All posts filed under: ENTREPRENEUR

Discover passionate entrepreneurs and read their stories

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Meet Pito Kiba, A Hard-Working And Passionate Baker From Nagaland And His Advice On Following Your Dreams

“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it”. -Buddha We first met Pito Kiba, 2 years ago in 2016. He shared with R&L all about the series of phases he went through in his life while discovering his dreams. Being confident and sure about his career and skills as a professional baker has brought him to where he is today. Pito has come a long way since our first chat and doing what he loves only makes him work harder and better. Let’s find out about everything he’s been up to ever since our last meeting. 28-year-old Pito Kiba from Dimapur, Nagaland is a passionate home baker who runs his own baking business under the name, “That Baker Kiba”. Hi Pito! It’s a pleasure to have you back with us after two good years! Tell us what you have been up to since our last chat. Hello R&L, thank you for having me back again. Since we last spoke, over the past few years, I have been able to cater …

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A Chat with Rashingam Ngoruh, Wedding Photographer And Owner of “Cafe Timber” Imphal

With Northeast India fast becoming a traveler’s hotspot, leisure and business activities in the region are picking up visibly. Especially with the young enterprising folks leading from the front, there is certainly much more excitement, creativity and noise – which is definitely a good thing! Amongst these new age activities, eating out is fast becoming a favorite past time, which is a drastic change from earlier days, where meeting with friends was usually limited to the house or the neighborhood. Imphal, the capital city of Manipur has seen a host of interesting food ventures with an aim to introduce global cuisines to the local folks, and authentic traditional fare to travelers from outside. Add to that, the creative minds of the young local entrepreneurs – and the ever demanding consumers, the cafe and restaurant ecosystem is fast becoming as interesting as is competitive. Today we chat with a young food entrepreneur cum photographer, who runs a cafe called “Timber Cafe” in Imphal, which is known for their simple and tasteful interiors and food.  Today we chat …

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The One Cake Shop That Promises To Never Let You Down | A Chat With Yarmichon Mashangva, Owner of ‘The Rolling Pin Bakery’ in Ukhrul, Manipur.

“Baking may be regarded as a science, but it’s the chemistry between the ingredients and the cook that gives desserts life. Baking is done out of love, to share with family and friends, to see them smile.” – Anna Olson. Coming from a family of food lovers, Yarmichon from Ukhrul, Manipur has always been fond of cooking and experimenting with new recipes for her family. She found her true passion for baking the moment she laid her hands on batter and dough. She has since then almost single handedly followed her dreams of opening her own bakery called “The Rolling Pin Bakery.” Today, we are happy to chat with the creative baker and owner of “The Rolling Pin Bakery” from Manipur – Yarmichon Mashangva. She is all about making her family and customers happy with handmade goodies baked with care, hard work and an extra bit of love. Read on to know more this talented soul. Hello Yarmichon! Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Hi, my name is Yarmichon Mashangva and I’m from …

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These Wedding Gowns from Kat’s Collection Nagaland Are To Die For! Meet The Founders – Siblings Visituonuo and Kenny Rio

  “On her wedding day, a woman should be certain she has found a dress that makes her feel confident, and above all else, beautiful.” ~ Carolina Herrera With wedding season right around the corner, we’re happy to introduce Kats Collection – a bridal shop in Nagaland owned by sibling duo – Visituonuo and Kenny Rio. With stores in Kohima and Dimpur, their shop offers both ready-to-wear and custom-made bridal gowns. So let’s have a chat to know more about them and their wedding collections. Today we are happy to have with us the sibling duo from Nagaland – Visituonuo and Kenny Rio who are the founders and owners of ‘Kat’s Collection.‘ Successfully catering to the ever-growing wedding market since 2011, they talk to us about their entrepreneurial journey, what got them started and what keeps them going.  Hey guys! Tell us a little about yourselves. We are brother and sister duo Visituonuo Rio (age 28) and Kenny Rio (age 30) from Dimapur, Nagaland. Together, we run our store called Kats Collection which we named after Visi’s pet, Katrin. We started off …

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Meet Devika Gurung from Sikkim Who Is Using Her Passion For Arts And Crafts To Empower The Underprivileged Women Of Her Hometown

Some of us go a whole lifetime before we know for sure what our true purpose, passion, and calling in life is. Devika Gurung, from Namthang, Sikkim, is one of the lucky ones who found hers in her 20s. She uses her skills in traditional knitting and weaving, which were passed down to her by her mother and grandmother, to empower underprivileged women in her home state. Let’s delve deeper into the story of this inspiring woman. We had the pleasure of speaking with Devika Gurung, founder of “Fidgety Fingers” – a project that empowers local women in Sikkim by teaching them traditional arts and crafts such as knitting and crochet. Devika shares with us her personal journey in discovering her life’s purpose and the challenges she faced along the way. Conversation with Devika Gurung, founder of ‘Fidgety Fingers’ – a project that empowers women in Sikkim to earn a living through art and crafts R&L: Hi Devika! Please introduce yourself, and tell us more about your journey that led to starting your own venture …

