Episode 34 - Mohit Mehta

Hello everyone and welcome to a new episode of Veerai's Wellness Podcast. Today I have Mohit Mehta with us. He is an entrepreneur and he runs his family business of textiles. They are into import and export, and now as a new age entrepreneur, he is also trying to expand in e-commerce. Welcome Mohit, thank you so much for coming to our program today.

Thank you, Neetu. It's a pleasure to be here with you.

Great. So Mohit, uh, you know, uh, you took over this business from your father and now you are trying to expand into e-commerce. So what is the transition feeling like for you?

Uh, I think it's, it's really, uh, uh, Big transition, uh, the day I joined back in 2006 till now, uh, because the things are changing very fast. In earlier days, it's, it's used to be said in Indian community that, you know, if a grandfather has a shop or store, then, you know, the grandson doesn't need to, you know, look here and there because he has his business running. But Now the things have changed drastically from the day I joined in. Firstly, I was an average student at school, so when I started, you know, thought of getting into business, I started with doing textile designing which can serve into my business, and I also did export management course because that time my thought was, you know, export is better than doing domestic business because, you know, the scalability options were much wider in exports. So, uh, gradually the time passed. We hit 2008 recession, and that time I see many exporters coming into the domestic market to sustain their businesses. And, uh, globalization happening, uh, imports have already started a lot in our business. So, uh, that export studies helped me to get my imports right. And, uh, in those days much technology was not there. Only, uh, I think I should mention it now, that is a thing of past, only MSN Messenger used to be there. So in that time it take me, um, 15 days, 20 days, or a month to understand what a vendor can do, is he doing business in India, and, uh, you know, to, uh, get to know about Chinese suppliers, what products they are doing, what they are— a factory, what products they are doing, and they are compatible with Indian markets or not. Because language was a barrier and technology was a barrier. And till then, today, it's, it's a change happening because later on we came across this WhatsApp and WeChat. So during that time, we have to translate everything and send an email in Chinese. And now, you know, you just WhatsApp a photo and you get your samples ready. So this kind of transition we have seen, and it's, it's, it's now more open and more globalization happens. So it's very easy. Even with the e-commerce, you see nowadays very, uh, you know, plenty of dropshipping ideas coming up. Yeah, so that, that is the drastic, a big change happening in like, I would say maybe 10-15 years, right?

Right. So, uh, you know, this whole business of getting into e-commerce, it's, it's a little uncomfortable space. I have known you for quite some time and I understand that since it has become easy with technology, but the competition also has become very, very fierce. Right, so how are you coping up with that?

Competition has always been there, but if you have good knowledge of your product and you know how to sell— because sales or marketing is key to everything. Yeah, so competition is always there. I do have a personal belief, uh, as per Indian market, I can say, you know, there's a single quote which is good or bad for Indian market, that is, so, so Indian consumer has this belief that it's, it's expensive, uh, so it's good. But, uh, good thing about this is that, you know, nowadays consumers have started learning a lot about product, about a lot of product knowledge, and, uh, Uh, bad thing is that, you know, people sometimes, you know, uh, the sellers even, they don't provide the clear info, and, uh, people, you know, they are buying it that supposedly, right? But the thing is that, you know, Indian mindset and Indian consumer, what I believe, is more of, you know, uh, value for money believers. So, and in the pro— in the process from manufacturer to a wholesaler to a retailer and then to a consumer, the price point at which consumer buys the thing, he wants, you know, that much of value in the product. So, so in some brands or in some cases, you know, uh, it's fine, but in, in the unorganized sector, you know, sometimes customer feel cheated. So that is my focus, to solve that thing for the consumer. And with that, and with our household brand called Sweet Dreams, I'm trying to change that and provide customer with more awareness regarding products and what they buy, right?

So tell me, Mohit, uh, you are taking care of manufacturing, you are taking care of marketing, sales, your distribution, you are taking care of generating demand, inventory, everything together. How do you manage all this? Don't you get overwhelmed?

Uh, yeah, I do get overwhelmed and intimidated because it's a family business and my dad is my boss. And, uh, another thing is that we have, uh, uh, like staff who are, uh, with us from day one. So they have seen me growing in front of them, so you know, it's, it's hard to give orders to them. Yeah, so sometimes, you know, uh, it's, it's like to convey something, then if I give straight orders, they're not gonna work, uh, in the same manner. So it's harder to, you know, work as team with them and then convince them that it's your idea and we are a team and it's benefit for our company. So, you know, we can bring good changes, we can do better sales, and we can execute this thing in a better way. So that really works. That really works, I must say. Yeah.

