How Meesho entrepreneur and everyday superhero Aashi Sharma built a pan India business while being a single mom, pursuing her degree and battling depression
Ever so often, as Meeshoites, we get to hear stories of how Meesho helped women across the country become financially independent, gave them hope when everything else seemed bleak, and helped them prove to themselves that they are smart and capable businesswomen. These anecdotes give purpose to the work we do at Meesho, and reignite our drive to Make Entrepreneurs Successful [a core Meesho value]. And the heartwarming and inspiring story of Chattisgarh-based entrepreneur Aashi Sharma is certainly one that reinstates our belief in Meesho’s ultimate vision and mission — to enable anyone to start an online business, without an investment.
Like a majority of Indian women, Aashi, who was born to a middle-class family was married off without her consent while she was still pursuing a degree in BSc. Mathematics. Soon, she found herself trapped in a marriage that proved to be traumatic and filled with pain. When she found the strength to walk out of it with her baby daughter, Aashi knew that she would have to start from scratch. Get an education, and raise her child as a single mother, all the while financially supporting herself. Enter, Meesho.
On the Meesho platform, Aashi learned about her own grit, wit, and perseverance, and built a pan-India business that now provides her with a lucrative monthly income.
Read on to learn more about Aashi’s journey with Meesho:
I am from a middle-class family in Chattisgarh and growing up, I did not have many realistic career goals and aspirations for myself. I knew early on that for my family getting me married off was a bigger priority than arming me with higher education. This proved to be true while I was pursuing a BSc in Mathematics.
Marriage put a long pause to my education and caused me a lot of trauma. I was forbidden from completing my degree, and I faced a lot of dowry-related issues in the house as well. After a couple of years of trying to make my marriage work, I decided to fight for myself and my now six-year-old daughter. I have been separated from my husband for the past five years and am proud of the life I have built since then.
New life, new me
I am currently pursuing a degree in BA. History, while also training to be a lab technician. I am working as a teacher to high school students in a private school in my neighborhood. The journey to become not only financially independent and pave the way for my own and my daughter’s future but also to carve out my identity as a single mother has been extremely challenging. Thankfully, Meesho came to me at the right time.
I saw an ad for Meesho in 2017, while I was battling depression and looking for ways to empower myself. I saw as many videos as I could about the app and realised that reselling on the Meesho platform is definitely up my alley. I installed the app and started my journey as a Meesho entrepreneur by creating a WhatsApp group and sharing a few products there.
The more I invested my time and energy in reselling, the more my customers took an interest in my business and my revenue started increasing. Initially, I would try and figure everything out by myself, and when I felt stuck at certain places, I knew that I could reach out to team Meesho and help would be right around the corner. Customer service at Meesho has always been exceptional.
Business grew and so did I
Even as I was thinking of breaking out of WhatsApp and looking at ways to expand, I got a call from Meesho offering guidance on how I can improve my business. That phone call gave me the inspiration to create a Facebook page for my business, which in turn helped it become a pan-India enterprise — my income improved, my business expanded, and my customer base became diverse. Moreover, Meesho’s return and refund policies have truly made my customers extremely happy.
Currently, I run a successful business and it feels surreal to me sometimes. I feel proud of being financially independent and making something of my life despite all that I have endured during the worst phase of my life. The fact that I am able to earn an income and build a brand with zero investment, is still unbelievable to me.
Invest your time, Meesho will give you money
All you need to invest with Meesho is time. And, my advice to anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur on the platform is to be patient and try your hardest. Always put customers first, and ensure that their interest is always your top priority. Curate products that would be of interest to them rather than overwhelm them with a plethora of products. If you are able to do all this, the potential growth is limitless. I am speaking from personal experience.
During my most depressive stage, Meesho supported me and I was able to create an identity for myself. My next goal is to ensure that I get a lucrative and regular income from my Meesho business consistently.
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Want to help Aashi Sharma and lakhs of other Meesho entrepreneurs become successful? Click here to take the first step towards joining the Meesho rocketship.
