 Hello everyone, I am Im Teo Nong Khmer. I am a student from Tetzel College, Nagarung and I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Arts in History. Today's session is on the team woman and sustainability and We couldn't find a more fitting and accomplished personality than our respected man Justina Zillian She is the founder owner of Herdum Nagar came concepts and many more Ma'am, can you please tell a little more about yourself? Thank you. Well, we already mentioned Herdum Nagar, which is Textiles-oriented business that I started almost three decades ago and Also came concepts, which is primarily into bamboo and cane products from Nagaland I also co-founded another more specialties to call Konyak in Gohati Which is to give a platform to all our artisans and we must cross north-east India And I also co-founded Razipu. It's a heritage home stay in Gohima. It's just a nine-room property We feel that, you know travelers needed something more organic and Authentic to stay in and hence I started Razipu almost more in the decade back also I am also a convener of North East India to the Export Promotion Council for handicrafts I'm also an executive member in the handicrafts and carpet sector skill council and Recently I've been appointed as an advisor to the Kalmanap India Textiles Ministry of Textiles under the hand-in recommendation Okay, ma'am. So, which are the countries that you export your products to? Well, I've lost track of the number of countries that we export to but Currently my major markets are in the US, Japan, Australia, the UK and Europe Recently, we've also been receiving a lot of new clients from UAE and South Africa And what are the main items that are exported? So primarily it's soft furnishings. When I say soft furnishings, it covers in different sizes cotton shows table runners and In hard goose we export a lot of trays bamboo baskets and wall decor items And yes, it's also interesting to tell you that, you know, we also export a lot of curated one-of-a-kind Artifacts, which are made by one of our clusters in No more than this in the whole area And do the clients like provide you their own personal designs Do they require custom made? In our case, like, you know, it's quite funny that whatever designs that we We develop and we showcase at a B2B phase Those are the ones which are which have always been picked up by the clients Maybe some minor changes by in terms of or in designing tools in terms of color preferences are advised But by and large, it's all in our in-house designs, which are selected Ma'am, I can see some products behind you. So like, are these all? Which one? This one? Okay, so this is one of the products that, you know, remember I spoke about You know imparting training to a group of girls and women or, you know, last year during the entire pandemic So this is one of the bamboo mats that they have made and, you know, this is inspired by the we know that Every house in North East India has so essentially you just added color and so this is a natural dye And this this diamond type motif has been, you know, inspired by one of our traditional shelves So this is woven by the by all the girls who were received training from us And this is done in house in my dream in Sovipa village And this particular piece is being, you know, sold through many outlets in UK So it's a, you know, it's a very long journey between within where it's made and where it's fine Where it finally lands up. And when I say lands up, it lands up and very like swish Luxuring homes around the world So this is one of them This is something that, you know, we work with only women in Manipur Yes, so this is the kind of read That is Specific to Manipur and we give them our own design. So it's for a dual purpose It could be either at a place mat or it could be it could go in as a world decorator And As you can see These are the some of the products that we, the Whimsical, like, you know, now the original products that we make with our group of Artisans, male artisans in the Konya area Your journey as a serial entrepreneur started nearly 30 years ago So can you tell us a little more about the early days? What were the challenges and struggles that we faced? We said 30 years, suddenly you make me feel very vintage again But, well, having said that, you know, almost since you mentioned 30 years, okay Almost let me put it more mildly by saying that almost three decades ago You know, after a college education outside the state I came home and, you know, as was expected of any of us back in the day I love to say back in the day because, you know, we had very limited avenues for employment or to be engaged in So the most common route for many of us who came back home was to find a regular job So, you know, I was not an exception I also went through the rigmarole of the entire process of trying to seek a regular or let's say formal nine to five job That didn't happen, and thank God it didn't happen Otherwise I wouldn't be where I am today, so, you know, the most common saying that when one closes on you another will open So I totally relate to that, okay So, like I said, after going through all the rigmarole of seeking a regular job One thing that spoke to me over and over again was that, you know, I needed to do something on my own You know, it would be a total shame that, you know, having studied outside the state I'm not utilizing any of my knowledge here in the state So, not to be, not to keep, still, I dabbled in many small, small businesses Now we've got a startup, but back in the day all the jargon was not there So, you know, it was just an activity or it was just a small business that we started, that I started literally But, again, you know, unless you try, you never really know, you know, where your strength lies So, after doing like a series of small businesses which, of course, didn't work out I found my colleague in the handmade sector So, when I say I found my colleague, it was in a sector which, you know, was already well known outside the state So, essentially it was weaving with the textiles And