From Manifestation to Reality: Knot Square's Journey to the EntrepreNaari Diwali Event by Aspire For Her & Project Naveli in Mumbai

During mid-September, I shared a reel on Knot Square's Instagram page announcing that Knot Square was heading to a new destination for a pop-up stall, inviting everyone to guess where. Knot Square was going to Manipal, but two of my cousins from Mumbai guessed Mumbai. I replied, "Please manifest it for us!" and later shared this playful exchange on our Instagram story.

Just two hours later, I received a message from a friend with a link to Navya Nanda, the founder of Project Naveli's story about an EntrepreNaari Diwali event happening at BKC in Mumbai. It felt surreal! I told my friend it probably wouldn’t work out for me, but I checked the event page anyway and noticed they were hosting a virtual huddle the next day with Navya and Madhura Das Gupta, the founder of Aspire for Her, who organized the event. My husband encouraged me to explore it, and after discussing it with my friends who were positive about it, I decided to attend the huddle.

The virtual call went very well—the energy and genuine efforts of the team shone through. It gave me the confidence to move forward, so I registered for the event and awaited their response. On the night of the 20th, I received an email informing me that Knot Square had been shortlisted! I was thrilled! The event was scheduled for October 25th, giving me nearly a month to prepare.

October was also my sister’s birthday, and I had actually planned a family trip around that time. There was even an opportunity to set up a stall in Mangalore, but I’d turned it down to prioritize this trip. Now, with the Mumbai event in the mix, I realized I had to make a tough choice. I explained the situation to my sister, and both she and my brother-in-law encouraged me to seize this opportunity. They even suggested we celebrate her birthday in Mumbai and decided to come along, which was really touching.

However, I was dealing with severe body pain, which left me barely able to move. I realized I needed extra help, which wasn’t easy for me to ask for, but I had no choice. I reached out to a few other macramé makers, and one of them, based in Bangalore, seemed like the right fit. Once I felt a bit better, I met her, and we discussed a potential collaboration. She kindly agreed to let me showcase some of her pieces alongside mine, which was a huge relief. With her help, I was ready to dive into planning.

With support from everyone, I dove into preparations, creating reels and stories for Instagram. I meticulously planned every detail, from the products to how I envisioned my stall. I ordered some display materials and shipped them directly to Mumbai. Since my mom’s hometown is Mumbai and her brothers and their family live there, I arranged for a few ready products to be shipped to one of my uncles in Kurla, close to the BKC to lighten my load.

Aspire For Her organised virtual informative sessions with Amazon Saheli and the LinkedIn team prior to the event for the benefit of the EntrepreNaaris.

Initially, my husband mentioned he might not be able to travel with me due to limited leave. I mentally prepared myself to go alone, but I requested him once more, and to my delight, he managed to make it work. When I checked in with my parents to see if they’d be joining, they said they couldn’t because of work. Finally, the day before the event, my husband and I took a flight to Mumbai. Yet, I had a hunch that my mom might have decided to come along with my sister and brother-in-law, and sure enough, there she was waiting at the airport, holding a placard to welcome us!

The next morning, which is on the day 1 of the event my husband, sister, brother-in-law, and my cousin joined me, and together, we headed to the event venue. Once there, we unloaded everything and began setting up the stall. The Chief Growth Officer of Aspire for Her, Ruchita Tandon, recognized me from the content I’d been sharing on Instagram for the event and warmly welcomed me with a hug. I felt so special.

My family, helped me with setting up the stall and my sister stayed by my side all day long. The heat was overwhelming—much more intense than I’d anticipated. Our POC had informed me in advance that fans weren’t included in the stall setup and that they’d need to be requested beforehand if needed. In an attempt to save costs, I had opted not to arrange for a fan, but I soon regretted this decision as the stall felt unbearably hot. Me along with my neighbouring vendors requested if we could get a fan but failed. However, luckily by evening, my neighbouring vendor, got one. She graciously positioned it so both our stalls could benefit, bringing us much-needed relief.

Later in the evening, my mom and aunt stopped by, bringing more encouragement. My mom even bought a mobile pouch from me, despite my insistence that she didn’t need to pay. My aunt purchased a couple of items as well, showing her support.

Meanwhile frustrations started building among other stall owners due to the low footfall, and many voiced their concerns to the organizers. In our WhatsApp group, vendors also expressed their dissatisfaction. While I was disappointed too, I tried to remain optimistic, hoping things would improve the next day.

Heading home, I was reflecting deeply. The city of dreams gave me a reality check. Seeing my sister-in-law, my aunts, and other women around hustling was very inspiring. The true spirit of EntrepreNaari was evident not just at the event but in every household there.

The next morning, my husband and I arrived early to set up, hopeful for a better turnout. Madhura visited our stall and acknowledged the concerns raised by some vendors, encouraging us to stay positive. I appreciated her taking the time to check in with us. Later, Ruchita brought Navya Nanda around to meet each EntrepreNaari. Navya’s warmth and humility stood out, and when Ruchita mentioned my event promotion on Instagram, Navya acknowledged noticing my efforts. It was rewarding to be appreciated for something often overlooked.

Even our POC, Zil, with whom I’d been coordinating on WhatsApp all this while, stopped by on day 1 playfully checking from where will today's reel go live. Their social media marketing manager also visited, showing appreciation for our content. Meeting other EntrepreNaaris who recognized me from Instagram was also fulfilling. One even remarked, “I haven’t met you, but I know you!” The acknowledgment was incredibly rewarding.

Later that evening, Amruta Fadnavis, a banker, singer, social worker, and the wife of the present Chief Minister of Maharashtra, visited the event. Madhura was kind to recommend that she stop by my stall, and Ms. Amruta graciously came over, showing genuine interest in my work. It was an honor to present Knot Square to her.

The second day's footfall was slightly better, but sales were still modest. Fellow EntrepreNaaris supported us with their purchases too, which was heartwarming. Grateful for our friends who made time for us. I felt very fortunate to have my family around, showing their support by being there and shopping from us. With the help of my family, I packed up the stall and we all headed back home.

Knowing my family had invested their time and effort alongside me, I did feel low at times. But, I remained hopeful throughout. The event was run by people genuinely working for a cause. The community they foster is inspiring, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity for Knot Square to connect with inspiring EntrepreNaaris and expand its reach to Mumbai.

Events like these aren’t solely about sales; they’re an invaluable opportunity to gain exposure, network with other entrepreneurs, and build brand recognition. Sales are just a bonus.

I feel extremely happy and honoured to be an EntrepreNaari.

-Archana Harish

Click here to watch the reel of day 1 and here to watch the reel of day 2 on our Instagram Page @knotsquare.in or here and here to watch the shorts on our YouTube channel @knotsquaredotin