The Impactful Teammate at Hearty Mart
We have been in business for nearly 21 years now. It all began with the opening of our first store in Juhapura. None of us had any prior experience in retail or the FMCG industry, yet I had unwavering faith in Sabir Bhai, our first employee at Hearty Mart. His integrity and dedication stood out to us from the very beginning. Sabir Bhai has been with us since day one and, through his relentless hard work, commitment, and loyalty, he has risen to become the Managing Partner of the Juhapura store. Under his leadership, the store has grown into a thriving, profit-making outlet, embodying the success of our journey together.
A Defining Moment
After nearly four years of relentless effort and trying every trick in the book, the Juhapura store still hadn’t turned into a profit-making outlet in 2008. This was a major blow to Sabir Bhai and his team, who had worked tirelessly to achieve success. Despite their dedication, the outcome left them feeling demoralized.
After a thoughtful discussion with Sabir Bhai and his team, we decided to refurbish the store with brighter colors, hoping to lift the gloom that had crept into the team’s mindset and infuse them with renewed positive energy. The strategy worked, and the team regained their enthusiasm and drive.
What stood out to me most during this challenging period was Sabir Bhai’s remarkable composure and leadership. He played a pivotal role in motivating his team, even in the face of adversity. Thanks to his efforts, by the end of the 2009 financial year, the store finally turned a profit, and we achieved our goals.
Advice for Fellow Founders
Finding the right employee for a business is as crucial as finding the right venture capitalist or investor. My approach to hiring is straightforward: I prioritize virtues like integrity, honesty, and commitment over other skills. These moral qualities are deeply ingrained and cannot be taught, unlike technical skills or communication abilities, which can be developed with time and effort.
An honest and committed employee possesses the foundational qualities needed to lead a team effectively. With the right support and empowerment, such individuals can grow into invaluable assets for any entrepreneur.
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
"If there’s one phrase that sums up my journey, it’s truly ‘The eChai Effect.’ Six years ago, I simply walked into my first eChai event, not knowing what to expect. The honest conversations, energy, and inspiration from founders and entrepreneurs struck a chord within me. That eChai spark became the catalyst for everything to follow. I proudly say: my entrepreneurship journey started—and keeps evolving—because of eChai. Redicine Medsol’s story is integrally linked to this community. I’ve gained so much, not just as a founder but as a forever volunteer and grateful member of the eChai family. With all my heart, thank you Jatin Bhai and everyone at eChai for shaping, guiding, and supporting my dreams. The eChai Effect will always be a part of my story."
Kush Prajapati
Founder, Redicine Medsol
"eChai has played a truly pivotal role in HummingBird’s journey — even before Day Zero. From ideation to establishment and into growth, it’s been a constant source of support. It connected me with incredible people who’ve become more than just friends. One of the biggest reasons I chose to stay in Ahmedabad is because of the eChai community. It has shaped my growth — both personally and professionally — in ways that are hard to articulate. Honestly, words fall short when I try to express what eChai means to me. I’m deeply thankful and forever grateful to eChai for being such an integral part of my journey."
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."
Utpal Vaishnav
Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP
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