Anjana Esther Easo, the founder of ‘Beyond Scraps’, is working as a Software Developer in Kerala and loves the art of crafting. Her Instagram page, ‘Beyond Scraps’, was started on June 1, 2020, to keep herself engaged and as a source of relaxation from her regular work life. Little did she know that her page would receive positive responses and her passion for creating new things will grow even more.
In an interview with Feba M Abraham from News Aur Chai for the VoLocals campaign, we see how the budding sole proprietor smoothly manages her business. When asked about the name of the business, Anjana said she had a hard time finding a unique one. “After so much of research, I finally settled with the name ‘Beyond Scraps’, meaning something more than the scraps used in crafting,” said Anjana. She even wanted her logo unique, so she took it upon her and created with something resembling arts and crafts. Thought the initial investment leaned a bit to the higher end, she told that the ultimate objective is to make people happy through her creations.
Anjana is organized when it comes to planning and prioritizing her works. She proportionately divides her daily time between her office life and business life. Whenever she receives a large number of orders, she will sit late night to cater to it.
As every order here is customized, she is open to her customers’ various ideas and will immediately get to work to turn them into a reality. The customers are free to inform Anjana of how they want their gifts to look like and the delivery date. “For example, if the event is a birthday, an anniversary or a farewell, they will ask me what sort of gift should be gifted to make the person concerned happy. I will suggest some, based on their need they will give their approval. Hence, none of the products will look the same,” said Anjana.
Out of all the arts and crafts created by her, the following two items are in high demand:-
Scrapbook
Explosion Box (with photos and chocolates)
The business name speaks for itself when it implies that the items here are beyond scraps. The products are not completely made from scraps, and she reuses cardboards and boxes. Other craft materials are mostly purchased from shops or Instagram pages. She does refer to YouTube videos and Pinterest to gain some useful tips, but rarely; mostly Anjana rely on her creative skill to make each product.
Her family is her greatest support! During such times when she is unable to pack her final products, her father extends his help by making the boxes to fit the crafted item, and he is the one who primarily takes care of the packaging aspect. Her mother gives her ideas and advice on how she can improve her product. Meanwhile, her brother is the one who promotes and stands strong as her constant motivation.
Customers usually place their orders through Instagram and WhatsApp. The promotion part is taken care of by her friends, as they putting up social media statuses and stories. They also refer her page to their friends; thus, word of mouth plays a vital role in her growth. When asked about the delivery part, she told that if it is long distance, then the items will be couriered and if it is nearby, then she manages to make sure that the customers get their ordered items.
Considering the future of the business, Anjana said, ”As it is my passion, I want to continue my business as long as it may go, she wants to continue her business alongside her profession.”
Check out her page for customized and neat arts and crafts.
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