When you belong to a place like Wasseypur, Dhanbad in Ranchi, fierceness runs in your blood. That’s just what Shriya Singh is when it comes to entrepreneurship and business.
Shriya Singh, the 27-year-old businesswoman with an enormous 9+ years’ experience in the corporate sector, calls herself lazy and thus has a smarter approach to anything, be it her online takeaway and delivery kitchen Bauji or her general life decisions. Besides, she co-owns Café Tuk tuk with her other two partners, Rishab and Vivek, which you may well bump into while travelling in Rishikesh. Winning hearts with finger-licking food and her equally amazing business tactics which she refers to as ‘smart work’, the Wasseypur girl has come a long way.
Shriya talks more about her journey in an interview with Storiyaan and offers advice to novices in this sector. Continue reading to learn more.
5 Min Bit with Shriya Singh
Interview
Questions and answers
When did you first realize the entrepreneurial streak in you?
I’ve worked at numerous firms for the past seven and a half years, and one thing I’ve learned is that whatever I’m working on, I’ll learn but never be able to divide. It’s as if I’m always in a box, yet when asked, I have more to give. I thought that the only constraint someone faces when starting a business might be money. But getting the café up and running wasn’t the most difficult part; rather, taking the initial step was the most difficult part. When I initially stepped out of the corporate light, I realised that this wasn’t so hard.
Having been in the corporate sector for 9 years, how did it mould you for your career in the food and hospitality industry?
Somebody once told me that while working or studying, you constantly realise what you don’t want to do, making it simpler to discover what you actually want to accomplish. While I was working in the corporate sector, I thought that maybe this is what I want to do but soon the next day I’m no longer willing to do it. With time I understood that I’m good with people. So, I started listening to myself more than going to other people for advice. I started looking for occupations that have to do mostly with people and hospitality comes on top. You know, that’s why I chose hospitality.
When did the idea for the café Tuk struck you?
All three of us were jobless during the pandemic. We left our job just before COVID happened and we took a year gap. I was alone in Delhi. One day we just said, let’s open a cafe. Later of course I thought about it and asked them, but they were already in for it. So we decided on the location, the budget, and everything else.
When you initially started out, what were some of the roadblocks that came your way?
I was out of my house for long and I learnt that you must fight your own way, especially when you come from a different state. It took me time to adjust to the new environment. I couldn’t just squander away my father’s money and chill all the time. But then, yes, I knew my way out of the world in a way that I wouldn’t have to face a problem. I needed to gain my parent’s trust, which because of my partners became easier as my parents trust them a lot. The only roadblock for me is my mind. When I am in the right state of mind, I can acheieve wonders.
What was the reason and significance behind the name “Bauji” for your online takeaway and delivery kitchen?
“Bauji” means father and naming my online takeaway and delivery kitchen “Bauji” is to cherish all my memories with my father. I have memories of him sending me food and hiding sweets in my lunch box so that my mother doesn’t know I’m eating a lot and I am 27 years old now and he still does so. He doesn’t know this and if I tell him, he’s going to laugh it off.
Having been in several industries and working with multiple domains, what is some advice that you have for novices interested in starting out in this field?
You must have a lot of patience. I always keep on telling my friends that there’s this voice at the back of your head which tells you what to do and what not to, that is your instinct. Follow your instincts and be yourself, because if you’re not yourself, confirm the factor that if you wanted to do something today, there is nobody in the entire world who can fix it.
‘Bauji’ surely sounds like an interesting food delivery to opt for when you are craving some good food. To learn more, visit the Instagram linked to this feature.