‘The Moda’ As An Indian Brand Offers More Than Cliché, Couture & Colours
We have all experienced the joy of scrolling down our phones through a parade of items on a lazy Sunday afternoon as we recklessly add to cart whatever catches our eye. E-commerce has brought malls to our fingertips and retail therapy is only a click away. Online shopping has afforded us a convenience which has transformed into a necessity with our busy schedules and metropolitan lives.
Concepts like the Swadeshi movement may seem ancient to us. But in modern times, they peek at us as campaigns such as Make in India. There is a wave where Indian products are becoming widely popular in different corners of the globe. Indian fashion is making its mark on the world with Indian designers designing for celebrities like Beyonce and Shakira.
Tushank Aggarwal, the sole founder of The MODA, found that Indian products were kicked to the last pages on online retail websites and decided to initiate this venture. The MODA is an e-commerce website with the unique motive to popularize Indian products, domestically as well as internationally. It aims to collaborate with more than 1200 vendors in a span of 3 years on a common platform at a global level. Business being his only passion, Tushank is inspired by success stories and does not believe in following an idol because for him the desire to achieve more is the biggest motivator. The company is currently looking for investors on its journey to become the most popular online fashion hub.
Read the following interview to know how they are making a mark in e-commerce industry.
1. What is the Name of Your Venture? Any specific reason for this name?
The name of the venture is The MODA, registered under partnership Act, 1932 by Tushank Agarwal. The website went live on 5th Nov, 2018. The reason behind the name is that it can be easily recalled and people are aware of the word.
2. Who is your target Audience/clients?
The target audience is from the age group of 18 to 50+ years. As we are only selling the Indian made products, Audience is all around the world.
3. Where your venture is based (city, state, country) & What are your geographical target areas?
The company is based in New Delhi, India. Since we are an online store, the geographical target area is PAN India.
4. What problems does your venture resolve? What are your products or services?
Platform for all Indian brands and designers to showcase their products. Awareness about Indian brands Highlighting Indian brands and designers at international level Giving the best quality of Indian clothes/accessories under one roof
Our products or services include-
Woman’s Fashion Category
Western
Indo-western
Wedding,
Party
Designer collection.
Inner wears
Accessories
Lon geris
Handbags and wallets
Watches and wearable Fusion wear
Men’s section
Indian and festive wears
Watches and wearable
Bag and backpacks
Fashion accessories
Sports wear
Top wear
Bottom wear
Inner wears
5. Share the idea or story behind the venture. How did it come to existence? What motivated you to start your own venture?
The idea got in action in my second year of college as at that time I had designed a catalog for a new fashion brand. After completing college, I always had The Moda somewhere in my mind and also wanted to start my own thing. Working for a year and a half, when I was giving up some interviews for job and from there it all started I was asked to design a website. Here, I started designing The MODA website as I already had its complete branding ready. While researching about the design, I came across the problem that all the Indian brands are getting at the last pages of big marketplaces such as Myntra/ Amazon / Flipkart. Thus, I decided to incept The Moda as a marketplace and make it only for Indian brands. As I belong the business family background so my father motivated me to start my own venture.
6. Who are your biggest competitors and how do you differentiate yourself from them?
Although there is competition in the industry, there is no one in particular. Any market place which is selling fashion and lifestyle products are in some sense competitors. But we are different from others in the market as we are only focused to get people aware about Indian brands.
7. How did you identify your co-founder? Tell us some thing about your co-founder/s?
I, Tushank Agarwal is the only founder of The MODA.
8. How did you hire your first team members? What skills do you want in your employees/team?
I was looking for intellectual hardworking people with a creative minds
Must have the quality to lead a team and establish teamwork
9. What expansion plans are you looking for the next 2 years, next 5 years?
First Year:-
Introduction of The MODA in the Indian market.
To highlight Indian brands.
To generate the interest of public towards the made in Indian products.
Target to get 300+ vendors for collaboration at portal
Launching of IOS/ Android mobile app of The MODA.
Second Year:-
Generating brand name at international market.
Generating the interest of international public towards the Indian wear.
Collaboration with web series
Target to get 800+ vendors for collaboration at portal
Third Year:-
Target to get 1200+ vendors for collaboration at portal
To get delivery of products worldwide
Offline The MODA store in India
Fourth Year:-
Offline The MODA store at International level.
Fifth Year:-
The MODA Fashion Show
10. Where do you want to see yourself in next 10 years?
To get all Indian brands and designers on The MODA
Customer service and satisfaction
Offline The MODA store in India and other countries too.
11. What are your immediate goals over the next 1, 3, 6 and 12 months?
To get mobile app of The MODA
Branding
Promotions
Marketing
300+ brands on The MODA
12. Have you raised any funding? Or have any plans for the funding?
Not Yet. But, we are looking for Angel Investors
13. What were the problems you faced during the starting days and how did you resolve them?
First to create website proto-type
To make the brands and designers understand the concept behind The MODA Funding
Website creation
Function user
Friendly for Indian audience
14. What was the most challenging part of your journey till now? How did you overcome those challenges?
To make people aware about Indian brands
Searching Indian brands and designer to get on board on The MODA
Social media marketing
Presentation
15. What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
I always had interest in technology and learning new softwares but in non working time I prefer to spend time with friends and family and also watching some web series or videos
16. Whom do you consider your idol or biggest motivator?
I don’t believe in following someone as an idol but I do get inspired by good work and success stories but don’t consider anyone as following for motivation.
17. What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
I dont find any difference between both as entrepreneurs work under their customers and employees work under entrepreneurs so for me both are same.
18. If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I would not like to do anything differently. Business is my only passion.
19. How has being an entrepreneur affected your family & Social life?
Mind is always in thinking of something which affected the relation with friends and family
20. Tell us something about your education & family background?
Schooling from Birla vidya Mandir in Nanital
Bachelors from LPU Jalandhar in Multimedia
I belong to a family with business background
21. What is your USP which makes it unique & different from other start-ups in similar domains.
Specific to the Indian market
Targeted towards Indian brands and designers
22. What do you think is the biggest threat to the success of small businesses & Start-ups today?
Although India has a very positive environment for startups and small businesses, the stiff competition due to the numerous companies is a threat in itself.
23. Do you consider yourself successful and by what means do you measure success?
Not yet. It will take time.
24. Please share complete name, address, phone number, email id & website of Your Business & Contact Person
Address ;- MODA enterprises , A161, first floor, Dayanand colony Lajpat – 4, New Delhi 110024.
Phone Number -9675100600/9717236001
Email id:- [email protected],
www.themoda.co.in
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoponmoda/
