On this week’s edition of ‘The Founder’ we feature Shero Meezan, Founder, Events by Shero, Love Drops by Shero and Weddings by Shero.
In your own words, what is Events by Shero?
Events by Shero focuses on styling bespoke luxury events for our discerning clientele both in Sri Lanka and overseas. Whilst Love Drops is a luxury, gifting business born during the pandemic that curates flowers, chocolates and customized products to be delivered to loved ones. Weddings by Shero focuses on luxurious, floral décor for weddings, engagements and other special occasions.
What inspired you to start your own business?
The inspiration came when I was styling my sons’ birthdays in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As part of the expat community there I enjoyed it very much and I was asked to style a few of my friend’s parties and it took off from there. With Love Drops I wanted to diversify during the pandemic and found an opportunity in the delivery space to deliver contact free gifting.
What was the journey like, from the start to building the business up to where it is right now?
It has not been an easy one, but it has been one of growth. I started in Bangladesh and began building a reputation there whilst also being a full-time mum. Making a name in Colombo was also something that required time and energy and the right events; it isn’t an easy market as the competition is fierce and clients are discerning, staying ahead of the curve is also something we focus on. We have to be creative you can’t just copy one event and paste it to the next client; it is a crescendo that we build up to and then have to ride the next wave again. We were thrown the curve ball of Covid, and now the halting of imports also proves challenging, but being adaptable, resilient and creative allows us to still throw amazing events and concepts for our clients and we get to continue to support our suppliers.
What were the hardships you faced as an Entrepreneur and what was the toughest one yet?
I would say that the hardest decision was leaving Bangladesh. I had built a brand and was sought after in the community. I had to move back for my husband and kids. This is an important lesson in resilience and tenacity. If you really want to do something you can make it happen anywhere. Often, we wait for the perfect time, place, person and moment and in this waiting-game we miss the opportunity. The great thing about that experience is that given the current situation in the country I can look to re-engage my clients in Bangladesh and the Maldives, and although it is difficult as a mother of three, I believe that I can make it work and contribute some much needed dollars to our economy.
Being an Entrepreneur, what was it like facing the global pandemic? How did it affect the business?
Of course, the event industry in general took a hit alongside hospitality and tourism. Not only were we unable to gather people we were also unable to execute the weddings that we had already booked for. In hindsight we worked together as an industry to support one another, but as with anything, necessity is the mother of invention and I was able to transfer my energy to Love Drops and focus on the contact-free delivery space as we all missed our loved ones and empathy was needed to be delivered!
Explain a few marketing strategies you have implemented, and what makes them successful?
My main marketing strategy is using social media and word of mouth, it really does depend on what you are selling. For products it is important to have a very robust strategy that is about content, engagement and awareness, as mine is more a service I’ve really let it speak for itself, much like art it is open to interpretation, so what I focus on is word of mouth and keeping my focus on ensuring the quality of the service exceeds expectation.
What motivates you to wake up in the morning and do what you do on daily basis?
The variety gets me up every morning. No two days are the same, either I’m visiting a client, an event or thinking of concepts for my next event. I find that creativity and variety are indeed as the spice of life and especially in this space, there are new concepts and ideas that keep me excited each day.
How did you get your initial start-up capital?
Luckily for me I didn’t need to borrow for my initial set-up as I had saved from my business in Dhaka, and I wanted to take baby steps anyway, building my credibility along the way.
What separates Events by Shero from its competitors?
A unique experience, consistent quality and attention to detail! From the very first inquiry to the end product, each customer gets a personalized experience to suit their needs. When you order from us, you are assured that each and every aspect of your order will be delivered to you as per your request. I genuinely think the key players in the industry have all carved a niche and my clients come to me for glamour, uniqueness, and creativity.
What is your definition of the word success?
Success is personal. I measure it on how I feel about the job I do. Sometimes you can get all the praise in the world but if you are not satisfied and if you feel like you can give more, then personally I haven’t achieved success.
Also you cannot measure success by societal yardsticks, we tend to think of it as tangible assets such as cars, houses, luxury goods and dream holidays as opposed to happiness, peace of mind, mental stability and solid friendships; this is what I focus on now.
Why did you decide to enter this industry?
It was not a strategic attempt at entering this industry. In fact when I moved from Dhaka the market for events already felt saturated. I do believe that if you are passionate enough and obsessed about something chances are that you will carve a niche in the market for yourself.
How did you discover your passion for your business?
I was genuinely oblivious to it as I was doing it for fun, planning parties and events and then my friends told me I should be doing this as a business and started paying me for it! So I thought why not put my business mind to good use!
Who are your role models?
Elon Musk. We have a lot in common, the sky is the limit for us, and our imagination has no bounds. So yes, radical ideas, ability to keep thinking out of the box as well as his imaginative mind definitely is something I look to emulate.
Was your family supportive of your new venture?
Yes! I’m very lucky to have a supportive family and most of all be a role model to my three boys. Of course, as with anything in an Asian family you do get the naysayers and those who will try to give their opinion but if you have the support of your immediate family and invest in bringing them along on your journey you will get the fire you need to succeed.
Have you tried and failed with anything in the past?
I wouldn’t say failed, as I prefer to think of things as challenges. In the past before starting Events by Shero I was in the corporate world and in-between I haven’t really tried anything else. Yes, there have been moments on the journey where it feels like I have failed but I’ve always focused on solutions rather than problems and have used techniques to fight forward and recuperate from challenges.
What is the end goal?
The business depends on my creativity and vision and isn’t a product and therefore it isn’t something that can be passed down unless one of my children is a creative person, so what I really want is to do this as long as it continues to make me happy and then consider international avenues to expand in the near future; watch this space.
What advice would you give other start-ups?
If you look at businesses such as BlackBerry, TomTom or Blockbuster, lack of innovation and creativity can make you a one hit wonder. So my advice would be that you keep your business agile and innovative, and never think that you “made it” because it will always be a moment in time.
