New age entrepreneurs

APART FROM KEEPING PEOPLE CONNECTED, SOCIAL MEDIA ALSO PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Social media is here to stay, and sites such as Facebook and Instagram are becoming a source of making money.

Many youngsters from the city are relying on such platforms to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Several products, like trinkets, customised stationary and clothing are being sold through these sites. Despite having no physical stores and receiving orders solely through text or phone calls, such pages are increasingly garnering customers.

Shruti and Tanya Agarwal are two such city-based entrepreneurs who run The Trinkaholic, a popular page on social media. “We used to shop a lot online, and realised that there are hardly any pages from Hyderabad that sell trinkets. Most of what you get here is either gold or silver. So, in June 2015, we decided to start a page of our own to provide pocket-friendly, casual accessories that people can wear to work or to college,” says Shruti.

“These sites have created opportunities for a low cost. They also act as a platform for collaborations with part time photographers, designers and product sellers who would like to make some money,” say the girls. If all goes well, they even plan to open a store someday.

Another set of sisters, Kusuma and Kavya Goli are proud owners of the Instagram page, Kreations. While Kavya manages the logistics and marketing, 18-year-old Kusuma handcrafts silk thread jewellery. The products are customised to suit the customers’ colour preferences and budget.

Kavya recalls how their online venture took off. “My sister used to make the jewellery during her free time and eventually, many of our relatives started asking her to make some for them. We started selling on their suggestion and now we get orders through social media from the UK and the US too! Some part of the money we earn goes towards buying books and food for people in old-age homes and for the differently-abled,” she says.

Prarthna Jain2a of Peep Street Fashion used social media as a stepping stone to start her own retail store. A product of National Institute of Design, Prarthna was passionate about fashion and wanted to make a living out of it. “Social media sites are individual business hubs by themselves, and allow startups to market their products. I started selling jewellery, clothes and bags online in 2012 and I opened a store three months back, as people like to try out dresses before they buy them,” says Prarthna.

These sites have created opportunities for a low cost. They also act as a platform for collaborations with part time photographers, designers and product sellers — SHRUTI AND TANYA The Trinkoholic We started selling (to our relatives first) and now we get orders from UK and US too! — KAVYA AND KUSUMA, Kreations Social media sites are individual business hubs by themselves, and allow start-ups to market their products — PRARTHNA JAIN, PEEP STREET FASHION