A Gem of A Story

Santosh Grover’s journey began in 1978, when she pursued her interests by starting to learn about the manufacturing process of jewellery. Just five years later she was running her own jewellery-making business. Today, besides participating in several exhibitions across the globe, she is exporting to markets across five continents.

Manisha Choudhari | March 2016 Issue | The Dollar Business

Santosh Grover, Founder & Director, House of Gems India

We have all heard the popular saying, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. While some may not necessarily agree with it, you cannot contest the fact that diamonds and jewellery are a lucrative business. And that's what Santosh Grover believed too when she started her journey in 1978. She pursued her interests by starting to learn about the manufacturing process of jewellery, and finally established her own jewellery manufacturing business – House of Gems India – in 1983.

Ask her about her biggest support and strength in the business, and she does not even take a fraction of a second to say it’s her family. When she started out, her husband was working as well, but luckily, he was not only understanding, but also helped with her work. In fact, it was the support from her family that motivated her to explore the opportunities in this field.

Santosh realised early on that there is no substitute for hard work and knowledge. Hence, she started right from the basics – understanding all aspects of production and sales. Santosh visited Jaipur quite often during her starting years to learn more about the line of work. “While information is much easier to come by now, back then you had to go and meet people to find out information of what you wanted," she recalls, adding that sometimes it was frustrating dealing with all sorts of people because she was new in the field, and some people typically aren’t accommodating or comfortable sharing information with someone new. “But looking back now”, she notes, “it instilled a certain quality of perseverance and patience in me, which only helped me grow my work, and as a person.” Her struggle today is mostly related to her competition in the market – finding new markets and the right customer base.

Going forward Santosh wants to explore more products which are handcrafted in India. She believes there is a big market for handmade products outside India. "Our country has one of the finest workforce when it comes to handmade products, so dealing in them is always a profitable business,” says she. Talk to her about ‘glass ceiling’, and she believes women can overcome this barrier by acknowledging it, being informed, and having the self-confidence to deal with any situation at a personal level. “As a woman, there are no reasons why you need to be apprehensive of starting to work for yourself. Women need to come out of their shell,” she finishes, smiling.

TDB: Please tell us about your journey since House of Gems India came into being. How did it all start?

Santosh Grover (SG): I started my business by learning the simple aspects of the manufacturing process, i.e., how to purchase the right quality of beads from the market and make necklaces out of them. I started selling them within my circle of friends initially. Having a source of income from something which I loved to do really motivated me. I started participating in exhibitions in Delhi, where I sold my own handmade products. I expanded my work by hiring a couple of craftsmen in Chandni Chowk and participating in exhibitions throughout the country. It was only a matter of time before I made my first business visit abroad in 1997 to participate in an exhibition in Bangkok. Since then, I have participated in exhibitions in over a dozen countries across four continents, and have expanded my business to selling all kinds of jewellery, which includes both precious & semi-precious jewellery.

TDB: There are many problems that are encountered by an entrepreneur? What was the toughest challenge you came across while setting up business. How did you overcome it?

SG: Starting a new line of products in the jewellery market has always been very challenging as you are not extensively aware of the demand the product line may present. However, the best way to overcome this challenge is to talk to manufacturers of these items, and start building your own understanding from that. Some manufacturers are reluctant to divulge information, but they open up once they see the possibility of business coming in. Also, many years ago, getting to understand the processes of exports and where to participate was not easy. But with time and knowledge, I was able to overcome this.

TDB: Your being a woman – has it affected your work life?

SG: Being a woman undoubtedly has its challenges, but the way I see it, it is always a question of balance in work and personal life. Moreover, if you have an understanding family, it definitely helps in your work. During the formative years of our business, it was important for me to receive that extra help from my family members, and I was lucky to have that.

TDB: Which markets does House of Gems India export to?

SG: Over the years, we have exported to markets like Kazakhstan, USA, Australia, South Africa, Bahrain and UAE – so we have covered five continents. A reasonable spread I reckon.

TDB: You also have presence on Snapdeal, Amazon and eBay. How important is e-commerce to your business?

SG: We ventured into e-commerce fairly recently, in the last 4-5 years. It is very exciting and interesting. My own skills in this field are limited, but my husband has been instrumental in opening this avenue for my business. Since e-commerce has seen substantial growth in current times, it certainly holds a lot of promise, considering that the type of items that we sell are very popular in North America and Europe. Our sales through the online mode have been rising since we started.

TDB: How do you view your competition in the domestic market? And how are you tackling it?

SG: The competition in the domestic market is quite tough and challenging, but we don’t see that as a bad thing, since it keeps us on our toes. Over the past three decades we have figured out our niche in the market, and have focused on augmenting our product range.

TDB: How do you acquire quality raw material?

SG: We have long-standing relationships with some of the wholesalers of rough gemstones in Jaipur, from whom we purchase. Presently, we don’t import rough gemstones directly.

TDB: What do you do to ensure world class quality in your jewellery products?

SG: The craftsmen who work for us have generations of experience in their respective families and have honed their skills over years. We ensure that the quality of our manufacturing equipment meets the established standard for quality production. In jewellery, finishing is a critical part of the production.

TDB: What hurdles do you face when it comes to exports?

SG: There are some obstacles, and having a quick window of clearance for export items can be helpful. However, over the years, policies related to exports have been more encouraging.

TDB: What do you think of India’s strength as a manufacturing destination? Is House of Gems India taking advantage of it?

SG: In jewellery, India has an excellent potential for handmade items. Though India is in competition with China in the manufacturing of jewellery lately, China lags behind in handcrafted items. As our line of work involves mostly hand-made items, we are making sure we make the most of its potential.

TDB: What advice would you give to women who want to establish a global brand on a large scale, just like yourss?

SG: Work hard with determination for what you want, that brings satisfaction. Work sincerely, that brings happiness to work. Always have a picture in mind of what you want to be three to four years down the line, but work and set targets on a day-to-day basis. 

Next Page: Dared To Dream Big