The past 15 years saw a profitable run in the e-commerce industry wherein my team and I successfully established a bulletproof network. However, the quest for increasing the network never stopped. With our constant growth in the brand aggregation space, more space became a prerequisite for the expansion. I began to scan the potential e-commerce hubs in India for futuristic growth. Following an impressive run in Texas, Kolkata, Siliguri, and operational headquarter Mumbai, along with my core team, I chose to drive into Southern India. As the plan went forward, Bangalore caught my attention.
Why Bangalore?
With new startups setting up their establishment in Bangalore every day, it’s no wonder that it is called “The Silicon Valley of India.” From ed-tech to agritech, there’s scope for every industry to thrive and prosper. Many firms such as Google and Amazon have their headquarters in the city. Simple reason: Opportunity! The location carries ample opportunity in every field with an abundance of resources. Even when it comes to e-commerce, Bangalore tops the charts as a prominent hub for corporate’s smooth functioning.
There were plenty of reasons I looked for, in addition to the scope of e-commerce.
Tech-savvy Force
One of the most crucial factors that sustains an enterprise is it’s people. In comparison to other places, Bangalore always had the upper hand in nurturing the best engineers and tech professionals. The same factor attracts many brands and enterprises to set-up shop in the city. From engineers to data scientists, Bangalore has an abundance of tech-savvy people. Add to that the fresh breed of startups that are focusing their energy in contemporary technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. The culture of innovation is already present in the city.
Moreover, the tech talent pool of Bangalore is not myopic to write code for smart objects. They have the ability to perceive a practical and use tech to resolve that. This approach equips them to think like entrepreneurs. The brave talent pool of Bangalore is not just geeky but also visionaries who do not succumb to practical life challenges, instead push the boundaries to think ways of eliminating such challenges.
Infrastructure and Scope
The entrepreneur mindset makes the city fitting for startups. The infrastructure adds fuel to the fire. In order to expand operations, a firm requires well-planned roads, dockyards, and other means of transport. Many business verticals such as warehousing, shipping, and distribution depend directly on the level of facilities a city has. From dockyards to broadband, I was in search of a fast-paced city that could help us run all the operations smoothly.
When a city comes equipped with everything, a lot of SMBs and big brands fly in to settle down. With them, retailers, suppliers, and other business intermediaries come along. Such an ecosystem is essential for every firm to thrive and compete in the market. The presence of fast-paced competition helps a firm stay updated, and competitive.
One more thing Bangalore has – Investors! When investors sense a startup or a firm brewing something innovative, they chip in. There is a relatively high number of venture capitalists, angel investors, and government support available in the city. Many entrepreneurs come under the government’s umbrella and seek funding from the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1961.
Getting into an Ecosystem
Technology and the right personnel are two prevalent tools in Bangalore that shred several barriers troubling a new entrant in the market. As an ardent advocate of this fact, my execution strategy for Ergode is highly synonymous.
Previously I outlined the upper hand a tech force of Bangalore gives in uplifting a firm, and now I’d like to share another observation. I witnessed a steady inflow of Martech in most of the “bangalorean” firms. With the help of Martechs, many SMBs position themselves in a new market intelligently and better than others. And the presence of Gen Z fosters energy and innovation to the organization. Replicating the same strategy, I recruited some of the best technocrats and Martech workforce in Bangalore to back the firm. After beefing up the firm hierarchy and departments such as capital management, branding, international marketing, and communications, Ergode started operating at full speed.
As the next phase, I endeavored to embed technology into every vertical of the firm. My team and I infused HR, logistics, marketing, and operations with artificial intelligence. Through comprehensive HR tech, software unifications and cloud automation, verticals of my firm have become technologically empowered, and the road to enter in the city has become easy.
Next, I strived towards setting up an internal operational structure of Ergode. Taking advantage of the fertile land for business, my team kicked off by putting together R&D and analyzing the anonymous market. After scanning the right market, it became easy to track down the potential vendors, suppliers, competition, threats, and profit points. To widen the network, my team planted the seeds of trust with all our stakeholders and created sustainable relationships by collaborating with them. Once the internal operations got in line, gaining customers became hassle-free. The entire act got the stakeholders together and progressed towards establishing an e-commerce foothold in a new site.
While my team was crafting the system brick by brick, I never realized how Ergode slowly became a part of Bangalore’s business ecosystem. Over time, all communication channels expanded, and competition increased. And when I envision the future, I saw more corporate partnerships and synergistic relationships with the stakeholders in the city.
Take this Home
Opening up is easy, but sustaining it is hard. A company’s ability to succeed in a new market is dependent on the helping hands and their commitment to the company’s vision and values. I am proud that each Ergodian clings fiercely to the vision of providing convenience and changing the e-commerce world.
For small businesses and budding entrepreneurs, there are definitely some lessons to be learned. A key takeaway is to focus more on understanding the market and less on selling blindly. And last but not the least, understand what a city has to offer!
Cloverbites By Rupesh Sanghavi 
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