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SABA GUL CEO, Popinjay
What is Popinjay and how was it born? Popinjay is an artisan-made handbag label that simultaneously enables livelihoods for underprivileged female artisans by creating a hand-made product that revives ancient craft techniques. It was inspired by the
Lahore born Saba Gul is an engineer by profession. She returned to Pakistan in 2011, after spending 10 years in the US, to set up the not-for-profit Bags for BLISS. In 2013, she re-launched BLISS as a commercial venture, Popinjay.
beauty of the Punjab, where craftsmanship
potential of the business for changing lives
has been stunted by the lack of connec-
in Pakistan, and two are now on my board
tions to global markets. In October 2013, it
of directors. The most important ingredient
feel immensely proud of earning their own
launched its debut collection.
for entrepreneurial success is persistence
living and creating a beautiful product.
How has BLISS/Popinjay evolved over the years? At first, I was a one-woman show with
and this is what ultimately convinced people
What are the problems you’ve
to join us, as investors and team members.
encountered as an entrepreneur in
How do you market Popinjay?
Pakistan, specifically as a woman?
25 artisans but no finished product, no mar-
Our main marketing strategy is word
Being an entrepreneur is tough as hell,
ket and no customers. Today, we have 150
of mouth, so we work hard to cultivate re-
regardless of where you are. My startup
artisan women, a full-time team, commit-
lations with our customers. We also do
has led me to lose sleep, ruin my health,
ted investors, hundreds of products sold
regular trunk shows, where I personally
neglect relationships, and push myself to
every month across the world (primarily
communicate the brand’s story to attend-
new levels of physical and mental fatigue.
North America) and a band of loyal custom-
ees. Recently, we’ve started doing online
I always like pointing out the dark side of
ers. Our products have been carried at the
marketing, exploring Facebook and Google
entrepreneurship because startups and
Emmy Awards (Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy)
advertisements, email campaigns, etc. And
their founders’ lives get glorified a lot. The
and featured on CNN, Al Jazeera and NBC
we’ve been getting global coverage too.
biggest challenges have included building a
News, and most recently the US retailer,
You re-launched BLISS, a not-for-
team and achieving the quality our product
Anthropologie, has picked up our products
profit, as the for-profit, fashion line,
boasts. As the founder, I’m answerable to
as well. It’s been one heck of a ride and I’m
Popinjay. How has this changed the
everyone, so it can be pretty challenging,
insanely proud of my team!
productivity of the business?
psychologically!
What
is
the
nature
of
your
workforce? Our full-time team consists of a production manager, product designer, sales/
With this transition, our production per
Also, manufacturing is a heavily male-
month has almost tripled. As a for-profit
dominated sector in Pakistan, so I deal with
venture, our hiring focus has shifted to de-
a lot of men who, unfortunately, don’t take
sign, production and quality.
me seriously. But I simply ignore it.
marketing director and myself; that’s three
You’re doing a lot to bring your
Is working for oneself a 24/7 job?
females and one male, all in our mid-20s to
women artisans into the limelight. How
How do you manage to strike the infa-
early 30s. We’re geographically dispersed,
has the standard of living changed for
mous ‘work-life balance?’
with half the team in Pakistan and the rest in
these women in comparison to when
North America/UK. The team also includes
Popinjay was a not-for-profit venture?
150 artisan women and five trainers in
Popinjay’s impact is baked into our busi-
Hafizabad, Punjab, and a growing network
ness model – the more products we sell, the
of 15 female brand ambassadors through-
more money the women make and the bet-
out the world.
ter their standard of living. Many of these
How did you acquire the funds in order to set up your business?
I’m probably one of the worst people to answer this question! My work is my life. But, sometimes, I do force myself to take time off for friends and family. What is one thing you’ve learned as an entrepreneur in Pakistan?
women now earn more than half of what
Never give up! Ignore the naysayers
their husbands earn, and after only three to
and keep chugging along. At times you feel
It was quite a process, with lengthy re-
four hours of work a day. The 50 - 60 per
like it’s never going to work, but remem-
views of the company’s valuation, financial
cent increase in their household incomes
ber: good things don’t come easy. Pakistan
and sales projections. The investors are all
means that they can educate their children
needs more people to think outside the
Pakistani, so they were quite excited by the
and spend more on healthcare. They also
box. n
52 | Newsline March 2014