Today we’d like to introduce you to Priyanka Subramaniam.
Hi Priyanka, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a mom of two beautiful kids, we moved to Dallas in May 2021 from Chicago. From the get-go Dallas was very welcoming, it was a perfect place to start a desi boutique. To start a boutique was always on my mind, but when and how I had no idea. A few months ago, I helped my friend pick out some beautiful sarees and jewelries from another local desi boutique for her housewarming. She was genuinely very impressed with my suggestions and the way I styled it for her. Just doing this felt very satisfying to me. I understood how much enjoyed the entire process of selecting the appropriate accessories and bringing out the vision she had in mind all so perfectly. When I shared this experience with my mom, she immediately suggested that I start a boutique of my own. It was only because of her support and encouragement that I could even think of starting something like “Adhreya”. Also, I thought to myself, what am I waiting for? -the right time and the right circumstances will never happen. I had no clue what I was getting into but I was so sure I wanted to do this no matter how challenging this journey was going to be. A lot of determination, passion and after brainstorming for ideas with my mom, I was able to successfully launch my business. Thinking back, I wouldn’t change a thing only that I wish I had started this sooner. With a lot of support and trust from family and friends, I can now proudly call myself a passionate and dedicated Entrepreneur and I can’t explain in words how much content and joy I find each day. My clients are the most important part of my business. Offering them only quality products at reasonable prices is my motto.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Since it’s just me and my mom, a lot of time and effort goes into planning and selecting the inventory. Our main goal is to offer a lot of variety and options to our clients. Like any startup, Adhreya has definitely not been a smooth road because it was tough to choose the right source to get our products, since we had minimal experience in this field. After multiple trials we finally figured out the vendors who could perfectly cater to our needs, offered quality products at prices that worked for both of us. The initial few months of our small business mainly focused on achieving the trust and support of as many clients possible rather than focusing on the margin. Whenever the products don’t qualify our quality requirement, we don’t put it on sale even if it’s not ideal budget-wise, because we want to focus on the long run. But on the bright side this has helped us to identify the right vendors for future requirements and this is crucial for any small business. It was very important to get this done right and has taught me a lot of patience – to take the difficult route even though it was time-consuming. Secondly, showcasing our products on social media in a way that is trending was our next priority. There was a learning curve involved to even get some decent shots, get the lighting and angles right. With some practice and inspiration from other Instagram profiles, I’m still learning to master social media with just a smartphone and basic things I have at home. I still have a long way to go but loving the progress we are making here at Adhreya.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a huge fan of traditional Indian outfits and jewelry. Adhreya offers handpicked exclusive collection of Kanjivaram pure silk sarees, Indian regular and partywear kurtis, dresses, antique traditional jewelry, simple everyday jewelry, and heavy bridal pieces. We also have kids’ traditional collections available upon pre-order. We take custom orders on sarees and jewelry too. Every product is very close to my heart; hence every piece undergoes a rigorous quality check from our end. I’m excited that our custom orders with kids and ladies have turned out to be a huge success and received very positive feedback and all my clients are extremely satisfied. I make sure every custom order is exactly as per the client’s requirements and is always delivered on time. I always offer lot of options and suggestions to give them a better idea. Gaining the trust of the client is the key factor. What makes us different is that we offer a wide range of quality collections. I make sure to expand my collections every month so that my clients get a variety. I’m well aware of how competitive the current market is but the thing that makes Adhreya different is our unique collections. It takes a lot of patience, dedication, and effort to present something new to my clients. One of the common feedback we have received is that our products are something different, of good quality, and reasonably priced. All my outfits are stitched and can be altered as per requirements. I style my jewelry and sarees in order to give my clients a better idea and play with fusion styles as well. It’s a one-stop to shop for all occasions. With every sale, big or small – there is an experience added and I’m excited about the future of Adhreya.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I was born and raised in South India. Land rich in culture and heritage. I was always fascinated by its beauty and there was this instant and deep connection with the traditional kanjivaram silk sarees. Wearing them for various festivals gave me immense pleasure. Even as a kid, I always loved dressing up. I used to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror deciding on what to wear and how to style it. To see my five-year-old daughter do the same thing now makes me nostalgic and glad that we share the same love towards the traditional outfits. I would never miss a chance to wear a Kanjivaram silk saree. Of all the Indian festivals, Dussherra is my favorite. It is a celebration marking the triumph of Good over Evil. It is basically celebrated for 9 nights and everyday me and my friends would dress up in various outfits, sometimes even as the Hindu deities. This memory is very close to my heart because my grandma always comes up with new ideas to make each year more interesting than the previous one. She would very patiently do the makeup and hair for all of us. We used to be very excited because that was the only time, we get to wear lipsticks. I would go above and beyond to make sure all my accessories complimented my outfit and couldn’t wait to show off to the other girls. We used to wear our mom’s sarees and my dad used to take a lot of pictures. Looking back at those pictures today reminds me that my happiness has always been the same – to dress up, to try on lots of Indian outfits, and take pictures. Simpler times with beautiful everlasting memories. Growing up around such strong, positive, passionate, and inspiring people is what has made me the Mompreneur that I am today.
Pricing:
- Kanjivaram pure silk saree – $150 – $300
- Semi silk/ Fancy sarees- $40 – $120
- Gold lookalike jewelry – $15 – $70
- Kids- $35 – $ 120
- Partywear kurtis/dresses – $20 – $55
Contact Info:
- Email: adhreya.collections@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/adhreya.collections?utm_medium=copy_link
