Can you change an entire society with just a pair of jeans? In this episode of Chat Masala, our host, Rahul Subramaniam, interviews Mr. Lalit Agarwal, a visionary entrepreneur and the founder of V-Mart, one of India's leading fashion and lifestyle retail chains. From growing up in a tailor’s shop after school and learning the trade to running his own business while in college, he shares surprising insights about how to sell high-quality, durable products to consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. With lessons in empathy, creativity, and strategic business decisions, he teaches us how to empathize with diverse regional cultures, and then drive change organically within those cultures, bringing liberalization and modernizing, with just a pair of jeans. ~~ Timestamps 🕒 0:00 - 0:42 Sneak peak 0:42 - 1:45 Introductions 1:45 - 5:57 Early years of entrepreneurship 5:57 - 8:40 Working in a tailor’s shop 8:40 - 12:22 Running a business during college 12:22 - 16:31 Selling to a vastly diverse India 16:31 - 21:28 Changing Srinagar’s fashion 21:28 - 24:45 Fashion drives social change 24:45 - 28:54 Reasons for VMart’s Success 28:54 - 33:48 Crucial entrepreneurship skills 33:48 - 44:26 The importance of mindset Athena Education was founded nine years ago by two Princeton graduates, passionate about bringing visionary education to India. They founded Athena to enable high-school students to receive a world-class education, gain admission into Ivy League and other elite universities worldwide, and become the best version of themselves. Our robust team of writing counseling experts, in-house tech, research, and art mentors, and Harvard admissions consultant provide one-on-one support in all areas—from extracurricular profile development to college applications, and even essential life-skill building. Athena Education is now a leading education consulting firm modeled after the Ivy League with students in eleven countries. Share your feedback, and email your response to connect@athenaeducation.co.in! See you next week. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athena_education/ Website: https://www.athenaeducation.co.in/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/athenaeducationindia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/athenaeducationindia Book a counseling session here. --------------------------------- Listen to Chat Masala on all major audio streaming platforms: YouTube ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1W5oMYSMNnkKqacWyEmjeZ-wzNulPnGP Spotify ➡️ https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mpj260Cz1c0HWLyoJusuY?si=05eba6be4cc647d5 Apple Podcast ➡️ https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/chat-masala-with-rahul-subramaniam/id1696044234 Google Podcast ➡️ https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9lNTM1NDk4Yy9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw Amazon Music ➡️ https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/a9f5bbc1-b618-4431-95ff-d624fec0fc28/chat-masala-with-rahul-subramaniam JioSaavn ➡️ https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/chat-masala-with-rahul-subramaniam/1/4aBA304oCGU_ Audible ➡️ https://www.audible.in/pd/Chat-Masala-with-Rahul-Subramaniam-Podcast/B0CB1Y4Q51 Radio Public ➡️ https://radiopublic.com/chat-masala-with-rahul-subramania-6BDKDa Castbox ➡️ https://castbox.fm/channel/Chat-Masala-with-Rahul-Subramaniam-id5505336 #vmart #vmartretail #retail #collegecounseling #clothingbrand #jeans #salwarsuit #leadershipdevelopment #professional #professionaldevelopment #youngentrepreneur #tier2