How Pooja turned her calligraphy skills into a profitable business

Where there is a will there is a way! It is true that when there is a desire to do something, then the way is found. Quitting your job and starting your own startup doesn't always require a great business idea and investment.

This is because the art and skill of hands also sometimes work wonders. Today you will read the story of one such skilled woman entrepreneur.

Born in a lower-middle-class family in Pune, Pooja Bhagwat belongs to a family where no one even remotely thought of business. All employed or should say that no one with a business mentality.

Initially, even Pooja had no idea of starting her own startup. But she had magic in her hands. She would draw such beautiful figures on paper with colorful pens, and write words with such ease and artistry that the eyes would be deceived. It seems as if it is not written but printed.

This skill turned into a business idea one day and Ink N Bliss started, so let's know this journey of Pooja Bhagwat…

Used to make pictures on saree fall paper

Pooja Bhagwat was born in 1988 in a lower-middle-class family in Pune. Father was a clerk in the government office and mother was a housewife.

Due to the poor economic condition of the house, her mother used to stitch saris, blouses, and clothes for small children. A plain transparent paper comes in the packet of saree fall. Mother would open the packet and take out the fall and Pooja would do artwork on the remaining paper with her pencil and wax colors.

She would make various pictures and figures, and seeing those beautiful figures, everyone's face would light up, they would also praise, but in the end, the question would be the same, which is asked to every child, “Have you done your homework? Enough painting, now go study.

Pooja was good at her studies, so her family members never stopped her from drawing. When she grew up a little more, she also got watercolor, sketch color, and a drawing book. Seeing cartoons, and pictures of heroes and heroines from newspapers, she used to copy exactly the same. 

There was no scolding for continuing to draw all the time, but there was not much enthusiasm either.

Art college chose even after 86%

In 2005, Pooja got 86% marks in 10th. Now seeing the number, the family members felt that the daughter would become a doctor-engineer. But the daughter had already made her choice. She was fond of painting, so she chose Art College only.

Her mother was not happy with this decision and she also expressed concern. According to her, which career can be made by learning painting. Her uncle had even brought the science college form. Her father had no knowledge of new modern career options. But he told her mother, “Let her do what she wants to do.”

Pooja took admitted to Pune's prestigious Abhinav College of Arts after 10th. She was happy because she was doing what she wanted. On the other hand, the mother was still worried because day and night at home the daughter only used to draw pictures.

All the relatives and guests who came to the house, to see Pooja's painting, would ask the same question, “Will we get money from this work?”

But the family members were satisfied that it is a girl. Even if nothing happens to the career, the marriage will definitely happen. That means even today in our society, the career of a girl is optional, it is not a necessity.

Career in Corporate

After leaving Art College, Pooja got a job in an advertising agency. She was getting good money, but she was not enjoying the work. In the art that had to be made in the name of advertising, the machine had more role than brush, pen, and colors.

That is, most of the role is not of the human's own hands, eyes, and brain but of the artificial intelligence of the machine. Pooja kept moving from one advertising agency to another but the creative happiness she was looking for did not materialize.

Companies kept changing, and money kept increasing, meanwhile, the city also changed, but the mind remained more depressed and restless than before.

Meanwhile, Pooja also married one of her college classmates. Both started living in Mumbai from Pune. Here Pooja became the Art Director of a big ad agency named DDB Mudra. But now this question has started troubling me more than before that the corporate job will eat you up, you have to save yourself.

First Calligraphic Work

Pooja used to do calligraphy in her diary late at night to give herself some peace of mind from the mechanical life of the corporate. A beautiful quote, a poem, a Shayari, or an excerpt from a book.

That diary was an art piece in itself. Once someone's eyes fell on that diary in the office.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the office. Now colleagues at Pooja's desk would come to see that diary.

Pooja Bhagwat got her first calligraphic job by chance in 2016 when a colleague in her office asked, “Tomorrow is a holiday. An event is happening in Mumbai. They need calligraphers. Some names have to be written on the candles. You will?"

Pooja said yes and reached the venue the next day. When it arrived, it came to know that it was an event of the famous Spanish fashion brand Massimo Dutti. Her new store was open.

There was a big round table with lots of colorful scented candles.  Pooja just had to do was write the name of each guest on that candle. The attention and beauty with which Pooja was writing the names of the people on those candles with her salon palms with long fingers mesmerized the guests.

More than the gift, she was interested in how beautifully her name was engraved on the candle.

Pooja wrote names on 200 candles that evening. By the end of the evening, the fingers had become numb but there was a strange happiness and peace in the mind. It was a wonderful evening but it was even better when after the event was over, she got the payment check in her hand. In one evening, Pooja had earned as much money as her month's salary at that time.

Pooja had found her way. That's what they had to do. Work of your mind and happiness.

The beginning of Ink N Bliss

Pooja Bhagwat started Ink & Bliss in 2017 after quitting her job. There was only one fear whether she would be able to live like this or not. There is some guarantee in the job. At the end of every month, bundled celery comes.

But Pooja was determined to take the risk by saving enough money for the next four months.

Initially, she created her Instagram page. She started posting her work on that page. Just started talking about his skills.

Now small assignments of calligraphy started coming to Pooja. Someone has to write a birthday card for his girlfriend, and someone has to write a note on his father's retirement. Individual clients gradually morphed into large corporate clients.

She started getting good orders. An order of 500 cards would have come at once. So much work started coming that she had to hire other calligraphers.

Today Ink & Bliss has its own website. Now their work is also being done in a more systematic manner.

Pooja is also designing book covers, product mastheads, names, etc. She has made a small home studio. Soon the work is likely to increase so much that it will be difficult to manage from a home studio.

What is Ink N Bliss?

Pooja Bhagwat started Ink N Bliss, a calligraphy and design studio, in 2017.

Calligraphy is an art form, in which words are molded into beautiful shapes on paper with a colored pen. It is used for card printing posters, videos, films, and all kinds of advertising.

Not only paper but calligraphy is also done on plastic, glass, pottery, etc. Today Pooja Bhagwat has many permanent clients and new ones are on the rise.

The startup started with zero investment and has turned into a profitable business in a span of 5 years.

The work done with hard work and dedication reaches its destination. It's just how passionate you are about your work that matters.

Jagdisha wishes, Puja Bhagwat May she set new milestones every day.