Okay. But it must be too overwhelming at times that there's just so much to do. And, uh, you know, how do you manage your entire day? Is there a structure? That you have put to your day so that, you know, you don't lose it at the end of the day? How does that work?

You know, I have learned a lot of things in, uh, like, uh, I would say in the course of time. Earlier there were, uh, days when I, you know, get excited to do something and, uh, then I start doing it, then I find some problems or impossible to do, then I'll leave it in the midway. Then gaining a lot of experience and getting guidance from my dad, whom I always believed to be a great mentor, he told me that, you know, you don't rush to things, just do it in a gradual manner, and then you'll solve, you'll see real things happening, real changes happening on the ground. And it worked. And sometimes meanwhile, I got so gradual that he used to push me that, you know, that work still not happen? What's, what's there? So I said, yeah, it's going on, it's going on, it's working, it's underway. So that's the thing. Uh, I am a laid-back person, so I don't blame him because, uh, you know, he, he just keeps a check. He's a good boss, I would say.

So you have the right mentor right at home, something people need, right, as entrepreneurs.

I, I, I have you as a mentor. My dad is my mentor. My mom is my mentor because when we started this Home Tech business. It started off from a home-run factory which my mom used to go over. So, oh nice. Yeah, so I think, I think the true definition of a mentor is who can, you know, who can lead you to a good way, or anyone from whom you can learn something good to grow.

So Yeah, even I have a lot of mentors. I have mentors for business, I have mentors for my personal health, my mental health, whatnot. I mean, I, you know, just try to sponge off whatever knowledge I can sponge from someone who knows better than me. So that is the attitude I've always kept for my personal development. So I'm— kudos to you, you are also able to do that.

I think learning is one of the things in life, you know, one can— one can't get over, you know. It's so night, and you know, it's more of the curiosity which triggers you to learn something new. You know me from the time when we met into that acceleration program, and why I admire you so much in that is, you know, you gave me a reason to crack things, you know, write notes and set up deadlines for things which was not there. So, you know, after a time of taking some job, I just leave. That was my bad habit, that I leave them in between and I don't set standards for them. But later on I came to know, and you know, this, this really worked me even in a gradual way, but it's, it's helping me because there's so much to do around. I can't denote a lot of time, and I'm very poor at time management, which is getting better now. So, uh, this helped me a lot, you know, to setting up goals and, you know, doing things in a particular timeline and you know, how to do and like how to manage that up. That helped me a lot. And I, I, I, uh, I would be— I should— I am very much grateful to you for, you know, that push which you have given me. So, you know, what happens is generally, uh, from the beginning of your day till the end At the end of a day, there's so much work going on, so much things, so much timelines and everything. At the end of a day, you get frustrated a lot inside. And if somebody says something to you, normal human behavior is that, you know, someone gets pissed off or triggered or anger. But long ago, what I found good to be is to face things and to solve them. Rather than, you know, giving a negative reply or a negative action or some negative words to say. Problem is there, you know, you have to solve it either this day or some other day, or you keep on linger on— lingering them on as long as you want, but it's gonna be there. So the best way is to eliminate it as early as possible, because that is like some task is finished and then you can move on to another task.

Right. And, uh, everything that I know about you, Mohit, and I've spoken to you, we are connected since last 1.5 years, I believe, now almost. And I have seen a huge, huge difference in you, uh, since the day we first met at an accelerator program. And then you came to Veda's accelerator program as well. There has been a lot of changes in you. What has been, you know, your transition journey like for you? I mean, you must have gone through a lot of emotional turmoils. How did you handle all that during this transition period? Because I know it can be scary, it can be difficult when you are going through a transition. But how did you handle that?

