Enterprise: DMR Mini Washing Machines (Parent Company: Lakshmi Electronics)

Founder: Mr Mahendra Rudrawar

Year it was founded: 2013

Sector: Retail

Based out of: Pune

Mr Mahendra Rudrawar was bitten by the entrepreneurship bug while was working as a chartered accountant for a multinational corporation. He identified a product - a small, portable washing machine that was being sold abroad, which could be quite useful for students in hostels or people living alone. This was a growing market, given how people have been migrating within the country for educational or career prospects. He thus established DMR Mini Washing Machines under the parent company Lakshmi Electronics, and began leveraging digital marketing tools to establish a foothold in the market and start a distribution network. Today, the company boasts of users in every corner of the country with dreams of widening its distribution network to reach every district of India, and thereby also supplying a wider range of products.

Starting out

When Mr Rudrawar was researching potential avenues for starting a business, he came across a very popular product in foreign markets called the ‘Mini Washing Machine’. Although this product was very popular across the globe, it hadn’t been introduced yet in India. Banking on his intuition about the product’s usefulness, benefits, marketability and  affordability, Mr Rudrawar decided to launch it in the Indian market; and DMR Mini Washing Machines came into existence in May 2013.

Product range

The company at present sells three kinds of Mini Washing Machines:

• DMR MiniWash - Single Tub Portable Mini Washing Machine

• DMR MaxxxWash - Twin Tub Semi Automatic Washing Machine

• DMR AutoWash - Fully automatic washing machine

To get a rough idea of the capabilities of this portable washing machine, it can hold up to 3 kg of clothes at a time, and spin 1.5 kg of clothes, with a wash time of about 15 minutes and spin time of about 6-9 minutes. For students living in hostels or single accommodations, the speed and efficiency of this product would take care of their washing needs for a week.

Challenges

When starting up, the main challenges faced by the company was a lack of manpower and the establishing of a dealer network to ensure distribution. But, with the help of a digital marketing strategy, they were able to circumvent these challenges.

Growth story

DMR has come a long way from when it was merely a startup. With a prominent online presence and strong dealer network, DMR has customers spread across India -- from Jammu & Kashmir to Kanyakumari and even in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, in addition to the usual centres for retail in the big cities.

Talking about the company’s ‘big business dream’, Mr Rudrawar says, “We dream of having our dealer network spread in each and every district; and having a larger product portfolio to cater to varying needs.”

GlobalLinker advantage

Mahendra found out about GlobalLinker at a GST seminar, and has been successfully leveraging the platform to grow his product since.

Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs

Mr Mahendra Rudrawar has some insightful advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He says, “Consistent effort and pursuing your goal will always yield rewards. This is the key for success. Initially, every business will face challenges when it comes to manpower, funding and marketing. However, things improve with time. One must be patient and keep working towards achieving the desired objective. Honesty and commitment will always stand an entrepreneur in good stead.”

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