also, you know, handicrafts, which was very well known outside the state when it came to Nagaland The first thing that comes to mind is your colorful textiles or your colorful crafts But at that time, you know, whatever was available in the state was only in a traditional format So, you know, it set me thinking like how about, you know, reimagining the existing traditional textiles or existing crafts And, you know, making them more meaningful or let's put it this way, making them more relevant So, this is truly how my entire journey started There was this one weaver who lived below my house And every afternoon or evening I would, whenever I crossed her house, I would see her weaving in a veranda So, one day I went to her and I asked her, you know, how about, you know, using your loin loop And how about making some few samples? So, that, you know, completely opened my journey as an entrepreneur It was not without, I mean, it was not, you know, I didn't have a proper business plan Sorry to say that to, you know, students But, you know, whatever I did was in a very organic manner, I would say But I think, you know, whatever I did at that time, you know, found instant favor outside the state Because, again, like I mentioned earlier, whatever was available was extremely traditional It was either a traditional shawl or a mekhla or, you know, nothing beyond that So, by, you know, coming up with a line of soft furnishings in cotton That was an instant hit in the market and trust me, ever since I happened to look back So, very early, you know, in my conversation with you, I would say that, you know You have to find your own niche in the market and fill that gap in the market So, that's pretty much my initial journey So, our team today, as mentioned earlier, is women and sustainability So, as a successful woman entrepreneur, your operations span mainly across four different verticals Which is textiles, home decor, traditional handcrafted jewelry and hospitality sector So, like, how important is sustainability to you? And do you implement sustainable processes and practices across all your business verticals? I think sustainability is the buzzword today And I often think that it's badly misused Many people don't understand the meaning of true sustainability You've already mentioned that, you know, I have been around for 30 years So, you know, the first thing that I will tell you is, like, I have managed to sustain my business So, which itself is a big thing for me And having said that, you know, my biggest challenge, which many people ask me You haven't asked me yet, but let me tell you that right away My biggest challenge, since inception, has been to sustain the business And, you know, when I say sustain the business, many people will ask me about sustainable practices and so on and so forth But for me, truthfully speaking, it's about, you know, the biggest challenge was to sustain the business And therein, like, a bigger challenge, but more the bigger challenge was to, you know Sustain the artisans, and sustain all the people in the value chain that you have created To be able to provide them with uninterrupted work So, till today, you know, there are times when we have gaps in our orders So my, you know, I go to bed with a very heavy heart What am I going to make them with next? What am I going to ask them to make for me next? So that has been to sustain the business for me, essentially It's like number one priority Number two, yes, we use artisans only about sustainable practices You see, when we talk about the loom that we utilize Well, that's the most archaic or if not most primitive loom loom to mankind And, you know, Erum Naga as a business has been instrumental in spotlighting the practice of loom loom weaving Not only in India, but also globally So till today, we have very few communities, indigenous communities around the globe Which practice loom loom weaving And I think when I say spotlighting the region, we've spotlighting the practice of loom loom weaving We've been able to, you know, detail and will sell products Open on the loom loom, okay And when I say loom loom, like all the weavers work from within the confines of their own homes This has been one of my major advantage and disadvantages So by allowing them the weavers the freedom to work within the confines of the old rooms And their own pace It's all about, you know, using the loom which belongs to them And the process of weaving is completely sustainable Because here we don't have any carbon footprint to begin with And yes, like I totally relate to the fact that, you know, we bring women empowerment Not only at the grassroots level, but to their doorsteps You know, how beautiful it is that, you know, a woman is like besides looking after Bending to her other chores in the house She's also sitting in her comfort zone She's also making a living And in the process, she's able to empower herself financially Now I think women all over the world need to be empowered financially Now this has been my biggest driving point till date And like I said, sustainability is a buzzword business You think when you mention the word sustainable, sales But here people don't understand that, you know, whatever practices that we do And that goes into making any handmade product That's completely sustainable Whether you talk about the process that goes into it Or even the material that we use Whether it's cotton or whether it's the wild silk that we use Whether it's bamboo, whether it's cane or any other, you know Natural fiber or grass that we use These are all sustainable materials that we use So to answer your question, it's 100% sustainable I have another question Natural and handmade products tend to be overshadowed by the synthetic Not produced synthetic products So how do you convince your customers to opt for sustainable products Like yours over the cheaper but unsustainable products Which cause immeasurable damage to the environment Yes, so, you know, my journey as an entrepreneur Has pretty much been about educating, you know, the well Educating customers