All posts filed under: ENTREPRENEUR

Discover passionate entrepreneurs and read their stories

Meet Anen | ‘The Little Baker’ from Nagaland

Today we chat up with Anen Imti – the baker behind ‘The Little Baker‘ in Dimapur, which is quite the talk of the town with its assortment of cakes, breads and doughnuts. Tell us something about ‘The Little Baker‘ The Little Baker (TLB) was started in the summer of 2016 and is based out of Dimapur. TLB is all about baking. Every item in the menu is baked with love. It is also the perfect creative outlet for someone like me, as I have been passionate about the culinary arts and baking for as long as I can remember! We serve all kinds of freshly-baked comfort food like breads, cakes, doughnuts, cupcakes, cookies, pies, desserts, etc. How did it all start? Did you get any formal training? Well yes, I got a formal training in culinary arts from New Delhi, post which I completed an industrial training from one of the top hotels. Then I got the opportunity to work full time in a 5-star resort in Goa – which sort of helped me kick off my career in baking. “After having …

Meet Ankita from Unees Bees | Textile Artist from Gujarat

Published by Roots & Leisure

We are super delighted to feature Ankita from Unees Bees – as our first artist from Gujarat. Unees Bees is an independent clothing label from Vadodara. They make beautiful handcrafted sarees, stoles and clothing using traditional methods like block printing and tie and dye, and combining them with contemporary prints. Here we chat up with the lovely lady to know more about Unees Bees. Hi Ankita! Super delighted to have you here as the first Gujarati artist on R&L. So tell us something about yourself. What was the inspiration behind the launch of the brand ‘Unees Bees’? I was brought up in Vadodara (in Gujarat) and had always been more creatively inclined than Academic. Plus, growing up, my mother would always take me along to fabric shops around the city as she had an appreciation for textiles and garments – and that I picked up my my interest in garment making . When the time came to choose a career, clothing design was a clear choice. So I did my Bachelors in Fashion Design from M.S. University Vadodara, which …

Meet Keren Longkumer from LOQ | The Sole Whisperer from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

How many of us are familiar with the concept of the American Dream? This grand aspiration has inspired countless individuals worldwide, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and achieve great success in America. We had the opportunity to meet Keren Longkumer, a courageous young talent hailing from Northeast India, who embodies this spirit. Keren was born in Medziphima, spent some years in Kohima, and completed her education in Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh. Following her academic journey, she embarked on a path to Los Angeles to study shoe design—a decision that would prove to be fateful. In this vibrant city, she crossed paths with another budding artist, Valerie Quant, who shared Keren’s passion for unconventional forms, proportions, materials, and meticulous attention to detail. Today, both Keren and Valerie proudly stand as co-founders of LOQ, an internationally recognized footwear brand with operations spanning four cities and a thriving online presence. With a bold vision to redefine classic designs for modern women, LOQ aims to unveil a new perspective on women’s shoes. Here’s an exclusive interview with Keren Longkumer …

Meet Asibu – Maker of Glamorous Jewellery

Published by Roots & Leisure

Lately, we have been witnessing some pretty awesome jewellery designers coming up from every corner – especially from the vibrant state of Nagaland. And we’re very proud to showcase each and every one of them. One of the most recent one to join the growing band of upcoming jewellery entrepreneurs is Asibu Yhoshu Peseyie, an NIFT graduate. We came across her jewellery brand ‘Asibu‘ and they are absolutely gorgeous! No wonder everyone’s talking about them. If you haven’t yet come across them , fret not. What else are we here for? : ) Asibu has worked as an Assistant Designer for Amritraj Bora Couture, fashion brand that has styled for the likes of Malaika Arora Khan and Madhu Sapre. She has also worked alongside the renowned fashion stylist Mahima Shukla as an Assistant Stylist. Her career has now taken the natural turn by launching her own jewellery brand, Asibu. And, we can’t have enough of it! Tell us a little more about ‘Asibu’ and the design mantra behind it? Asibu is a handcrafted home-based jewellery brand that …

Turning Pebbles to Art by Iboli Zhimo

Published by Shweta Rao

Do you ever wonder about all the tales one would unravel if all the stones around us could start talking? Mother Nature has countless mysteries laid out around us. They’ve laid silently for a thousand years and more, and eventually us humans have forgotten to take notice of her. Except for a few artists among us – who take the time to pause, listen and create. Meet Iboli Zhimo who’s making random stones tell beautiful stories. Iboli is based out of the small town of Satakha under the Zunheboto district in Nagaland. She works as a pebble artist for Regalia Entertainment in the state and is also pursuing a Masters degree in History. Zhimo fell in love with this unique art form because of its challenging nature. With sheer dedication and passion, Zhimo sets out to find the fitting pieces for her creations. And find she does. Take a look yourself. Also, you can buy her unique pebble arts on the R&L SHOP Elvis Etched In Stone Tree of Life Happy Stones – Music, Dance and Fun! Iboli Zhimo with …

