CORKING the eco tune

Chennai girl Keshsa Vasant, who shuttles between India and Denver, loves to experiment with her talents

Hailing from a family of entrepreneurs, it was destiny that Keshsa Vasant too followed the path. Along with her friend, Shivani Patel, they started the label Arture, an alternative to leather which offers bags made out of cork. Keshsa started her venture through a crowd-funding campaign in 2015 and had an amazing journey so far. After completing her graduation in marketing from the University of Denver, Keshsa took a sabbatical for six months just to be with her family, especially her grandmother. “There were many things going on in my mind then. I badly wanted a break and the one I took helped me focus better. Also, spending quality time with my family changed my perception on certain things,” the 25-yearold starts the chat. Before venturing full-time into business, she worked in an AD agency in India. Though she enjoyed the process, she missed the thrill of taking her own decisions — “Sometimes, I felt if I took certain decisions it would have been better. Basically, I wanted to be my own boss (laughs). Also, I staunchly believe that it is good to achieve something when you are young. You’ll have that energy and enthusiasm,” she says.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, this youngster had a clear idea of what goes into a business. “It ain’t all sunshine and roses in the business field. But the guidance from my family was always there. And when I became an entrepreneur, it didn’t feel like a different ballgame altogether," Keshsa adds.

With her co-partner’s designing skills combined with Keshsa’s marketing tactics, the venture has grown to become a premium, vegan accessory brand in the country, with a special focus on quality. Being a young entrepreneur, she has faced a lot of criticisms and has overcome the hurdles. “There is a lot of competition out there and every day is stressful and challenging for start-ups like ours. But I don’t take anything personally. If I am unable to come up with a solution, I usually sleep over it. A good sleep helps me to think clearly." Keshsa, who travels extensively for her work, finds time to spend with her family — both in India and Denver. “Though I have been shuttling between Chennai and Denver for 16 years now, the drama is much less in Denver! The American metropolis is calmer and peaceful. That said, I miss namma ooru and my close friends when I am out of India.” Having her family by her side, Keshsa wants to get as many eyeballs as possible for Arture.

There is a lot of competition out there. Every day is stressful and challenging for start-ups like ours