Interview With Srividya M R - CEO of Aura Group of Industries

1. Describe about your Business and founders

Aura Group of Industries is an Indian conglomerate manufacturer of 

• Handcrafted, organic, luxury aromatic candles

• Essential oil end products based on the science of aromatherapy

• Organic beauty products

• Handcrafted decorative lights for interior designing

The organization was founded during the Covid times and is providing livelihood to a few under-privileged women. The organization is also contributing 1% of total income to a small NGO by name 'Chiguru' which is providing shelter to about 27 mentally challenged women. 

'Aura Group of Industries' is a brainchild of Ms. Srividya M. R., an entrepreneur from Mysore, who is a double post graduate (M.Sc Biotechnology and MA in Journalism) by qualification, and a dynamic woman entrepreneur our society can be proud of. More than the business sector, she is well known as a poetess among her friends and acquaintances, also she has involved herself in various fund-raising initiatives contributing for people in pain and loss. 

2. What is the biggest challenge of being a CEO and how do you overcome it? 

Entrepreneurship comes with a bundle of challenges. Being a CEO is not about the luxury of enjoying the salary dropped in your account every month, in fact, you are bound to credit the salaries to your team. The CEO crown comes with a bigger responsibility of keeping your employees happy, motivated and productive all at the same time. I am able to do it as I consider my team as an extended family. Setting up a positive work culture is the basic need for any start-up. How we decide to treat our people at work, impacts entire result for better or worse.

Biggest risk in any business, especially for a woman, is balancing the personal and the professional life, which by god's grace, is managed because of extensive support from my family. 

3. Where do you see the company in the next five years and how will you bring about the change? 

Aura Group of Industries is aspiring to be present globally with its products reachable to everyone. Export of Luxury candles have already been started and our products have reached Thailand and Malaysia. Discussions are on for exporting products to Maldives, Dubai, Egypt and Srilanka.

The change is not easy, though it is the only constant.  I strongly believe that, if your desires are strong enough, forces of the universe will help you achieve it. And if you work hard with determination, without worrying about the obstacles and failures, success is a mandate. 

4. Did you ever feel like giving up on being a CEO and what motivated you to pull this off?

CEO is just a designation to print on your visiting card. It's all about the leadership qualities that you can deliver, problems that are solved under your leadership, conflicts resolved, targets achieved and clients giving you a thumbs up. All this always comes with a huge amount of stress and personal time sometimes gets swallowed up. But, we must all agree that Success is not easy, but, it is always worth the price.

5. Describe your biggest achievement

I haven't achieved anything at all yet. Biggest achievement is yet to come. However, I am matured enough to relish the smaller achievements and be proud of my team when we all create a new design, when we retrieve a lost customer by our service recovery initiatives, when we over-achieve the set sales target. Business is easier when you celebrate small successes and share the credit with the team.

6. From where you get the idea for business?

India, a country which is so versatile and diversified, has business ideas in every street and corner.  My ideas are also a result of realizations during my passionate travel time across coastal Karnataka. Sea-shells converted to candles, herbs from the forests are used for oil extraction for aromatherapy and many more such examples. 

 

7. What was your aim to start the company?

I have realized that balancing home and work, especially being in a service Industry for women has always been challenging. Product industry has it's advantages of giving you extra leverage of not being skill dependent/individual dependent. Aura Group was started to create products and market where majorly women are given opportunities starting from design and development, R&D, Marketing and many more.

8. Tell us some of your failures

Everyday I face failures. Sales targets not achieved, bank balance at minus sometimes, family getting ignored during peak business seasons, unhappy customers who do not accept you in spite of all your efforts to explain, products not performing as expected, R&D failures and many more. But, like it is said, every failure is certainly a new learning and a stepping stone towards success.

9. What is the role of your family in your successful career?

Unlike the saying 'Behind every successful man, there is a woman', I must say it's my husband and my father who have always made me feel stronger and have always pushed me to do things I would not do on my own. They have always provided emotional and intellectual support everytime I struggled making wise decisions. They were never upset during my failures but always ensured to show pride about my presence in their lives. 

10. What is your message to the young generations and to their parents?

Do not judge anyone's capabilities based on the numbers printed in the report cards. If you consider that way, I'm one of the biggest failures the entrepreneurial world can afford to have. Every individual will evolve and blossom only when they are allowed to chase their dreams and be true to themselves.