Welcome to the second season of our podcast. Help- I started a business, now what? At the beginning, there are so many decisions to make and so many things to do. It can feel like everyone else has their business figured out. It’s also really easy to compare your brand new starter business to others that are well established. In this podcast, we will talk about all those hairy first big steps that come with starting a business. Our second guest for this season is Megha Mundandishe from Mayaani Jewellery. She is sharing how she is finding and refining her target market.
Find Megha here on Instagram. Check out the show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or read the transcript below. We’ve even included timestamps in case you want to zero in on one part of the show.
Our show sponsor this season is goimagine! They are a great partner and sponsor, so make sure to check them out!
Episode Transcription
00:00.00
Amber Christian
Hello everyone and welcome to today’s episode of the Now What Show. I have our guest Megha here with us. I’ll get to her introduction in just a moment but before we do that I want to share a message from our season sponsor.
We’re so delighted to have goimagine as our season sponsor here in our second season. Goimagine is focused on building the maker community through a handmade marketplace. They also have a maker business education, custom websites and a social app designed for artists called Maker Circle. And that’s free by the way for Maker Circle. The goimagine community includes thousands of handmade business owners throughout the United States who are passionate about growing a handmade platform dedicated to quality handmade items and they also focus on social good that’s helping children in need. So go ahead and check them out and follow them at goamagine.com.
Without further ado I want to introduce our guest Megha today. Let me tell you a little bit about what I thought was interesting about Megha’s story as we get started. When I was doing research for our guests for this season I wanted some really unique and different types of businesses and then I looked at what she was doing. I said wow this is incredible I actually have a number of Indian friends as well and I saw something fascinating in how she is taking what would otherwise be considered a unique one-time jewelry piece turning it into a statement piece you’ll use for the rest of your life. Very interesting business niche. I love her strategy. And so please welcome Megha and why don’t you tell us a little bit more about the name of your business and tell us a little bit about the story of how you got started.
01:55.12
Megha Mundandishe
Okay, well my name of our business is Mayaani Jewelry. It did undergo name change. There’s a big giant Bollywood mogul whose name is very similar to her in spelling to that particular one so instead of thinking I can battle it. It’s okay, I’ll be visible despite this and I finally went no, we’re just gonna change the name so I did and I brought my initial and then is my children’s name with my name which I love because it’s got that meaning behind it. And of course um, ah sorry I’ve forgotten what the other bit of your question. Oh wait, how I got started right? Well, it’s a bit of a long story. I’ll cut it short. I began jewelry crafting when I was sixteen years old. It was just one single afternoon session at my next neighbor’s house. She taught beading, fine beading using patterns.
Just that one afternoon and after I was hooked. Basically she sent us away with a few patterns which was lovely of her. And every bit of pocket money I had I bought beading materials and I was beading and I used patterns for about a year when I quickly then realized I wanted to explore my own way. So I started creating my own patterns and the beading never left me. I wanted to actually do it at university but being from a south asian background I was encouraged for more traditional stereotypical type of jobs. So this was my secondary career that I decided to focus on and became a speech pathologist. But this never left me the love of this and then of course I had children after getting married and I kept putting excuses in the way of why I couldn’t start why it wasn’t the right time to start.
And then my sister was getting married – my younger sister. She approached me for a hand an Indian hand bracelet. That’s the particular piece of mind that people have asked me for over time and I’m starting to realize is the one that I may want to focus on. But the Indian hand bracelet she asked me for and that then evolved into asking for the Indian bride or headpiece.
And then I surprised her with the full thing with the necklace and the earrings. So I thought well she’s never going to find a necklace and earrings to match this So really I’m just gonna have to make it.
03:44.32
Amber Christian
Of course. Because it was so unique, right? Of course she was never really going to find anything because it was created with love and from the heart and with a very unique design that was tailored to her so nothing’s going to match that.
