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An electrical engineer from NIT Nagpur and an MBA from IIM-Bangalore, Swarna Daga Mimani was an all-rounder throughout college. She worked for private equity firms, where her responsibilities included deal origination, due diligence, and oversight of portfolio companies, before launching her own enterprise. After achieving entrepreneurial success, she, along with her friend Neha Goenka Shroff, founded Yobler to assist parents in making environmentally-responsible decisions for their children.
“Neha and I are childhood friends, and lockdown gave us the opportunity to catch up,” reveals Swarna, who believes the concept of reuse and recycling is still gaining popularity. “After countless conversations on what to do with our children’s outgrown clothes, toys and other items, we decided to put our entrepreneurial experience to good use. We wanted to ensure that we did something that would help us live more sustainably and leave a better world for our children. This prompted us to consider an exclusive online marketplace where buyers and sellers could interact.”
Swarna and Neha have created a space for a more sustainable future with reduced waste while giving kids and mothers everywhere a chance to fulfil their aspirations with access to good and affordable deals.
Based in Kolkata, Swarna looks after the venture’s leadership and direction. She is optimistic about its progress thus far as it has been largely smooth sailing. “Since Yobler’s debut, we have experienced consistent sales that have been continuously increasing.” She notes that their site has seen a 30% month-over-month increase and has received excellent comments from clients. The platform has currently sold over 300 products and enrolled 500+ users.
“We have seen a shift in the mindsets of parents over the years, as well as a significant change in their purchasing behaviour,” avers Swarna. “It’s a known fact that small children grow rapidly, both physically and psychologically. Replacing their clothes, toys and other belongings on a regular basis is not only inconvenient for parents, but also harmful to the environment. After all, it’s not always necessary to buy a brand-new sparkly toy for our little one if there’s a second-hand one in perfect condition looking for a new loving home.”
The concept of reselling and reusing might appear simple, but the duo did face challenges when starting their business. “We put in place an automated system to make buying and selling easier for our customers,” Swarna explained, adding a difficult aspect of the business was educating parents on how to price their products based on guidelines on the condition of the product. But they have persevered, and their business venture reminds us of the importance of the tradition of hand-me-downs, now paving the way for a sustainable future.
Also Read: Entrepreneurs Vaishnavi & Aparna Engage Children Meaningfully Via Nestery
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