Journey of a Female Entrepreneur in male-Dominated F&B Sector

Reshmi AR

In an exclusive interview with Sakshi Post, TripGo Hospitality CEO and founder, Devanshi Tripathi tells Reshmi AR about her journey.

What were the challenges you faced as a woman entrepreneur while starting your own Bar and Restaurant?

When I started thinking about the idea and exploring it in my head, I never really thought that being a woman in a male dominated sector was challenging. But obviously, that was not the case — society does not look at it like that. I used to get questioned a lot on whether I  will  be  able  to  manage  things   by myself or not. But since it was never something I considered in my head as a big challenge I never looked at it like that—which was really helpful.

Tell us about your most challenging situation as a woman entrepreneur and how you handled it & This is clearly considered male territory. Were you made feel why you were in the biz by people in the industry?

I had several fears about being able to set up and run the business successfully, but questioning my capabilities just because I am a woman, was never a hurdle in my head. I am the sole manager and operator of the company.  Yes,  it was dificult at times—I remember getting asked who the "man" in the business was when I was scouting for properties. They would ask directly who would speak to the police and take care of legal things in my business. They would not consider me as the owner and would always keep asking who is the final decision maker and who will be running the business. My journey as a female entrepreneur in the male-dominated F&B sector has not been easy. Despite this, I have been able to propel Oyster to new heights in the last three years and am optimistic about making a name for myself in the hospitality industry.

How did you start off in the hospitality industry?

Being an entrepreneur had always been a dream, but there was uncertainty about "how and  where  to  begin."  I  began  my  career  by  working  with  various  startups  and developmental organizations. My entrepreneurial journey began in 2019, when I moved to Bangalore and launched 'Oyster Bar & Kitchen'. Despite having no educational or familial hospitality background, Bengaluru's incredible pub culture inspired me to consider starting a business in the F&B sector. Initially, efforts were concentrated on speaking with industry experts in order to gain a better understanding of the market landscape and restaurant management techniques. It took a lot of effort to get everything in place in order to start the business, the licenses, the permissions etc. Every effort made to establish and sustain Oyster aided my growth as an entrepreneur over time.

What's the shelf life of a career in a bar according to you?

If done correctly, bars can survive for years. There is no such thing as a shelf life; it is entirely up to management  to  get  everything  right  since  customers  are  dynamic  by  nature.  We  expected restaurants to close completely post covid 19, but things quickly recovered. So, restaurants must adapt to market changes and ensure that maintenance and upkeep is done regularly in order to remain popular in the market.

Name some women in this industry who inspired you to take this up

Since there aren't many women in the industry, it's difficult for me to single out one. In fact, prior to starting my business, all of the restaurant owners I met were men from various backgrounds. Only after I opened Oyster did I have the opportunity to connect with a couple of other successful women restaurant owners. But if I had to name someone who has inspired me, it will be - Riyaaz Amlani, owner and founder of Impresario Handmade Restaurants that has brands like Social and Smoke House Deli.

It's not easy to keep people in your team motivated as it could be overwhelming. How do you handle that?

Employees are willing to switch jobs in the hospitality industry even if they receive a slightly higher salary elsewhere, which is understandable since they get a very similar working environment at most restaurants and usually work at low salaries. At Oyster, we retain our team by paying them on time - a practice that is not very common in the restaurant industry, providing them with comfortable accommodations, offering incentives linked to performance and through service charge. To ensure better coordination and a friendly work environment, we hire our employees in "teams" or with people they've previously worked with.

Your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs

My advice to young entrepreneurs is to be open to change, be agile, take advice, especially from industry professionals whose mistakes you can learn from rather than repeat. Second, understand what the market requires and be ready to tweak your strategy to meet those requirements. It is critical that you modify your ideas and remain adaptable to changing market conditions. Finally, keep in mind that very few startups succeed, so take it one step at a time and listen to your mentors to achieve your goals.

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