about this very factor It's only, I think, in the last five or six years Or let's put it like one decade That people have understood the importance of the handmade And therefore the handmade movement is a very strong movement And anywhere in India now Or even outside the country But back in the day Again, I'm going back to back in the day It wasn't so You know, I had to I was at the receiving end of many condensating comments from customers Whenever I used to go for a B2B fair Which is my only model of business activity In any B2B fair, you know, you would have these condensating customers Looking at or from the screening and saying How much, you know, that was a typical question that would come Not so much from the global customers But from within the domestic market Then, you know, as soon as they heard the price The first thing they'll quit was why so expensive So, you know, it was pretty much left to be to sensitize the customers And also to stand my ground in being able to say no You know, when I say condensating attitude There were customers who would literally be mocking at, you know, the prices At me, when they heard my prices and said Okay, in China, I get this basket for, say, like, 50 cents Like, why so expensive? I'll order 10,000 pieces So I would look at their point blank and say that I cannot even make 10,000 pieces at this juncture for you It is... There is no machines involved in the work that we do And at that time, you know, there were occasions when, you know One was made to feel very inadequate But not now, because, you know, people... Well-evolved people or well-evolved customers Will all subscribe to handmade now, okay The world is now moving towards sustainable living And conscious consumption And it, therein lies our USP Being able to, you know, provide a product which has been made With a lot of sweat, blood, sweat and tears You know, there is a soul in any product that we offer to our customer So in that sense, you know Anything like made by hand Is now much preferred by the customer Over any synthetic or any, like, machine-made product Yeah, so I think we are getting a lot of traction I think that's the right word to use currently Because, you know, most of our... I mean, 99% of the work that we do is sold only in overseas markets So once, like, our domestic customers see them at, you know Prime stores or luxury stores in several countries Naturally, you know, even in the domestic market A lot of, like, well-evolved customers are reaching out to us now But yes, I think overseas markets have long understood the importance of the handmade And therefore, they subscribe to whatever we make Because they understand the processes They understand how crucial it is for any, you know Any organization or any company or any business To, I won't say support, but to subscribe to the handmade movement And in doing so, ensure that, you know The continuity of the handmade is ensured And not only that, in doing so Ensuring that traditional practices around the world is preserved And in doing so, the cultural legacy of any community Or all communities are preserved So that, I think, the overseas market of the western world has understood that long back So across all your businesses Yes A significant number of artisans, we've raised, etc. Which are women Not only have you given them an opportunity to stand on their feet And do something significant But you have also made them financially independent And self-reliant So today we talk about women empowerment You were one of the pioneers when it came to empowering women And giving them a sense of direction and purpose in life So was it a conscious decision of yours to empower so many women And bring about a drastic change in their lives? Yes And, you know, you must understand where I'm coming from Being a single parent who is more than two kids I have understood completely how crucial it is to empower women At any given level So, yes, I've made a very, very conscious effort to work with women Across all verticals of my business When it comes to textiles It's a 100% women-oriented company Because of the one fact that, you know, weaving in other societies Is considered taboo by men So therefore I work only with women And I have made a conscious decision to employ Only women in my organization when it comes to textiles And in fact, last year, was it last year When the pandemic struck us? You know, suddenly our textiles business saw a jump in our audience And I made a conscious decision to bring in eight new girls You know, some at the inspection level Some at the production level Some at the admin level So yes, I make a very conscious effort to rope in only women in my organization When it comes to the textiles business Also, I'm making a very conscious effort now To introduce handicrafts to women in Nagaland You know, in Nagaland I think the handmade sector is a very gendered thing Women are like relegated to the softer side of textiles While men take up all the, you know, mental for handicrafts But today, you know, like there are a lot of school dropouts Or college dropouts, let's put it this way Who are not too interested in taking up the practice of loin room weaving Because it does cause a lot of strain on their backs So, and maybe they consider it, you know, not a very evolved, what to call it Not a very evolved business for them to be engaged in So, you know, we organized a skill training program last year Just before the pandemic for about 40 girls Most of them were school dropouts again And I taught them how to weave bamboo mats These mats, we use them to line up all our service trays And all of these service trays are wall decor items And all these items are mostly for the sport market And the beauty of why I'm relating this to you is Because the beauty is that after doing part of the skill development training For the first time ever in their lives, they caught on so fast Because, you know, you have to understand that our girls and our boys are so super talented When it comes to working with their hands When it comes to creativity, when it