Think Global, Eat Local – The Entrepreneurship Story of Anshul & Natasha
Who says that business and pleasure shouldn’t be mixed? Master of Global Business (MGB) graduates Anshul Khandelwal and Natasha Mehta Khandelwal found their soulmates in each other before realising that there’s nobody else they’d rather start their venture with. Today, they are the co-founders of Namaste India, a cloud kitchen set out to spread more smiles every day. We caught up with Anshul to learn more.
Q. You met your partner during your time at SP Jain. Could you tell us more about your story?
Anshul: Natasha and I connected over learning. To be honest, she was the teacher and I was the learner. During our time at SP Jain, we got to know one another very well and enjoyed spending time together. Unfortunately, we had to part ways after the course since she lived in Kolkata and I, in Mumbai.
But destiny had its own plan for us! Even though we didn’t live in the same city, we kept getting chances to meet each other at different class reunions and at the weddings of our peers. As they say, the rest is history!
Q. Tell us about your career path. How did you end up opening Namaste India?
Anshul: Both Natasha and I are from business families, and I think we always had an interest in entrepreneurship. After graduating from SP Jain, I tried my hand in different fields to see where my passion lay. I even worked with a creative production house for about a year where I got the chance to handle several interesting projects. However, there was always one nagging question at the back of my mind – why work so hard for somebody else’s dream when I could be investing in mine?
It was around this time that Namaste India was born. We had a simple mantra when we started – we wanted to redefine your maa ke hath ka khana (the food prepared by your mother). Namaste India’s menu has been carefully curated with the guidance and expertise of women from different households and cultures with authentic Gujarati, Rajasthani, Sindhi, North Indian, Maharashtrian and South Indian dishes. All our food is made from scratch without using excess oil, added colours or preservatives.
Q. What’s your secret to growing your customer base and keeping them happy?
Anshul: Our specialisation in Marketing helped us develop some great insights into the marketing and branding world. The traditional and digital marketing courses that we undertook played a large role in understanding consumer behaviour at different levels.
Among other initiatives, we constantly participate in pop-ups & exhibitions where we get to meet our regulars and welcome some new customers as well. Taking constant feedback from customers, constructive periodic innovation and diligently striving to deliver more smiles every day is what keeps us going!
Q. What is the most challenging part of your job right now, and how are you overcoming it?
Anshul: Being a cloud kitchen, logistics is a major challenge that we face. In this maximum city, traffic is always unpredictable. We always strive to deliver the food fresh and hot, and we have to overcome a new challenge almost every day to ensure that.
Q. What advice would you like to give the current students of SP Jain who wish to take up a similar line of work?
Anshul: Planning for the future often works for many. But more often than not, it is necessary for us to go with the flow and leave all our worries behind. I believe that the universe will lead us to the best possible outcome. Have faith!
