According to Sixth Economic Census released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, women constitute around 14% of the total entrepreneurial base in India. Chinu Kala is one such contributor to these statistics. She is the founder and owner of the accessories brand Rubans. She shouldered all her struggles and made her passion her wings that are now flying high!
Struggle during initial days
Chinu Kala was 15 years old when she left home. At that time, she had only two pairs of clothes, a pair of slippers and Rs.300 with her. Along with these things, she carried one more thing which made a difference to her life. It was her dedication to make a life worth living, for her. She made sure not to give in to any situation.
The struggle was so much that Chinu failed to recall her source of strength. She began with just two pairs of clothes, a pair of slippers and an undying zeal to get out of the misery. It took her 2-3 days to get the bearings right and found the dormitory from where all of it began.
She started her journey by living in a dormitory that charged Rs.20 per night. She then took up the job a door-to-door saleswoman selling home and kitchen pieces of equipment. She got promoted a year after and was training three other girls. After that, she started waitressing at a restaurant and within three years, she became financially stable.
Participation in Gladrags Mrs. India
In the year 2004, Chinu married Amit Kala, and two years later in 2006, after much persuasion from friends, she participated in Gladrags Mrs. India Contest. Even though she didn’t complete her education, she was being flanked by people on much higher authority.
Chinu then started Fonte Corporation, a start-up in 2008, which worked with multiple brands such as Oracle, ITC Limited, Sony Pictures.
Onset of Rubans- Accessories brand
As she dealt with marketing executives on a daily basis, the idea of having something of her own did not leave her mind. She was fashion conscious and creative which she late combined with her business acumen, which led to the birth of her label – Rubans!
Ruban has a collection of jewellery ranging from Rs.229 to Rs.10000 a piece. It was formed in the year 2014. She initially began with a store in Bengaluru and soon broadened her reach to places such as Kochi and Hyderabad. This whole ride of Chinu Kala’s has been very topsy-turvy.
She had to chase the manager of Forum Mall in Kormangala to get a space. She shared in an interview, that initially, it was very difficult because people did not trust a new name.
Evolution in these years
In just four years, the company has soared great heights. It has an annual turnover of Rs. 3.75 crore, and recently she marked Rs 7.5 crores turnover!
When Chinu Kala began back in 2014, the fashion accessories market was $3.4 billion, and it was forecasted to grow to $10.6 Billion by 2024. Well, no wonder why she is gaining so much fame and trust, considering her extraordinary passion for fashion!