03:55.46
Megha Mundandishe
Exactly she’s not. And it’s the first time that I actually merged because I’ve been doing crochet since I was about 14 and beading separately. It’s the first time I merged the 2 art forms together. I’d never thought of this before. And of course I managed to do all that with my 1 year old in my back often snapping and I was like if I can do it in this situation I can do it. Yeah this is the time basically so I began in September 2021 mostly just doing all the admin sides securing my domain because I didn’t want my name to be lost. You know. Securing all the important platforms I needed to and then I fully launched my website in April of 2022 which has gone through several revisions because I was very new at designing it. I’m still learning as I go along. I’ve designed it myself as well which I quite like because then I know how it works as well and then basically it’s just been growing from there and I’ve gone through of several pitfalls you know from creating generic types of jewelry that I think would appear to masses to finally actually pulling myself to what it is I actually love making. So really going all out with my designs which is why if you follow if you have followed me, you’ll see my design seem to have gone from what seems to be fairly run-of-the-mill kind of styles that they’re different. But then there’s nothing outlandishly different about them to then what I’m doing now we’re like whoa what is that?
05:12.90
Amber Christian
Those statement pieces are what really caught my eye and so tell me a little bit more about is most of your business now custom? Has it sort of shifted that way to be more custom?
Or how how is that balance working because you’ve been shifting right? and in terms of what you produce.
05:32.96
Megha Mundandishe
I have had a few custom pieces made. But unfortunately they aren’t paying ones at the moment. They have been giveaways if you like so I’m still trying to get my presence seen amongst the people who would value more custom work when it comes to big things like their wedding day or big big occasions. Whether your mother is a bride or bridesmaid.
So I’m still growing that which is why I’m creating designs that I share on social media that are available as one of a kind stock sort of in my online boutique for those are people that are literally designed to be one off. They’re not replicated in any way and once you buy it. That’s it’s gone so they almost attract people who might resonate with that design.
But I want my work to become more custom because I love working with people directly bringing to life a piece that is effectively an embodiment of that individual, a reflection of their individuality, something that when they wear it.. It’s not a piece of Jewelry. It’s an extension of themselves and when they wear it they feel whole in a way. Not that they need it to feel whole, but it just adds to them and brings what’s on the inside on the outside for people to see so all that beauty and strength and confidence inside is now suddenly on the outside and they’re now wearing it and it is basically making them rise up with it. So that’s the Idea. So I’d love more custom work for this reason.
06:41.78
Amber Christian
That concept to me is really fascinating. Let’s dig a little deeper into that and when we were talking and doing some of the planning something that struck me as really interesting is sort of the power and sentiment that that jewelry can have for us.
And for example, it could be a piece that you wear for your wedding or it could be a piece for a special birthday or occasion. That now starts to get memories attached to it and association. So tell me a little bit about where the aha moment was on that. How’d you come up with that?
07:20.47
Megha Mundandishe
I think for me jewelry has been very much a journey for me personally. When I was at my lowest self-esteem in my teenage years. It’s actually jewelry that I felt the most beautiful wearing. Clothes would never do it for me because I was always always a little bit overweight compared to my sisters in particular had wonderfully slim figures- I was never that you know of that stature.
07:20.71
Amber Christian
Interesting.
07:39.34
Megha Mundandishe
So clothing never really did it for me and so but jewelry on the other hand when I wore beautiful statement pieces of jewelry I not only felt more confident carried myself differently but people noticed the jewelry too. It wasn’t about the notice if they noticed the jewelry and noticed how I was carrying myself. I noticed that difference in myself and certain pieces of jewelry that I still pull out from my jury wardrobe- I can remember every single memory attached to that piece of jewelry. Every time I wore it and typically for me I didn’t have many pieces I might have 1 or 2 statement necklaces I really loved. I’d wear them all the time. Literally they’ll become part of me where people see that they’re like oh yeah, that’s Megha’s. They’d know it instantly so it became for me, something powerful and and meaningful. More so than just having a piece of jewelry and I think I wanted to then share that with others because I thought if I can have this connection with jewelry other people must have this or should be able to nurture this connection too. Because it’s beautiful when you look at this piece of jewelry and long after I’ve passed, For example, there might be pieces of my jewelry. My loved ones can look at and they’ll get those memories. Those moments that they saw me wearing it and they’ll feel that connection with me through it. So I think that’s partly where I’m still unpacking exactly why it’s so important to me but that’s where I’ve got to so far with unpacking that.
