Tycoon
Volume 5
Issue 11
November 2026
Navigating the business and startup landscape in Goa
COVER FEATURE
Trisha Rao Building diverse ventures across marketing, preventive healthcare, traditional sweets and real estate with innovation and heritage.
The Present Surprise Simran Roiz curates personalised gift hampers, bringing creativity and thoughtful details to every celebration and occasion.
Thirsty Crocodile
Meeson Adnis and Omkar Shetker bring Goan flavours, local sea salt and community spirit to refreshing hydration.
KalaKarwaa
Shital Seth transforms discarded materials into functional art and décor, championing sustainable living through creative upcycling.
Shital Seth’s KalaKarwaa gives discarded materials a new purpose, transforming them into functional art, home décor, and personalised keepsakes while encouraging sustainable living through creative upcycling.
Alpna Kale’s Feelings Hatke celebrates the art of meaningful gifting through handmade creations, personalised keepsakes, Goainspired souvenirs, and creative workshops that encourage self-expression and connection.
Editorial Dear Readers,
This November, we explore the many ways creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial vision are taking shape across diverse industries. From meaningful gifting and sustainable craftsmanship to refreshing ideas and people-focused ventures, this issue brings together stories of ambition, individuality, and purposeful growth.
Trisha Rao’s entrepreneurial journey spans marketing, preventive healthcare, traditional sweets, and real estate, bringing together modern business thinking and family heritage through ventures across Goa, Dubai, and Chennai.
Simran Roiz’s The Present Surprise brings thoughtfulness to gifting through personalised hampers for weddings, celebrations, and corporate occasions, combining carefully curated products with creativity and attention to detail.
Meeson Adnis and Omkar Shetker’s Thirsty Crocodile brings a refreshing perspective to hydration with its Goan beverage brand, incorporating local sea salt while supporting traditional salt farming and communitydriven entrepreneurship.
Riosha Nikita Menezes’s The Art Box brings artistic ideas to life through handmade creations, customised gifts, and creative workshops, offering thoughtful ways to turn imagination into memorable experiences.
Parixit Pai Fondekar, founder of Kamaxi Group, shares its people-first vision connecting education, skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship, creating career opportunities and empowering individuals to realise their potential.
Together, these stories reveal a key truth about business in Goa: success requires more than ideas. It calls for understanding seasonal rhythms, nurturing loyal customers, staying digitally present, managing resources wisely, and using quieter months to evolve. This mindful approach transforms small ventures into lasting legacies.
Well, that's all I have for you from my desk this month. I hope you enjoy reading this month's issue of Goa Tycoon. Do share it with your friends all across the globe. Until next month, cheers!
Warm regards,
Jessyl Fernandez
Editor
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Index 01 Trisha Rao
02 The Present Surprise
03 Thirsty Crocodile
04 KalaKarwaa
05 Feelings Hatke
06 The Art Box
07 Kamaxi: A Vision Rooted in People
Introduction
Goa, the tiniest state on the western coast of India, boasts golden pristine beaches, palm-fringed avenues, flavourful food, delicious Portuguese-influenced sweets, and warm, hospitable people. Also known as the Ibiza of India for its partying. A tropical paradise of flora and fauna, from the very famous 'almi' (mushrooms) endemic to its forests, that grow only on the red mud anthills, to the solar prawns that are fished immediately after the monsoons, Goa is unique. Tourists are also attracted to Goa for its cultural heritage - from the famous old Portuguese churches like Se Cathedral in Old Goa, the 16th Century Safa Masjid in Ponda and Shree Mangesha Temple in Mardol, the legendary Arvalem or Pandava Caves where the Pandavas of the Mahabharat fame lived, to its two unique festivals - Carnival and Shigmo. Goa plays host to many festivals the International Film Festival of India that promotes cinema, the Serendipity Art Festival, Sunburn Music Festival, to name a few. To showcase this varied heritage of culture, art, tradition, food, and people, in 2015 ItsGoa was born. The main aim was to make it the premier portal for all things Goa. We were able to showcase Goa like never before. Soon our blog-based website transcended the virtual space, with the ItsGoa magazine – a sought-after resource for visitors to Goa from countries like Norway, UK, USA, etc.
Editorial Team Chief Editor
Jessyl Fernandez
Sales
Donald Fernandez
Andrea Fernandes
Content & Social Media
Britney Fernandes
Graphics & Layout
Britney Fernandes
For advertising queries:
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ItsGoa Media Group
Nordic Intent HQ - Floor 3, PDA
Colony, Porvorim, Goa 403521
Email: mail@itsgoa.com
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hotel Lua Nova If holidays are inspired by nature and your thirst for rustic solitude and inner peace, Lua Nova is the hotel your heart was yearning for. Located at Goa's celebrated holiday capital at Baga, it overlooks a beautiful Canvasitsgoa_ of village Itsgoa www.itsgoa.com itsgoa Goa, just 5 minutes walk from the Baga Beach.
cover feature
Trisha Rao Trisha Rao is an entrepreneur building brands across marketing, preventive healthcare, traditional sweets and real estate, balancing innovation with heritage while pursuing purposeful ventures across Goa, Dubai and Chennai.
Article by: Team ItsGoa
Images by: Trisha Rao
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Trisha Rao is an entrepreneur whose professional journey spans marketing, preventive healthcare, food and real estate across Dubai, Goa and Chennai. A partner at marketing company SSCG, she is also building PRVNT in preventive healthcare, taking her family's 75-year-old Telugu sweets legacy, Bandaru Mithai Dukanam (BMD), forward with her brother, and developing Omaya, a villa project in Sangolda, Goa, with her husband.
Her interests in fashion, architecture, travel and food reflect her curiosity about the details that make a brand, space or experience distinctive. This ability to recognise what sets something apart also influences her approach to business, where she looks beyond the immediate product or service to understand the identity, purpose and potential behind it.
From Marketing to Entrepreneurship
Trisha's interest in marketing began around a decade
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ago, drawn by the way it brings together creativity, business and human behaviour. She was fascinated by how a brand's presentation could influence the
realities and decisions behind business strategy. It
way people perceive it, connect with it and
has also taught her that building something
ultimately choose it. Over time, her focus expanded
meaningful requires patience, adaptability and a
beyond communication and campaigns to
willingness to keep learning.
understanding the commercial decisions that drive a business.
Building Brands with Purpose
Her experience across Dubai, Goa and Chennai has
Through SSCG, Trisha works with businesses across
played an important role in shaping this perspective.
lifestyle, hospitality, real estate and emerging
Each market has its own cultural nuances, consumer
consumer categories. The company offers brand
behaviour and aspirations. Dubai strengthened her
strategy, positioning, public relations, creative
appreciation for positioning and ambition, Goa
direction, content and digital marketing, bringing
introduced her to its distinctive creative and
these disciplines together to support clearly defined
hospitality culture, while Chennai offered a deeper
business objectives.
understanding of heritage and consumer relationships. These experiences taught her that
She is particularly drawn to brands with a strong
effective marketing cannot rely on a fixed formula; it
point of view and genuine potential, especially those
must be shaped around the audience and the
that have yet to communicate their value effectively.
environment in which a brand operates.
