Meet Medha. You’ve likely never met anyone with the charisma she possesses. When you meet her, you have an instant friend. Smile on your face guaranteed. And just when you think you could not love her more, she tells you about her mission-driven business, Abhivyaktii Gift Shop.
Medha was born in India and moved to the United States 16 years ago. She resides in Concord with her husband and daughter, with her amazing gift shop attached to her home.
“When you come to my gift shop, you feel like you’ve come into a palace,” said Medha. “You hear Indian music and you see poetry. I’ll show you the real India. There’s no rush here.”
When asked what kind of items she sells at Abhivyaktii, Medha’s eyes lit up. She left the room for just a moment and then returned with a joy on her face that could only be equated to the look on a child’s face when it’s their turn for show and tell, and they’ve brought their most prized possession.
She held up beautiful wooden toys, a painted kettle and a handmade owl made of brass. The level of craftsmanship is breathtaking. You have to see it to believe it.
“My specialty is functional art,” Medha said. “On the tag of each item is a person’s photo and their story.”
The entire mission of Abhivyaktii is inspired by Medha seeing talented artists in India having to beg for food because companies buy their art for almost nothing and then sell the incredibly intricate pieces for a huge profit. It breaks her heart.
“My mission is that one day Indian artisans will live a life of dignity and respect and that they will be fairly paid,” Medha said with a fire in her eyes.
Abhivyaktii is a fair trade store. Medha believes by sharing the artisans behind their craft, and by purchasing their pieces at a fair price, she is shining a light and providing opportunities for her customers to impact many lives in India.
While Medha has been in business for 9 years now, she will be the first to tell you that there is so much about being a business owner that she still must learn. With her mission to uplift so many Indian artisans, it’s time to keep growing.
That’s where the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center comes into the story. Medha learned about Retail Lab from another gift shop owner. Shortly afterwards, she found herself lost in town and she came across a Retail Lab flyer on a board outside a building.
“By losing my way, I found the Retail Lab!” she said. “I applied and I didn’t think I’d hear back, but I got in!”
The Retail Lab bootcamp is a program coordinated by Flywheel Foundation and the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center (SBC) and sponsored by Wells Fargo.
The operations of the program are coordinated by the Flywheel Foundation’s program manager, Grant Colgan and the curriculum and instructors are coordinated by Meg Smit, director of the SBC.
When sharing about her experience working with Grant throughout the program, Medha said, “Grant will always have a special place in my heart. I didn’t think I could get a grant at the end of the Retail Lab, but Grant put forth so much effort to help me make a great pitch. I won one because of it.”
Each week for 6 weeks, Medha attended a class for the bootcamp. Her favorites were taught by Chrissy Santos and Justin Moore. From Chrissy, she learned all about selling on Facebook and Instagram as well as opportunities she didn’t know existed for selling at festivals and other shops.
“I tried setting up Facebook and Instagram shop on my own after the class and got stuck,” said Medha. “Chrissy stepped in and gave me two and a half hours of her time to help me step by step. She’s not only a good businesswomen, she has humanity in her.”
Justin taught on branding and helped Medha understand the importance of sharing her brand’s incredible story.
Medha deeply recognizes the power of community in every aspect of her life. She spoke of her neighborhood and how all the families help each other and stay in constant connection. When she stepped foot into the Cabarrus Center to participate in the Retail Lab bootcamp, she gained a new community.
“I’ve never had people help me like this,” she said. “Here I found people like Grant and Meg who don’t mind going out of their way to help me succeed.”
To learn more about Medha and Abhivyaktii Gift Shop, you can connect on Facebook and Instagram @abhivyaktigiftshop or visit her website and shop online at www.abhivyaktii.com.
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