Hidden within our homes, a perilous threat lurks the cleaning products intended to ensure our safety. Unwittingly, we’ve embraced toxic chemicals for too long, blind to the dangers of conventional home-care items. Enter Koparo, disrupting the toxin-laden industry with clean solutions that combat dirt and stains without harming health. Simran Khara, Koparo’s Founder and CEO, steps onto the Shark Tank India 3 stage, poised to revolutionize home care.
Reflecting on her Shark Tank India journey, Simran Khara exclaims, “Shark Tank India isn’t just a platform; it’s a captivating stage where startups can unveil their tales to the entire nation. The impact on our business? Simply phenomenal, with a notable surge in sales. It’s like receiving a masterclass in direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy from the sharpest minds in the industry, all in one shot! What’s more, the support doesn’t end with the pitch. Sharks Aman and Vineeta have been invaluable guides, offering insights as we navigate the path to scaling up. In a nation teeming with entrepreneurial spirit, this platform is a beacon for us all.”
Taking us through how her entrepreneurial journey started and how she came up with this idea for the brand Koparo, She shared, “So I have about, you know, close to about… I have about 18 years of work experience, you know, 15 before I started Koparo and then three after. I’m not a startup founder in the sense that I was not building this out of my garage or anything like that. The idea of Koparo came to me in the pandemic. You know, I was scrubbing every surface in my house clean and I realized that in my very well-meaning efforts to scrub every surface clean, you know, I was building up more toxins. So I started doing a lot of cleaning products in the house because a lot of the everyday cleaning products we’re using are filled with fairly toxic, fairly harmful chemicals, you know, whether it’s a dye or it’s ammonia or it’s bleach. And this got me thinking that there has to be potential over here. You know, while I have no formal experience in running a cleaning brand, I’ve never sold only detergents in my life, but I just felt like there had to be some potential here. We researched it. We started working on formulations and then in February of 2021, we were able to launch Koparo. We started with a small range and the mission is very simple that, you know, there has to be a better way to make cleaners, cleaners which use plant-derived ingredients, cleaners which happen to be safer for kids, safer for pets.”
Moving ahead Simran talked us through the unexpected challenges that she faced coming her way. Or during the Shark Tank experience? “I would not say unexpected. Because there’s a, there’s a very standard template, you know, which the team preps you for. There has to be some element of, you always begin with your pitch, you know, which is your monologue, you know. After that, you always tell them a little bit about yourself. There is a question about your revenues, your scale, on your profitability. There will be questions on the market. So, it is very standard in that sense. And therefore, if you have prepared all those aspects, then, then you are fine. And there is no big challenge. I think what can happen, though, is that you’re sitting in a large set and the spotlight’s on you. And there are five sharks in front of you, very, very experienced. Right. So, it can be intimidating. Certainly, it can. But by and large, they’re very, they’re good people, They’re nice people. They want you to succeed. The more the founders are getting deals or the more positively the products are being received, it’s better.”
Quoting an example she added, “So, I think the goal is like you are, when you are in school, you are giving a recitation, you are very scared. The reality is everybody in the audience wants you to give a good recitation. Your teachers also do want that. So, it’s a bit like that. You have to understand that you are the content and everybody wants this to go well. Now, you just have to be less nervous, less anxious, and more prepared”.
When we asked Simran, what advice would give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to pitch on Shark Tank or enter the business world, “So there’s no, there is no substitute for hard work and prep. The more you can prep, the more your wow pitch will be, you know. And you get 15 minutes, right? You want to make each minute count. So, put in that effort, put in that prep.”
