. Hi! Tell us something about yourself? I’m known as Inla and I am an artist. I grew up in Kohima and now I shuttle between Delhi and Kohima. I have a jewelry venture called Inla Genesis. Tell us about your venture Inlas Genesis. What’s special about it?  I started Inla’s Genesis mid-2015. All my jewellery pieces are single pieces, so each client owns something unique which no one else will possess. I customise earrings, rings, cufflinks, coat lapel and pins with pictures of loved ones or initials, as per the …

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Meet the Face Behind “Amrapali – House of Grace” a 100-Year-Old Portuguese Home Converted Into a Boutique Hotel in Goa

Published by Samyama

Simran Kaur is the face behind Amrapali, a boutique hotel built on the strong bones of a 100-year-old Portuguese home. She is a true multi-talented woman with a major in English, a minor in photography, and is a pastry chef certified by Le Cordon Bleu in London. With her skills, love for the craft, and collaboration with local artisans, Simran brought Amrapali back to life. The hotel is renowned for its warm color palettes and carefully curated details that adorn every corner of the space. It has been featured in various lifestyle magazines such as Travel and Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue, and more. Amrapali is a humble abode that focuses on providing exceptional service, despite being the base for many worldwide fashion brand photoshoots and even being featured in the film ‘Golmaal Again’. Hi Simran, could you please give us a brief introduction of yourself? Hi, my name is Simran Kaur and you can find me either in Mumbai or in Goa. I am an English major with a photography minor from Bryn Mawr …

Rootsandleisure_Ishrat Sahgal_Mishcat Co carpet

Ishrat Sahgal, an Entrepreneur From Delhi, Blends Sustainability & Creativity With Her Venture Mishcat Co. Carpets

Published by Samyama

Ishrat Sahgal is known for her creative vision as well as sustainable business ideas. She grew up in Chandigarh but calls Delhi and London her home today. After studying interior architecture and art history, she created a new venture – Mishcat Co. The company boasts a beautiful array of uniquely designed carpets. The special aspect of these carpets is that they are made by using sari yarn which is leftover scrap after creating saris. This upcycle is reducing waste by repurposing it into something incredibly inspired. The carpets themselves are made with the collaboration of artisans in small villages in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.  Ishrat is incredibly attached to this cause of bringing traditional Indian culture and craft to a global platform. She has been in an impressive list of achievers – and the most notable achievement being one of Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018.  We had a chat with her about what makes Mishcat Co her passion venture and how it all began, below.  Hi Ishrat! Thank you for taking the time to …

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Meet Satish Elangbam, the Owner of Fika Kitchen & Studio in Imphal

Published by Kumti

Fika in Swedish means the act of drinking coffee and having a cheerful time with friends. Satish Elangbam chose to name his new cafe after Fika situated in Imphal. A cosy little corner away from the hustle-bustle of the city, Fika is inspired by Satish’s vision of creating a space that offered live music, amazing views and great food.  We met him to talk about his journey of opening the cafe, what inspired him and his future goals.   Hey Satish, tell us a bit about yourself! Hello, thanks for having me. I am Satish Elangbam from Imphal. I have completed my Bachelor’s degree and Sound Engineering diploma course from Bangalore. I also worked as a sound engineer in Bangalore for few months. However, I decided to leave the city and came back to Imphal in 2017 and started my own venture. Now  I am running  a cafe in Imphal known as Fika Kitchen & Studio. Tell us about the cafe and what inspired you to open it? Fika is a Swedish word which means drinking …

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Chat with Vika Yepthomi, the Owner of Asukhu Dhaba – The All-New Authentic Sumi Restaurant in Dimapur

Published by Kumti

We all love a cozy corner where we can relish delectable food, but how often do we see an authentic restaurant inspired that serves local Sumi food? Today, we have Vika Yepthomi with us, who started a family restaurant called Asukhu Dhaba. The place serves local traditional food cooked with organic ingredients brought straight from Zunheboto. He started the restaurant along with his wife. One of the specialties of the place is that each recipe that Asukhu Dhaba uses is a special recipe that only their family has mastered. We chatted with Vika to know more about the place.  Hi there! Please introduce yourself to our readers.  My name is Vika Yepthomi. I started Asukhu Dhaba with my wife. She is a doctor by profession and works in Eden hospital. It was our collective love for food which led us venture into this! We launched it in August this year. What was the idea behind launching this restaurant? My wife and I used to go for dinners whenever we’d get time, especially when we were …

Amrita Giriraj, from Chennai, Turns Botanics into Classy Jewellery With Her Venture ‘Alankaara’

Published by Samyama

Amrita Giriraj from Chennai fell in love with the art of fossilising botanics like flowers and leaves, while she was working on a post-grad project. It was in Kanyakumari, where she led the foundation of her jewellery venture called ‘Alankaara’. Her brand is vastly different from any other jewellery brand that we’ve come across — it captures the essence of a place by preserving it’s flora in jewelry pieces. Alankaara reflects her true self — humble, creative and deeply connected with nature. Since then, she has won the SISA (Start-up of The Year in Social Impact), travelled to Kenya and the Himalayas how flora can also bring you closer a place’s culture. She says, “Over the last 2 years, I’ve immersed myself in what I do and I realised I’m actually a story-teller. Each handcrafted jewellery is a story waiting to be heard and loved.” Meet our amateur botanist and jewellery designer – Amrita It’s great to have this chat with you today! We are beyond excited about your craft. First, please say hi to …

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Chiam Shiu – A Naga YouTuber Based in Mumbai Tells Us About Her Journey

Published by Kumti

The life of a YouTuber is not all glitz and glam as we see it on our screens. There’s a lot that goes behind and Chiam Shiu tells us how. A budding YouTuber, Chiam is based in Mumbai currently but belongs to Dimapur. Her channel focuses on fashion and lifestyle, where she also gives a glimpse of Naga lifestyle to her viewers. Her aim is to ‘keep it real’ and she does that by being honest with who she is on camera. She also works as a freelance model and actor and has acted in Dreamz Unlimited. Let’s get to hear more from her.  Hey Chiam, please introduce yourself to our readers! My name is Chiam Shiu. I am 23-years-old and I’m from Khiamniungan and Phom tribe from Dimapur. Currently based in Mumbai, I’m a full-time YouTuber, a freelance fashion model and an actor. As far as my education is concerned, I am a B.Tech graduate in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Nagaland. What made you start your YouTube channel? Ever …