Today we’d like to introduce you to Manish Gupta
Hi manish, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up seeing my parents running their businesses. I learned basics of business by helping them and knowing that I will always have my own enterprise. It was a matter of chance that I came across the concept of distributing handcrafted artisanal goods which seemed like a good business idea. Only soon to realize that a lot of atisans are at risk specially becuase of lack of access to market. This business idea seems to be multiple benefits, apart from financial incentive of making a living for me, this seems to provide market access to artisans at risk, preserve traditonal artforms, promote sustainable goods since most artisans goods are made using natual materials. I decided to give it a shot 🙂
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Haha.. if it was easy, it would have been done already I started a business selling artisan made goods. It involved designing the products that artisans would produce and then doing sales and marketing here in the US. I had no idea about Product Design, Sales or Marketing. I have had to learn all of these skills over the years or find talented people who believed in the mission and joined me. I got married soon after I started the business and my wife, a designer herself, joined me to bring the creative/ artistic aspect of the business to life. She has been a great partner in building this company. As we have grown our challenges have evolved which is a sign of growth. We are in the retail industry, selling artisanal, sustainable goods and have to compete against machine made products which tend to be much lower in price. Getting across to consumer why our products are special is a big challenge. We are excited though to continue overcoming our challenges and getting ready for new ones
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are a lifestyle product brand, designing and selling artisanal made goods. We design gifts, personal and home accessories. All our products are handcrafted and made using natural/ upcycled materials. Our products made using traditional artforms are very unique and joyful. We make sure our partner artisans benefit from Fair Trade practices and our products enrich the communities they come from. Our products are safe and fun for the people who buy them. Our supply chain is tough; we are connecting rural artisans in India to the demands and taste of western market. Two very different worlds. Being able to make a supply chain with so much variation work is a lot of work.
Most times sustainable products that are well designed and reasonably priced are hard to come by. We have been able to bring all these 3 aspects together.
We are proud that we support over a 1000 artisan families in India and make a positive different in their communities and at the same time bring joy through our products to families across the world.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I have been a very free spirit growing up. All play and no worries. I have always had a lot of great friends. I have never been afraid to start something new and experiences have been my biggest teacher. I believe that we all have unlimited potential to achieve our dreams and to make this place a better place. I grew up in India, moved to the US for my graduate studies and ended up starting my business in Austin TX. I have lived and traveled around the world experienced many cultures. I feel lucky to be part of multiple cultures. I am a dedicated yogi and have a spiritual bend. I believe that my higher purpose is to serve humanity. I enjoy nature and outdoors and love my runs every Saturday at Austin Zilker hike and bike trail.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://matrboomie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matrboomie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matrboomie
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishguptafairtrade/
