Sonia Khatri Anand, founder of ‘Monk & Mei’, once thrived as a corporate professional. However, a life-changing moment during her career made her rethink her life plans.

As part of a project she was handling for the World Bank, she got to meet and interact with a tribe from Nalanda, Bihar. But the conversation, she recalls, shook her to her core.

“I remember these young girls, all of 12 or 14 years of age sitting with guns in their hands. They told me my reality was far removed from theirs,” Sonia says.

Determined to make a difference, Sonia decided to leave her corporate career and follow her true calling — empowering artisans in rural India. Monk & Mei was born to help these communities thrive.

Sonia recalls meeting tribal women artisans in Odisha outside the Chief Minister’s office. “These were trained tailors who had returned from Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, looking for job opportunities in their own hometown,” she says.

Monk & Mei began in Bhubaneswar in 2018 with 100 sewing machines and 30 women artisans. “We started making corporate uniforms and the kind of joy that it brought to the women working with me was unparalleled,” Sonia says.

In 2019, cyclone Fani hit, causing significant financial losses. Sonia restarted the operations out of her home garage in Mumbai with just one artisan.

“We wanted to create clothes at a price point that appealed to the majority,” Sonia explains about Monk & Mei’s approach.

The first collection, ‘A Rose from My Old Diary’, launched in March 2020, sold 500 styles within 15 days.

Ayub Masterji, one of the first artisans, shares, “The work I got enabled me to hire eight more tailors whose homes were running because of the work they did with me.”

Monk & Mei’s customer base includes 55% buyers from Tier I cities and 45% from Tier II and III cities. The goal is to increase its reach in Tier II and III markets.

The brand also delivers to the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Dubai, offering clothes in sizes XXS to 5XL for women aged 22 to 55.

The boot-strapped designer clothing brand is fulfilling close to 3,000 orders every month with a revenue run rate of approximately Rs 12 crores.

Sonia also has some advice for entrepreneurs looking to raise capital: 1: Use the first year to stabilise operations before seeking investors. 2: Be passionate about your business, not just profit.

3: Be mindful of data. Basic analytics help when pitching to investors. 4: Favour debt over equity to build credit and unlock funding opportunities.