How Mahasa Ghar is helping consumers make mindful choices for holistic well-being

Adgully has been turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series – START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement and have been featuring numerous local/ homegrown businesses, brands, and Apps in the country launched in the last few years. 

Founded in 2023 by Kanishka Tripathi, an International Fashion Business expert, under parent company Stack Concept, MahāsaGhar is a visionary brand curating premium products from ethical Indian brands, promoting mindful living. The company blends sensory experiences with an interactive e-commerce storefront, encouraging mindful living amidst a technology-driven world.

‘Mahāsa’ means ‘knowledge’, and ‘Ghar’ means ‘home’ in Sanskrit, reflecting the company’s values. MahāsaGhar aims to recognize, encourage, and represent homegrown brands, meeting customer expectations while supporting the Indian economy. MahāsaGhar is more than a brand; it's a movement for ethical consumption and mindful living.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Kanishka Tripathi, Founder, MahāsaGhar, speaks about how the start-up is unique from other brands of its kind along with the challenges they came across during navigating around the 3D storefront, and more.

What inspired the founding of your startup, and what problem did you set out to solve?

My entrepreneurial affinities were always guided by concerns for ethical buying that supports homegrown businesses. Entering the beauty and wellness industry, to execute these affinities, was how MahāsaGhar came to life. As a dedicated platform to deliver elevated living, we plan to address consumerism, empower local businesses, while creating an immersive shopping experience.

We want to create a genuine demand for sustainable and enduring lifestyle products. We do so by partnering with vendors and brands whoadhere to zero-waste packaging standards and maintain carbon-neutral practices. They prioritize the use of organic and eco-friendly fibres and materials. What sets our partnerships apart is the transparency exhibited by our collaborators in their business practices and manufacturing processes.

Can you provide an overview of your product/service and its unique features or benefits?

MahāsaGhar introduces innovation in the e-commerce space by providing a virtual storefront with interactive elements, allowing customers to visualize products in a digital rendering of traditional homes before making a purchase.

Exclusively aligning with domestic brands, our primary objective is to promote domestic consumerism, guiding Indians on effective currency circulation within the country. We take great care to partner with brands that share our commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, fair labour practices, ethical sourcing, and empowerment of rural and female communities.

How does your startup differentiate itself from competitors in the market?

Traditional e-commerce platforms often lack the immersive and experiential aspects of physical shopping. MahāsaGhar aims to bridge this gap by providing a 3D virtual environment where customers can explore and interact with high-end lifestyle products, creating a unique and engaging shopping experience.

How has the startup evolved since its inception, and what challenges have you overcome along the way?

The startup went live in late October this year. We are still evaluating the market and streamlining strategy as per market responses. The responses have been welcoming, promising us a huge space for growth, as we move forward. We want to keep expanding our interactive audience with our key narrative of, - “Mindful choices for holistic well-being.”

How does your startup contribute to the industry or community you operate in?

MahāsaGhar’s immersive 3D virtual environment goes beyond the traditional two-dimensional online shopping interface, allowing users to explore and virtually experience products in a visually appealing setting.

The platform stands out by incorporating cultural and historical elements into its 3D environment, featuring a Pondicherry-Mediterranean interior design. This not only adds a distinctive aesthetic but also sets a new standard for blending cultural richness with online shopping, creating a more personalized and engaging experience.

These practises by MahāsaGhar sets a standard for conscious and responsible business practices in the e-commerce industry.

Who are your target customers, and how are you acquiring them?

Considering the range of our product portfolio, I do not think we can target a niche category of shoppers. As a brand that offers everything from soap bars to bedsheets, these are things people use regardless of their age or gender.

Since we only have high-end and premium brands on-board, purchasing power or liquidity could be an influencing factor in defining our demographic. Geographically, we currently only serve within India. 

Speaking contextually, diversification of our product portfolio could be monumental in capturing larger share of the pie. We have plans to incorporate edible products and apparels into our mix.

We want to be able to take all of our curated brands and products and distribute them globally, gradually.

What are the major challenges the company faces currently?

We understand that some of our potential shoppers may have a hard time navigating around the 3D storefront; to solve this issue, we have a ‘shop’ button on the landing page which redirects to the simplified e-commerce channel.

Other than that, we are working on new arenas for creating demand for genuine, ethically sourced, homegrown Indian lifestyle necessities.

What is the background and expertise of the founding team?

I believe that my theoretical knowledge has led me to think like there is no box— there is so much room for innovation and experimentation. MahāsaGhar has been a perfect 12 months in the making, from inception to execution. Before finalising this business idea, I had kept my eyes peeled and mind open for an idea or an opportunity everywhere I went. It was a constant generation in my head of how to take things, mix them with something else, to add a dash of imagination and see where it goes. Eventually, now we know, MahāsaGhar is looking for cutting-edge technologies and practices that are sure to set it apart, particularly in the Indian market.

What is the company's growth plan and vision for the future?

MahāsaGhar’s pre-seed and seed stages have been personally funded. We have not yet approached any investor or partnerships— we wanted to be ready with our product and understand the traction so we can calculate our forecast figures better.

We have a full-fledged scaling plan which will unfold in the upcoming 8-10 months, and we would like to resort to angel investors for the same. Our decisions are subject to change depending on the market response. 

Meanwhile, we have plans to deliver globally, and introduce a paid membership which may also serve as a community conversation platform, we may also touch upon a mobile application version for faster shopping experience and customer retention. 

Of course, we want to be recognised for our innovation and as a first mover in this kind of an industry. Lastly, for funding in the long-term, we envision going public with MahāsaGhar.