If you want to make it big in business, you can even start by thinking small. Well, if there is a paradox there, it doesn't matter as long as it makes good business sense. Ask Sangeeta Shekhawat, proprietor of the Cutemate range of toys. Based in Bangalore, this lady has toyed with the enterprise for the past four years now, operating right from home, single-handedly. Going by the response and the rate of success, she isn't certainly complaining! indiamarkets met the lady and learnt that there is a lesson, however small, for all those who can't get away from home, but want to make an extra note and do something worthwhile.

indiamarkets: What does the Cutemate range of toys comprise?
Sangeeta:   Well, most of it is about stuffed toys _ cute cuddly bears, chimps, giraffe, baby dolls etc. But we also make glove toys; these are shaped like animals/birds but are worn in, like gloves and are used to illustrate stories, puppet shows etc.

indiamarkets: What are the materials that go into your toys?
Sangeeta: It's polycotton (a kind of soft cotton) that are used to stuff toys, besides synthetic fur. The basic idea is that they have to be washable as it is kids who use these and so get dirty very soon.

indiamarkets: Stuffed toys have always been in demand. What is the age group of children who go in for your toys; is it seen more as a girlish fad?
Sangeeta: It's amusing, but I find lots of adults take the toys home for themselves! Apart from children till the age group of 7-8, who are our main targets, we have older people buying them, even guys to woo their girlfriends. I think the fact that these are cute and cuddly, and that they make nice gifts,  makes them very popular. In fact, a lot of it goes into corporate gifts, as people love having such things over their desktops and around their cubicles.

indiamarkets: It is estimated that the domestic toy market has a potential to grow up to Rs 450 crore this year. Also, it is said that there is a growing market especially for soft toys and educational toys? How do you propose to exploit this potential within your range?
Sangeeta: I for one market my stuff mostly through schools where we can directly reach out to the core target: the school children. I also get feedback from them which gives me ideas before I start out on my next range. In the present range, like I mentioned before, glove toys have a definite educational value for children. I have sold this to various schools where kindergarten teachers are given these toys while teaching the children.

indiamarkets: Do you think there is a threat to the domestic toys from their foreign counterparts? Where, do you think, imported toys, specifically soft toys, have an edge over ours?
Sangeeta: Personally, I have not found much difference between the two, but for the fact that they have a better finish as they are machine-made, as against ours which are hand-stitched. The materials they use are eco-friendly. But there is surely an element of craze for foreign goods which tilts the scales in their favour.

indiamarkets: What are the requisites to get into this enterprise, in terms of investment and other infrastructure?
Sangeeta: Very less. One ought to know the basics of  stitching and stuffed toy-making, for which classes are held in lots of places. (These can be checked out from newspaper/mag classifieds). And oodles of imagination. There is no limit as to what one can do with stuffed toys. Any kind of enterprise does need a lot of effort, but this gives a lot of scope for innovations, ideas in terms of colours, utilities. For instance, you can create a huge soft chimpanzee and make a pouch in his hand, that would turn into a pen-holder. You can just attach a ring into the mouth of a teddy and that can double up as a towel stand. Ideas are all that matter.

indiamarkets: What about the returns? Are they lucrative enough?
Sangeeta: Quite high. I have surfed a lot of websites that sell toys online and when I see the price tags on them, I am shocked; they are so exorbitant. We sell at not such high prices, yet manage to make a decent margin despite that. I think it is well worth  a try.