eHatti Launch!

Today we have relaunched ehatti. A payment gateway has also been integrated. Now you can pay using credit cards, net banking and itz cash cards. Over the next few months we shall increase the inventory on the website.

The Toiletman!

Today i attended a guest lecture by an interesting social entrepreneur Mr. Jack Sim(http://www.worldtoilet.org/), proudly calls himself "The Toiletman", in Singapore. I must say he is an amazing speaker. He kept the audience engaged throughout the presentation by mixing humor with a serious social issue. The major takeaways from his presentation are:

1. Laugh at yourself so that people laugh on you. But when you talk seriously they will listen to you very carefully.
2. Selling to poor people requires different kind of marketing approach. Rather than positioning the products  rationally, they must be positioned emotionally. For example, most of the poor people the founder visited didn't have access to toilets but have had a hand phone :) .
3. Never spend a money on marketing. Write a article in magazine or an editorial in a newspaper to generate the buzz.
4. Last but not the least, as social entrepreneur one should never loose track of his(er) business. Its very easy get distracted during this long and tedious journey.
   

He talked at length about his perspective towards life. I am sure all of us have heard those things many times. I have decided to publish observations which are little uncommon. I have emailed him asking for his presentation. Lets hope he responds back!

Here we go again!

Within couple of days we shall launch the revamped version of ehatti's website. For those of you who are still wondering what does ehatti mean, the explanation is simple if you know Hindi. e-hatti is taken from hindi word "Hatti", which means shop. ehatti is online effort launched to sell items made by school for mentally and physically challenged children. Very few schools in India receive government aid, and the schools have to generate the operational money through other means. while donations play a crucial role in making schools ends meet, a part of the operational money also comes through sale of items such as diyas, candles and soft toys. By building these artifacts, the children also learn invaluable vocational skills which might help them survive on their own in young age. ehatti is an effort to augment their morale and to help them succeed.

Wish us luck!