08:47.59
Amber Christian
I really resonate with that because there’s a particular artisan in Barcelona that I have bought multiple pieces for they’re actually designed for flamenco dancers.
08:55.66
Megha Mundandishe
Wow Why not.
09:01.20
Amber Christian
In fact I bought from her twice. In fact I couldn’t even remember her name the second time and I was endlessly googling I spent so many hours hunting trying to find her shop and then I thought did she close in the pandemic by the time I finally got back there- I’m like I found you like seven years later and she was like wow!
09:02.69
Megha Mundandishe
Right on
09:17.37
Amber Christian
I was like here’s what I bought from you before and other stuff and and she was quite surprised. I think she was like – I didn’t know I was hiding right? because sometimes you buy a piece and then you can’t remember the name of the business you’re like well that’s terrible I shouldn’t have thrown that little card away.
Now I’ve bought 3 different pieces from her that are very similar to that same concept that I was like okay I have an important meeting, an important conversation I put one of those necklaces on. I’ve done this for years and people notice them. I mean sometimes I’m grocery shopping they’re like – whoa that is cool.
Even things that might be mundane or boring end up being these fascinating conversation pieces in ways that I don’t know that we necessarily even understand or recognize at the time but they also are these go to pieces for me. They have a very strong association with memories and experiences and so when I saw that that’s what you were doing I was like you know what? I’m sure other people out there probably do it. I don’t know every artisan on the planet.
But that was the first time I’d come across it and so I was like no I have to talk to her. For this idea of an association and memory and working with people to also create sort of that positive reinforcement and that encouragement.
Like you can wear your little badge of courage right? When you have these situations because you know not everybody else can always be there for you in all these situations on your path but yet you can create these beautiful support mechanisms for you as well. So I think there’s a something beautiful and lovely about coming up with that concept. So knowing that you’re kind of in this I produce these statement pieces and then I’m also shifting toward custom work as well. Are you doing many markets? Do you focus more on online? So let’s talk a little bit about how you actually proceed with selling knowing the uniqueness of this strategy. Talk to me more about that.
11:31.82
Megha Mundandishe
To be honest, it’s mostly been online at the moment but I am looking to get brick and mortar connections. So I’m looking to get out into these bridal boutiques where you have got individuals looking for something different to actually have them then be the storefront. Where people can get to know more about me. I would like to attend a few markets. But budget has been the main constraint for me because I’m still growing and the big markets I want to go to are busy. The Bridal shows where I want to go- they are not cheap of course to set up or even pay for a standard and my aim is not to make sales. There is just to make my presence known.. That’s the thing.
But of course that’s the plan for the next one to 2 years ahead of me is to actually get my stall ready and know exactly how I want that to look. It’s been shifting in my mind a little bit because I think that’s important too. There’s a certain look and feel I want to communicate from my store. I don’t just hash it together necessarily although it will no doubt evolve in itself. I want to have that to some degree where I wanted to be and have that visualization of where it’s going to be and then find 1 or 2 of these big bridal events whether it’s an asian one or just a general bridal event probably both actually to then put my stuff out there and see what what what people but people’s response is basically to it.
12:41.89
Amber Christian
And especially it is a lot of your focus going to be the wedding industry to start because it sort of starts with that journey of where people often think about investing more on the wedding journey. Yes, and so there’s lots of opportunities around. Other people in the wedding industry to be able to partner with and to be able to you know do referral kind of word of mouth types of things and that’s you know the nice part of what is like- Nope I’ve narrowed in. It’s going to be the wedding industry. But if it is the wedding industry with these being so unique in one of a kind right? You have to have the right presence organized in the right way and you have to know what your process is going to be if they do follow up right? So that just the right touch points and the lead time is enormous on weddings.
