Among the many industries that require immediate attention and assistance are the SMEs- Small and medium-sized enterprises. With many Kirana stores wanting to go digital, establishing an audience and obtaining revenue can be demanding. Thus, in an attempt to provide an online platform for ration shops to grow and thrive their businesses, Rohit Shrivastva, came up with the idea of “Ration Paani”, Rohit Shrivastva, came up with the idea of “Ration Paani”, where thousands of these shops can go online and sell their products. where thousands of these shops can go online and sell their products. To appreciate this amazing idea, “Ration Paani” was selected among the top 100 startups in Amazon Sambhav Entrepreneurship Challenge.
In this interview, Rohit shares when he decided to embark on this journey and how he overcame the challenges to emerge as a successful business entrepreneur.
Rohit Shrivastva: Uplifting the SME's
Interview
Questions and answers
Can you tell us about the major factor that drove you towards the field of entrepreneurship in the final year of college?
By 2nd year itself, I had realized that I’m not made for a 9 to 5 type job. From the 3rd year, I took some decisions to initiate practicing an independent lifestyle, started reading about those people who had lived that way in the past, and soon after, life started opening new doors for me.
What were some of the rookie mistakes that you committed when you initially started on this journey?
I think when you embark on an unknown, unheard, less-traveled path, then every move is a hit and trial. This experimental attitude demands some strength to accept your rookie mistakes which you can’t skip because they are not obstacles, they are the way.
How did you overcome these pitfalls and what did you take back from them?
By facing more challenging situations, always aiming higher, and being madly optimistic. I took away some serious gifts from nature, which some call ‘experience’.
How did you conceive of the idea for your startup in the first place and what appealed to you about it the most?
Since I had already started exercising being aatma nirbhar from the college itself when I went into my first job I realized I didn’t know how to cook. Then I felt this is the first and foremost aspect- ‘Ration Paani’ which I need to conquer where I can’t depend on anyone else. I will grow, cut, and cook food all by myself.
What methods did you resort to provide the staff with the training needed for customer service and what are some of the challenges that came your way?
I had to learn the Indian Sign language to communicate and gain the trust of the candidates, but it was a bigger challenge to convince their families to let them work with us and help them overcome their inferiority complex but with personalised grooming and confidence-building – they all performed exceptionally.
How do manage to keep a balance between overseeing the work of the restaurant and your day job as a doctor, and how do you prioritise when such situations arise when you have to be present in both scenarios?
I have always been a workaholic and I enjoy multi-tasking. My work makes me happy as it is related to welfare services and providing platforms to the unheard. I am skilled at managing my time because I am passionate about it.
When you broke the news about your career plans to your friends and family, how was the reception, and who turned out to be your pillar of strength?
My friends could understand me to an extent, but my family was shocked because this field was unheard of. Nishant (my co-founder) has been an amazing pillar of strength without whom Rationpaani could never have been born and reached here.
Tell us about some of the features that make Rationpaani stand out and how does it represent your ideals?
Actually when I was booking this domain Rationpaani.in, I didn’t know its secrets then. It has its revolutionary impact on Indians. Later on, I observed it has the potential to bring a big social and economic change in the country because there are 12 million ration shops in India that make up the backbone of the economy.
The pandemic had been a testing phase for almost all of us. How did it personally affect you professionally and emotionally?
For me, it was a period of solitude and some inner realization and for Rationpaani this period was a take-off time during which it could find its presence not just in many cities of the country but also internationally.