Entrepreneurship is a very lonely and long journey: Disha Singh, Zouk

Adgully has been turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series – START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement and over the next few months will be featuring all local/ homegrown businesses, brands, and Apps.

Zouk is a 100% ‘Vegan & Proudly Indian’ brand that makes laptop bags, handbags, office bags, wallets, mini wallets, sling bags, bucket bags, backpacks, and travel pouches for women and men. All products are PETA approved vegan. They use Ikat and Jute Khadi fabric to make vegan leather bags and other vegan products. The company was founded by IIT and IIM alumni, Disha Singh.

In conversation with Adgully, Disha Singh, Founder and CEO of Zouk, speaks about her venture and entrepreneurial journey in promoting vegan products that are ‘Proudly Indian’, overcoming initial business challenges, and more.

How has your journey as an entrepreneur been? What motivated you to establish Zouk?

I started Zouk when I identified a lifestyle market need and believed I could bring to market goods that provide unforgettable experiences with utility-driven aesthetics infused with Indian culture. But as I began to create, I became aware of the complexity beyond product design. A brand like ours has to succeed in every area – production, marketing, sales, and operations – to win the trust of even one client. The source of my satisfaction in creating Zouk has been the over 250,000 satisfied consumers we currently have. At IIM Ahmedabad, where I obtained my MBA, the concept of Zouk first emerged. With a passion for fashion and lifestyle, I was able to fill a gap in the market with a brand that designed bags with a combination of style and functionality, rooted in Indian ethos and rich in heritage.

What was the need for Zouk from a consumer’s perspective? What is the core business proposition?

We discovered that the majority of lifestyle brands provided Western copies. There was a significant disconnect between the Indian-inspired aesthetic and modern practicality. As a result, we created Zouk as a modern Indian lifestyle brand. We also saw that most brands of bags, purses, and shoes were proud to use animal-based leather. We completely changed the game by offering high-quality and highly functional products made exclusively from 100% vegan materials.

What are your key learnings so far? How do you see Zouk’s business growing in 2023?

Always keep customers first. I always keep saying this internally – we don’t exist because we work hard or push ourselves to do better. We exist because our customers love and support us when we make mistakes.

How is digital helping you further your business?

• We post interesting and engaging content, that is true to our brand and our customers.
• We collaborate with the right influencers who believe in what we stand.
• We also do cross-collaborations with the right brands who share the same vision and beliefs as us.

We use Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to advertise our business. The content is organised primarily around monthly events. We are pleased that an increasing number of Indians are embracing an eco-friendly, cruelty-free lifestyle. It is only the tip of the iceberg and much more can and will be studied. We haven’t yet reached the mainstream stage, where we need to think about breaking through the clutter, but we are actively using our voices to discuss this on our Internet channels.

But this will change in the next few months and years as we become more active in demonstrating our brand pillars on social media – so follow us and stay tuned!

How are you promoting veganism? What is your strategy behind the same?

Veganism is now a very omnipresent diet choice that is encouraged, endorsed, and quickly adopted across the globe. Zouk has been a very active brand on its social media channels.

I have always believed in providing engaging content that truly pushes our brand values. I have always believed in creating compelling content that embodies our company principles of being Proudly Indian, Responsive, and Hand crafted. I regularly publish content that combines these values with varied themes. I use the content to discuss not only our products, but also the ideals that the brand represents.

For example, our Christmas content theme for the past two years has been Santa’s Bag is Vegan. I used this to discuss how many shoppers can choose a more responsible bag. That happiness bag is similar to Santa’s sack.

I chose November as the month to throw this massive event because it is also World Vegan Month. I’ve always advocated for ethical, cruelty-free lifestyle choices. It instils the same ideals in its diverse selection of vegan products, ensuring both style and comfort. Taking another step in the same manner, I sponsored the Vegan Creators Day & Awards to recognise digital creators who have been the most influential in bringing this transformation to India.

How did you identify your TG? Did you carry out any feasibility studies before starting your business?

Zouk has entered the footwear market with Bellies, Sandals, Chappals, and Sliders. These are aimed at women between the ages of 25 and 40, who are similar to our bag buyers. They like to wear something sophisticated that adds a touch of refinement to their personality. Our items are actually developed by the people for the people. I prioritise well-designed over flashy. That has been the Zouk secret sauce for bags, and I have extended it to footwear.

Aside from the Zouk secret sauce, I’ve spent a lot of effort making our footwear very comfy, which women deserve. I want them to be our clients’ first option for office, party, and holiday use.

What were the challenges that you faced in your start-up journey and how did you overcome them?

From the standpoint of my entrepreneurial journey, I would say this. As a woman founder, it was tough to persuade craftspeople to collaborate with me at first. It was weird for them because they had been conditioned to work with male leaders. But when they realised my enthusiasm for the items we created together, everything changed. This aided both parties’ growth in terms of product quality and quantity over time.

What would be your message for budding entrepreneurs?

Ask for help. Entrepreneurship is a very lonely and long journey. However, one can make it easier by asking for help and advice from experienced folks. During my journey, whenever I have asked for help from fellow entrepreneurs, they have immensely helped me. They share their take on any problem and how they tackled it. That has helped me to come up with a solution fit for us at Zouk.