From last mile delivery lady to tutoring students and now a Meesho entrepreneur: Kanchana Kirubakaran is the everyday superwoman we love
Meesho entrepreneurs are usually known for their inspiring stories of perseverance and determination. From finding their own financial freedom to looking after their family and building their successful businesses, these ladies are truly examples worth emulating. And entrepreneur Kanchana Kuribakaran’s story is one among them. Having shifted to Bangalore, where she had no history, to support her son during one of the worst phases of his life, she had to hustle hard to make ends meet. Kanchana did many odd jobs that did not give her enough returns, before eventually finding her way to Meesho.
Entrepreneurs like Kanchana are the reason why Meeshoites work hard towards their true North — Make Entrepreneurs Successful.
Let’s read Kanchana’s life story and get inspired!
Life before Meesho
I shifted from Chennai to Bangalore three years back to support my son during a time of crisis, and my job as an admin staff in a private company did not pay well enough to cover the sudden spike in the cost of living. I tried out many side hustles — offered home tuitions, worked as a Rapido Captain (as part of online bike taxi aggregator Rapido), and as a delivery person for Uber Eats.
None of these worked out in the long term because being new to the city, I found it difficult to navigate in the city, and language was a huge barrier as well while asking for directions as well. The amount of hard work and time I invested in these jobs weren’t worth the financial returns I was getting. Moreover, I used to live in Anekal — which is in the outskirts of Bangalore — at the time, and the commute that these jobs required also took a toll on me.
During this time, a friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Meesho and told me that I could make money sitting at home. So, in June, 2017 I started working as a Meesho entrepreneur, and because I work with many women in my company I already had a network to market and sell products. Just a little after I started out, I started making enough money to cover my petrol charges for the month and that was a huge motivation boost.
Jab I became an entrepreneur
The biggest advantage of Meesho for me has been that I don’t need to venture out. I can stay at home and do the work that I need to. Moreover, I did not need to make any investment for this, which is something that has stopped me in the past whenever I thought of starting a business. I am not that tech savvy either, so that I could be an online entrepreneur simply with the help of WhatsApp, was a revolutionary idea for me.
Also, I could opt for weekly payment options with Meesho, which has been really helpful for me. Sometimes, the monthly salary I get from work does not suffice for day-day-expenses.
Top tips to run a business
If you want to be a Meesho entrepreneur, the first thing to remember is to have a good network of acquaintances, family members, co workers, or friends who can become your customer base. Even though I share products in groups, I make the effort of sharing certain products with certain people individually as well if I know that they would appreciate them. I also try to place margins based on how much my customers can afford.
The key is to know your customer.
Meri Mission Rise
I attended the 2020 Mission Rise Women Entrepreneurs Summit in Bangalore with my daughter and it is one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. My son had passed away four months prior to the event and for the first time I could forget that pain and be in the moment for the whole day. I think of that day as a turning point in my life.
I also got to meet many other entrepreneurs and hear their stories. I felt inspired by their stories of struggle and success. Many of them had shared their own painful stories and I realised that if they can get past it, so can I.
Next Meesho milestone
My next goal is to become a supplier for Meesho as well. I have been planning this for a while, but the nationwide lockdown had put a wrench in plans. However, it will soon be back on track and I can be a Meesho entrepreneur and supplier soon.
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