Viraj Bahl, who serves as a judge on Shark Tank India Season 4, has opened up about his challenging entrepreneurial beginnings, including the drastic step of selling his wife’s home to fund his startup. Veeba, now one of India’s leading sauce and mayonnaise brands, was born out of necessity after Bahl faced tremendous setbacks from his earlier restaurant venture.
Founded in 2013, Veeba came after Bahl’s restaurant business crumbled, following five years of hard work and investment. According to Bahl, the pivot to sauces was filled with obstacles from the start. "After the restaurant business shut down, I was completely broke. There was no money. When I thought I want to get back to business, I went to my wife and said, ‘Riddhima, I want to sell our house and start a business,’" Bahl disclosed. To his surprise, Riddhima didn’t hesitate, responding, "If this is your passion, let’s do this." This unwavering support was the cornerstone upon which Veeba was built.
Despite their determination, the first few years were anything but easy. Bahl recalls, "The first two years of Veeba were very challenging... I had started a huge factory, but couldn’t bring in the business. Our first order had come two years after I started the company. Dominos approached us for about 70 tons of sauce." This significant order marked the turning point for Veeba, transforming it from struggling startup to established brand.
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial lessons, Bahl emphasizes the importance of collaboration. He stated, "After a point, your business is limited to your ideas if you don’t hire people who are more capable than you for execution." This insight highlights the necessity of surrounding oneself with talented individuals to achieve sustained business success.
On the flip side, the narrative around marriage and professional success remains pervasive, especially for women. A recent encounter with an old classmate highlighted societal views on marital status—how it can influence perceptions of power and success. The encounter brought up feelings of insecurity as the classmate, now successful and stylish, still evoked the insecurities of their school days. During the conversation, the classmate boasted of her life but was visibly uncomfortable when asked about her marital status, which revealed she and her partner were not married.
The encounter serves as a stark reminder of societal biases. The narrator noted, "If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be a Mrs rather than a near Ms." This sentiment resonates with many professional discussions—how marriage often serves as a barometer for credibility and authority, especially for women.
The underlying message is clear: cultural norms and expectations surrounding marriage continue to impact women's professional trajectories. Prominent figures, like Kirstie Allsopp, who recently tied the knot after two decades with her partner, exemplify how even successful women feel societal pressure around marriage before achieving full acceptance or influence.
While Bahl’s story is intrinsically about personal aspiration and overcoming adversity, it intersects with the broader cultural discussion about gender, marriage, and authority. The entrepreneurial spirit of resilient individuals like Bahl stands out against the backdrop of societal expectations. It raises pivotal questions about how much our identities—professional and personal—are still dictated by our marital status.
At the core, as Bahl and Riddhima’s story exemplifies, entrepreneurial success can be about more than just innovative ideas and resilience. It is also about the supportive dynamics within relationships, highlighting the integral role partners play during uncertain times. Alternately, the pressures faced by women to conform to marriage norms can hinder their acknowledgment within professional spaces, emphasizing the need for continual dialogue and change.
Viraj Bahl’s inspiring entrepreneurial story blends with the exploration of societal norms surrounding marriage and success, calling for reflection on how these dynamics shape our perspectives on empowerment. Adjustment to these norms might be gradual, but conversations surrounding them are imperative for fostering change and advocating for equality on professional platforms.