How The Last Two Years Have Inspired The Multi-Hyphenate Mumpreneur

Vihari Poddar has come a long way since establishing her eponymous jewelry brand 15 years ago. Zhuan Lee finds out how the last two years have inspired the multi-hyphenate mumpreneur to learn and adapt her business to the new normal.

- Zhuan Lee

Born into a family of diamond experts, Vihari Poddar has spent her childhood surrounded by gemstones. She subsequently spent summer breaks at her father Rajesh Sheth’s office learning the ropes and eventually started her own high jewellery business, Vihari Jewels, in 2006. She was just 20 years old then.

Fifteen years, a marriage and three beautiful children later, Poddar is still thriving as an entrepreneur. A mum to seven-year-old Kiara, four-year-old Dhrissh and four-month-old Veera, she is fully hands-on and very much involved in their day-to-day lives.

Having a strong mind and good support system is what the jeweller attributes her ability to juggle work and family: “There’ve been so many times when things felt impossible and the burden of it all seemed insurmountable. But life moves on and the only way through is to get a hold of your emotions.” She thanks her parents, husband Abishek (founder of online fashion retailer Mr Square) and younger brother Kanul (who works at their father’s company) for always being there for her and also constantly motivating her to push on. “Without them, all this would’ve been impossible.”

EVOLVING WITH THE BUSINESS

Since early 2020, the pandemic has changed the way we live, in ways we’ve never imagined. Not one to rest on her laurels, Poddar spent the past two years working on her “firstborn” – Vihari Jewels: “I’ve been rebranding my business and planning how to take the next step.” Her goal? To move from being a quiet, in-the-know business to one that will be accessible to everyone.