Talk-a-doodle-do

The Happiness Factory. That’s what this budding entrepreneur Pooja Sitharthan, calls her work space. Brightly coloured walls and inspiring posters are all that she needs to get started. What started off as a hobby to fill up empty book corners, is now her registered company – Switch On. “I used to doodle situations in people’s lives for fun and when people told me they liked it, I wanted to try my hand at doing something big”, says the 25-year-old alumnus of NIFT.

A typical ‘nine-to-five’ job was not in her mind and hence, Pooja decided to volunteer at an NGO ‘Spaaak’ that promotes volunteering for social causes. It began with taking on custom orders for greeting cards and storyboards, during her free hours. Soon compliments and positive comments started flowing in, encouraging her to set up a small studio in her room, around August last year. The first thing she took up was the re-painting of her studio into a happy factory with cheerful hues.

“I believe that being in a well-lit and bright place itself makes one more productive and happy. My customers feel the same too”, reveals Pooja. Disapproving of the stereotypical notion that girls like pink and boys like blue or daring colours, she insists that all the products from Switch On are meant for everyone.

The merchandising challenge
After drawing and digitising her work on Photoshop, Pooja sends her designs to print. She mainly designs for coffee mugs, storyboards, notebooks, door magnets, badges and stickers. The most trending of all these are the DIY stickers that can be stuck on notebooks, hard disks, phone covers and more. Although she sells her work through popular retails stores in the city and through online portals, she enjoys the process of setting up stalls.

“The customers get to know whose product they’re purchasing and it is a great chance to interact with them,” explains Pooja. Talking about her upcoming stall next month, in collaboration with the makers’ market, ‘By Hand, From the Heart’, she adds that she loves the entire procedure of setting it up. Motivating young artists to market themselves on the Internet, the artist states, “Don’t feel shy to ask people to follow your work. You need to market yourself because no one else will.”

Supporting women
Pooja’s imminent plans are to make Switch On a huge craft brand and move on to apparel designing. In a few years’ time, she wants to make it big and put in all that she has into volunteering again. She is focusing on making more products that empower women to stand on their own feet.

“Doing one’s own business is very challenging if you don’t have tsupport. I am trying to reach out to more women through my videos and blogs, teaching them the process, so that they don’t have to depend on anyone’s support,” she declares, explaining how she values her sister Pranitha’s encouragement in times of need. “Take life as it comes and practice your passion,” she exclaims, on a parting note!