See, I tell you about myself. I was never a reading person. And there was a time I got depressed and I just just corner myself up and just, you know, finding an alone space for me. So after that, you know, it's all about mindset. I started reading some quotes, then I got into some books, and then I was not a reader, so I got into audiobooks, and I also got into some, you know, positive quotes in the morning. You know, morning, I guess, is the best time, and I am a late waker, but I'm trying to, you know, get into, you know, start my day early. When you see anything positive, or you read, or you hear something positive in the morning, you know, that really sets a trigger in your mind. And, you know, if you start believing in positivity, I think that's also a way of, you know, manifesting positivity in your life. Yeah. So when you start you know, uh, things with positivity, you know, your confidence level automatically boosts. I think maybe that's a kick of your dopamine or whatever. I don't know much about that, but I'm still curious. And you know, in that curiosity, I get more and more addicted to those things, you know, getting hooked to positivity things. And you know how I was curious, like how people do things Uh, I think I've told you earlier, I, I got more curious. I started utilizing that time which I was spending alone to make my building blocks, watching podcasts, what other entrepreneurs are doing. I was curious how to crack this e-commerce, so I started learning. That's why I came through that acceleration program with you, and that's why I came again in an acceleration program with you. I went to a marketing class. I took up a marketing class again. Then again, I came through a mentorship program from a couple who sold their startup for ₹100 crores. So I was surrounded with all good people, curious people like me, founders like me. So, you know, that really triggered me a lot. And, you know, that kind of set motivation. And since you get a feeling of gratitude, then you also want to serve the society. So same way you were helping others, others was helping you, and you were in a set of— it's like old saying, like, you know, you're— if you are in a good company and if you are in a bad company. So I left all bad, all negativity aside, and I get into a good company which helped me, triggered a lot, you know. Uh, there are two mindsets. Once you— if you see successful people, you get jealous of them. And there's another mindset, when you see successful people, you start, uh, you set yourself curious, like how he cracked it, or you feel happy about them. And when you are hustling yourself, you know what hassles the other person went through when he reached that ladder, how many times he have failed. And all the process, it sets you curious. So I think it's all about the mindset, and it's very, very, very important in any aspect of life to stay in a positive mindset. I am a believer of so.

Yeah, I mean, I can't still believe, and I'm getting goosebumps, you are the same person who used to say that COVID ruined my business, to you being the same person who is saying that having a positive mindset is all that matters. And I mean, I'm so happy for you, Mohit, and to be hearing that from you, it's like, um, it's, it's making me just so happy.

Thank you, thank you. You know, it's, it's all out of experiences. Uh, I told you, like, I went down, I feel depression, you know. There, there were also some mental blocks. We were talking, I think, uh, 2 days back about the same, you know. There still are mental blocks, but Earlier it was inside me. Now when I have broken them, I see my friends or young friends or younger brothers and everything. So I wonder, why they are so fuzzy in their own mindset? I feel most of the people, what mistake they do is they are trapped in their own mindset and their limited beliefs.

Yeah, I understand what you're trying to say.

It was there with me earlier that ye hoga toh ye hoga, ye hoga toh ye hoga. Now I feel like just start doing this, start small, just take baby steps. It hardly matters, you know, even you start taking baby steps every day and in a year you will see a lot of drastic changes happening.

Yeah, consistency matters. The small, small things that matters, Mohit. So consistency, like you pointed out, one circle of influence that you pointed out, one what kind of people you keep around you, you yourself. So these are small, small things, but they become the bigger things in life, and they actually become your North Star that, you know, where you are headed. And if you have a clarity of, okay, I know by doing this I would be, you know, reaching at this place. Then it becomes easier for us to be consistent on that thing. It may be boring, it may be monotonous, uh, difficult at times, but we know that, okay, this is something that I need to do. Like working out every day, it is something if we need a future which is healthy, we want to be with, you know, healthy with our kids, show them that, you know, we are an inspiration or, you know, We are the person they can look up to when they need to be healthy. I mean, I think once you have this mindset, uh, you automatically do all those difficult things every day.

You know, I, I forgot that quote. Uh, there was a quote that was a very good one, and I read it twice, then I understand it. It's like, uh, 'Earlier I was intelligent, then I used to tell people, and now I am wise, so I just shut up and listen.' Something like that, not exactly.

Yes, I understand what you are trying to say. Actually, listening is a skill, and even I had to train myself a lot to shut up and listen. You know, I always had this thing of jumping into, and I still have that at times, you know, that I would jump into and I would want to express my opinion, but then slowly and gradually I'm trying to tone myself down so that I would shut up and listen, because that's my job now being a mentor. My job is to listen.

