- Reeba Rizvi on meeting customer expectations during these times
By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya
Running a small business is becoming extremely challenging in Sri Lanka. Those who are able to work around a shortage of materials or ingredients as well as power cuts may still face great difficulty when delivering their products. Reeba Rizvi, whose creativity is channelled through Dazzling Events and Hand Crafts, spoke to Brunch about how she has been overcoming the challenges of running a business during an economic crisis.
Before moving on to heavier topics, Rizvi shared how she comes up with the ideas for her creations. To her, creativity has no limit as you are free to think and do whatever comes to your mind. She said people can be as innovative as they want to make something unique and beautiful.
“I believe that I have the ability to create new things. I get the inspiration and do it in my own way. However, I keep myself updated with latest designs and trends. And I combine them with my own ideas,” she said, explaining that at all times, she tries to be unique in her own way as she trusts her creativity. This gives her courage to push through any obstacle.
Rizvi added that she is lucky enough to be backed by her family, who is as creative as she is.
She also shared how Dazzling Events and Hand Crafts came about. Calling the business a life-changer for her, Rizvi said: “It made me unleash the unexpected creativity I had within me.”
What motivated her to start this was her eldest daughter Amani’s first birthday. “I always dreamt of doing it in a beautiful and magical way. However, back in 2017, I couldn’t find anyone who did elegant decorations for smaller occasions.”
This got her thinking. “My husband and my family offered me support and helped me achieve my dream. It turned out absolutely beautiful. That’s what encouraged me to start my own business,” she said.
Since then, she decorates birthday party backdrops, party decorations, decorations for small functions, sweets tables, and table centres. With time, she also started focusing on kids’ activity books, rock painting, customised wind chimes, and handmade cards.
“I always tend to think outside the box as I don’t like sticking to the old, because when it comes to creativity there are endless possibilities and ideas. I love working as a designer and it helps me grow as a creative individual,” she added.
Rizvi admitted that this has been an extremely challenging period for her. Her business was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. “Surviving the pandemic had been challenging, and just when I thought I was back on track with my business, the economic crisis hit us. It’s a huge downfall,” she said.
Price hikes have been unbearable, she said, adding that the price of every piece of decoration needed for her business has doubled or tripled. This minimises profits.
Rizvi also assures her customers that she will always provide her best. This has meant that, regardless of the situation, most of her loyal customers have stuck with her, both during good and hard times believing in her work. She showed sincere gratitude to all of them.
Rizvi explained that, even during the pandemic, her customers reached out to her for limited occasions, but she faced issues with delivery. “I didn’t have stocks of most of the essentials and waiting for the curfew to be lifted for purchasing was a waste of time. But there were instances when I got special passes to get things delivered,” she said.
Rizvi had to come up with solutions to keep her business going, but the birth of her second child meant a brief break from the business.
“I needed to manage my time and that is how rock painting came into the picture. I managed to pull through,” she said. However, this happiness was short-lived, as the country was hit by an economic crisis.
“It is a great shock as prices skyrocket every week, but I am doing my best to manage expenses and stay on track. However, orders have dropped in a massive way,” she shared. It has not been easy to bear the loss of goals and dreams, but Rizvi is not willing to give up on her dreams easily. She is determined to find solutions to every obstacle she has to face. “However, I sincerely hope for a better tomorrow with God’s grace,” Rizvi added.
We asked her how she managed to overcome some of these challenges. Stocking up essentials for the business has helped, as she stocks up at the best price possible so the customer is not burdened by unbearable prices. Rizvi also looks for places where she can purchase in bulk for wholesale prices even though her business is a small-scale one. This practice also helps reduce production cost.
“I also try to cut off unnecessary elements that require more money. My goal is to give my best for the best price possible so that both me and my customer would be satisfied amidst these difficult times,” she explained.
However, Rizvi had words of encouragement for other small business owners who are worried about their future and the sustainability of their business.
“First of all, never ever give up on what you do and what makes you happy. Believe in yourself and your work. You have to do your best no matter how bad the situation is,” she said, adding that having stocks of essential items for the business at the best price is a must, given the uncertainty we are currently facing.
Rizvi also stressed the importance of maintaining the quality of products, saying the customer’s wishes must always be prioritised.
She added: “I’m sure almost all of us are going through the worst days of our lives with the current economic crisis, but let’s hang in there together and overcome this challenge. Have faith in your religion and stay positive. So finally, fingers crossed for better days to come where all our small businesses will boom once again. Good luck!”
