Meet Shachi Shukla | Business Owner, Craft Bazaar LLC

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

Hi Shachi, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
There were many reasons why I wanted to start my own business – personal growth, desire to achieve financial independence, be my own boss but most important reason was my kids. After my kids were born I decided to take a break from my IT job to take care of them. During this period, I realized that I was not enjoying my work, so I decided to quit my job permanently and do something that will give me motivation and happiness every single day. I have always been keen on starting my own business and realized that this will be a perfect time and it will give me flexibility to arranges everything around my children’s needs and schedules.

The highlights of Indian heritage, among other things, lie in the treasure of its traditional art, beading, weaving, craftsmanship etc. I started Craft Bazaar 2.5 years back with a vision –

* To provide unique and good-quality handmade women fashion accessories from different parts of India.

* To support the local artists who have been working so hard to keep the cultural art forms alive.

Coming from a non business family background, every day is challenge. But I keep learning and keep moving forward.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Craft Bazaar was started in Sept of 2019 with a vision to provide unique and good quality handcrafted accessories from different parts of India, supporting the local craftsmen who are working very hard to preserve those artforms.

I am very proud of my products, they are –

* Ethically sourced
* Made in small batches
* Beautiful designs and patterns, made just for you
* Sustainable fashion
* Support local craftsmanship

After the launch I was working very hard to study the markets, promoting my products, creating brand awareness through exhibitions. But just after 6 months from the launch we were hit by the pandemic. Just like many other small businesses, Craft Bazaar was also deeply impacted by this.

It was then I decided to make my products available on one of the major online marketplace, Amazon. Everyday I encountered new challenges like creating listings and content, designing promotions and advertising campaigns, testing multiple marketing strategies but I took it as an opportunity to learn. Within a few months the products received very good responses and reviews. This motivated me to list them on other marketplaces, by December 2020, we were on ETSY and eBay.

Through Craft Bazaar, I am not only living my dreams but I am also trying to support the dreams of local artists by providing them a global platform.

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.
Me and my family love to spend our weekends visiting new places and eating out especially with friends. Our local favorite places to visit would be –

Mount Rainer
Leavenworth
Olympic national park
Deception Pass
Pike place
local markets

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my family.

My parents, In India, without them Craft Bazaar wouldn’t have been possible. Coordinating with artists in India from USA can get challenging because of the different time zones. My parents help me identify probable products and coordinate with the artists. They are doing every thing in their capacity to make sure that I have smooth running business.

My Husband, Apurv, for his support. Coming from a non business background and starting my own business in a foreign land was daunting. He not only inspired me to start Craft Bazaar, his genuine support and encouragement pushes me out of my comfort zone.

My boys Viaan (7) and Ronav (4), they are driving force behind Craft Bazaar. They motivate me every single day. I have been doing exhibitions when they were only 4 & 2 years old. They join their father and help with setup my booth with their tiny hands. And every time I receive an online order they also join me in my happy dance.

My friends for their love and encouragement.

Website: https://shopcraftbazaar.com/

Instagram: @shopcraftbazaar

Facebook: @shopcraftbazaar