Ashish Bajpai and Shyama Ventures: Weaving Legacy, Innovatio

In an era where businesses are built in a click and forgotten in a scroll, legacy holds a rare value. Ashish Bajpai’s journey with Shyama Ventures is a story rooted in legacy, patience, and sheer perseverance. His story is not just one of entrepreneurial growth, but of carrying forward the vision and ethos of his forefathers, imbuing it with modern relevance while serving customers with unmatched integrity.

Ashish Bajpai: A Legacy in Fabric, A Vision in Fashion

Ashish Bajpai, founder of Shyama Ventures, hails from Kanpur, a city rich in textile history. Raised in a family steeped in garment and textile traditions, Ashish is a third-generation entrepreneur, stepping into the shoes worn by his grandfather, Late Mr. Ram Vilas, a tailor in a government organisation, and his father, Mr. Arun Bajpai, who shaped the wholesale foundation of the family business.

But Ashish wasn't handed the reins outright. Ashish, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Science, learned the ropes of the trade not just by watching, but by working. He worked years away from home, honing his skills in China for 3-4 years, acquiring real-world experience in the textile trade, and understanding the deeper nuances of the industry. After returning to Kanpur in 2015, Ashish observed the gaps in customer engagement in the wholesale business model—no real-time interaction, no room for customisation, and no hands-on relationship with clients.He started working at Shyama Agencies, run by his father, when he came back in 2015, and then started Shyama Ventures in 2018.

This introspection birthed a fresh chapter in 2018. Under his leadership, Shyama Ventures transformed into a customer-facing enterprise that caters to the boutique, bridal, and festive clothing segments, maintaining its original wholesale roots while pivoting into retail with energy and innovation.

The Brand: Shyama Ventures

Founded in 2018, Shyama Ventures began as an extension of the family’s wholesale business. Ashish introduced a new dimension—retail and boutique services catering especially to women’s fashion.

Shyama Ventures isn’t just a store—it’s a creative ecosystem for designers, boutique owners, and families preparing for momentous celebrations like weddings. With a tagline, “One Stop Solution – Crafting Style & Comfort,” the brand curates products for every fashion need, offering a hub of handpicked laces, threads, elastics, fabrics, and custom solutions.

Operating multiple retail outlets in Kanpur including Shyama Textiles and Shyama Fabrics and serving a PAN India clientele, Ashish’s strategic thinking and customer-first approach have driven his venture to remarkable success.

Targeting elite boutique owners and end customers seeking premium yet affordable options, Ashish has always kept the pricing honest. “Minimum profit and maximum sale” isn't just a strategy; it’s a business philosophy that reflects his ethics.

In Conversation with Vygr Media

In an exclusive conversation with Vygr Media, Ashish opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of Shyama Ventures, and the human values that form the cornerstone of his business.

Vygr: Please tell us about yourself.

Ashish Bajpai: My name is Ashish Bajpai, and I come from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. I’m the founder of Shyama Ventures, a company that is now expanding its footprint across India. While it’s often perceived as a brand, I see it as a growing company built on strong roots, currently running multiple retail outlets in Kanpur. Our focus is on offering high-quality fashion accessories, primarily boutique supplies, and our aim is to bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary fashion needs.

Vygr: Could you please give us your brand name?

Ashish Bajpai: Our brand is called Shyama Ventures. It reflects a blend of heritage and modernity, drawing inspiration from our family legacy and aiming to evolve with changing consumer demands.

Vygr: Is there a tagline for your brand?

Ashish Bajpai: Yes, we go by two taglines – “One Stop Solution” and “Crafting Style & Comfort.” The first speaks to our holistic approach: when someone visits us, they find everything they need under one roof. The second expresses our commitment to delivering not just fashionable products but also comfort and style with every offering.

Vygr: Who are the founders of the brand? Is it just you, or are there more people involved?

Ashish Bajpai: I represent the third generation in our business line. My grandfather began as a tailor in a government firm. Inspired by him, my father entered the garment trade, and that eventually sparked my own passion. While Shyama Ventures in its current retail-focused avatar was established by me in 2018, it is truly a culmination of our family’s decades of industry experience. Initially, we were focused exclusively on wholesale, operating across India. My decision in 2018 to pivot toward boutique retail and customisation was the turning point for us.

Vygr: Where is your business currently located?

Ashish Bajpai: Our operations are headquartered in Kanpur, but our reach is pan-India through wholesale channels. We are actively working on expanding into other cities and are exploring franchise opportunities and international markets in the near future.

Vygr: Is there a brand history you'd like to tell us about?