Her approach begins with understanding the business, its audience and what differentiates it from
Moving from building brands for clients to
competitors. From there, she identifies the strengths
developing businesses of her own has been another
that can form the foundation of its identity and
defining milestone. Entrepreneurship has given her a
translates them into communication that resonates
closer understanding of the risks, operational
with the right audience.
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BMD - model shoot
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The focus is on making the brand more relevant to contemporary consumers through refreshed packaging, storytelling, content and distribution, without losing the cultural identity that has defined it over the years. For Trisha, the challenge is to find the right balance between heritage and change.
The aim is not to alter what makes BMD special, but to communicate its value in ways that connect with today's audience. The experience has also strengthened her understanding of the importance of consistency when building a brand over generations. A longstanding business carries its own history and recognition, and taking it forward requires respect for its roots alongside a clear vision for its future.
Exploring Preventive Healthcare Through PRVNT
BMD packaging For Trisha, marketing is not simply about creating visibility or following trends. It is about identifying what makes a business relevant and communicating that value consistently. Creativity must also serve a commercial purpose. Beyond how a campaign looks or the attention it receives, she considers whether it strengthens positioning, attracts the right customers, generates demand or contributes to growth.
Through PRVNT, Trisha is building a venture in preventive healthcare, an industry that has introduced her to a different set of challenges, particularly around credibility and trust. Unlike many consumer-facing categories, healthcare requires communication that is clear, responsible and supported by substance. Her ambition is to help make preventive healthcare a more integral part of how people approach their health.
This belief shapes her relationships with clients as well. She values founders who are willing to think long term, communicate openly about their challenges and recognise marketing as an investment in the business rather than a short-term promotional exercise.
Preserving a Family Legacy While Embracing Change
One of Trisha's key ventures is Bandaru Mithai Dukanam, a 75-year-old Telugu sweets business that she is taking forward with her brother. The project brings together the responsibility of preserving a family legacy and the opportunity to introduce it to a new generation.
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Social Media Grid- Omaya
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Building PRVNT has broadened her understanding of the sector and reinforced the importance of establishing trust between a brand and the people it serves.
Creating Considered Spaces Through Omaya
Alongside her marketing and healthcare ventures, Trisha is developing Omaya with her husband in Sangolda, Goa. The project emerged from their interest in creating something tangible in a region known for its distinctive character and connection to design, hospitality and lifestyle. Although real estate involves a different set of skills from marketing, Trisha sees common ground between the two.
Both require an understanding of the intended audience, considered decision-making and a clear identity. Her marketing experience informs the way she approaches Omaya's positioning and overall experience, while the development process has given her a greater appreciation of the operational and investment decisions involved in real estate. Working across multiple industries also requires a practical approach to managing responsibilities. For Trisha, this comes down to prioritisation, building capable teams and understanding where her involvement can add the most value.
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Dubai-Based Business Ventures She believes balance is not about dividing time equally between ventures, but recognising the needs of each business and giving it the attention required.
Values That Guide Her Work
Clarity, integrity, curiosity and a long-term outlook form the foundation of Trisha's professional approach. She values working with founders who have a clear vision, are honest about their challenges and are prepared to build patiently rather than chase immediate visibility. She believes marketing can amplify a business's strengths, but it cannot replace the substance behind them.
This is why honest conversations, independent thinking and relationships built on trust remain central to the way she works. Whether collaborating with a client or developing one of her own ventures, she wants the businesses she is associated with to become stronger, not simply more visible. Across her different projects, a common approach emerges: understand the purpose, recognise the potential and build with a clear sense of direction. While the industries may differ, each venture offers an opportunity to create something meaningful and relevant to the people it serves.
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Looking Ahead: Building for Long-Term Relevance
Trisha's ambitions extend across all the businesses she is developing. At SSCG, she hopes to continue strengthening the company's presence across Dubai,
Goa and Chennai, while working with brands where the team can contribute meaningfully to their growth. With PRVNT, she aims to encourage a stronger place for preventive healthcare in everyday life.
Through BMD, she and her brother hope to introduce a 75-year-old family legacy to new generations while retaining its cultural roots. With Omaya, she hopes to contribute to considered residential spaces that reflect the character and quality of their setting.
For aspiring marketers and entrepreneurs, Trisha encourages looking beyond the visible aspects of a profession. In marketing, this means understanding the product, customer, numbers and business decisions behind every campaign.
A deeper understanding of how a business operates allows professionals to contribute more meaningfully to its growth. She also believes professional interests need not be confined to a single field.
It is possible to develop expertise in one area while exploring others, provided each is approached with commitment and attention. Her own journey has taught her that there is no need to have every step figured out before beginning. What matters is being curious enough to recognise opportunities, disciplined enough to pursue them and patient enough to build something worthwhile.
For Trisha, the most rewarding part of entrepreneurship is not a particular title or designation, but the opportunity to create businesses, learn across industries and discover what each venture can become.
Her journey continues to be guided by the belief that strong identities, thoughtful decisions and a long-term vision are what allow businesses to grow beyond boundaries.
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Personalised Gifting & Curated Hampers
The Present Surprise Simran Roiz’s The Present Surprise creates personalised gift hampers for weddings, celebrations and corporate occasions, combining creativity, quality products and thoughtful details to make every gifting experience memorable.
Article by: Team ItsGoa
Images by: The Present Surprise
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A thoughtfully chosen gift has the power to communicate what words sometimes cannot. It can celebrate a milestone, express gratitude, strengthen relationships or simply brighten someone's day. At The Present Surprise, founder Simran Roiz brings this sentiment to life through carefully curated gift hampers that combine creativity, personalisation and attention to detail.
Originally from Lonavala, Simran moved to Goa five years ago, where she continued developing her entrepreneurial journey. Alongside running The Present Surprise, she works as an emcee and event host and is pursuing two other independent projects. Her interest in creative expression began in childhood, when colours, ribbons and craft materials offered endless possibilities. An idea that stayed with her for years eventually became a business built around making gifting more meaningful.
From a Long-Held Idea to a Business
The inspiration for The Present Surprise dates back to 2016, when Simran attended a wedding in Lonavala and noticed beautifully arranged gift hampers displayed in the hotel lobby. The concept stayed with her, planting the idea of creating thoughtful gifts for others.
The opportunity to pursue it came during the COVID-19 lockdown, when she found herself stranded in Goa. With everyday life at a standstill, she decided to explore the idea more seriously and began working towards establishing her own gifting business.
The initial phase was far from straightforward. Simran and her business partner experimented with several approaches, facing setbacks before finding a direction that worked. Their first customer came through her father's network. A college friend of his trusted the new business with the responsibility of creating Christmas gifts for her family members living in Goa.
The hampers were well received, and that first order became the beginning of a lasting relationship. Five years later, The Present Surprise continues to prepare the client's annual family Christmas gifts, demonstrating how a positive gifting experience can develop into a long-term association.
