Touch Wood

Wooden Street, Indias first online store for custom furniture, revolutionised the online furniture market within a few months of its launch in 2015. MARWAR talks to Lokendra Singh Ranawat, the co-founder and CEO of Wooden Street, to get an insight into his successful entrepreneurial journey, new forays and future plans.

- Beverly Pereira

IF INDIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS DIVERSITY OF food, attire and culture, it is equally multifarious when it comes to arts and crafts. In 2015, on identifying a huge potential for custom-made hardwood furniture, Lokendra Singh Ranawat joined hands with his brother Virendra and their childhood friends Dinesh Pratap Singh and Vikas Baheti to launch Wooden Street, a furniture customisation website and app. It enabled users to customise furniture online, based on available designs, or place a request for furniture to be built from scratch.

Ranawat hails from a Rajput family and was exposed to Rajasthan’s rich history of woodwork and craftsmanship from childhood. His early years were also marked with frequent travels across India, as his father was a naval officer. “India is rich in diversity, so you cannot have the same type of furniture everywhere. Add to that the different personalities of people from all walks of life... We wanted to let people change the aesthetics and functionality of their products, and that idea gave birth to Wooden Street,” he explains.

Taking risks

Prior to embarking on this joint entrepreneurial journey, all four friends held well-paying positions at notable companies. Armed with impressive academic backgrounds, tremendous work experience and crucial skill sets, they readily quit their jobs to float the start-up. Ranawat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Gyan Vihar School of Engineering & Technology, Jaipur, and an MBA in Sales and Marketing from ITM, Ghaziabad. His grasp over digital marketing led him to launch Cognus Technology in the UK. He also has 10 years of experience in sales and marketing from Birlasoft Ltd in London and Axis IT&T, Delhi.