Setting the bar high for aspiring entrepreneurs

Call her an enthusiastic entrepreneur, but Artilin Row Thangkhiew might prefer the moniker ‘passionpreneur’, for what she does is for the love of it.

Thangkhiew, who was born and brought up in Shillong, was the first in Meghalaya, and probably in the North East, to set up an IT solutions company. She is also the owner of a local spices company that exports indigenous produce across the country.

Thangkhiew’s corporate job has allowed her to live in different cities in the country, including Gurgaon and Mumbai. In 2004, she quit her corporate career to embark on a journey that would earn her several accolades. Then in her thirties, Thangkhiew started ETPL India, an IT solutions company that was registered in 2005.

“ETPL was the first-of-its-kind company here and we have worked closely with several organisations and institutions to provide the right solutions. We have done numerous projects for NEHU (North-Eastern Hill University) as well as various government departments. We also made people aware of the various IT-related licences, which were new in the state,” Thangkhiew, now in her early fifties, told Meghalaya Monitor.

ETPL was also the first in the state to roll out employment skill development training under a government project funded by the World Bank. It was also the pioneer in making the local youths aware of jobs fair and its modus operandi.

“Not many know how this works and often end up paying money to agencies. But we would make candidates aware that they need not pay an entity for placing them. The transaction happens among companies and not with an individual. Besides, we have provided training in hospitality and helped youths get employment in renowned companies, like the Oberoi group,” Thangkhiew said.

Now that the state government is focusing on setting up IT parks in the state, the award-winning entrepreneur believes that there should be “a lot of encouragement for the locals”.

“Let the local entrepreneurs grow. The government should give more projects to the locals. Let them make some noise. This way, it will open up channels for others to grow,” she added as she referred to ventures such as Satyam and Infosys.

ETPL has already spread its wings in Mumbai and Delhi where its trainers provide skills training in spaces such as business analytics and management.

However, the highly technology-driven venture faces hurdles in the form of frequent power cuts and poor internet connectivity.

Connecting with farmers

Thangkhiew’s local spices venture, which started in 2016, was coincidental. “We (ETPL) had training centres in different parts of the state and I travelled frequently. It was during one such trip that I noticed a few farmers selling local spices along the road. I was on my way to a training centre. While coming back too, I saw them and I stopped my car to speak to them. They told me that there was no market. This made me conceptualise CountrySpices,” recollected Thangkhiew.

CountrySpices has been connecting with producers in the state and selling produce, such as spices, tea, honey, sticky rice and spice chocolates, across the country. The products are available in local markets as well as on Amazon. “Our USP is high-quality and clean products. In fact, our sticky rice is really popular among some Korean restaurants in Delhi and five-star hotels in Mumbai,” she added.

Besides, Thangkhiew also runs Po Art Travel and Tours, a travel agency that is named after Thangkhiew’s pet dog, Po. “The money that we earn from this venture is contributed to animal welfare in the state as well as outside. This I do for my dog,” said the animal lover.

With a nous for business, Thangkhiew, a cancer survivor, is a zealous entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. As she speaks about her ventures, one can feel the energy and positivity in her. At the same time, she credits her “talented and dedicated” team of eight for her achievements.

However, she has a word of caution for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve the dream. One should be clear about one’s capacity and work towards it. Advice will come from different quarters but that should not be distractive. It does not matter if there is one fails as the experience on the journey will be invaluable,” said Thangkhiew, who is also an author and has recently published a collection of poems, titled Pink of Hope and Love, which she wrote while undergoing treatment for cancer.

Thangkhiew won the All India Women Entrepreneur Achievers Award in 2021, besides several state recognition. A woman of indomitable spirit, Thangkhiew is an inspiration for young entrepreneurs not only in Meghalaya but also in the northeastern region where entrepreneurship has caught up post-pandemic.

~ Team Meghalaya Monitor