Personalisation at the Heart of Every Gift
As The Present Surprise evolved, Simran realised that successful gifting goes beyond assembling attractive products in a basket. Its real value lies in understanding the recipient and creating something that feels personal to them. She believes that while large gifting companies may fulfil orders on an extensive scale, smaller batches and carefully selected products can offer a more individual experience. At The Present Surprise, each order is approached with the intention of adding a distinctive touch that makes the recipient feel remembered.
This philosophy also shapes the brand's relationship with clients. Rather than focusing solely on promoting its own products, the team takes time to understand what customers want to communicate through their gifts. Their preferences, expectations and stories become the starting point for each creation.
Founder - Simran Roiz
Wedding gifting, in particular, requires a deeper understanding of the couple, the wedding theme, the guests and the overall atmosphere of the celebration.
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Bride-to-Be Gift Hampers
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Once these details are clear, the team can recommend suitable products, colours and presentation styles that complement the occasion. For Simran, this shift towards understanding the customer's story has been central to the brand's growth. It has helped turn satisfied customers into long-term supporters who recommend the business to others.
Gifting for Every Occasion
The Present Surprise caters to a wide range of celebrations and professional requirements. Its services include wedding gifting, destination wedding welcome hampers, bridesmaid gifts, corporate gifting, birthday presents, anniversary hampers and festive collections.
Each category presents different opportunities for creativity. Wedding hampers may be designed to complement a celebration's aesthetic, while corporate gifts require a thoughtful balance of presentation, product selection and brand identity. Personal milestone gifts, meanwhile, offer scope for more individual touches that reflect the recipient's preferences.
The brand's ability to work across these occasions has also brought it opportunities to serve established organisations. Through persistent marketing and brand-building efforts, The Present Surprise has undertaken gifting assignments for names including Netflix, State Bank of India and The Economic Times.
These opportunities reflect Simran's determination to build awareness for her business and place the brand before the right audiences. She understood early on that establishing a business involved more than creating a social media page or maintaining an inventory. It also required learning about marketing, digital communication and the process of building a recognisable brand.
The Creative Process Behind Each Hamper
Every order at The Present Surprise follows a coordinated process, beginning once the client confirms the project.
Curated Luxury Gift Hampers The team identifies the products required, contacts the relevant vendors and places orders to ensure that the items are available in time for assembly. As the delivery date approaches and the products arrive, a team of around six people comes together to complete the order. The team consists predominantly of women from Simran's local area, including homemakers and mothers who bring dedication, skill and commitment to the work.
Their responsibilities include packaging bakery products, preparing other treats and gifts, arranging the contents, decorating the hampers and attaching personalised welcome or thank-you notes. Once the finishing touches are complete, the gifts are prepared for delivery.
For Simran, this collaborative process is one of the most rewarding aspects of the business. It brings together different tasks and creative contributions to transform individual products into a cohesive gifting experience.
The Details That Define Luxury
At The Present Surprise, a luxurious hamper is defined by the harmony of its individual elements
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Customized hampers for all occasions
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Building Relationships Through Thoughtful Gifting
Over the years, The Present Surprise has become more than a business transaction for Simran. Working with different clients has taught her patience, understanding and the importance of remaining calm while managing the many details involved in each order.
Every project offers an opportunity to explore a fresh idea, experiment with a different presentation or approach an occasion from a new perspective. Seeing these concepts come together successfully reinforces her connection to the work and her belief in her creative abilities.
Hampers for Economic Times corporate group rather than by price alone. The colour palette, decorative accents, basket material, ribbons, product quality and personalised card all contribute to the final impression.
Even the font used on a note can influence how a gift feels, while the quality and presentation of the contents help establish its overall character. For destination weddings, bridesmaid gifts and corporate hampers, these details are especially important in ensuring that the finished product reflects the occasion and the client's expectations.
The relationships formed through the business are equally important to her. Some client associations have developed into genuine friendships, while others have grown into meaningful connections across geographical boundaries, even when the people involved have never met in person.
These experiences have helped shape the brand's approach to customer service. Each order is an opportunity not only to deliver a product but also to build trust and create an experience that encourages customers to return.
Product selection is equally deliberate. Simran personally tastes the gourmet snacks, bakery items, chocolates and other edible products considered for inclusion in the hampers. Only items that meet her expectations for taste and quality make it onto the selection list.
This hands-on approach allows her to make informed choices about what customers receive. By combining quality products with thoughtful presentation, the brand aims to deliver gifts that feel considered from the first impression to the final detail.
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Premium Corporate Gift Hampers
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A Future Open to Possibilities
For Simran, The Present Surprise was her first business venture in the professional world, and its progress has shown her what she can accomplish when she commits to an idea. It has given her the confidence to bring creative concepts to life while teaching her valuable lessons about entrepreneurship, customer relationships and perseverance.
Although she remains open-minded about the brand's long-term direction, she intends to continue growing it and exploring new opportunities as they arise. Rather than placing every step within a fixed plan, she prefers to remain excited about the possibilities ahead while allowing the business to develop organically.
This outlook reflects the way The Present Surprise began: with an idea that stayed with her until the right moment arrived to pursue it. For Simran, growth is not only about reaching a particular destination but also about recognising what each
Thoughtful Diwali Gifting
stage of the journey makes possible.
The Thought Behind the Present
At the heart of The Present Surprise is Simran's belief that gifting is an art form. A meaningful gift does not necessarily need to be extravagant or expensive; its significance often comes from how well it reflects the person receiving it.
Remembering someone's favourite snacks, putting together a few things they love, adding flowers and including a warm handwritten note can turn an ordinary day into a special one. Such gestures show that someone has paid attention, remembered the little things and taken the time to make another person feel valued.
Through its personalised hampers and carefully considered details, The Present Surprise embraces this simple but powerful idea. For Simran Roiz, the true measure of a gift lies not merely in what it contains, but in the happiness, connection and
Sophisticated Gifting
memories it creates.
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Beverage & Hydration Brand
Thirsty Crocodile Founded by Meeson Adnis and Omkar Shetker, Thirsty Crocodile is a Goan hydration beverage brand combining refreshing flavours with local sea salt, supporting traditional salt farming and community-driven entrepreneurship.
Article by: ItsGoa
Images by: Thirsty Crocodile
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Born out of a desire to offer something different from the usual sugary drinks and fizzy beverages, Thirsty Crocodile is a homegrown Goan hydration brand founded by Meeson Adnis and Omkar Shetker. The idea was simple: create a drink that could help people stay refreshed in Goa’s heat and during everyday activities, without the sugar rush or heaviness often associated with conventional beverages.
For Meeson, the idea came from recognising a gap in the market. Whether people were working outdoors, exercising, shopping or simply going about their day, water was not always enough to satisfy their thirst, while soft drinks and packaged juices were not necessarily what they wanted. He envisioned a drink that offered an alternative, combining hydration with a distinct flavour and a connection to Goa.
Meeson, 27, from Chinchinim, Goa, holds a Master’s degree in Food Technology and has around five years of experience in the beverage industry.
