Meet The Woman Who Is Providing Many Men Their Livelihoods!
Meet Bhagyashree Kamat!
India needs more Women Entrepreneurs. Women need to promote each others’ businesses!
Tell us your story. What inspired you on your journey and made you the woman you are today?
My father’s belief, my husband’s unconditional support and of course all the hard work that went along the way made me the women that I’m today. I’m a Textile designer from NIFT which gave me the opportunity to see the weavers work closely. We would go on cluster development projects so I got an opportunity to understand their plight. That’s when I decided that I would always work around the concept of HAND MADE, HANDWOVEN, NATURAL FIBERS. With that premise, the journey began! I came from a service background so was always scared to start my own business. I used to work in an export house and also taught in prestigious institutions. This was my comfort zone, but when I got married into a business family they encouraged me to start my own venture. And from then on its been a roller coaster ride…
Looking back, what three pieces of advice do you have for your younger self?
From your personal experience, what piece of advice would you like to give to our readers?
There is always room to grow!
Did you face any challenges and how did you overcome them?
I started my export house in Pune. I faced the biggest challenge when I moved to a slow and quite city of Belgaum. Challenge was to do something related to my field in a city which was.still not ready. Bay Leaf Design Studio became the 1st customized clothing store in the city. Belgaum is a small city but people have style and would often travel to bigger cities for shopping. I saw this as a big opportunity and immediately acted on it. I saw what the people of Belgaum really wanted, and gave it locally. I knew in my heart, that it might take some time but eventually this business would definitely do well, and IT DID! Design strength and customer relations has been the key to our success. We have come a long way in the last 15 yrs from designing for our local clients to now being pan-India and global.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
What are some of your proudest moments?
Last year we participated in a Fashion show organized by TSCO Handloom in Hyderabad. We were among the top 3 in the established designers category from all over the country.
What fictional world do you wish actually existed?
Did you have a woman leader as a mentor or are there specific women who inspired you and why?
I worked with a dynamic women entrepreneur Shibani Jain who has been one of my inspiration. Her selfless work towards the art and craft sector keeps inspiring me.
What moment from your life would you love to relive?
Moments with my Dad.
If you had to switch careers, what career would you choose?
I would love to be a Food and Travel blogger!
You are certainly a busy woman. How do you relax and unwind? How do you find your work life balance?
Spending time with my family and friends is my happiest time. Traveling is one thing which helps you to unwind and and even grow as a person.
