Bizarre Exploration of Nagpur

Bizarre Exploration of Nagpur

The creation of the scene starts with the start of our activity “Idea to reality in 100 hours” on August 12, 2017, from 10:00 AM followed by the Ideation process done with Mr. Deepak Menaria, Chief Idea Farmer, Lemon Ideas.

I had chosen to be with Mohit Vidhani and Ankit Gongale, the aspiring entrepreneurs with me in Lemon School from Ahmedabad and Nagpur respectively. We were very clear for selling the theme based products, because of Janmashtami and Independence Day in between, the brand further divided into 3 product lines as T-shirts, Badges and Imitation Jewelry. These theme based products decided to be named as THEMO. I joined the program 3 days back. It was a great opportunity for me to explore Nagpur, the reason being we are going to be out somewhere in Nagpur for sure during these 100 hours. On August 12, we did only planning following to which Ankit and Mohit went for the procurement of T-shirts. Unfortunately, the quality of T-shirts was not satisfactory. Then, we decided to purchase the T-shirts on August 13 and short-listed the TEA stall as our primary idea to convert into reality. We went to purchase the raw material from ITWARI, a primary marketplace in old Nagpur, on 2 bikes with no financial planning, no micro-level budgeting, no minimum stock level and with no management plan. With this, the TEA material cost us around ₹200 as our petrol expenditure, although, the same raw material can be procured with no petrol expenditure. But, we are Lemon’s students, right? So, how can we think small? Laugh Out Loud…

Our attitude was like that Ankit had purchased whiteboard markers of ₹100 for just writing the menu of the whiteboard. And, would you like to know our total raised investment? It is only ₹1000. Yeah! You guys read it right. And, we, the entrepreneurs had already done a dead investment of ₹300. We all are that much excited on August 12 that tomorrow we have the launching ceremony of our startup, because of which I and Mohit slept at 2 in the night. Our plan to go to Japanese Garden to sell tea was of 05:30 AM but we woke up at 06:00 AM and reached Japanese Garden by 08:00 AM when all our prospects went from there.

Still, we didn’t feel low. The whole team has shown the energy for two more consecutive days. But on the third day, Ankit and  Mohit were on Ankit’s Deo and they were fined ₹200 for not wearing the helmet and carrying the whole inventory (Posters, bags of raw material etc.) with them. After that day, Ankit had some urgent work at his home, that is why he could not join us on the following day. But, his Deo joined us and I and Mohit went to Japanese Garden with Water Jar and Stove placed in between us on the seat. With a bag hanged on Mohit’s bag and a bag hung on my shoulders from the front side with a huge white board in the front with a huge orange colored tripod stand place nearby the board.

We entrepreneurs very well know that how to do the JUGAAD so we managed all the stuff on that bike itself. But, God would not want that we, the Lemon students set up a tea stall there, our bike has been punched 2 times and we have to spend ₹80 for the punchers, another dead investment and in the evening as well we reach out the Japanese Garden late. So, our team didn’t sell anything. All the team is de-motivated but we managed to set up the tea stall in Lambent IT Park on the next day and we have received a handsome profit from there. On the same day itself, I myself went to Ramdaspeth, at the outlet of Khichdiwala to collaborate with him to sell the tea at his IT Park’s outlet, I cracked the deal but we could be able to set up the stall there as well. Meanwhile, when I was in Ramdaspeth, I saw the crowd of Nagpur which has the spirit of Independence Day.

On that day, I explored the Nagpur around Ramdaspeth on foot and rest by being a logistics head of our team by carrying the resources on Ankit's Deo.

We planned to launch THEMO, the theme based product but mainly implemented chai only.

This way, we find a cause to explore Nagpur. Hope, you’ll find your unique way. This city is different from different angles,

KRISHNKANT CHATURVEDI

ASPIRING ENTREPRENEUR

LEMON IDEAS INCUBATION