At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited passionate entrepreneurs Ritesh D. Ritelin and Aastha Vohra for an interview with BrilliantRead Media. They are the Co-founders of Manzuri. Let’s learn more about her background, her inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with them:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as an entrepreneur, and now working as a team.
Ritesh – My passion for sexual wellness and education started early on in my life, I have been studying the cate-gory for more than 8 years now.
During my extensive time at POPxo, I was involved in creating compelling material for topics like sex education, sex toys, pleasure, and other related topics. We had an open platform where anonymous users could come and discuss these subjects.
There was a surprising thing I noticed. We have more female users discussing about sex, and they are just as eager as males on this subject. Consent, hygiene, lack of education, orgasms, and myths were only a few of the many sex-related problems that vulva owners faced.”
I discussed with my childhood friend Aastha about a gap in the market for comprehensive sexual wellness and education resources that were inclusive and accessible to everyone. Her views inspired me to co-find a sexual wellness and education brand with a like-minded individual as her who shared my vision.
Overcoming the stigma and taboo associated with sex and pleasure was one of the largest obstacles we encountered.”
We put in a lot of effort as a team to develop a brand that addressed the issues of many communities while offering honest and thorough information.
Together, we have worked to create a brand that not only provides high-quality products but also educates and empowers our customers to make informed decisions. We are really proud of the fact our brand has helped countless individuals and couples improve their sexual health and well-being.
Ritesh D. Ritelin | Founder
What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career?
One of the things that attracted us to entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career was the ability to be creative and innovative.
We have the freedom to develop new products and services, experiment with marketing strategies, and tailor our approach to meet the unique needs of our customers.”
Additionally, as entrepreneurs, we have the opportunity to work on something that we truly believe in and are passionate about. This sense of purpose and ownership is something that we find incredibly rewarding.
Overall, while a corporate career may offer stability and security, entrepreneurship offers the opportunity to create something truly meaningful and impactful, and that is what attracted us to this path.
‘Manzuri’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
Aastha – I came up with the name. This word’s core meaning in Hindi is ‘consent’, which we believe to be extremely important to take into account when discussing sex.
Another definition is ‘female masturbation’ in Japanese. This term served as the foundation for Manzuri; it has been this since day one and will remain the same for 20 years.
As a brand, we are solving a number of problems. Many people are interested in exploring their sexuality and improving their sexual health, but they don’t know where to turn for reliable information or safe products.”
Our brand provides a range of products and educational resources, which are designed to help and improve their sexual experience. By providing a safe and supportive environment for them to learn and explore, we are helping to break down these barriers and promote healthy discussions about sex and pleasure.
We are also addressing the problem of misinformation and lack of education around sexual health. Many people receive incomplete or inaccurate information about sex, which can lead to misunderstandings and unhealthy behaviours.
What does your company specialise in?
We work with top manufacturers and suppliers to ensure that our products meet the highest standards of quality and safety. With every product, we include a handbook that thoroughly explains how to use it.
Our customer service is excellent, and Aastha personally joins the conversation with the customer if more assistance is needed.
‘Get Cliterate’ is a community that we have worked hard to establish. Instead of overly sexualizing the subject with uncomfortable language and unrealistic imagery, we use engaging content and creative illustration to educate people.
We want them to feel empowered, not immoral. We work hard to ensure that our product offerings and marketing messages are inclusive and representative of a diverse range of people and perspectives.
There is so much taboo around sexual pleasure and intimacy. How are you driving a change in mindset?
We are also working to shift the focus from shame and negativity to pleasure and positivity.
Rather than treating sex as something that is taboo or shameful, we promote the idea that sex is a natural and healthy part of life, and that everyone deserves to experience pleasure and intimacy in their own way.”
We conduct sessions in corporate and institutions so that we may raise awareness using the appropriate TG. We make the best use of digital platforms to reach out to as many people as we can. We are working to promote this message through our products, educational resources and community.
Have you tried to tap the smaller towns or Tier 2-3 cities? How has the reaction been there?
We have actively tried to tap into smaller towns in order to reach a wider audience and make our products more accessible. Chennai and Assam are one of the top 5 cities in our demographics. We have had massive success in Tier 2 cities which is a direct reflection of true Indians and their readiness towards taking control of their pleasure.
We have found that people are generally receptive to our message and are eager to learn more about how they can enhance their sexual experiences
On the other hand, we have also encountered resistance and hesitation due to the social, cultural attitudes and fear of judgment towards the subject. However, India is the land of Kamasutra, a book that talks about positions of pleasure specifically for women, and Manzuri is driving the change to go back to our ancient roots.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Shadow was Banned by Instagram, rejected from Internshala, banned from LinkedIn, rejected by Razorpay PayU Paytm and almost all payment gateways. LinkedIn removed their ban and flipped their policy completely, now giving more push to sex positive content. We made that happen.
Yes, but we couldn’t have done it alone. The community helped us push our case. However, I (Ritesh) believe that these challenges are an integral part of our mission, overcoming them by creating meaningful change in the lives of the people we cater to.
Apart from my passion, I am also driven by the support and encouragement of my team and community. The constructive feedback we receive from our customers and the impact we see our products and education has on their lives is incredibly motivating and helps us to stay focused on our mission.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation?
Ritesh – We are all motivated by different things, people, projects and ideas. For me, my motivation comes very close to home and that is my family. Most of life’s biggest lessons.
I’ve learnt by looking at my family, which unlike most households is extremely giving and liberal. They taught me that nothing is more important than being yourself, and it does not matter what you do as long as you’re having fun doing it.
At Manzuri, we try to help more women learn about their own bodies and get to a point where they can 100% feel like themselves while having a lot of fun.
Aastha – My biggest motivation has been the lack of access to information and conversations on the subject. So much so that talking about it in my own social circle was just not enough. And I had the incessant urge to do more.
Aastha Vohra | Co-Founder
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow professionally?
As a brand, a few strategies that have helped us grow tremendously is the unquestionable faith both the founders have on each other, and our mutual decision to grow Manzuri slowly and unsteadily as a profitable business. Both of us are very big on customer fulfilment and whatever decision Manzuri takes, is for the customers and that’s that.
We believe that when we build a product for the customers, money will follow. Collaboration is a new way to go. Working with other professionals and organizations to expand our knowledge and expertise, and to gain exposure to new ideas and approaches has helped tremendously.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Building a business is a journey filled with ups and downs. Being able to bounce back from setbacks, needs to be in your personality. It’s never a one-man show but of a team who shares a common vision.
Putting the customer experience at the centre of everything you do is critical to success and it keeps us ahead of the curve in a competitive market. Customer service is essential for staying relevant and meeting the changing needs.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Think about money first and then you will find your passion. Sometimes, you need a bit of money to find your passion. What if your passion is sky-diving and expensive adventure sports?
– Nothing is more important than relationships. Don’t burn any bridges.
– Find a mentor and don’t let them go.
– Create more value than you receive. Give more than you take.
– A great manager = a great job
– Make sure you have a side income from day one.
Last but not least, what are the three most important lessons you have learned in business or in your life?
1. You have to be willing to face setbacks, failures, and obstacles, and keep pushing forward. The road to success is rarely easy, but if you are persistent, you can overcome any challenge.
2. No one achieves success alone. Building strong relationships and leveraging the strengths of your team are all essential for achieving your goals.
3. Embrace a growth mindset and commit to lifelong learning to stay ahead of the curve. I (Ritesh) believe this is applicable to any industry not just ours.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