Founder - Meeson Adnis
Founder - Omkar Shetker He began his career as a brewer at Goa Brewing Co. before joining the Goan startup Eldersons as a founding team member, where he headed research and development as well as production. These experiences gave him practical knowledge of product development and the processes involved in bringing a beverage to market.
From an Idea to a Partnership
During his time at Eldersons, Meeson began developing the idea for Thirsty Crocodile, initially called ‘Salty Water’. While he had experience in product development and production, he wanted to strengthen his understanding of compliance, taxation and administration. With this in mind, he explored an opportunity at Coca-Cola and went for an interview. However, an unexpected encounter during the process changed the direction of his plans.
While waiting in the reception area, Meeson struck up a conversation with another candidate, Omkar Shetker, whom he later discovered had been his senior in college.
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Made with Goan Sea salt
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The Story Behind the Name
The brand's original name, ‘Salty Water’, reflected the basic idea behind the product. However, the founders eventually moved away from it due to trademarking concerns and feedback from someone in the industry.
The name Thirsty Crocodile came from combining two ideas. ‘Thirsty’ represents the drink's purpose, while the crocodile has a connection to Goa's khazan lands and traditional salt farms. The founders also liked the animal and had grown up watching Steve Irwin, which made the name feel more personal. The result was a name that was distinctive while retaining a connection to the landscape and identity of Goa.
Bringing Goan Sea Salt into the Picture
Thirsty Crocodile Flavoured water The two connected quickly, and Meeson shared his plans for Salty Water. Omkar believed in the idea and brought complementary expertise to the venture. Their conversation gave Meeson the confidence to pursue his entrepreneurial vision, and he chose to move forward with starting Thirsty Crocodile rather than take up the opportunity at Coca-Cola.
Omkar brought around a decade of experience across the food industry in Europe and India, with exposure to areas ranging from product development to taking products to market. His background spans biotechnology, food science, management, regulatory affairs and food business management. An active badminton player, he is also associated with the Goa Badminton Association as a resource person.
Together, the founders brought different strengths to the venture, combining Meeson's beverage development experience with Omkar's broader understanding of the food business.
One of the defining ingredients in Thirsty Crocodile is Goan sea salt. Naturally evaporated, this salt contains sodium along with trace amounts of minerals such as potassium and magnesium. It also has a flavour profile that differs from commonly used iodised salt.
For the founders, using Goan sea salt was not simply about adding a local ingredient to a beverage. It was also an opportunity to draw attention to an important part of Goa's traditional livelihood and history.
Salt production once played a significant role in the state's economy. During the Portuguese era, Goa had around 500 active salt pans, and sea salt was among its important exports to Portugal, Portuguese African colonies and British India. However, the industry faced several setbacks over the years.
Heavy taxation after India's independence in 1947 affected the trade, while the departure of the Portuguese in 1961 led to the collapse of established trade routes. The introduction of iodisation requirements further affected demand for traditional sea salt.
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Designed to satisfy your thirst
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Today, fewer than 20 salt pans remain active, with
They wanted to retain the functional purpose of the
traditional salt farmers, known as Mitkars, facing
drink while ensuring that its flavour would appeal to
difficulties in sustaining their livelihoods.
local consumers.
Thirsty Crocodile hopes to contribute to changing
The business also encountered unexpected
this situation by creating greater demand for Goan
operational challenges. At one point, the GST rate
sea salt, both within India and internationally. The
changed from 18% to 40% almost overnight, forcing
founders recognise that simply incorporating salt
the founders to rethink their approach and make
into a drink will not solve the challenges faced by
adjustments to the business.
the industry. However, they see it as a starting point for bringing attention to the ingredient and
Packaging presented another setback. A printer
encouraging the development of more products that
supplied lakhs of labels that did not meet the
can create opportunities for local salt producers.
required quality standards, leaving the team with no choice but to redesign them from scratch. This
Challenges Along the Way
resulted in additional costs and a delay of around six months. Problems with a batch of bottle caps added
Developing the product involved considerable
to the difficulties.
research and experimentation. The founders initially looked at Japan's Pocari Sweat as a benchmark, but
Despite these experiences, the founders continued
creating a formulation suited to Indian tastes
to work through each issue, treating the setbacks as
required months of work.
part of the process of building a business.
Salt Pans
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Building with Purpose
Their journey has reinforced the importance of persistence and adaptability. From product
Thirsty Crocodile has taken a bootstrapped approach
formulation and regulatory changes to packaging
to growth, choosing to focus on building a
setbacks and operational challenges, the founders
sustainable business rather than prioritising investor
have had to navigate several unexpected situations
valuations or a quick exit. For the founders,
while continuing to move forward.
maintaining consistent quality and growing at a manageable pace are important parts of their long-
Their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to
term vision.
understand that rejection, problems and failure are inevitable parts of building something of their own.
The brand also places value on creating
Rather than allowing setbacks to bring the journey
opportunities for young people in Goa. Around 80%
to a halt, they encourage people to learn from each
of its team comprises college students from the
experience, remain persistent and keep moving
state who work part-time. The founders aim to train
ahead.
and groom them, giving them practical exposure and the opportunity to develop skills through their work.
With its roots in Goa, a focus on hydration and an effort to bring renewed attention to a traditional
One example is an intern from PCCE College who
local ingredient, Thirsty Crocodile is working towards
developed software to support the company's
building a brand that represents more than just a
inventory, sales and financial management. The
refreshing drink.
founders gave the intern the freedom and resources to explore the project, allowing him to learn through the process. The experience helped him build confidence and the ability to take on larger clients and develop similar software solutions.
For the founders, this is an important part of building the brand: creating something that contributes not only to the business but also to the people and community around it.
Looking Ahead
The founders' long-term ambition is to see Thirsty Crocodile grow into a recognised brand across India and, eventually, international markets, while retaining its identity as a product originating in Goa. They believe that achieving this scale is important not only for the business but also for creating a more meaningful market for Goan sea salt and supporting the traditional salt-farming community.
From Goa to the world
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Sustainable Upcycling & Lifestyle Art
KalaKarwaa Founded by Shital Seth, KalaKarwaa transforms discarded household materials into functional art, décor and personalised keepsakes, promoting sustainable living through upcycling, creativity and community-driven environmental awareness.
Article by: Team ItsGoa
Images by: KalaKarwaa
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This belief became the foundation of KalaKarwaa, where sustainability is viewed not as a compromise but as an opportunity for creativity, self-expression and meaningful change.
From Resourcefulness to a Sustainable Brand
The idea behind KalaKarwaa developed gradually through years of repairing, restoring and reinventing everyday objects. Shital describes herself as a “jugaadu” creator who enjoys finding ways to make things work with whatever is available. What began as a personal habit eventually grew into a passion for upcycling.
Founder - Shital Seth In a world driven by constant consumption, KalaKarwaa, World Beyond Perfection, offers a refreshing perspective on sustainability. Founded by Shital Seth, an upcycling artist and design graduate based in Goa, the sustainable lifestyle brand transforms discarded household materials into functional art, home décor, lifestyle products and personalised keepsakes. Through its work, KalaKarwaa demonstrates how creativity can give waste a new purpose while making conscious living more appealing and accessible.
