Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon Indians to be ‘vocal for local’ and the entire nation applauded this step that proved to be a boost for Indian entrepreneurs. It has promoted local businesses during COVID-19 and given customers the ability and motivation to shop locally with ease. This rebranded version of ‘Made In India’ has our support, and every month, TC46 will spotlight small businesses and ventures you can champion and back easily through online and offline purchases.
Artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries and experts, Indian women are shattering glass ceilings and breaking out of boxes. Success, tied with skills and hard work, is what makes those featured in our list today an inspiration for many. And the journey, for these women of incredible talent, are stories that must be told.
This week, here are some brands we’re cheering on; check them out!
Gifting Options By The Doodle Soup
The Doodle Soup was founded by Keya Shah, a 24-year-old who loves to spend her time doodling, reading, dancing and travelling. She has a bachelor’s degree in the Financial Markets and currently works full time as an Actuarial Associate, but spends her free time and weekends on The Doodle Soup.
The idea for the birth of this venture was that everyone is continuously looking for unique gift options, and a personalised touch is an added bonus. Now, there are hundreds of websites that will put your name on a mug but there aren’t as many that can fit years of memories into quirky doodles that capture the real essence of your relationship.
The Doodle Soup initially started out as a hobby where Keya designed doodles for a third party seller. However, she was lucky enough to have an opportunity created for herself when people approached her directly to make custom gifts for them. That is where the brand finally took form—she realised very quickly that there is a gap in the market for affordable yet completely customised work in the gifting space.
The brand specialises in personalised gifting items, currently focusing on mugs, photo frames, baby information frames, rubber stamps, notebooks, badges, and playing card decks. Depending on product and size, prices range from Rs 399 to Rs 1,500. Each product is an ongoing conversation with the customer to create a beautiful gift that is completely unique to them. You can find more information on the company website or on their social media page.
Chocolaterie & Patisserie By The Cacao Pods
Archita Agarwal, the founder of The Cacao Pods, is a trained chocolatier and pastry chef. She learnt the fine craft of chocolates and French Pastry Arts at, ENSP-Ducasse Edu., and Bellouet Conseil, France. She worked at William Curley, London under whom the chocolates sold at Harrods, as well as with Cafe Pouchkine, Paris. Archita continues to learn under International Masterchefs to keep up with the changing global trends, thereby, enabling the brand to evolve continuously.
The idea of launching The Cacao Pods came out of her love for chocolates and a desire to take up a sustainable yet creative career. The brand makes luxurious French-style chocolates and entremets. They specialise in luxury chocolates for occasions such as weddings announcements, baby announcements, corporate gifting, and festive occasions, and they deliver across India.
The brand targets urban millennials who understand and enjoy high-quality chocolates, and choose them as their preferred gifting option. The chocolates can be bought as shards and slabs, which sell by weight at an average price of Rs 5,000 per kg or in boxes of 16 or 20 pcs within the range of Rs 1,500.
The boxes can be customised for special occasions to add a personal touch. All products are freshly made on order. You can shop for The Cacao Pods on their website or follow them for updates on social media.
Fitness Plans by Healthy With Aparna
Aparna Johri, a Certified Nutritionist and Lifestyle Consultant started her platform Healthy With Aparna with the mission to spread knowledge about the importance of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. She conducts various talk shows online and offline to create awareness and bust myths that have been perpetuated over the years. She actively communicates tips for healthy living via social media as well.
She believes that like a machine, our body carries out millions of functions every second with the help of billions of cells. Instead of putting clean fuel in the machine, we pack in junk and expect this machine to work smoothly. Our body is indefinitely intelligent and even figures out how to replace our cells to some extent despite our poor food choices until a certain age. But after a certain age like any machine, our body needs maintenance measures. It demands TLC and high-quality fuel that can help increase the quality and lifespan of the machine.
She provides plans and programs that run for 12 weeks and 24 weeks. The plan includes a fitness assessment, nutritional guidance, online workout guidance, mental health meditation, weekly-customised diet chart, supplementation guidance, and a weekly follow-up call for a regular dose of motivation and education on healthy living. The 12-Weeks plan is available at Rs 30,000 while the 24 Weeks plan is priced at Rs 50,000.
The plans are geared to help you not just live a healthier lifestyle, but also to tackle lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, PCOS, thyroid, blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
You can get a plan on their website and follow healthywithaparna on Instagram.
Want us to be VocalForLocal for your brand or know someone whose work you’d like to cheer on? Drop us an email to be featured on The Channel 46 at [email protected].