Parth Mashrani, D2C Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Capes Skins, talks to me about his daily habits for making the difficult entrepreneurial journey a lot more enjoyable.
Founders: Parth Mashrani, Dhruv Khandwala and Shrey Khandwala
Entrepreneurs are constantly on edge, and they must progress and survive in the highly competitive business world. As a result, they must cultivate habits that will enable them to become a better person capable of facing and overcoming the rigours of entrepreneurship.
The current D2C market in India is being driven by Gen-Next entrepreneurs who, with their New Age approach, are inspiring traditional conglomerates. Capes India, a key player in the mobile accessories category, is one such upcoming D2C brand. Capes India sells skins and wraps for mobile phones, laptops, cameras, and other electronic devices.
In this segment, we speak with D2C Entrepreneur Parth Mashrani, founder of Capes Skins, about how he donned his cape during the tough entrepreneurial journey
1. Do you have a morning ritual that you strictly adhere to in order to have a productive day?
My day starts with a cup of tea or coffee, followed by reading in any form, whether it's a book, a tweet from a founder I follow, or some articles on the web that Google suggests, and then I check the stock market. I believe it is critical to keep an open mind in the morning to see what is going on in the world, and I feed that curiosity, which helps me set the tone for the day.
2. What tools and platforms do you use on a daily basis to automate marketing, supply chain and inventory management, sales, and customer service tasks?
At Capes, we sometimes feel like a tech company doing D2C for the systems we built with technology. We use Shopify to host our website, Freshdesk for customer support, and a slew of other tools to keep everything running smoothly. On top of that, we built a custom real-time inventory management system where raw materials and finished goods status are automated to reduce supply chain lead times.
3. Which supply chain/marketing activities do you prioritise on a daily basis to ensure smooth operations while managing scale?
In terms of marketing, I keep an eye on what's trending on social media and see if it aligns with our brand's ethos. That being said, I am also in charge of the supply chain and constantly monitor raw material inventory levels to ensure that our products do not run out of stock.
4. How do you ensure that your best-selling SKUs are always in stock? Do you go through your inventory on a daily basis? If yes, how?
We do not go through raw materials on a daily basis, but we do have a quick review almost every day to ensure that products do not run out of stock. We've set up relationships with suppliers so that if we don't order from them based on our forecast, they'll call us.
5. Which social media channel do you constantly monitor for new ideas, trends, and insights to help you improve your marketing strategies?
Instagram and YouTube are the most important social media channels for us because they are where the majority of our customers are targeted, so it is critical for us to stay on top of what is going on in the ecosystem so that we can plan our campaigns accordingly.
6. On a daily basis, which teams/departments do you work with? What role do you play in these discussions?
I am in charge of the majority of the company's avenues. To give you an idea, they are as follows: marketing, finance, supply chain, product development, production, web development, and human resources.
7. Which books/podcasts/people, etc., have positively influenced your daily habits?
Gary Vee, also known as Gary Vaynerchuck, Joe Rogan, Naval, and Patrick Bet David have all influenced my life. Through their videos and podcasts, I've learned many life fundamentals to follow and the impact they can have in the long run.
8. Which platform do you prefer for expressing yourself and connecting with others?I generally connect with American founders on Twitter and Indian founders wherever can find them on Instagram DMs, Twitter, WhatsApp, phone calls, and so on. I don't have a set schedule for writing or networking, but I enjoy tweeting my thoughts.
9. Do you think it's important to unplug and enjoy some downtime from work?
Yes, it is important to unplug and unwind because as an entrepreneur, you are constantly thinking. As a result, taking a short break will increase productivity in the long run. Meeting with friends, playing badminton or football, or working out at the gym all help me clear my mind.
10. What is the one thing you would advise future D2C entrepreneurs to incorporate into their daily routines?
Learning is imperative. The D2C space is fast and ever-evolving, things can change overnight. So keep learning and fulfilling the needs of your customers and the market will reward you just right.
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