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 Tejaswini Raaj for an interview with BrilliantRead Media. She is an Entrepreneur, Leader, Designer, and Consultant. Tejaswini is the Founder and Creative Director of Kaalcāri. Let’s learn more about her background, her inspiring journey so far and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Tejaswini:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I had a deep inclination towards art and design from early on. I have decided to combine my love for design with my work by choosing Footwear Design. There are a lot of problems in this space that I am trying to resolve.
Basically, I am a footwear designer by qualification. I hold a bachelor’s degree from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru in Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories design, an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York and a Master’s in Footwear from the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion.
I pursued my Master’s degree thesis in the area of health and wellness-based footwear. That was the time I researched extensively on the impact that our feet and footwear have on our overall well-being and health. After I completed my master’s, I wanted to bring my research findings into the market with Kaalcari. That’s how the brand was born.
We started with a line of barefoot sandals that had an ethnic aesthetic to it. We took part in many pop-ups and exhibitions, it was during this time that I discovered the need for customisation since many people came to us with different fit requirements and pre-existing medical conditions. That was the start of our customisation journey.
Today, we have created footwear for a variety of clients – post surgery, post amputation, diabetic neuropathy clients, customers who are rehabilitating from stroke and many more.”
While there are very few brands offering such services to customers, we stand out with our products as they are built aesthetically while keeping all the health requirements in focus.
‘Kaalcāri’ 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?
Kaalcāri literally means – ‘Foot Movement’.
It is an amalgamation of the Kannada word Kaal meaning Foot/Leg and Cāri meaning movement in Sanskrit. Kaalcāri envisions enhancing health and wellness through footwear while enabling mobility.
Kaalcāri offers technology-enabled gait and posture analysis, customised insoles, supports and customised footwear. We ensure all health requirements are met while making the product aesthetic.
We create footwear and foot solutions for flat feet, heel spur, plantar fasciitis, pronation, supination, oedema, metatarsus adductus, limb discrepancy, stroke rehabilitation, diabetic neuropathy, amputation, polio, post-surgery and many more cases.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Nothing is ever easy, right? Especially not entrepreneurship! But, what keeps me going is when I see my clients walking, better than how they walked before and walking pain-free.
I want people to keep moving and I can help people do so with my products and services. Being truly called by the impact we are creating, enhancing mobility and movement – this really gets me going when things are rough.”
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
Listen to the universe and follow the gut: There have been times when I feel lost and clueless about how to go forward but I have learnt to trust the Universe and follow the design of life. There is certainly a larger force that is guiding us and it works in our favour when we listen to it and trust it.
Work hard and never give up: Business can get tough, life can get tough too but one thing I have always believed is that hard work pays. Go that extra mile, learn along the way but and don’t ever give up.
Build a happy environment around you: Having a happy environment around you can make life such a joy. I believe that a good work environment will motivate people to do better and achieve better. This is the culture we have at Kaalcari- Everyone in the team works happily, feels responsible and takes ownership to deliver the products and services that we promise.
Most importantly, when we deliver results and see our satisfied customers – it makes the whole journey worth it. This environment has helped our team bond well too. Even during tough times we put our heads together and look at how to solve problems as a team ensuring a healthy work and learning environment.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
There are many keys to success and there isn’t a fixed path to it. I believe there are various contributing factors, some of which are:
> Hard work
> Perseverance
> Responsibility
> Open-mindedness
> Willingness to learn
> Positive attitude
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Follow your heart but take decisions responsibly. There are so many options available today and you can pick anything but, to build a successful career in that, you have to be proactive and learn at every step of the way.
A lot of people still tell me that they didn’t know Footwear was a course one could study. While studying, I heard comments about how it is very difficult to build a career in such a niche field.
But what I think has helped me work towards Kaalcāri is the fact that I am in a niche sector. So it is completely in our hands to build our career the way we want to in a successful manner while also creating an impact around us.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
The fact that I get to meet so many new people! I love talking to people and understanding more about them.
When I meet new clients, I also get to hear their pain points & struggles and it really gets me to think – How can I help and make their lives better?
And when we create an impact through our service- it makes me feel satisfied and fulfilled.
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