13:31.94
Megha Mundandishe
Yeah, yes, it is. I mean I need a minimum of eight weeks if I’m going to produce a bridal piece- full bride or set because you have to have that time to put the hours in on working on these pieces and that would just be for 1 bride. So of course if I had multiple orders.
Then lead times are going to look a lot different basically for these pieces. So yes.
13:52.91
Amber Christian
Mmm, absolutely and so even for you in the structure. It’s really being cognizant of there’s these very very long lead times and this could take several years to really get the pieces moving because it’s establishing your relationships with other other suppliers who then have the right type of customer because then it has to be that customer that would value and invest in that statement piece. So that’s going to be a subset of the market so that they can refer on at times. Then there’s the actual lead time of the weddings which in a lot of cases is anything from 6 to twenty four months depending on a timing for weddings and I’m not sure how long if there is a typical in the UK for engagement to wedding is there a typical answer?
14:34.86
Megha Mundandishe
What it is actually. I mean generally one and a half it is one and a half to 2 years because often the venues like you say are booked up. So if you’re getting your engaged this year you’re not looking to get married for possibly two years time depending on the venue you want even if it isn’t the most popular venue you’re still looking to a year a year and a half time so
14:59.98
Amber Christian
Yep, So It’s It’s quite a kind of a little process and lead time and little juggling match and and everything that goes into that. What do you think has surprised you the most as you’ve been sort of narrowing in on this? Is there anything you found surprising about this or you’re like oh. I didn’t realize I’d like or not like? What’s been surprising about this part of the journey?
15:20.73
Megha Mundandishe
I think the interesting thing was first of all I didn’t expect a niche down into bridal. Of course having created my sister’s set was first thing. But then I think the second thing for me was what my bridal said because going back to your previous question about what inspired me to think along this path. I forgot to mention my own bridal journey. Of course my wedding set was very much A run-of-the-mill kind of high street. You know mass-produced piece of jewelry which I can’t wear again.
The reason why that’s so important for me is having become a mom and a wife and all those roles that you take on you can lose something of yourself along the way and I think my wedding day for me stands out as a day in my life when I really felt truly at my best. Basically I not only felt my best I thought I looked my best. I really was in true connection with who I was and and as an individual who I am as an individual and being able to wear those wedding pieces again just in daily life would be such a an uplifting thing for me to be able to do a little instant connection for my for my for me with my original self with who I am beyond all these roles.
So I think bridal has become a much more deep and meaningful thing for me. So I really have niched down on that where I was creating pieces for anybody who might be looking for. You know a statement piece. I really want to focus on bridal for that reason because I have that connection with it and I also think it’s surprising that the Indian hand braces another of the root that I’m thinking of. Niching myself down further into because um, there isn’t much available in the market when it comes to indian hand bracelets actually um, most of them. You’ve got the flower ones going out there which are quite popular. But once you’ve worn the floral one because it’s fresh flowers. Of course it is. Apart from preserving it. You can’t wear it again. Basically so it’s thinking of taking this Indian hand bracelet which typically I mean it’s stuck as one piece so when are you going to wear it again. You have to wait for another big occasion. Basically you know so I thought well let’s think about this creatively can I make that Indian hand bracelet become a couple of different workable pieces. So actually when you’re not wearing 1 whole piece you can wear elements of it and they can easily Flow into your everyday life.
So that’s where I think yes so I hadn’t fully expected to be niching down into that and that specific product and the tiaras as well. I love the tiaras because again with tiaras, beautiful head pieces – some brides like them and they wear them. But then what do you do with them?
