From starting a passion project to owning a global export company, with a 300+ workforce, Ridhi Arora, Founder of Zeus Fashions has come a long way. Thanks to her family who has been her pillars of strength, at the age of 24, she started her own fashion label, and since then there has been no turning back. Even amidst the chaos of Covid-19, she kept at it. Zeus Fashions started in 2017 as a garment exporter for ladies and kids wear. The company is based out of Noida and its customers are largely based out of the US, UK and Europe. Recently, Ridhi has engaged in one-on-one interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine, here is the highlight from the same.

Tell Us More About Your Education And How ‘Fashion’ Clicked For You?

Well, its actually funny! I didn’t study fashion but the glitz and glamour always attracted me. I completed MBA in Finance and Business Strategy. Post that, I worked as a Financial Consultant for about a year. I, then decided to start my own fashion label at the age of 24. The skill-set that I gathered while studying business management helped me develop the required acumen that led to the success of first, my fashion label, Ridhi Arora & then, export business, Zeus Fashions. The core for any company regardless of the industry is understanding the business in depth & learning the nitty gritties & working at the grassroot level to ensure you build a strong foundation.

I was able to scale a fashion label to a renowned export company, organically. In the end, it's about your product and connecting to the right audience. I was able to do that and hence, demand for exports came along.

Could You Please Tell Us More About Your Current Responsibilities At Zeus. Also, Shed Light On Your Strengths And Challenges You Face As A Leader.

My key role at Zeus is client handling, business development and that pretty much encompasses everything. From booking orders, to ensuring timely delivery as well as managing the company's finances, I have to keep a tab on everything. I believe team building is one of my core strength. Personally, I believe that for success, one needs a responsible & proactive team– A super team that has the same drive towards success as you do.

"I believe that for Success, one needs A team, hence, it is Important to build One, that has the same Drive toward success As you do"

Challenges, on the other hand are many but one that stands out for me is being a 'female boss'. The industry is male dominated & people I work with are often elder than me. Having a younger female boss to report to is difficult for most people to accept. .And most importantly, it takes a lot of grit & passion to, in spite of all these challenges, showing up at work with an intent to take each day as a learning & motivating your own self to excel at what you do.

How Do You See The Indian Fashion Industry Changing? Please Elaborate On The Key Changes That The Industry Is Experiencing?

The Fashion Industry sector in India is booming. The hunger for fashionable yet sustainable items is currently playing a huge role in the industry. Customers today, want eco-friendly garments at a price range that does not burn a hole in their

pocket. Further, the biggest challenge, especially post COVID is that pricing of all raw materials has increased manifold & the retail prices of brands aren’t increasing in tune of that. So margins are shrinking &is forcing us to re evaluate business strategy to ensure that profitability is not affected.

Lastly, What Would Be The Piece Of Advice That You’d Like To Give Those Hoping To Start Their Entrepreneurial Journey?

We all have a vision and goal but the toughest part is taking the ‘first’ plunge. If you decide to become an entrepreneur, you need to remember that ‘motivation comes from within’. Most days, YOU are all you have. There will be struggles and the journey is a constant roller coaster. So, when you are low, take a break, but do NOT give up. For women, especially it gets difficult to juggle and balance work and home. It’s not easy to leave your kids & come to work every day, but what one needs to remember is you are your child’s first teacher. If they see discipline & passion in you, this is what they will learn & it’s definitely a quality we all want our next generation to imbibe. Further, along the way, there will be times when things don’t look easy or positive, try to recall why you started on this journey to begin with & you will find your strength again to keep at it.

Ridhi Arora, Founder, Zeus Fashions

Ridhi , a business management graduate started her journey toward becoming an entrepreneur with a fashion label at a young age of 24. Today, her company, Zeus Fashions is one of the leading garment export houses, catering to brands in the US, UK & Europe.