HUMANS OF BOMBAY

I’ve always been a homemaker. I’d teach my children and in my free time, experiment with food. My kids’ especially loved the kheer I made and would often say, ‘Maa, sell your kheer! It’s so tasty!’ But I’d brush it off and think, ‘I don’t even have a business degree!’ But when my kids graduated, I had time on my hands. And so, I took up my first job as a school teacher at 45. And honestly, being able to do something for myself was liberating! But one day after work, when I made kheer, my daughter said, ‘Maa, it’s the same flavour since so many years. Try something new for once!’ My ego was bruised and so, I experimented by adding a spoonful of Nutella. And when she had a bite, she said, ‘This is the most delicious kheer!’ My son had a similar reaction and he said, ‘Please start that business!’ I was wary, but I tried new kheer dishes and shared them with friends and family for feedback! They all had one thing to say- we love it! But despite their positive responses, I was afraid of starting a business, I mean I was 50 and had lived half my life! But my kids said, ‘We believe in you. You should too!’ And so I did and in 2017, started ‘La Kheer Deli’. We set up a handcart! But this didn’t sit well with my husband who said, ‘So now you’re starting a thela at 50?’ That made me doubt myself, but so many people had such nice things to say about my kheer, I thought, ‘There has to be something!’ So, I took the plunge and the next day itself, I stood behind the cart with my kids. People stared and wondered why an educated family was selling kheer on the road, but my kids were optimistic. And when I made my first sale, I was over the moon! I’d look at customers' faces to see if they liked my kheer, and when one said, ‘This is tastier than ice-cream’ I was motivated! On the first day, we sold 44 cups. It was a good start! Then on, I’d work in school during the week and sell kheer on the weekends. Within 2 months, I was selling 650 cups a day; I was earning more than what I was making in school. Still I’d think, ‘This is just a honeymoon phase.’ But one day, I woke up to see my thela being featured in the newspaper; I couldn’t believe it! Seeing my progress, my husband came around too. And so, I quit my job and ran my business full time! And a year later, we moved online. Our kheer even made it to hospitals. Once, a doctor told me, ‘I give your kheer to cancer patients, they love it.’ I was touched. I hustled everyday, and within 2 years time, our sales surged over Rs 1 crore! And in 2019, after making kheer in my home kitchen for a year, we moved to a central kitchen! Today, we’ve set up 8 more handcart stalls around the city. Today, at 54, I’m the owner of a business that has a turnover of over 1Cr! Only because my family taught me to believe in myself and I did. So, take that chance, dare to jump, you never know, you might just… fly!” HUMANS OF BOMBAY