They get stored away and that’s it basically whereas I thought no let’s think of a way you can wear an element of this tiara. So that’s where I’ve got my detachable pendant concept from so you can detach a piece you can still wear the tiara. It still looks beautiful without it but you can wear that pendant in day- to-day life and it’s that beautiful little reminder.
I’ve had people that I met just in normal conversation who have said gosh it will be nice to be able to wear an element of my wedding day again because- my gown. But I can’t really wear that again. It’s kind of stuck in so it was like well you know what about being able to wear pieces of your bridal jury again every day after all? You know that’s actually a really nice idea so I have these are people who are already married so now I’ve got to get the people who are not already married to to become aware so those are some of the surprising realizations for me that.
I’m taking this big bold step for me. It felt big and bold because I felt surely if I make things for everyone I’m more likely to make money with that? But the whole point is but I’m not really. I’m creating a load of stuff that doesn’t really have that pull towards it because none of it’s particularly deep or meaningful. So taking this deep dive into Bridal is very big for me because I know bridal is also. You know you worry that they’ve got biased with ideas in their minds of using gemstones and diamonds and because I don’t work with that I work with very humble materials. So There is that initial thought of oh am I trying to um, go down an avenue where everyone’s basically very fixated On- We need to have precious metals and precious stones.
And is there any pool here for me so there is a bit of a wonderment in that and a bit of discovery to be had. But yes I think those are the surprising realizations for me.
18:55.20
Amber Christian
Well I think it’s all about finding which brides value that piece. it isn’t that it has to be some like you said have diamonds in it or something.
But it’s that it’s very unique and it’s associated with the wonderment and the and the special sentiments that honor that occasion. So people that would feel that type of connection to it and there’s different types of weddings as we all know and there’s different budgets for weddings as well. So even even for you, you’re looking for an approach and the memories and so with a bride not necessarily a specific type of budget and that is really makes it really interesting in terms of the conversations. How you even have to write about that and talk about that. So yeah, it’s a beautiful thing right? So our next step is to tell everyone where they can find you? How can they find you on social media, and how would they learn more about you so they can follow this journey because it’s very interesting as you keep laying all these pieces out.
20:01.88
Megha Mundandishe
Of course. Well it’s really easy. My website is https://www.mayaanijewellery.com/ . So I’m glad I secure that domain because it’s nice and easy to remember. And of course my socials are off that so it’s at myaani.jewellry on Instagram and on Facebook as well. I’m on Pinterest too and Tiktok if you follow Tiktok. So basically I put myself everywhere I can but typically you can find me there I have got an email address which is MyaaniJewelry at Gmail.com. It will become a more professional ending when I have the budget but at the moment it is that and that works just fine so you can reach me there. I’m based in the UK in Kent, the southeast of England um, and my mobile number is available on my social media. So again, there are several ways to contact me. I try to make myself accessible and like you say. budget- friendly too because the main thing is really helping individuals to see how beautiful this piece of jewelry could not only be for them but being made for them to get that VIP experience I’ve always felt people should have 1 piece of jewelry that is unique to them nobody else in the world has it. And being able to share that love that for me is the most important thing so I worked to whatever budgets as you said. Is necessary because it’s more about imparting that love and that happiness to that other individual basically for me.
21:19.81
Amber Christian
Well wonderful. Well thank you so much Megha for joining us and thank all of you who are watching this as well and we will catch you in the next episode and special thank you to our sponsor goimagine.
We hope you enjoyed this episode on finding and refining your target audience.
Want more of the Now What Show? Check out these previous episodes:
Episode 6: Creating marketing strategy through brand collaborations with Elaine Kinney
Episode 5: Getting Ready for your first craft fair with Nicole Stevenson
Episode 4: How my first wholesale order happened with Livvy Ramos of Fera Fox
Episode 3: Getting your first PR with Stephanie Blanchard
Episode 2: Establishing a web presence with Erica Martin
Episode 1: How I got my first large custom order with Lindy of apothecary 19