For the past four years, Shital has been working fulltime with discarded materials, inspired by her curiosity about everyday objects and the stories they carry. Having lived in different cities and experienced diverse cultures, she has witnessed the impact of consumerism and the waste it generates. Moving homes frequently taught her resourcefulness and made her question why usable materials are so easily discarded.
For Shital, creativity comes with responsibility. Art offers the freedom to choose not only what to create, but also which materials to use.
The Covid-19 lockdown became a turning point. With shops closed and resources limited, people increasingly began repairing, reusing and creating things themselves. This period helped Shital realise that her interest could become a meaningful business combining creativity, sustainability and conscious living.
The name KalaKarwaa reflects this philosophy. “Kala” represents art, creativity and expression, while “Karwaa” symbolises an ongoing journey without a final destination. Together, they represent continuous transformation and the belief that sustainability is not about achieving perfection, but about making better choices every day.
Giving Discarded Materials a New Life
At the heart of KalaKarwaa is the use of everyday household waste as a creative resource. The brand works with discarded plastic bottles, bottle caps, cardboard tubes, textile scraps, paper waste, cosmetic containers, thermocol, cigarette boxes, toothpaste cartons and corrugated shipping boxes.
Materials are sourced through waste collection drives and contributions from individuals who segregate and donate their household waste. Each material is assessed for its potential before being transformed into something useful or decorative. Bottle caps become wind chimes and magnets,
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KalaKarwaa Pop-Ups
Upcycled beauties
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These products make sustainability an engaging experience rather than simply a concept to learn about.
A particularly distinctive initiative is its Waste Customization Art service. Customers can send Shital personal discarded materials, including cigarette cartons, toothpaste boxes and packaging waste, which are transformed into illuminated photo frames, wall installations, customised décor and artistic keepsakes.
Creative tabletop accessories that add a unique charm to any space corrugated boxes are converted into textured artworks and wall décor, while textile scraps find new purpose in handmade journals and organisers.
Every creation is handmade and thoughtfully designed to extend the life of materials that might otherwise end up in landfills. The process requires experimentation, patience and creative problemsolving, particularly when balancing durability, functionality and aesthetics while minimising the use of additional resources.
Creative Products for Everyday Living
KalaKarwaa offers a diverse collection of sustainable lifestyle products, including textured wall art, organisers, coasters, trinket trays, ashtrays, bookmarks, planters, decorative hangings, festive décor, lamps made from reclaimed plastic bottles and distinctive tabletop accessories.
The brand also encourages hands-on creativity through do-it-yourself kits, such as paint-your-own sustainable magnet sets, colouring bookmark packs and multifunctional colouring books for teenagers and adults.
These creations allow people to preserve meaningful memories while giving discarded objects a renewed purpose. A bottle from a special celebration or a gift box from a loved one can become a lasting part of a home's décor.
Where Sustainability Meets Personal Stories
What distinguishes KalaKarwaa from conventional décor products is the individuality of each creation. Since reclaimed materials are often available in limited quantities and different forms, every piece carries its own character.
The emotional significance of these materials makes the process even more meaningful. Customers often bring objects associated with special occasions, loved ones or family memories. Through customised artwork, these seemingly ordinary items can become functional keepsakes that preserve their stories.
Shital believes that an object's value need not depend on a luxury label or a recognised brand. Its worth can lie in the memories it holds, the purpose it serves and the connections it creates. Customers contribute the materials and stories, while Shital brings their ideas to life through art.
Large-scale textured artworks and frames created using hundreds of discarded bottles or kilograms of paper waste are also particularly meaningful to her. These projects highlight the potential of upcycling to divert substantial quantities of material from landfills while producing striking pieces of art.
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Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse into the Creative Process
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Sustainability Beyond the Finished Product
For KalaKarwaa, sustainability is the starting point of the creative process. Before sourcing new materials, Shital considers what already exists and how it can be reused or repurposed. This approach extends beyond the products themselves to packaging, displays and promotional materials.
The brand reuses parcels and packaging wherever possible, opts for paper tape and honeycomb paper when suitable, and explores creative uses for materials such as thermocol collected during waste drives. The aim is to reduce unnecessary consumption at every stage, including avoiding packaging and decorative elements that are likely to be discarded immediately.
Shital continues to refine her practices, recognising that sustainable living is an ongoing learning process. For her, every material kept in circulation for longer is an opportunity to reduce waste and rethink everyday consumption.
Functional wall décor that blends creativity with everyday practicality Inspired by Goa's Creative Spirit
Goa plays an important role in shaping Shital's creative outlook. Having lived in different parts of India, she values the state's combination of nature, culture and community. Its beaches, greenery, colourful architecture, festivals and artistic environment continually inspire her to experiment with new ideas.
She is particularly drawn to the individuality expressed in local homes, celebrations and creative practices. Living amid Goa's natural beauty has also strengthened her awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.
The support of the local creative community has been equally encouraging in building her independent brand. Outside KalaKarwaa, Shital enjoys travelling beyond conventional tourist destinations, meeting people from different cultures and learning about their ways of life.
Waste to art Workshops
An animal lover with a deep appreciation for nature, she also finds inspiration in everyday details, from the textures of old walls to patterns in nature and the changing colours of the sky. These observations frequently influence her artistic work.
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Engaging workshops that inspire creativity and encourage sustainable crafting
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A World Beyond Perfection
At its core, KalaKarwaa is about changing how people perceive waste and value the objects around them. In a culture that often encourages people to buy more and replace what they already own, the brand invites them to recognise the potential in existing resources.
Through Shital Seth's work, forgotten objects and discarded packaging become expressions of imagination, functionality and personal meaning. Each creation demonstrates that sustainability can be creative, colourful and deeply personal.
Shital Seth with recycled creative bottles Building a Community Around Circular Living
Rather than demanding perfection, KalaKarwaa encourages people to begin with what they have and make more thoughtful choices. Through art, resourcefulness and community participation, Shital continues to show that what is discarded today can become something worth keeping tomorrow.
KalaKarwaa is supported by a diverse community of individuals, organisations and foundations who believe in its mission. They help source materials, organise community waste collection drives and spread environmental awareness. Their involvement also creates opportunities for hands-on engagement through interactive workshops and the sale of upcycled products.
Looking ahead, the brand hopes to expand this network by connecting with more households, corporates and organisations. Through a stronger presence on digital platforms and broader participation in its initiatives, KalaKarwaa aims to increase its reach and make circular living more accessible.
Shital recognises that meaningful environmental change requires collective effort. By encouraging people to contribute discarded materials, participate in workshops and choose upcycled products, the brand seeks to make sustainability a shared responsibility.
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Personalised Gifting Brand
Feelings Hatke Founded by Alpna Kale, Feelings Hatke creates personalised handmade gifts, keepsakes, and Goa-inspired souvenirs, while offering creative workshops and experiences that celebrate selfexpression, meaningful connections, and thoughtful gifting.