comes to working with hands I think it's in their DNA So they picked up the craft so fast that, you know Immediately, like I had to see a lot of export orders on some of the bamboo trays On some of the bamboo wall decor And trust me, you know, like It gave me such a sense of accomplishment Because I was able to, you know, provide them uninterrupted work throughout the pandemic Throughout the pandemic All those that my first batch of, you know, weavers For the bamboo handicrafts For the first time were women and girls And none of them, like, was left without work So, you know, this conscious effort to drive in more women Into the gendered world of handicrafts in our society Is also, like, you know, beginning to show a lot of promise Even today, this morning before you came in You know, we have developed a very large cluster of women matte weavers from Tuli And we do it very simply without any fuss We receive orders, we just send them a WhatsApp X number of pieces of bamboo mats This make and send From Tuli in the next 10 days or so it arrives by sumo And, you know, it's so easy to conduct business these days Because, you know, you can immediately transfer the money that is due to them So, in this manner I am, you know, trying to rope in as many women as possible Into whatever business that I do So that, you know, they can empower them Anybody who's empowered, her voice is heard Even in my hospitality business Whereby, I have a heritage home Stay in Koima, Brazil Out of the ratio of my voice The women grew So, which among these do you consider as the most challenging venture of your student? It's Erlum Naga Because of the number of women that I work with And also because since we are catering hospitals To the overseas market And, you know, the overseas market And the clients that we work with Are very high and so they expect a certain quality from us Now, I'm not saying that our women are not skilled Everybody has their primary skills in weaving But to, you know, get them to conform to standards And to sizes That's been a daunting challenge But it continues to be because, you know In the overseas clients Many of them are not very tolerant of the discrepancies That we occur due to weaving To a certain extent A small degree margin of discrepancy is accepted But beyond that, nobody is willing to, you know, listen to you That, okay, like this is woven in the villages And, you know, by women But no, you know, even if it's a handmade product It has to be a well-woven product So, yes, so, you know, skilling the weavers In terms of sizes and standardization That this in Erlum Naga has been And continues to be my biggest challenge to engage And also to secure, you know Continuous orders from our customers So that, you know, none of the, you know, weavers Their looms are empty That's also a daunting challenge for me How important is the role of government And in situations in supporting and mentoring entrepreneurs Who come up with different entrepreneurial ideas Or a different product line To cater to a particular market segment First of all, I think the government is a facility The problem with us is that We have too much dependency on our governments Which is why the entrepreneurship level Has not reached the required standards in Naga and at least I think most of us we feel too, you know Entitled to all the government support Without helping themselves But yes, the government, since I mentioned Is a facilitator in terms of mentorship programs Which are there for entrepreneurs to take up I think that's important And number two, I think it's important For governments to help, you know Entrepreneurs to scale up their businesses Through their many welfare schemes Or activities that they have But I think too much dependency on the government Is not going to help you in any way I would like to conclude by asking If you have any advice for the young And budding entrepreneurs Who want to incubate successful startups And what is your mantra for success? I think first of all Any budding entrepreneur should find his or her own groove Right? Whatever they do, it has to be novel They have to have original ideas The problem with us, I keep seeing the problems Because I have been observing that for too long You know, we have this herd mentality in Naga Land If empty is started a jewelry business You can be rest assured The rest of your neighborhood is also doing that During my time, there were a lot of us Who started textile business Every woman was a handloom specialist But I think over a period of time The person who is original Who has original ideas And who finds his or her own niche or groove This time apart Number one is finding your own groove Number two will be original Number three is to invest your energies Into your business or into your business model I find that increasingly young startups Or young entrepreneurs, young people basically Are investing too much of the time and resources On being politically correct on social media I mean like, I personally know of pages on Instagram Who may be doing just two and a half things But their pages are incredibly beautiful And I'm not sure how much their turnover is So that energy which they spend on the digital media Which is also a good thing, up to a point Should be invested in their business I personally think Till today if you ask me the truth We barely show even 25% of what we do on Instagram Or any other social media pages Because of various reasons But having said that I think The new gen has had it too easy Because of the digital highway So while it has its pluses It also has a lot of minuses When it comes to this Because there's too much of top process Involving, looking, good In feeling right and all that So I think that energy needs to be spent To do the business But definitely I think The one mantra that you asked me is To be original, to be YouTube Thank you so much for your valuable advice We thank everyone for Who has joined us for this session And I hope you all have A great learning experience like I have And stay tuned for more talk sessions Stay safe, everyone