At BrilliantRead Media, our aim is to bring to our community some of the unique and compelling stories from the start-up ecosystem. As part of this endeavour, we invited yet another passionate young yet seasoned entrepreneur – Rohit Kukreja, for an exclusive interview with us. Rohit is the Co-founder of Inspire India Summit. Let’s learn more about his exciting journey as an entrepreneur, his background and his advice for our growing community:
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Rohit:
Tell us a little bit about yourself (background) and your journey as an entrepreneur, please;
I am 28 years old right now and I started at the age of 19. The same old story with every fat kid in India, I wanted to lose weight as well as educate myself. So while doing my graduation I joined a training academy where I did my courses in sports nutrition and personal training. That’s when I realised my passion for fitness.
I started selling Supplements door to door to support my personal expenses when I was 19 and it never felt like Work.
So at 19, my journey actually began. I shifted to Mumbai from Delhi in the year 2012. Next few years went into learning the tricks and the trade since Mumbai was a New city and I had zero contacts on where and how to start.
At the time I had a belief that if I stick around in this city I will become something. I met 100s of athletes, dealers, CEOs who used to come and workout at the gym.
My gym sessions usually lasted for 4 hours a day it was not the workout! It was the networking and friends that I made. My gym actually became my biggest networking zone and I never realised until the time I got my first official project through a friend.
I started working as a freelancer in the year 2016 with the health and fitness exhibition companies. I never thought that I’ll be selling stall spaces to brands but yes that’s what my job was.
Since I had knowledge about nutrition and fitness it was easier for me to communicate with the brands and make them understand what we do. I feel very proud sharing this that in a span of working with the MNC for 2 months. I got them over 14 brands and did revenue of 14 lakhs for them.
This was the time when I realised my potential in sales and that’s where I got bit by the bug of entrepreneurship. I left the company within 3 months of being the top salesman for that particular show.”
And started my own company absolute innovative marketing in the year 2017. The idea behind starting my own company was that I wanted to help out the gyms, fitness trainers, brands grow.
Do something which no one else was doing. My journey as an entrepreneur in the field of health and fitness has been really exciting. I feel lucky enough that the health and fitness industry in India has welcomed my show inspire India summit with open arms.
When we started, of course, there was very little support from the brands as everyone wanted to test out the water before putting their money. 2019 was a really difficult year for us as we were putting a show for the first time but we had a belief that this will work. So to raise the funds I had few of my FDS that my grandad kept it for me. I invested all my savings and did inspire India summit. It was difficult at that time but I guess that’s what entrepreneurship is.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a job?
I hate corporate politics, few of the employees are jealous of each other’s success. Doubts are raised just because you are new and young even though you are the best performer in the team.
I wanted to work freely, take decisions without asking 10 other people who are jealous and looking for credits.”
Even though the freelancing job was paying me a decent amount but still there was no satisfaction. I was busy building someone else’s empire rather than building my own. The reason for choosing entrepreneurship over a job was Freedom to do whatever I want.
What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e. what’s your source of motivation?
I am hungry for work !!! I want to be the biggest fitness entrepreneur in India that’s what drives me every day. I talk to myself, I discuss problems in my head and I try and find a solution for it. My biggest motivation is words by Ellon musk. Which says “great companies are built on great products”
Tell us more about inspire India summit?
Inspire India summit is a combination of multiple segments where the focus is only B2B market.
It starts with inspire India conclave it’s the only health and fitness conclave in India. Where we invite different CEOs, dealers, distributors, celebrity trainers, influencers to come and share their journeys on how did they start, what do they do? How do they do it? What do they want?
The second segment of the show is inspire India awards #thehonestawards
These are the first honest awards for the health and fitness industry, where we don’t take sponsorships from brands or anyone.
The awards are given on the basis of qualifications. These 2 segments are focussed on empowering the deserving and finding solutions.”
Now the third and the most important segment of the show is called TRP programme.
The trainer referral programme where we help out 1000 trainers across India in getting the basic nutrition sponsorships.
So let’s break down the TRP in simple words. We take 6-8 samples of nutrition products from each Nutrition brand supporting our show which includes BCAA, Protein sachets, protein bars to be given to fitness trainers who are enrolling under the TRP programme.
So this means 6 brands = 48 samples which is equal to a small box of protein.
So the trainers who enrol under the TRP Programme get this goodie bag for a span of 6 months.
With the TRP programme, it’s not heavy on the brands’ pocket as they are only giving samples but from a trainer point of view, it is a goodie bag which is enough for his basic needs.
This year 2020 we are going to provide sponsorships to 2000 fitness trainers in India for free.
Now the fourth and last segment of the show is called MICMac Nutrition stores. To support the brands associated with us. We came with this concept of opening Nutrition stores inside gym premises starting from Mumbai. We have 4 Micmac Nutrition stores in Mumbai and the plan is to open 50 by the mid of 2021 in Mumbai and Delhi.
To top it up we have a Micmac mega store coming up in south Delhi near Aurobindo college.
Where we are going to sell at online prices and faster delivery in Delhi than any other platform. Along with the store, we have a Micmac shaketeria coming up. Where we are going to serve more than 70 varieties of healthy shakes, pre-workout, vegan shakes, keto shakes on Zomato and Swiggy at affordable prices.
What challenges/obstacles did you face in your journey so far?
To be very honest here the challenges that we faced, in the beginning, was funding. We had the ideas, we had the execution team but the only challenge was funding. There were very fewer brands when we started but now everything is sorted by gods grace.
I remember my first meeting with a Nutrition brand in New Delhi. I waited for an hour to meet this person. He was the sales head of the company. The meeting started and ended in 3 minutes and he told me that what shit is this? What is TRP programme? Who are you?
This idea won’t work and that was an obstacle for me to make people understand what I do. To make them believe in my business.
What comes first for you – money or emotions?
It’s all about the emotion and the vibe. I think from the heart First and then the mind comes in play. I am very much attached to everyone on am emotional level whom I do business with.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
It’s very simple if you are doing something that you don’t like it will
Lead to stress:
Stress and pressure will only get you if you are not prepared.
I design my strategies and days accordingly so that I don’t get this so-called word called stress
What is one strategy that you believe has helped you grow as a person/startup?
I call it H3 – Hustle, Honesty and Hard work.
There is no secret to success, anyone can be successful if they follow what they love and do it with passion.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Keys to success is being honest with your work.
Work like there is no tomorrow!!
Give your 500 per cent and then leave it up to the GOD.
Keep your karma right and you will be successful.
What advice would you give to someone starting out as an aspiring entrepreneur?
Don’t be afraid to fail! Be a fighter. Fight for your dreams.
Think big and think out of the box. God is watching you! Keep your karma right and it will come back to you in unexpected ways.
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.
