Rocky waters of starting up

We had a rocky start to say the least. 

Leaving our 9–5s behind was when we realised that we no longer have a constant stream of income to fall back on, and we invested whatever savings we had. It truly became the turning point in our lives as entrepreneurs. We cannot quit and had to somehow make it work. That’s when it felt like it was all real — and it’s happening. 

We had a fair share of challenges just as any other startup in the beginning. We messed up fabric selection, finding the right vendors, had to redo our website when our developer quit halfway. 😮💨

Building from Scratch 🛠️

We started with just one artisan who, while talented, wasn’t aligned with the vision. They were used to the traditional way of doing things — potlis, sequins, plastic beads. But we wanted more. We wanted to experiment with hobo bags, mini bags, buckets — using glass crystals, flat beads, luxe suede, refined georgette, premium linings.

Changing old habits, especially in craftsmanship, is always hard. It took time, patience, and a lot of back and forth to bridge that gap and help them understand our vision. 

The Flat That Became Our First Office 🏠📦

Kosha didn’t start in a studio. It started in a rented flat in Noida — with cartons everywhere, juttis in the hallway, friends doing QC, and one full room for running the business. We didn't have enough space — the cupboards and drawers became our warehouse, and the living room our office. 

Out of the first 100 designs we dreamed up? Only 40 actually made it into production. Some didn’t pass sampling, others didn’t align with our quality benchmarks. About 10 were scrapped entirely. And yet, we’re proud of those decisions — because we refused to settle. We knew Kosha had to reflect a certain standard. That customers would see the difference. ✨

From Doubt to Belief 💬

Sure, we had our inhibitions, whether people would even buy our bags, but we never deterred and believed in our experience in this industry. And we were proved right. Today, over 40% of our customers are repeat buyers. People rely on good quality products, which is what we stand for: High quality, handmade, and delivering the best pieces at the best possible prices. 

From Clicks to Conversations 🛍️

Since we were from an e-commerce background, we hadn’t interacted with people directly. Kosha gave us an opportunity to meet people, gauge their experiences, explain our product, and learn from the feedback — and that's how we grew. 

Fear, Grit & Gratitude 🤝

The fear of failure? It was always there — still is, sometimes — but we kept showing up. We had each other to fall back on — and that made all the difference. 💛

We feel a quiet sense of pride in seeing our business grow and succeed. Chaos helped shape us into jack of all trades. After the first few months, we knew operations, logistics, finances, packaging, marketing, production, sales, speaking with people, dealing with vendors — you name it, we knew it all. 

Why We Still Do This Every Day 🌞

The idea that we could wake up every day and pour ourselves into something we care about — something that could spark joy, celebrate craft, and make even a small difference — that’s what kept us going. That’s what still does.

A Note to Anyone in Their Messy Beginning 💌

If you’re in the middle of your own messy beginning — trust me, it’s okay. You don’t need perfect. You just need to keep going.