Meet Madhu Challa | Founder and Owner, Pretty Pokets

We had the good fortune of connecting with Madhu Challa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Madhu, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk-taking is an opportunity and is an indicator of growth. I call myself an optimistic risk-taker. Risk-taking is nothing but the clear decisions you are taking to make forward progress.

Today I have my business Pretty Pokets(https://prettypokets.com) up and running because of the risks I took. I did not have a clue where to start and how to run a business. It was all about thinking through the process. Ok, I have a drawing, now what? Ok next is a prototype. How do I make a prototype? Thinking through these small steps and making those small decisions about whether to reach out to someone or make it yourself are nothing but the calculated risks you are taking.

With calculated risk-taking, you are either learning or growing. One thing I always keep in mind is that I access the impact the risk I am taking would have on me and my family, and keep it to the lowest.

If I have to give some examples of these small risks they would be, randomly reaching out to manufacturers online to make a prototype with my designs or launching a new product during a pandemic, or whether or not to attend a promotional event.

Risk-taking is experimentation. It’s like figuring out what works or does not work for you and your business. It helps you arrive at some facts and realities and this data helps you to repeat what works until it no longer works and lets you start experimenting again.

What should our readers know about your business?
I went from being a hardware engineer at Intel Corp to a diaper bag designer. I had an opportunity to mentor a girl’s team for a Tech Challenge. I was amazed at how an Idea was transformed into a physical product. This experience helped me to take a bold step in coming up with an idea to solve my pain point as a mom. I wanted a diaper bag that is practical and elegant. I remember going to my local Target stores and buying 5 different diaper bags. I was not happy at all. I wanted something fun, functional, and fashionable. When I could not find one, I decided to make one.

At Pretty Pokets I design and create utility and practicality-driven fashionable vegan bags for everyday Life. I started the business with six products, and now we have double the number of products to serve a broader category of women’s accessories. 2021 has been incredible for Pretty Pokets. During the pandemic, we had a choice to go home or go big. We went big. We launched 3 new product lines and this year

We are most proud of our contribution to women-owned businesses on the Kiva micro-lending platform. Pretty Pokets is all about empowering women.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
North Carolina is a beautiful state. We are closer to mountains, and the ocean and surrounded by some amazing trails and beautiful lakes. I would be taking them for a stroll. We would love to take them to some local coffee shops and bakers. we might be going for a 2-3 hr road trip. I believe that vacation has to be relaxing and not hectic.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It takes a village to raise a child. Well, the same applies to an entrepreneur’s child – “the startup.” Today, my business is possible because of the amazing mentors I met and would be meeting along the path to my build dream.

Silicon Valley Score and Small Business Development Center mentors have been there for me every step of the way since the beginning of my startup days. I remember how nervous I was the first time I met my mentors. It was the first time that I talked about my idea with someone other than myself. All crazy thoughts raced through my mind “What are they going to say? What will they think?” But that nervousness was put to ease right away. All these fantastic mentors have already spent several years building their businesses or worked before in business-based environments. They know what it takes to navigate the uncharted waters of building a business.

My mentor Per is a god-sent :). I met Per when he was assigned to be my pitch mentor for the HSN Program. The pitch never happened. There was no requirement or obligation to continue mentoring. But Per reached out to me and offered to help. I truly needed some help, and it will be one of the crucial moments in my business. Today, I reach out to Per for anything and everything. His insights and inputs are super valuable.

Best part? All Score/SBDC mentoring services are free! I would highly recommend anyone thinking of starting a business reach out to their local chapters.

Website: https://prettypokets.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/prettypokets

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pretty-pokets

Twitter: https://twitter.com/prettypokets

Facebook: https://facebook.com/prettypokets

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCon7M8rArvAzzDxA9vsN_ww

Image Credits
Sri Harsha