Figure 1: Image source- startupsnepal.com
Who would have thought that the name “Butta” (meaning pattern or designs) which fits perfectly with what the company has to offer, was a last-minute decision at an idea pitching competition? In conversation with Mr. Sabin Bhandari, one of the founders/CEO of “Butta”, we came to know that Butta isn’t just a clothing company, it is more of a platform for designers that allows them to earn from their art.
The idea of a company came about when designers/artists started approaching him with designs for his another venture “Threadpaints”. Threadpaints was already in operation but the team didn’t feel like letting people in on that venture. Thus, when they heard about “NEHUB Startup Weekend” they decided to get involved with a completely different concept. The concept they pitched in and got accolades for was that Butta would act more like an “open source”.
Figure 2: Sabin Bhandari, one of the co-founders of “Butta”
“Working in a confined space over the course of 3 days with people who are serious about your idea does make a person more determined about his/her work” is what Mr. Bhandari had to say about his experience in the startup weekend. He believes that being a part of the event helped him look at things from different perspectives and helped him fine-tune his ideas. Getting to know people, creating networks, learnings from the coaches and mentors are some things that he got from the event and is grateful for.
Butta has the resources, artists just need to send in their designs. You are probably wondering why a designer would want to collaborate with Butta and not print their designs on their own. The answer is simple; they do more than just printing. The company manages everything from printing to marketing to delivery. In addition to that, artists get good exposure in the market from this company and to ensure that designers are properly compensated, they pay Rs. 200/250 per t-shirt sales. Butta is a complete package for the designers. They also make customized t-shirts and take in bulk orders for companies/organizations. Just as it was with the designers, Butta goes beyond printing t-shirts; it does branding and marketing for the companies/organizations as well which is probably one of the unique selling propositions of the company.
Figure 3: Image source- startupsnepal.com
Even though his idea got a lot of admiration, the obstacles were inevitable. Initially, the necessary resources weren’t available to cater to the needs Butta. When they finally got all their resources ready, their business was halted because of earthquake. But they didn’t let that come in the way. They came up with “T-shirts for Relief” campaign which helped the victims as well as the company. However, their company faced another drawback due to the economic blockade. Finally, they were able to officially initiate it last year in April. The administrative aspect of the company was surprisingly not that difficult. They did not face much problem with registration besides the fact that there wasn’t a proper category for “e-commerce” and had to register their company under “Latta Kapada”. Information is lacking in the e-commerce aspect but the government is trying to change it so, he believes it is moving in the right direction.
Competition is always one of the greatest threats as a business but Mr. Bhandari looks at it in a different way. He always considered other similar businesses as “partners” rather than competition and believed in a cooperative entrepreneurial ecosystem. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that he isn’t working to make his company better. He’s always on the lookout for opportunities and improvement. When they were taking artists in an open platform, the team saw a lot of work that was copied or had issues of that sort. So, now it’s more of a closed platform where they approach the artists themselves but other artists can still email them. They’ve already extended their products to other usable goods like tote bags, notebooks, and are thinking of moving on to customized shoes as well.
Figure 4: Image source- startupsnepal.com
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy; it is a rollercoaster ride. It’s companies like Butta and entrepreneurs like Mr. Sabin Bhandari that remind us that it may not always be easy but it will be worth it. Mr. Bhandari encourages innovation and entrepreneurship and suggests “If you have an idea, start it right away, don’t wait for the “right” moment. If you don’t have an idea yet but are planning to become an entrepreneur, join something you are interested in, work there. It will be a great learning environment for you.”