Lessons From the Immigrant Hustle: Sandhya Garg

Label Sandhya Garg is about every woman who has ever wanted to feel special in a big crowd. Sandhya, herself has several times struggled to find that one special dress that would make her stand out in a crowd of generic black/blue dresses. Finding a solution to this problem, Sandhya started on a path to design limited edition dresses in her signature prints. She drew inspiration from her world travels and how every city she visited contained in itself a world of regional folklore, mythology, superstition, magic, art, and architectural wonders. She decided to create signature prints and design dresses that would hold the essence of that particular city.

What’s your name, company name, and title?

Sandhya Garg, Label Sandhya Garg, Owner/Designer

Which country did you emigrate from?

India

Why did you or your family decide to immigrate?

My husband is going to medical school here.

What was the most difficult thing you faced when you arrived in the US?

Racism and loneliness, as India is a much more family oriented culture with everyone having lots of family and friends around.

Why did you choose to become an entrepreneur? (c.f. What triggered you?).

I chose to become an entrepreneur because I was passionate about creating my own brand with a unique vision about selling gorgeous prints and pattern that we inspired from world travels. Also because A) I had a fashion design education and working with boring corporates didn’t appeal to me and B) I couldn’t find the dresses I design at any other brand so I knew there was a gap in the market and niche I could cater to.

How did you raise the money necessary to launch your business? (e.g. Did you find an investor? Did you borrow from the bank? Did you save money by working a 9 to 5? Please tell us your story).

I raised the money by working myself and getting a few family angel investors. Also, I have been able to make smaller quantities and sell most of what I make to have a continuous cycle of cash flow. I have been able to find ethical small factories who produce on demand when I need which has reduced my inventory and investment burden thus making my company more profitable and flexible.

What was the most difficult thing you faced when you first started your business?

The most difficult thing would be the amount of work required in building a brand and the retails scenarios is so ever changing. Online Stores are everything today and that includes a lot of web work, social media marketing, influencers. It is a lot of keeping up with the latest trends not only in fashion but everything linked it from designing to making, to selling.

Mental health, stress management and staying positive are important factors in entrepreneurial success. What are some things you like to do when you feel overwhelmed or down?

I think one thing that I do when I feel overwhelmed is to take a break and refresh myself. Of course, we all feel a lot of pressure and there is this feeling of being in a rat race where we are all running towards this goal of power and money and sales. I think what really helps me is looking at the bigger picture and telling myself that building a big brand is a long marathon.

What advice do you have for newly arrived immigrants that want to pursue the path of entrepreneurship?

I would say I have been successful because of perseverance. You can’t let the No’s and the rejections break you. You have to keep working and reaching out every day to grow yourself and your business. I have continuously collaborated and reached out to people to create buzz about my brand, hosted a lot of events to get sales and buyers. I would advise the newly arrived immigrants to have laser sharp focus of what they want to achieve and then walk the path no matter what the hurdles are.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

My social media handles are Instagram - @sandhyagarg11, Twitter - @sandhyagarg, Facebook Fan page - Labelsandhyagarg, and Linkedin.

Thank you very much for doing this interview!