Ashish Bajpai: Absolutely. Our roots date back to my grandfather, the Late Mr. Ram Vilas, whose work as a tailor in a government organisation laid the foundation. My father, Mr. Arun Bajpai, took that legacy forward through the wholesale garment business. I joined him after completing my B.Com and undergoing hands-on training in Delhi to understand the industry deeply. After years of working in the field, I returned to Kanpur in 2015. Recognising the need for a more engaging, customer-facing business model, we introduced the retail concept of Shyama Ventures in 2018. This allowed us not just to fill idle hours from wholesale operations but to creatively interact with customers and offer customised solutions. Our evolution has been a journey from tailoring to wholesale, and now to innovative retail.

Vygr: What services do you provide?

Ashish Bajpai: Our flagship product is boutique-quality laces, used extensively by designers and boutique owners. But to offer a full-service experience, we also provide complementary items such as threads, elastics, trims, and designer embellishments. We’ve also curated a special product line tailored to wedding events — Haldi, Mehendi, Sangeet, etc. Each event demands a unique aesthetic, and our offerings meet that requirement with style, quality, and affordability.

Vygr: Who are your target audiences?

Ashish Bajpai: Our primary audience consists of elite boutique owners and designers who seek premium materials for high-end customisation. Additionally, we serve individuals preparing for weddings and other cultural functions. With the increasing popularity of multi-event wedding functions, we provide specialised collections for each ceremony. Our goal is to help every customer, regardless of budget, bring their vision to life with elegance and affordability.

Vygr: What is your positioning for the brand? What is the strategy you use to scale the business?

Ashish Bajpai: Our core strategy is “Minimum Profit, Maximum Sale.” We offer premium quality at nominal prices, and we’re very transparent about this. We often encourage our customers to compare our prices with those in major market hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, and Surat. If they find better value elsewhere, they are free to choose — but more often than not, they come back to us. This pricing strategy, along with our focus on personalised service and inventory diversity, has fueled our growth organically.

Vygr: What is your vision behind introducing your brand? Where do you want to take it?

Ashish Bajpai: I understand how emotionally and financially taxing weddings and major functions can be for families. Often, customers are misled or overcharged just because they lack market knowledge. My goal is to ensure that no one has to compromise on their dreams due to budget constraints. We keep our prices reasonable so that even aspirational designs seen on social media can be made accessible. As for the future, we are working on launching a franchise model to expand across cities and eventually into international markets, especially targeting the South Asian diaspora who value cultural fashion.

Vygr: What are your brand attributes?

Ashish Bajpai: While we were initially not very active on social media, in the past 2–3 years, we’ve made efforts to build our online presence through YouTube, Instagram, and now Facebook. About 80% of the feedback we receive is positive, while the remaining 20% is constructive criticism, and we welcome it. We also believe in giving back to society. For instance, in collaboration with local Kanpur vendors, we sponsor rental outfits for those who cannot afford even basic attire for special occasions. These initiatives reflect our commitment not just to business, but to the community as well.

About Social Work

Beyond business, Ashish and Shyama Ventures are contributing to society with quiet generosity. Ashish’s approach to business is underscored by empathy. He understands the stress families undergo while organising big events like weddings. Rather than leveraging customer vulnerability, he ensures that everyone has access to affordable fashion. Through collaborations with local shopkeepers in Kanpur, they cover the rental costs of lehengas and other attire for underprivileged individuals. This initiative ensures that financial limitations don’t steal the joy from life’s special moments.

From providing boutique-quality fashion to enabling community support, the essence of Shyama Ventures lies in compassion, quality, and service.

Achievements and Aspirations

Ashish Bajpai’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. Over the years, he has received multiple accolades:

The Best Entrepreneur Award (Kanpur, 2022)
Best Boutique Fabric Designer Award by Bollywood actor Sonu Sood (2023)
The Spotlight Icon Award (2024)

Looking forward, Ashish is setting his sights on national and global horizons. With plans to launch a franchise model and explore international markets, Shyama Ventures is now looking beyond India. Plans for a franchise model are already underway, along with ambitions to enter international markets. The brand’s focus remains on scalability without losing the essence of what made it successful: honesty, affordability, and personal connection.

Legacy, Leadership & Looking Forward

Ashish Bajpai is not just running a business — he is steering a legacy forward. From tailoring to wholesale to modern-day retail, Shyama Ventures represents the journey of Indian entrepreneurship rooted in family values, yet adaptable to change. Ashish’s journey is a masterclass in strategic evolution, starting with industry training, blending it with inherited wisdom, and bringing it to life in the form of a purpose-driven, customer-centric brand. Ashish continues to push the boundaries of what a boutique business can achieve from a Tier-II city.

As Shyama Ventures looks to the future, one thing is certain — it will always stay stitched to its roots, even as it weaves new dreams across the globe.

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