“Handmade by Soren” | Crafts Made with Love from Nagaland

Published by Roots & Leisure

Located in the heart of Kohima town in Nagaland, Soren Odyuo is a craft maker whose work embodies the sentiment that “local is lovely”. Each handcrafted item on display in her shop encourages viewers to slow down for a moment, to look, to touch, and to listen. Her handmade crafts celebrate the colorful and exuberant aspects of life and serve as a reminder that a hobby can be both joyful and productive. Soren shares that she started “Handmade By Soren” when friends and family encouraged her to make something worthwhile out of her remarkable gift for transforming ordinary materials into works of beauty. “Every piece of craft in my store is unique and made by hand with love.” ~ Soren of ‘Handmade by Soren’ R&L: As an interior designer with a passion for creating beautiful handmade crafts, how do you manage to balance these two full-time jobs? Soren: Yes, managing two full-time jobs can be challenging, but I enjoy both of them immensely. I work as an interior designer with Zynorique Consultants, an architectural firm based …

The Lady Who Makes Cuddly Crochet Dolls | Ashibo

Published by Shweta Rao

Someone wise once said, “There are two kinds of people in the world – those who love dolls and those who don’t yet know that they love dolls.” A doll’s journey to being born in its maker’s imagination and then later in our world begins decades earlier. It begins with a gathering of a lifetime of seemingly unrelated skills, which then one day collide and end up in complete and total creative harmony. And then slowly and steadily, dolls carry millions of children across the world into a world of sheer happiness. Today we met up with one such talented maker, Ashibo who has been creating some super cute handmade crochet dolls. Cute and stylish (just like the lady who makes them), it looks as if the dolls await to tell us a story, and Ashibo is their chosen medium. Were we right or were we just making things up in our minds? We asked Ashibo to help us answer. What was the inspiration behind creating these beautiful crochet dolls? Well, I have always loved knitting …

Meet Muse – the All Female Production Crew from North East India

Published by Roots & Leisure

Here’s some promising news in the world’s ongoing quest for women to have their voices heard. We met a kickass production crew from North Eastern India that is in a pursuit to tell the world some beautiful stories. What’s more, it is an all-female team that involves professionals who are skilled in videography, photography, and edits. The crew that goes by the name ‘MUSE Team‘ came together only this year and is currently based in New Delhi. “We are currently on our way to put up more videos (both fiction and nonfiction) on various topics on our Youtube channel ‘The Muse’,” said a team member. MEET THE TEAM The team members all come from different backgrounds and cultures. But, what binds them together is the love for telling beautiful stories that aren’t covered by mainstream media. Lurei Kamei [from Nagaland]: Has been working in a film production company in Delhi as a producer and researcher for the last 3 years. “Before I came to Delhi and started working officially, I never realised how beautiful our Northeastern states …

Naga Food in Belgium | Lulu’s Tribal Kitchen

Published by David Sangma

Say hello to Lulu Pheiga who has taken her roots across continents – to Genk, Belgium. When we came across her story and her lovely food truck that says “Back to the roots“, we had to write about her. After all, Roots and Leisure is all about staying connected to your roots – no matter where you are and how far you are from home. Thanks to Lulu, people can now literally taste the diversity of India! And yes, Indian food is more than just Samosas and butter chicken 🙂 You can get in touch with Lulu on her Facebook Page on through her website. All Images Courtesy : Lulu’s Tribal Kitchen

Cute Naga Dolls Handcrafted by Artist Ikali Sukhalu

Published by David Sangma

Say hello to Ikali Sukhalu! She is a 29-year-old fashion designer from Nagaland, who has reached fame as the creator of ‘Lil’ Naga’ – a range of amazingly cute dolls that can lighten up anyone’s mood! She’s a graduate from Wigan & Leigh Mumbai in fashion technology and fashion business, and holds a degree from London College of Fashion. Her journey started in 2015 when she won NIAPA (North East India Academy of Performing Arts) contest. She also showcased her work “Tribal Trible” in the New York Couture Week in 2014. We caught up with Ikali and learned about her inspiration behind ‘Lil Naga’ – the range of cute dolls that depict Nagaland’s traditional tribal attire. Hi Ikali, what was the inspiration behind these Naga dolls? I saw them first in Hong Kong. There were these Chinese dolls and I thought it would be fun to try and make something similar but with a local twist. I started experimenting with them in my studio and voila! ‘Lil Naga’ was born. Each doll is wearing a Naga traditional …