For 25-year old Nidhi Karnavat, turning her hobby into a profession wasn’t so difficult. Drawing inspiration from famous US pop artist Andy Warhol, Nidhi quit her Investor Relations job launch Pop Goes the Art, a business she could call her own.
“The mundane PR job I had, with little or no perks triggered this career path. I’m not cut for a 9-to-5 job and I knew it,” she says.
Within four months of quitting, she had a website, a bank account and a branding/marketing strategy in place for her new venture. It all started when she gifted a friend a personalised pop-art birthday card. With full support from her friends and family, she was able to take her passion seriously. Now Nidhi creates her own versions of all things pop, kitsch and everything in between. “They (her friends) wore the black hat to show me my strengths and weaknesses, but the entire generation I belong to is all up for for out-of-the-box careers.”
Pop Goes the Art sells accessories, hand-drawn and hand-printed by Nidhi, like paintings, cushion covers, wall clocks, laptop bags, tote bags, table lamps, and multi-purpose boxes in bright colours. Her signature artwork is customised by using customers’ favorite picture, preferred colours and designs to create a unique piece. Products range from Rs 1,000 (about US$20) to Rs 20,000 (about US$406).
Nidhi recalls how she was able to launch the business through her own savings. “I started my company with a Rs 5, 000 (about US$101) bank deposit (the mandatory amount required to open a bank account in a sole proprietorship) and a Rs 5,000 cash balance in hand.”
The main driving factor driving her to pursue success is her passion for pop art. “However cliché it sounds, my career is an expression and not a path which will lead me somewhere sometime. Fame, power and money are all immaterial when you do things to satisfy yourself. I also work in a profitable scenario and it’s good to make money, but there is absolutely no pressure to do so,” she explains.
Working from home also gives her the flexibility to do other things in her social life, and allows her to strike a balance between personal and professional life. Apart from work, Nidhi is also involved in social causes.”I fund the education of children via an organisation called Save the Children by giving half-yearly donations.”
Apart from selling her products online, they are also available in design stores across the country. In the future, Nidhi plans to expand her product line by introducing furniture pieces and venture into exports.