This Multi-Faceted, Talented Mompreneur Has Successfully Established A Wellness Products Startup

Educational background in accounting and finance, a passionate cook, yoga teacher, Tai Chi practitioner, and serial entrepreneur, this super mompreneur is the founder of Aksobha — An eco-friendly wellness products startup for pain relief and therapy.

In the beginning…

Sruti started the entrepreneurial journey from her love for cooking and food; a catering business in Singapore. Primarily, target market were the working professionals who did not have ample time to cook proper meals or get healthy food as their meal. Although over time, she changed her business line and started a new venture, named Enlightened Karigar. This business dealt with importing handcrafted items from India and further selling them in Singapore. Eventually she moved back to India, shutting down its operations completely.

All this while she continued teaching yoga in Singapore, as well trained herself in Tai Chi for 6 years, a martial arts form. Now, with 25 years of practicing yoga and meditation, Sruti believed in trying home remedies first, rather than to visit a doctor immediately for an ailment. This thought of having alternate, non-allopathic treatment as pain therapy appealed to her in more ways than one.

“During my stint in teaching yoga I saw a number of people using plastic gel packs for body ache relief. As a strong believer in eco-friendly and plastic-free living, plus wellness being my forte, I wanted to create gel packs that were made from natural and herbal products. Thus, in 2015 I brought Aksobha into existence!” 

Business and operations

This bootstrapped company, initially, started with the retail supply of eco-friendly hot and cold therapy packs, but now is a manufacturer too. They have Ayurvedic doctors as consultants for their products’ quality feedback and required changes, if any. The Boss Mom’s brand claims to have pure herbal ingredients infused in their essential oils, therapy packs, hot and cold packs, and other products that ensure a healing effect for body pain.

Currently there are 40 – 45 SKUs, priced between 200 INR – 3700 INR, and they process 100 – 150 orders per month, on an average.

The products are available online for purchase on various e-commerce portals, plus, they have an offline presence in retail stores like, The Organic World, Earth Organics, and in multiple retail stores of Fab India across the country. The best-selling products are, ice-therapy pack for pain relief, knee pack for arthritis or joint pain, and a sinus therapy pack for people who suffer from congestion and sinus related issues.

Being a mompreneur is a pride

They are a proud, women-majority employee company. The overseeing of the business is by Sruti herself, who, as well, is the creative brain behind the product design, and an operations manager who makes sure that the day-today functioning smoothly. The mompreneur shares,

“Aksobha’s value is in it’s hand-made and natural, uniquely designed, herbal pain relief packs. This concept of wellness products is not adapted and executed by many brands in India. We are now planning to dominate international markets, with a move towards South East Asia and the USA as entry points.”

The Lockdown Period

Lockdown hit every business in the country, but Sruti was quick to turn it around into an opportunity. She commercially collaborated with a firm to sell face masks, whereby Aksobha handled complete manufacturing processes.

“It took off well and sold like a hot cakes; 100 pieces per day.”

The commodity’s production did not halt as it was categorised under the essential services. This became a pivoting point for Aksobha in terms of brand awareness with the customers.

My family, my support

Mompreneur Sruti happily shares,

“My husband, my support system since the day we got married, has continued to be the same. Taking care of all the backend operations, he has stood by me through every step of the business. Initially, when my kids were young, it was a bit chaotic. There were times when yoga and tai chi classes, that I taught with great passion, were called off for days together. But my kids, and family had my back at any distraught moment. I truly believe in ‘Never say never’. To show up for oneself helps in facing and getting through the toughest of situations.”