BENGALURU: You can take Saritha Hegde out of the corporate field, but you can’t take the leadership and executive traits out of her. Which is why, after 25 years of being a corporate honcho, Hegde quit the field only to start a new company, one that is far different from what she used to do. The 51-year-old – who was previously the senior vice president at Li and Fung, where she handled the accounts of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein – is now the founder of ‘not just hot’, a collection of gourmet offerings, including hot wok sauces, spice mixes, sambals and marinades, among others.
“The tipping point of my entrepreneurial journey started in the Coonoor market when I saw a wide spread of agricultural produce which urged me to start something that I always wanted to do – make quick stir fry,” says the Bengalurean. A keen traveller and foodie, Hegde has explored the cuisines of many places, like Hong Kong, Amsterdam, USA, Ladakh and Mangaluru.
But little did she know that this would form the bedrock and inspire her to begin a new entrepreneurial journey, which she undertook in June 2020. With a team of six members, Hegde’s venture expanded from 25 customers to 250 today. And her corporate training and principles played a role in shaping her new venture. From keeping her staff happy to serving joy to customers, Hegde always wanted to maintain a transactional relationship with people.
She says, “We follow an unconventional method of running things. Our website looks simple and informative but one cannot add things to the cart. We converse with our customers on WhatsApp to understand their needs and use social media to share informational videos on using the masalas, sauces and marinades.”
This entrepreneurial venture, however, is more of a “meaningful connection between food and people” than just a Covid home business. “We use a lot of spices to make continental and traditional dishes from scratch without compromising on our Indian roots,” explains Hegde who has partnered with her mother, Dr Indira Hegde, for this venture.
When she is not working, Hegde can be found poring over books related to science and spirituality. She is also the founder of The Friday Convent, an initiative that helps in empowering women with opportunities.
She believes that by depriving women from platforms to show their skill set, society is preventing them from advancing. “Girls from many villages have no scope for employment opportunities. There is a slight improvement now but not enough,” says Hegde. She, however, is doing her bit. Her six-member team comprises women adversely affected during the Covid crisis.
“In our team, there is no hierarchy. During the crisis we tapped the right people for the job and together we built the trust,” she says, while parting with some pearls of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Go for it! Live for your dreams and not other people’s dreams.”