Sushama Chitnis, Swedanika & Travel Pulse

          

Sushama began her career by working in the travel industry for almost 15 years till 2015, when she began to feel the need to stop working for someone else and instead start working independently. Once she made up her mind, the next big question was which sector to venture into. There were three verticals that Sushama was keen on- travel, food and clothing. She believed each of these was an evergreen industry in India. However, there were challenges involved in each.

Her prior knowledge in the travel sector made it relatively easier to start out with. In food she decided to opt for pickles and in clothing she began promoting Pathani sarees and hand painted kurtis and dupattas. The idea was that at least one of the three verticals would take off.

The travel agency worked really well till the pandemic hit in 2020, grinding all travel to a halt. That was when Sushama decided she needed to focus on the other verticals. While pickles were a segment she continued to work with, she changed the name of the venture from Sushama’s Kitchen to Sushama’s Swedanika and began focusing on Maharashtrian snacks. Over time she added varieties of traditional Maharashtrian snacks like patra, mixed dal dhokla, vada pav, and dhaniya vadis. She also included sweets like Modak, Shreekhand, Puran polis, Laddoos and Gujiyas, keeping in mind the popularity of these products in India.  

The biggest challenge Sushama faced was the infusion of funds any new business required. In addition, social media marketing and promotions was something she needed to quickly learn.

Apart from her love for the businesses, Sushama is passionate about plants. She is fast running out of space to keep all the plants she collects! Sushama has one son who is 29 years old, leaving her with ample time to focus on expanding and maintaining her businesses.

Follow her on

https://newagemompreneurs.in/member/Sushama-Chitnis

https://newagemompreneurs.in/member/Sushama-Chitnis-2

https://www.instagram.com/sushamasswedanika/

https://www.instagram.com/travelpulse1/


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