Article by: Team ItsGoa
Images by: Feelings Hatke
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From Handmade Greeting Cards to a Creative Brand
Since its inception, Feelings Hatke has expanded from handmade greeting cards into a varied collection of personalised products, including scrapbooks, memory albums, keepsake boxes, resin art, customised accessories, illustrated tote bags, and Goa-inspired souvenirs.
This growth has been shaped by Alpna's willingness to experiment with different materials, explore new techniques, and embrace fresh ideas. Rather than limiting herself to a single art form, she views creativity as an ongoing process of learning and discovery. Each project offers an opportunity to create something distinctive, whether inspired by a customer's story or an idea developed at her worktable.
Founder - Alpna Kale Founded by Alpna Kale in 2015, Feelings Hatke is a Goa-based creative brand specialising in handmade gifts, personalised keepsakes, and interactive creative experiences. What began with a love for making bespoke greeting cards has grown into a diverse venture built on a simple belief: the most memorable gifts are those that carry a personal story.
With a background in multimedia and an MBA in Finance, Alpna brings together creativity and business understanding in her work. After spending time in the corporate world, she stepped away from her career to raise her son, during which creativity became a meaningful way to reconnect with her interests. Her passion for handmade art eventually developed into a business centred on thoughtful gifting and personal expression.
For Alpna, Feelings Hatke is more than a gifting brand. It is a way to transform emotions, relationships, and cherished memories into tangible creations. The name reflects this philosophy of expressing feelings in distinctive and thoughtful ways, encouraging people to look beyond massproduced products and choose gifts that hold personal significance.
The brand has also received recognition for its work. Feelings Hatke was featured on Netflix's Social Currency, received recognition in the Established Business category at an award ceremony in 2023, and showcased its creations at prestigious venues. Features across publications and media platforms have further encouraged its growth.
However, Alpna considers customer relationships and the emotional value of her work among her most meaningful achievements. Seeing her creations become part of birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and other milestones reminds her why she began this journey.
Handmade Gifts with a Personal Touch
The creative style of Feelings Hatke is colourful, eclectic, and detail-oriented, with personalisation at its core. Alpna combines materials, textures, patterns, and artistic techniques to create products that are visually appealing while reflecting the individuality of their recipients.
Among the brand's most popular offerings are personalised scrapbooks and memory albums. Bringing together photographs, handwritten messages, mementos, and personal stories, these creations help preserve memories associated with
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Little Details, Endless Love: The Art of Handmade Scrapbook
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Through illustrated tote bags, quirky magnets, and other souvenirs, she aims to capture not just the appearance of Goa but also the feeling of being there. These creations allow visitors to take home a personal reminder of their travels and experiences.
Inspiration can also come from simple things: an interesting colour combination, a conversation with a customer, a new material, or an unexpected result while experimenting. By exploring different mediums and interpreting familiar elements in her own way, Alpna keeps the brand's designs fresh, contemporary, and playful while celebrating Goa's distinctive character.
The Charm Bar: Creativity as an Experience
Tiny Charms, Big Love: A Celebration of Our Furry Friends birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, travel, baby milestones, and farewells. Unique pattern papers, interactive elements, and pop-ups add character to each album, making it an engaging keepsake.
Customised boxes, handmade cards, resin art, and personalised accessories provide further options for those seeking thoughtful gifts. The brand's illustrated tote bags and quirky magnets give everyday objects a creative twist, combining playful designs with distinctive illustrations.
One of Feelings Hatke's distinctive offerings is its Charm Bar, an interactive experience where customers design their own accessories. Participants can choose from a variety of charms, colours, and designs, mix and match their favourites, and create personalised pieces that reflect their style.
The concept grew from Alpna's desire to make creativity part of the shopping experience. Rather than simply purchasing a finished product, customers get to participate in its creation.
For Alpna, handmade craftsmanship involves more than producing something by hand. It means investing time, thought, and emotion into every detail. Her aim is to create gifts that reflect individual stories and feel different from conventional, massproduced alternatives.
Capturing the Character of Goa
Goa's landscapes, architecture, culture, and everyday life provide a rich source of inspiration for Feelings Hatke. From the Portuguese-style doors and colourful streets of Fontainhas to traditional houses, fishing villages, coconut palms, and beaches, the region offers countless details that influence Alpna's designs.
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Carry a Little Goa: The Art of Fontainhas on a Tote
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Friends and families can exchange ideas and help one another, making the activity an enjoyable shared experience. At exhibitions, the Charm Bar often draws people into the creative process and encourages interaction.
One memorable encounter demonstrated the emotional value of this experience. A mother-in-law once spent almost an hour at Alpna's stall carefully selecting charms for her daughter-in-law. The thought and affection behind each choice left a lasting impression. She was not merely choosing accessories; she was putting together something she believed would make another person feel special.
For Alpna, the moment illustrated how a small creation can become a meaningful expression of love and consideration. It reinforced her belief that creative gifting can help people communicate their feelings and strengthen relationships.
Encouraging Children to Explore Creativity
Feelings Hatke also conducts arts and crafts classes for children, extending its creative philosophy into learning and exploration. Through engaging, ageappropriate activities, young participants are introduced to different techniques, materials, colours, and textures.
A Love Story in Layers: A Handmade Card Alpna believes children have an enormous capacity for imagination and need the freedom to experiment to discover their creative potential. Her workshops encourage them to step away from screens, work with their hands, and develop their own ideas rather than simply copying a finished example.
These activities help children develop patience, focus, problem-solving skills, and confidence. Completing something they have made themselves gives them a sense of achievement, regardless of whether the result is perfect. Through these classes, Alpna hopes to show young participants that creativity is not just about making beautiful objects; it is also about expressing emotions, exploring ideas, and thinking independently.
A Vision for Creative Connection
Looking ahead, Alpna hopes to develop Feelings Hatke into a dedicated creative studio where people can slow down, take a break from everyday responsibilities, and reconnect with themselves through hands-on activities.
Purr-fectly Layered: A Little World of Whiskers & Wonder
She envisions a welcoming space for intimate workshops, art-journaling sessions, craft experiences, and relaxed gatherings where people can explore their creativity alone or with friends.
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Equally important is developing an individual creative identity. While customer feedback and trends can offer direction, originality comes from a creator's own perspective and willingness to experiment. Challenges and unsuccessful ideas are part of the journey, providing valuable lessons for future growth.
What began with handmade greeting cards has become a platform for personal expression, thoughtful gifting, and shared creative experiences. At its heart, Feelings Hatke remains committed to the belief that even the smallest creations can carry profound meaning. Through personalised keepsakes, Goa-inspired designs, and workshops that encourage imagination, the brand continues to turn feelings into tangible expressions of love, preserve
From First Smiles to Forever Memories
cherished memories, and make life's special moments more meaningful.
The goal is to make art accessible to everyone, regardless of experience, and encourage them to enjoy the process without worrying about the outcome.
Alongside this vision, she plans to expand the personalised gifting range, develop more distinctive Goa-inspired products, and collaborate with likeminded brands and creative spaces. Ultimately, she wants Feelings Hatke to be a place where people can find meaningful gifts, discover new interests, and build connections through creativity.
