A Million Dollar Idea: How Richa Kar, a Girl From a Middle-Class Family Founded Zivame Despite Social & Familial Opposition

Women have made significant progress and have taken strides towards modernity and growth the world over. However, women in India still find it difficult to discuss something as private as undergarments in public and find it awkward to buy innerwear in physical stores.

The situation is exacerbated when a woman has to explain her needs to a salesman in a retail store.

Richa Kar, upon learning about it through her personal experience and peer discussions, decided to launch her online store that would deliver lingerie to women in their homes, kind of like Amazon exclusively for lingerie.

And with that, she launched Zivame, her pet project, now a multi-million dollar company.

However, entrepreneurial life was more challenging for Richa Kar, who had to overcome many challenges in her journey to lead India’s online lingerie industry and control a multi-million-dollar business.

Early Life & Career

Born into a middle-class family in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, Richa graduated as an engineer from BITS Pilani in 2002. After a brief stint in IT, she joined Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies for an MBA, which she completed in 2007. Richa Kar interned at Spencer’s as a Brand Communications Manager and as a consultant at SAP. Richa worked with Limited, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, where she learned about the difficulties women face when looking for innerwear and conceived the idea to launch an online lingerie store.

Opposition From the Family and Society

Richa had to face a series of obstacles when she launched her lingerie business online. Her family was completely against it, and her mother strongly disapproved of the idea of her daughter selling innerwear online. According to various media reports, Richa’s mother was appalled by the notion of her daughter selling lingerie and questioned what she would say to her friends about it, while Richa’s father was unsure about her plans. She persisted and went ahead with her business venture.

When Richa started her business, she faced a lot of resistance from society. People used to mock her business when they found out about it. She also faced difficulty in finding a physical store for her firm. Even when she was renting a room, she had to tell the landlord that she sold clothing online.

The Birth Of Zivame

Zivame is a made-up word meaning radiant me. In Hebrew, Ziva means radiance, and Richa added me to it for a personal touch.

Richa’s mother played the role of a nurturer, provider, and support system for her daughter. She initially objected to Richa’s plan to sell intimate apparel but later realised that it was the right business for her daughter. She even offered her savings to help Richa start her own company. With the help of her loved ones and friends, Richa raised 35 lakhs to launch her company, Zivame, in 2011.

The success of Richa’s Initiative

Despite facing criticism and initial challenges, Zivame’s unique concept garnered attention from investors. In May 2012, Richa Kar secured her first funding of $3 million, followed by $6 million in December 2013 and a significant funding round of $40 million in 2015. Today, Zivame boasts a valuation of more than Rs. 681 crores

Gaining the popularity and the trust of customers, Zivame also launched other products like women’s clothing, fitness wear and sleepwear. With online business gaining popularity, Kar decided to set up offline Zivame stores, which allowed it to reach customers in tier 2 and tier 3 cities across India. Richa Kar stepped down as CEO in 2017 but maintained her position on the board of directors and retained her equity in Zivame. Reliance Retail acquired Zivame in 2020. According to estimates by the Economic Times, her net worth is around 750 crores.

Richa Kar’s successful entrepreneurial journey with Zivame is evidence of her unwavering determination, resilience, and ability to challenge conventional societal norms. Her inventive approach has revolutionised the lingerie shopping experience for women in India, leading to well-deserved recognition and triumph. As Zivame continues to flourish and expand, Richa Kar sets an example for upcoming entrepreneurs that with passion, commitment, and the bravery to break barriers, one can overcome any obstacle and achieve extraordinary success.

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