Today, we have Mr Jinay Gada, a teen who dropped out to build something unique and good for the environment. His concern about the environment and his interest in business, motivated and encouraged him to start something that would benefit nature as well as himself. Starting a business is never easy, and it’s even more challenging when you’re a teenager. However, this young entrepreneur has shown that age is just a number when it comes to creating something great. Their passion for plant-based products started at a young age. With hard work, determination, and a clear vision, he started his own company, and it has been a resounding success.
Planteria has a strong focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing, and all of its products are made using natural ingredients. In this interview, we’ll have the opportunity to hear about Jinay’s journey from being a passionate teenager to a successful entrepreneur. Let’s look at his experience starting a business at a young age, and his insights into the world of plant-based products. It’s sure to be an inspiring and insightful conversation, so let’s get started!
An introduction about yourself?
I Jinay Gada, am a teen dropped-out entrepreneur from Manchester of India – Bhiwandi. I have been interested in business since a young age and wanted to follow the path of my dad and grandfather in business. I had always dreamed of having my own business. I was born with a creative mindset which led me to create planters made out of fabric. I believe it is my genes as I have seen only business around me and this motivated me to find my way into this industry.
What is Planteria?
Planteria was started back in 2021 to solve the problem of indoor and outdoor gardening in India. We started with our first product which was ‘FABRIC POT’ or ‘GEOFABRIC GROW BAGS’. In simpler terms, it was a replacement for old inefficient plastic pots which harmed the environment. In fact, our fabric pots are made by recycling waste plastic bottles. We represent ourselves as the plant partners and we aim to provide them with the perfect environment for them to grow.
What inspired you to start this journey?
It was lockdown 2nd wave of COVID-19 and since everyone was expert home gardener during Covid-19. As grown up in a business family, starting my own business was a dream always. It was April – 2021 and we had been going through 2nd wave of COVID-19. During that time looking at the rising waste of plastic bottles, an idea clicked in my mind to recycle them and convert them into something useful. During that period I had read somewhere about FABRIC POTS in the USA and interconnected the concept of recycling waste bottles into Fabric and then into FABRIC POTS. That’s how Planteria was born and after which we never looked back we have benefited more than 1000+ gardeners and we are aiming to cover as much as possible in the near future with more upgradation.
What are the potential challenges that you may face in running this business?
As each and every new beginning has to face challenges and in our scenarios marketing, awareness, educating gardeners and of course capital is some of the biggest potential challenges. Since earlier I always have strategically done marketing without spending money. We tapped into WhatsApp and Facebook gardening groups and started spreading our idea over there. This led to people’s awareness towards our concept. I believe Social media has helped a lot in marketing and finding the perfect target audience for us and it is getting better and better every day.
What are the materials that you plan to use in your products?
There is a lot of material used in making Planters such as Plastic, Styrofoam, soil, metal etc. But if you look logically none of these is useful to plants. We took the problem into our hands to solve and we came up with GeoTex material which was made out of discarded PET bottles to recycle and convert into fabric and then into FABRIC POTS. Our raw material is 100% sustainable and doesn’t harm the concept of Organic gardening.
What is your unique selling proposition (USP) compared to other garden-building suppliers?
We offer our FABRIC pots at a much more economical cost than what others are offering. Also, we are trying to make our FABRIC POTS look cooler than classic plastic planters. We also offer customization/printing on POTS. Not just only outer looks and cost-friendly but we have also made our product to be logical and worthy product. Our Planters have 360-degree ventilation which provides roots to breathe freely rather than suffocating in plastic. Also, it allows the drainage of excess water which makes it better than illogical and inefficient plastic planters.
What is your long-term vision for the company and how do you plan to achieve it?
We want each and every gardener in India to replace their plastic pots with our FABRIC POTS. We want to educate the Gardeners to choose the right POTS for their plants. We can achieve this by creating more and more awareness. Also, we want each and every one in India to learn waste management the way we did by making Fabric pots by recycling from Plastic bottles
How will you measure success for your business?
I really felt happy when I was travelling in Pune and I saw one of our FABRIC POT at a home. So success for me is when gardeners are happy and satisfied by the growth of plants in POTS. We have got many positive reviews from customers regarding their experience with our planters and has really helped us grow well. Knowing such a review, always motivated our products and it has really made me feel happier and more proud.
What are the funding requirements for your startup and how do you plan to obtain the necessary funding?
Plant-based startups require funding for research and development, manufacturing and production, marketing and distribution, and team building. The necessary funding can be obtained through various options, including bootstrapping, friends and family, angel investors, venture capitalists, crowdfunding, and grants and accelerators. The best approach will depend on the startup’s specific needs and goals, and a well-crafted business plan, clear value proposition, and a strong team can increase the chances of securing the necessary funding.
What did you learn as a founder?
As a founder, I learned that nothing is impossible until you try it. We have turned many impossible things to possibilities and we will keep it doing in future. Off course as Founder I faced many obstacles but it was enjoying clearing problems because as a Founder I always played business as a game and enjoyed every UPS AND DOWNS.
One piece of advice from you to future entrepreneurs.
My advice to future entrepreneurs is not to be scared to do business, take risks and prove yourself. Also, don’t underestimate yourself and having a self-trust and positive attitude is very important. Since as a teenage entrepreneurs, I wanted to tell them to start making business earlier which helps them to learn more about life and would make them successful people.
Jinay’s passion for sustainability, nature, and innovation has been the driving force behind the success of his business. He has shown that with hard work, dedication, and a clear vision, anything is possible, regardless of age or experience. His products have not only won over customers but also contribute to making the world a better place. We wish him continued success in their journey as an entrepreneur and hope that they continue to inspire other young people to pursue his dreams and create a positive impact in the world.