Building a Creative Business with Purpose
Alpna's journey has taught her that turning an artistic passion into a sustainable business requires both imagination and practical understanding. She encourages aspiring creative entrepreneurs to begin with what they genuinely love, remain open to learning, and allow their ideas to evolve over time.
She also emphasises the importance of pricing work fairly, accounting for time and materials, maintaining consistent quality, and understanding customer expectations. Handmade products require considerable effort and skill, and their value should not be underestimated simply because they come
Your Sipper, Your Style: Personalised Studio pottery chai mugs Charms by Feelings Hatke
from a small business.
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Handmade Gifts & Creative Experiences
The Art Box Founded by Riosha Nikita Menezes, The Art Box blends handmade creations, personalised gifts and creative workshops, bringing artistic ideas to life through thoughtful customisation, craftsmanship and memorable experiences.
Article by: Team ItsGoa
Images by: The Art Box
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Founded by Riosha Nikita Menezes, The Art Box by Riosha Nikita is a Goa-based creative venture that brings together handmade products, personalised gifts and artistic experiences. What began as a small initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a business offering customised creations for birthdays, celebrations, special occasions and meaningful milestones.
The journey began in July 2020 when Riosha’s friend, Rudie Alvares, asked her to paint masks. What started as a simple creative task soon turned into an unexpected business opportunity. Within hours of sharing her work, she received more than 100 orders and enquiries. Recognising the potential, her father, Mario Menezes, encouraged her to pursue the opportunity and lent her ₹5,000 to purchase materials.
He also helped her understand the basics of running a business, from managing costs to approaching customers. Her friend Abigail Pereira supported the initial venture by stitching the masks, while Riosha focused on painting personalised designs. The masks were sold for ₹45 each, marking the beginning of what would become a much larger creative enterprise.
Creativity at the Heart of Every Creation
Riosha’s artistic journey has been shaped by curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to explore different creative forms. With a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and training in fashion design, she has developed skills across several crafts, including stitching, nail art, origami, mandala art, knitting, block printing, tie-dye, macramé, resin art and paper collage. Her ability to experiment with different techniques allows her to approach each project with fresh ideas and adapt her work to individual preferences.
At The Art Box, personalisation is central to the creative process. Rather than offering only standardised products, the business focuses on creating pieces that reflect the recipient’s personality, the occasion and the sentiment behind the gift. Whether it is a customised keepsake or a carefully assembled hamper, every order offers an opportunity to turn an idea into something tangible and memorable.
The product range includes hand-painted tote bags, pouches and makeup bags, handmade flowers and bouquets, candles, keychains, scrunchies, bows, greeting cards, photo frames and keepsake boxes. Customers can also choose from chocolate bouquets, photo bouquets, personalised hampers, party favours, table pieces and small event decorations. This variety enables The Art Box to cater to different budgets, preferences and celebrations while maintaining a distinctly personal touch.
As the business expanded beyond painted products into a wider range of handmade creations, its identity evolved too. The original tagline, “You name it, I paint it,” reflected its early focus on painting.
Founder - Riosha Nikita Menezes
Over time, it gave way to “You want it? We have it!”—a phrase that better represents the growing variety of products and creative services offered today. Riosha’s creations have also reached customers outside India, including in the UK and Kuwait, demonstrating how a small homegrown venture can connect with people beyond its immediate surroundings.
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Hamper
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This flexibility has allowed the venture to grow while remaining rooted in the creativity that inspired its beginnings.
The Importance of Family and Support
Wedding table pieces Creating Experiences Beyond Products
For Riosha, creativity extends beyond making and selling finished products. The Art Box has gradually developed into a space where people can participate in artistic activities, experiment with materials and create something of their own. Through workshops and interactive sessions, she brings people closer to the process of making handmade items.
Family has played an important role in Riosha’s personal and professional journey. Her father, Mario Menezes, was associated with Konkani tiatr and had a creative background, but he never expected Riosha to follow in his footsteps or those of her sister, Rioma Menezes, who acts and sings professionally. Instead, he encouraged her to explore her own interests and find her place in the creative world. His support extended beyond encouragement; he helped her take her first steps into business by lending her ₹5,000 to purchase materials and teaching her the basics of running a venture. For Riosha, his greatest contribution was giving her the freedom and confidence to build an identity of her own rather than follow a path already established by her family.
Her mother, Epiphania Fernandes, and sister continue to be important sources of encouragement and support. Riosha’s journey has also been strengthened by the generosity of her friends, who have stood by her in practical ways.
Her offerings include tote-painting and candlemaking workshops, creative activities for children, clay dates and summer camps. These experiences provide participants with opportunities to explore their imagination in a relaxed and engaging environment. The business also takes up event setups, including small decorations and personalised elements that help give celebrations a distinctive character.
By combining products with experiences, The Art Box reaches people in different ways. Some customers approach the business looking for a thoughtful gift, while others participate in workshops to learn a craft or spend time creating something personal.
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Fruit basket for sangeet at st. regis goa
1st Birthday Hamper
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From waiting at her stall and helping source materials to promoting The Art Box by distributing flyers and recommending the brand at family functions, their involvement has gone well beyond words of encouragement. This collective support has helped her manage the many responsibilities that come with running a growing business.
One particularly memorable moment came at a popup event when visitors recognised her father, Mario Menezes, as the owner’s father. Having grown up being known as Mario Menezes’s daughter, as he was a well-known tiatrist, Riosha had always been associated with his identity. This time, however, the roles had taken a meaningful turn.
People were recognising her father as Riosha Menezes’s father, acknowledging the identity she had built through her own hard work and the growth of The Art Box. For Riosha, it was a deeply special moment that reflected how far she had come, marking a shift from being known through her father’s achievements to establishing a name of her own, while continuing to honour him as an important part of her journey.
Another significant milestone came when she received an order for 200 table pieces worth ₹50,000. The customer paid the full amount upfront, placing considerable trust in her work. Experiences like these have reinforced her belief that a business grows not only through the products it creates but also through the relationships and confidence it builds with customers.
Building a Business with Purpose and Responsibility
Running a creative business requires more than artistic ability. For Riosha, it involves understanding the time, effort and resources required to fulfil every order while ensuring that customers receive work that meets their expectations. Alongside managing The Art Box, she continues to hold a full-time corporate sales job, making planning and time management essential to her routine.
Balancing both roles requires discipline, realistic scheduling and an understanding of her own capacity. She recognises the importance of setting clear expectations with customers, pricing products fairly and maintaining boundaries around the work she accepts. These practices help her protect the quality of her creations while managing the demands of a growing business.
Honesty, creativity, responsibility and respect form the values that guide her work. She believes that customers should receive clear communication and that every order should be approached with care. At the same time, she places importance on supporting other small businesses, recognising the effort and commitment involved in building an independent venture. For Riosha, success is not simply about increasing the number of orders. It is also about developing a business that remains manageable, values the work involved and continues to provide meaningful experiences for customers.
Six Years of Creativity and Growth
First holy communion table piece
Having celebrated six years of The Art Box on July 22, 2026, Riosha continues to look for ways to develop the business while staying connected to its original purpose.