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This Creative Soul from Delhi Talks About Her Many Creatives Ventures | Meet Jewelry Maker and Food Stylist, Kirin Vas

A fair amount of passion and hard work goes a long way, and that is exactly what Kirin Vas from New Delhi stands testament to. From setting up her very own jewelry brand Funkanatomy, to being a successful food stylist and having her work featured on some big food brand campaigns, she really is a prime example on how to make a cool living by following your creative outlets. We had a little chat with entrepreneur, jewelry designer, and food stylist, Kirin Vas to know more about how she successfully juggles her super creative freelance life. Read on to know what this true blue Libran has to say. Hi Kirin! Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you’re from and what you’ve been up to? I’m Kirin Vas, 29 years old and based in New Delhi. I’m a food stylist and also run my own jewelry brand Funkanatomy. I grew up in Delhi NCR and launched Funkanatomy when I was 22. I started styling food independently at the age of 24 after assisting one of …

Owner And Creator of Indie Fashion Label “Alem Ozukum” On How She Seamlessly Incorporates Her Humble Life Motto Into Her Styles and Designs

“Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” – Luke 6:38 (Bible) Today, we’re happy to introduce a rising talent in the fashion scene – designer Alem Ozukum from Nagaland – who clearly knows a thing or two about fashion. She runs her self-named label ‘Alem Ozukum’ single-handedly under simple and humble mottos and  is the sole creator of every piece that she sells. Right from designing to execution, Alem is hands-on when it comes to the entire creative and business process We had a lovely chat with fashion designer Alem Ozukum from Kohima, Nagaland who gave us an insight into her creative process, her humble life mottos and her hopes and dreams for her brand. Hello Alem. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Hi my name is Alemzungla Ozukum, I am a fashion designer based in Kohima, Nagaland. I am the founder and …

This 23-Year-Old Veterinarian Makes Handmade Soaps That are Actually Life Changing | Meet Lavanya Sophie, Founder of ‘Elixir Soaperie’

The thing about anything handmade is that every item is made with so much care and is full of love. Bonus if they make your life a little better too. Today we have a creator who makes great handmade soaps. We got introduced through a friend, who couldn’t stop raving about her soaps. We also found out that she is a veterinarian graduate, and currently a master’s student, who also runs her popular soap business ‘Elixir Soaperie’ on the side. Let’s find out more about her and her handmade goodies. Meet 23-year-old Lavanya Sophie from Pondicherry, founder and creator of ‘Elixir Soaperie’, which is a range of handmade soaps, scrubs, eye gels and other beauty products that work wonders. She makes everything from scratch and even adds fragrances and essential oils as per specific preferences. She chats with R&L about her entrepreneurial journey and her handmade soaps. Hi Lavanya. Tell us a little about yourself and what you’ve been up to? My name is Lavanya… Well, technically Dr. Lavanya. I’m a 23-year-old veterinarian graduate and am pursuing …

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Model Carol Humtsoe Charms Vintage Lovers with Her Curated Clothing and Collectibles Sold Through Her Brand ‘Carol’s Shop and Tea Room’

For those who had missed our introduction to Carol Humtsoe  back in 2016 (when we had just launched our site), meet fashion model Carol from Nagaland – the first Naga model to have been signed by Elite Model Management. We got back in touch with her to know more about her treasure trove of lovely vintage clothing and collectibles – that she sells under her brand ‘Carol’s Shop & Tea Room.’ We were especially intriqued by her ultra cool and rustic setting of the shop – complete with bamboo walls and wooden furnitures. Let’s find out more about her fashion venture, and what she’s been upto lately. Model Carol Humtsoe from Nagaland chats with Roots & Leisure about her love for fashion, travel, vintage & collectibles, and how she brings all these in one space through her vintage store ‘Carol’s Shop & Tea Room.’  Hi Carol, tell us what you’ve been upto lately. I am currently based in Nagaland, but I am still constantly moving. I am a traveler who models, and now I also own a vintage …

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This 21-Year-Old Student from Nagaland Makes Precious Feel-Good Handmade Cards | Meet Viketuno of “Yours Craftfully”

Making a career out of what you love doing is exactly what Viketuno, a young artist from Kohima, Nagaland has done with ‘Yours Craftfully’. With her brand of cute handmade crafts, we can see the passion she puts into every piece she creates. More importantly, her cards remind us of our school days where we used to pour our hearts and hours into making handmade cards for every occassion. From bookmarks to cards, every one of her creations has her signature doodle on them, which gives it a cute and customised personal touch. Today, we feature Viketuno of ‘Yours Craftfully’ as she talks about what sparked her interest and what influences her. We chat with Viketuno, a 21-year-old student from Nagaland, who also runs her arts and crafts venture called “Yours Craftfully” She talks about her passion for art, Doodling, and handmade crafts. Hello Vike, please introduce yourself. Hi, My name is Viketuno Sanyü. I am 21 years old from Kohima and am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in English language. I make handmade cards and other craft items and showcase/sell …