“Shark Tank India 4 taught us the importance of taking tough decisions” – Kyari co-founders Agam Choudhary and Saksham Jain

The official website of Kyari describes it as “India’s #1 Plant & Pots Store”. In a very short span of time, the brand has managed to make a space for itself in the home gardening space. According to Agam Choudhary and Saksham Jain, the founders of Kyari, the mission is to make plant care easy and accessible. Apart from their design, the functionality of the products give them an edge over other brands operating in this space.

Recently, one witnessed the young founders pitching their brand on Shark Tank India 4, wherein they impressed the Sharks with their clarity and enthusiasm. While Kunal Bahl put across a lucrative offer to them, Agam and Saksham decided not to go ahead with it.

Kyari is an ideal name for a brand that sells plants. While pitching your brand on Shark Tank India 4, you had to compete with another brand. How was the experience of being a part of this ‘match off’?

Agam: It was pretty amazing! The team was quite helpful. It was a 5-hour shoot and we felt energetic throughout it. It turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

You got a good offer from Kunal Bahl but chose not to take it up.

Saksham: We got some good offers. However, the valuation did not work for us. We were quite firm on what we wanted.

Do you think being on the show help your brand further visibility?

Agam: Definitely! We got a lot of exposure. The show benefitted our business in a very positive manner.

Saksham: Now, a lot more people are aware of our brand. The number of people showing interest in our products has increased significantly.

You have built this brand in Indore. Do you think the city offers good exposure to entrepreneurs?

Saksham: As a city, Indore is growing at a rapid pace. Along with the real estate industry and the manufacturing units, the start-up community has grown very well. A lot of credit should go to the Government of India for making this happen. The entire community of entrepreneurs is very supportive.

How would you describe each other’s strengths?

Agam: We come from different styles of working. I am quite aggressive as an entrepreneur. I believe in putting together long-term strategies. Saksham is more process-oriented. He is very good at looking after operations. We have divided our duties as per our aptitude and strengths. We complement each other’s strengths very well.

How did you think of setting up a company that would sell different varieties of plants online?

Saksham: We launched Kyari two and a half years ago. During the Covid-19 crisis, we realized that people who were shopping plants were not usual consumers of this category. We noticed a shift. People were buying plants for the purpose of décor. Lots of people were buying plants for the first time during this time. Since plants are complex and delicate, people did not know how to look after them. The education around it is not too strong. The infrastructure has not been strong either. We thought it would be a good problem to resolve. The plants we offer enhance the aesthetic value of one’s home.

What is the biggest lesson you learnt while being on Shark Tank India 4?

Agam: Shark Tank India is a pressure cooker. When you go to the sets, you face a lot of pressure from the Sharks. Then, you are facing the camera for the first time. We had never been a part of a setup like this. You have to make some big decisions that could have a direct impact on the future of your business. Since we were firm on our valuation, we did not accept the offer. Shark Tank India 4 taught us the importance of taking tough decisions.

What kind of plans do you have for the company this year?

Saksham: We are now live on quick commerce platforms. Apart from our official website, people can buy our plants from different marketplaces like Pepper Fry and Myntra. We are focussing on online expansion also. We plan to put in a lot of fresh capital in the business and expand it significantly in the near future.