Success comes to those who persist when things look grim and failure comes to those who simply quit, who don’t try. The difference is all in the mindset, the frame of mind you have, and your attitude as you look at a challenge.
In Sukhi Jutla’s dynamic entrepreneurial journey, persistence played an important part wherein she took a step back from a collapsing business and brought it to life again with the infusion of technology.
Exeleon interviews Sukhi Jutla, Co-founder and COO of MarketOrders, to find out more about her journey.
What according to you makes one a dynamic leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
For me, a dynamic leader is one who can adapt to changing circumstances and market conditions. As a leader, I integrate this thought process into my leadership style by being as open and flexible in mind and thought. This allows me to change course or make different decisions when required. This is a key point for being a dynamic leader because if you are too fixated on one set of plans you may be missing out on other options that may be better suited for the business.
If you are too inflexible and not willing to change course when it’s required, this can limit your progress. Humans by nature don’t like change as it can be unsettling, but leadership is a process not just a position and it’s important to know that this process in itself is dynamic and that changes will always be there – it’s how well you adapt and respond to them that makes you a dynamic leader.
What led to the formation of MarketOrders? As a Co-founder and COO, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company?
My co-founder and I ran a previous business as international jewelry wholesalers on a part-time basis for a few years. This is how I started to learn about the gold and diamonds jewelry trade business. However, we struggled to scale the business and were self-funding everything, and couldn’t get it profitable in a sustainable way.
This is when we discovered that by introducing digital technology in our business we could achieve greater economies of scale, reach more customers and run the business operations with greater levels of efficiency and that is how MarketOrders was born. We created a basic website to test the market and make sales. Once we knew we had a valid business model we raised our first round of seed funding via equity crowdfunding in 2019.
My role as Chief Operating Officer involves taking care of all things operational – from marketing to technology, I pretty much oversee all aspects of the business in how it runs and operates. As a co-founder, I help to develop the vision and strategy of the business making key decisions.
How are you empowering independent retail jewelers to have a successful collaboration with international suppliers?
Most independent retail jewelers have struggled in recent years to keep up with changing consumer demands as commerce moves online and digital. Our aim at MarketOrders is to help retailers access the products they need easier online and for suppliers to find new retailers rather than just relying on word of mouth which is what currently happens.
What has the journey been like for Sukhi Jutla over the years? Looking back, what would you have done differently when starting out?
I started out as a corporate professional in the world of finance and banking for over a decade before taking the leap into becoming a full-time entrepreneur and business owner 5 years ago. The journey to this point has been exciting and filled with new learnings. The only thing I would have done differently was to have the courage to jump into entrepreneurship sooner!
What is the process followed by the company when offering its services? How do you ensure optimal client satisfaction?
We aim to offer a fully end-to-end digital transformational experience for our customers. From ordering online to the safe delivery of high-value goods we are building our marketplace with the customer at its core to ensure they can source the best products at the best prices all delivered at a time that is convenient for them. Along with every point in the development process, we ask our customers to provide feedback and incorporate their requirements into the customer experience journey.
What would be your advice for young and aspiring women leaders or entrepreneurs?
Don’t overthink it – just go for it! My only regret is not doing it sooner. Today there are so many programs and support available for young and aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs. Join and network with entrepreneurial groups in person or online, ask questions, seek our mentors, test out your ideas on a small scale and you will learn all you need with each step you take.
What has been the biggest roadblock during your journey? What has been your biggest learning?
There have been many challenges along the way but this in itself was my biggest learning – that challenges will always be there. It’s inherent in any business. The key is to never give up and keep moving forward to find a solution because there is always a way to make positive progress as long as you have an open, dynamic, and creative mindset.
Moving forward, what does the future look like for you and for MarketOrders?
I am feeling very confident about the future of MarketOrders. We are still very much at the start of our journey, and we have a lot of ideas we want to implement to help our industry and customers, so watch this space!
