The Great Mango Mishap & Other Business Blunders: What’s Really Holding You Back?
Alright, folks, let’s talk business. But not the boring, spreadsheet-filled kind. We’re going to talk about the real stuff, the masala of entrepreneurship – the unexpected twists, the hilarious missteps, and the often-baffling reasons why your business might be stuck in first gear. And, trust me, after 25 years of wading through the wonderfully chaotic world of business, I’ve seen it all.
We often think that the biggest roadblocks to success are things like lack of funding, fierce competition, or maybe that one rogue social media post your intern accidentally scheduled at 3 AM. (Poor Ravi, he’s still recovering.) But, in my experience, the real culprit is often something far more insidious: a lack of clear, strategic vision coupled with a refusal to take a good hard look in the mirror.
I know, I know, it sounds like something your grandma would say, right? But hear me out, because the truth, like a perfectly ripe Alphonso mango, is often deceptively simple.
Let me tell you about two folks, two perfectly capable, hard-working entrepreneurs who were, in their own unique ways, completely bamboozled by their own businesses.
Story #1: The Great Mango Mishap of Mrs. Patel’s Pickles
First up, we have the inimitable Mrs. Patel. Mrs. Patel makes the most amazing mango pickle. I’m talking the kind that makes your eyes water and your tastebuds do a happy jig. For years, she ran a small, local pickle business. Her pickles were legendary in the neighbourhood, but her sales were, let’s just say, not quite as explosive as her chili-to-mango ratio.
She was working harder than a bullock cart on a Mumbai afternoon – spending hours in the kitchen, sourcing the finest mangoes, and meticulously making each batch with her secret family recipe. She blamed the lack of sales on everything: “too much competition,” she’d grumble, “those darn youngsters with their fancy Instagram pickles!”, or “the government is making it impossible for small businesses!”
Now, Mrs. Patel wasn’t entirely wrong – she was facing competition, and the bureaucratic hurdles were indeed a pain in the aam. But, one day, while I was savouring one of her delicious creations (I may or may not have been bribing her for a discount), she asked me for some help.
So, we sat down, and I asked her, “Mrs. Patel, what’s the one thing your customers say about your pickles?” She paused, took a bite of her own pickle (because, you know, even she can’t resist), and said, “They say it’s the most authentic taste they’ve ever had. It reminds them of home.”
And there it was. The answer, like a perfectly placed haldi stain on a white kurta, was staring us right in the face. Mrs. Patel wasn’t just selling pickle; she was selling nostalgia, a taste of home, and a connection to heritage.
Her problem? She was focusing on selling pickles rather than selling a feeling. We tweaked her branding, refocused her marketing on the emotional connection, and lo and behold, Mrs. Patel’s pickles started flying off the shelves faster than you can say “achaar!”
Story #2: The Case of the Confused Clothing Brand, “Desi Threads”
Then, there’s Rajesh, a perfectly lovely chap who owned an online clothing brand called “Desi Threads.” Rajesh had a great eye for design, sourcing fabrics that were both trendy and traditional, but his sales were… well, let’s just say they weren’t reflecting his creative genius.
Rajesh was convinced the issue was his website – it wasn’t “slick enough,” he’d say, or the models weren’t “trendy enough.” He poured money into website redesigns, hired expensive photographers, and bombarded his social media with posts featuring models who looked like they’d just stepped off a Bollywood set.
He was chasing the shiny objects, the latest marketing tactics, while completely ignoring the underlying issue. One day, after I’d received yet another panicked email from him about a new marketing gimmick, we had a chat.
“Rajesh,” I asked him, “Who is your target customer? Who are you trying to reach?” He started talking about “young, modern Indians,” using buzzwords like “global citizens” and “fashion-forward trendsetters.”
And that’s when it hit me. Rajesh was trying to please everyone, and as a result, he wasn’t connecting with anyone. “Desi Threads” was caught between the traditions it claimed to embody and the latest trends it was desperately chasing.
We did some deep work, and we realised his true customers were actually Indians living abroad, longing for clothes that were rooted in tradition but designed for modern life. We helped him re-brand, focus on comfortable yet elegant clothing, and targeted his marketing to this specific audience. Suddenly, “Desi Threads” found its niche and its sales started reflecting his vision and not what he thought they should be.
The Moral of These Masala-Filled Stories?
So, what do these two stories teach us? That more often than not, the one thing holding your business back isn’t a lack of money, or the competition, or the “algorithm.” It’s a lack of clarity, a lack of strategic vision, and a failure to really understand your customers. It’s the inability to take an unbiased, hard look at yourself and your business.
You might be so caught up in the daily grind that you’ve lost sight of the bigger picture. You might be chasing the latest trends, copying the competition, or focusing on the wrong things altogether. You might be working hard, but are you working smart?
And that, my friends, is where I come in. With 25 years in the trenches, I’ve learned how to cut through the noise, see the hidden truths, and help businesses just like yours unlock their full potential.
I’m not going to promise you a magic wand or a quick fix. But I will offer you a strategic, results-driven approach, a fresh perspective, and a whole lot of desi wisdom (and some terrible jokes thrown in for good measure).
Ready to Ditch the Blunders and Build Something Amazing?
If you’re ready to take a good hard look at your business, stop running in circles, and start moving forward with clarity and confidence, I’m here to help. Let’s chat. Let’s figure out what’s really holding you back, and let’s create a plan that sets you on the path to sustainable success. Click the link below to schedule a free discovery call. Let’s turn your business into a success story.
Let’s get your business blooming.
-Abdul
P.S. Don’t be like Mrs. Patel stuck selling just pickles, or Rajesh chasing ghosts, book a call now and lets build your vision!
