We had the good fortune of connecting with Gautami Joglekar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gautami, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Around March 2020 when the pandemic hit and there was shortage of Facemasks, I started making cotton Facemasks for senior groups and surgical caps for a local hospital. I donated around 1000 Facemasks and caps together.

Eventually I started making other practical household fabric items like microwavable bowl cozy, hot pot holder, stay-put kitchen towels, aprons, table runners and placemats etc under the brand FabArtG.

The same year, I collaborated with 4 other local women owned businesses to launch “Panchakanya Diwali/Holiday Gift Bundles” while supporting a “Sewa Diwali” food drive. The word “Panchakanya” literally means “5 women/girls”. Diwali is the “Festival of Lights” and is a major holiday celebrated by Indians across the world. So we launched these gift bundles around that time. We just finished 3 year of collaboration this year.

The same collaboration concept was then launched to include other women owned business with handmade and handcrafted products and “Herbiznet” digital platform was developed. The main idea is to collaborate, encourage and empower each other while leveraging each others’ networks to advertise the products.

Herbiznet also has the charity element where we select one non-profit organization annually and a certain percentage of the total earning is donated at the end of the year.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I work for a major healthcare company as my day job and on my side hustles in the evenings and on weekends. During my day job, our main focus is on member experience through our different platforms/services that we build. Similarly my side hustles are also focused on what people are looking for.

My FabArtG business where I make practical fabric items, I alway try new patterns, new products that people can make use of in their everyday life as well as consider these products gift worthy.

My Herbiznet business which is the digital platform for women owned businesses by women owned businesses, also helps bring such like-minded women together and provide sellers and buyers the opportunity to Shop Local, Shop Small and Sell Local.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A big shoutout to my “Panchakanya” group of 4 women friends who own their small businesses to support my idea of collaboration around Oct 2020 and encouraging me to plan and execute the idea. This year we completed 3rd year of collaboration and every year we have included unique products from our businesses.

We do this collaboration once every year around this holiday season and another shout out to our customers who wait for bundles to come out and shop with us to gift our bundles to their family and friends. Our bundle consists of 5 products, 1 product from each business so there is something for everyone in the family.

Website: www.Herbiznet.com / www.FabArtG.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herbiznet2020/ & https://www.instagram.com/fabartg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/herbiznet & https://www.facebook.com/fabartg

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