I guess that's, that's, uh, there with everyone. I think, uh, the more fond of, you know, you want to do good things, you want to learn new things, or you want to experience, it's, it's out of curiosity that, you know, just jump in You know, set yourself curious and, you know, you want quick answers. That's it, I guess. In today's time, everyone wants quick answer, quick results, everything like that.

Quick results is a myth. Patience is the only thing that keeps you on track. I feel so. I mean, yes, quick result is something we all want because instant gratification is what we have been taught by the Swiggies and the Zomatos of the world and Facebooks and the Instagrams of the world. But I think it's patience and it's knowing what you want.

Resilience.

Yes. Yes, Mohit. So Mohit, one last word of advice that you want to leave the audience with all your experiences, what would that be?

Last word of advice would be that, you know, I think there's a beautiful quote from Rumi, I guess. Those things you want to ignite in others first must burn yourself.

Yeah.

So it has a very deep meaning. So, and it took me a while to understand, and I think that's it. Not beyond that anything. Yes, it's same as, you know, the change you want to see in others first, you know, you should go through that. Yeah, because nowadays the level of expectations and the level of self-change, I think there's a huge gap in that, you know. People don't want to love others, but they want to be loved. They want their social media likes to go high, but they don't want to, you know, like others. So the world is based around all give and take relationship.

Yeah. One last question that I recall just now, Mohit. You know, being in a family business, now you are a father yourself, right? So what is it that you are going to do different with your son when he grows up?

See, uh, you know, this question is, you know, it's quite hard to answer. I tell you, I tell you why it's hard to answer. You know, in today's thought process, if you think that, you know, you have a son and you want him to do this and to do that, you don't know the course of time, right? You know, like earlier, beta ko doctor banane, beta ko engineer banane. Now, you know, You know, doctor and engineers are still valued a lot, but you know, things have changed. My younger brother, one of my cousins, is now— he had a job and he quit that job, and now he's in U.S. doing his postgraduate in machine learning, right? So you never know what will interest your kid. And nowadays, you know, there's, there's a liberal thought process. That, you know, let him do, don't impose your opinions on him. But, uh, what I, as if now, I thought of, I just try to make my son a good human being. That's it. Because in India we do have a quote that, you know, So, uh, I would love to, you know, work in building his value system, his character. That is what all matters to me. And if he got that right, I think he'll figure out very well everything in life, whether it's business or whether he wants to do a job, whether he wants to stay with us or not, whatever. I think the core systems are, you know, the things which We must, you know, start building. And this, this I think starts with a very early stage. Like nowadays, even he watch TV when he is having food. He's almost 1 now, but when he was born, and I told everyone in home that don't make him, you know, look after screens and mobiles and everything. I don't want him to go for the screens because there was a time, you know, When we were a kid, our mothers were around, and, you know, every time they make us learn new things, they make us play with them. They understand a lot. And nowadays parenting has, you know, I think things have changed a lot, you know. Either the mother is busy with phone or the father is busy with home, and kid is doing whatever he wants and nobody is looking at him. So, you know, even these small things make a lot of change in, you know, character of kids. Or, you know, they grow up a bit from 1, 2, 3, 4. They feel ignored. Earlier, we don't used to come back to our home when we were out for playing, and now kids don't even go out.

Yeah, it's a challenge to even send them out to play.

It's a challenge, and I think physical activity in Every age of life is very much important. Like, I don't, I don't go to gym, but I'm feeling like I should start walking early in morning because I have seen that change. You know, whenever you do meditation or some kind of physical activity in the morning, uh, you know, your breathing goes fine, you take a lot of, uh, air or oxygen, whatever you can say, and you know, it, it boosts your stamina a lot. Yeah, you feel more productive. Yeah, energetic and productive.

Yeah, yeah, great.

So, so I think this, this also goes along with, you know, what you want to see in others, first must burn yourself.

Yes. And I'm sure when your son grows up, when he looks at this episode, he would be so proud of you to be so understanding and trying to make him a better human being.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you so much for coming today, Mohit, and sharing your insights. This has been really, really insightful. Thank you so much.

It's a pleasure, and I wish, you know, we'll see such more podcasts in future.

Absolutely. Have a great day. Thank you.

Thank you. You too. Bye.