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At a pop-up in caculo mall
Summer camp for kids age group of 2-16
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She believes that waiting for everything to be perfect can delay valuable opportunities to gain experience. Starting small allows people to understand their customers, improve their skills and gradually discover what works best for their business.
She also emphasises the importance of understanding costs, valuing one’s work and setting realistic deadlines. Creative entrepreneurs must recognise the time and effort involved in producing handmade items rather than undervaluing their work simply to attract orders. Learning to establish boundaries and communicate expectations is equally important when managing customer relationships. Above all, Riosha advises people not to compare their beginnings with someone else’s progress. Every business follows a different path, and growth takes time, patience and consistency.
From painting masks during a challenging period to
Hand painted sling bag building a venture that offers personalised gifts, handmade products and creative workshops, Her plans include expanding the range of
Riosha’s journey reflects the possibilities that can
personalised keychains and T-shirts, introducing
emerge when creativity is supported by
creative stations at events and establishing a
perseverance and a willingness to learn. Through
dedicated workspace at home. She also hopes to
The Art Box, she continues to turn ideas into
strengthen the brand’s online presence by sharing
thoughtful creations, bringing a personal touch to
more behind-the-scenes content and giving
the occasions and memories people cherish.
audiences a closer look at the effort and creativity involved in making each product. Further opportunities in personalised gifting, workshops and collaborations remain part of her vision. As the business evolves, she aims to explore new ideas without losing the individual attention that makes handmade and customised products special.
The next stage of growth is therefore not limited to adding more products. It also involves creating better opportunities to showcase her work, connect with customers and make The Art Box more accessible to people looking for thoughtful, personalised gifts and creative experiences.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Looking back on her journey, Riosha encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to begin with what they have and learn as they go.
Spiderman themed hamper
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authored article
Kamaxi: A Vision Rooted in People Kamaxi Group founder Parixit Pai Fondekar shares how its peoplefirst approach connects education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship, creating meaningful career opportunities and empowering individuals to realise their potential.
Article & Images by: Team ItsGoa
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From education and skills development to employment and entrepreneurship, Kamaxi Group aims to help people turn their potential into opportunity. Parixit Pai Fondekar, founder of Kamaxi Group, reflects on the people-first philosophy behind the organisation and how its diverse initiatives are creating pathways for individuals to build meaningful careers and businesses.
But a qualification is only one part of a career. The real test often comes when a learner steps into the workplace and has to apply what they know. This is where skills training becomes particularly important. Through Kamaxi Skills (KS), we focus on making practical culinary training accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds and helping them develop capabilities that employers value.
One of the things I have come to recognise is that ambition alone does not determine how far a person can go. The right training, an opportunity at the right time and access to the right guidance can make all the difference. Yet, the distance between what a person aspires to do and what they have the opportunity to achieve can be considerable. Bridging that gap is what I set out to address through Kamaxi Group.
Our associations with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), alongside practical instruction and internship opportunities with hospitality companies, support the connection between training and employment. For me, this connection is essential because learning should open doors and people should have a clearer understanding of how to walk through them.
I have always seen Kamaxi as more than a collection of businesses. At its heart, it is a people's organisation, bringing together education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship to help individuals find their footing and move forward. People come with different aspirations and abilities; the challenge is to help them recognise their potential and find a way to put it to work. That thinking connects everything we do, even when the industries and career paths we serve are very different.
The same principle applies beyond the kitchen. A career at sea presents a very different set of demands, requiring specialised training, professional discipline and an understanding of safety and life in a maritime environment. Through Kamaxi Maritime Academy (KMA), we extend this approach to aspiring maritime professionals. As a Directorate General of Shipping-approved institute offering Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) training, KMA prepares individuals for the requirements of working at sea. It is another example of why training must be shaped around the realities of the profession, rather than treated as an end in itself.
Consider the culinary profession. A career in food is built on far more than an interest in cooking. It calls for technique, discipline, creativity and the ability to perform in demanding professional environments. For someone looking to enter this world, the quality of their foundation matters. Through Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), we work to give aspiring chefs that foundation through structured education and practical learning. KCCA brings culinary education into a formal academic setting while preparing students to explore opportunities across the food and hospitality sectors. The ambition is not simply to teach students how to cook, but to help them develop the grounding to grow into the professionals they aspire to become.
For some, opportunities lie beyond India. The global cruise industry brings together professionals from across the world, offering careers in culinary operations, hospitality and a range of other functions. However, access to international employment can be difficult to navigate without the right connections and guidance. Kamaxi Overseas Consultants (KOC) works to bridge that distance, connecting candidates with employment opportunities in the global cruise industry. KOC represents an important part of the group's work which is helping people take their skills into new
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otherwise feel out of reach. Not every ambition,
empowerment, because the people who make an
however, leads to a job. Some people want to create
organisation work deserve the same opportunities to
employment, build a brand or turn a food concept
learn and grow that the organisation seeks to create
into a business of their own. I see that
for others. As industries change and new
entrepreneurial instinct as another form of potential
opportunities emerge, this work must continue to
worth nurturing. Yet, in the food industry, a
evolve. The needs of employers will shift, the skills
promising idea can struggle to progress without
required to succeed will develop, and people's
access to suitable infrastructure, business guidance
aspirations will change. Our responsibility is to
and an understanding of how to reach customers.
remain attentive to those shifts without losing sight
FIERCE Kitchens was developed around this need,
of the individual at the centre of every decision.
providing aspiring food entrepreneurs with mentorship, industry expertise, business
When I look at Kamaxi Group today, I see more than
development support and access to commercial
businesses operating across different sectors. I see
kitchen infrastructure.
different ways of helping people move forward: through education, through skills, through access to
The journey does not end with developing a
employment and through the confidence and
product, either. Entrepreneurs also need
support to build something independently. The
opportunities to put their work in front of people.
outcomes may differ, but the underlying purpose
FIERCE Markets provides home chefs and emerging
remains the same. Ultimately, I want Kamaxi Group
food businesses with a platform to showcase their
to be a place where potential finds direction and
offerings and connect with wider audiences.
ambition finds a pathway. Because creating
Together, these initiatives extend the group's focus
opportunity is not just about opening a door; it is
beyond training people for existing roles to
about helping people develop the ability and
supporting those who want to build something of
confidence to step through it and build something
their own.
meaningful on the other side.
What matters to me is the connection between these different pathways. A student pursuing culinary education, a learner acquiring practical skills, someone preparing for a career at sea, a professional seeking international employment and an entrepreneur developing a food business may appear to be on entirely different journeys. But each is trying to move from potential to possibility. The role of Kamaxi Group is to help make that transition more achievable by bringing the right kind of support closer to them.
This also means recognising that there is no single formula for professional success. Some people need a formal qualification; others need hands-on training, access to employers or the infrastructure to test a business idea. Building an organisation around people means being willing to recognise those differences and respond to them. It also means creating a culture of mutual respect, trust and
founder - Parixit Pai Fondekar
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Itsgoa
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