CEO Insights Magazine

For all of human history, the year 2020 will be remembered as pivotal. Many industries got adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one trend is becoming crystal clear: the rapid increase in digital use. Most nations saw a rise in the number of unique digital shoppers, while those with lockdown policies that limited all economic activity, including e-Commerce, had declined. Brick and mortar stores realized the need for an online presence more than ever. On the consumer side, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a structural change in demand for digital commerce, which will continue to grow into the foreseeable future. When Sameer Deolalikar saw an uptick in online sales early in the pandemic, he realized it would be an ideal opportunity for businesses to enable global sales through the digital channel. The outcome was that Sameer created a novel e-Commerce platform – Fyaril, where Indian producers can sell their products worldwide. The primary motivation behind Fyaril was to promote Made in India goods and products internationally.

Entrepreneurial and tech-savvy, Sameer has worked in research and development, international sales, and business development, and managed cross cultural teams for over 22 years. Sameer is a successful entrepreneur who has developed and implemented cutting-edge concepts, technology, and technical solutions to meet the needs of his clients and help his company succeed.

Below is an excerpt of Sameer Deolalikar’s exclusive interaction with CEO Insights magazine.

What factors influenced you to establish Fyaril?
In 2017, I came up with the concept of a unified digital channel to make goods produced in India to other parts of the globe. I gave some attention to potential implementation methods and other considerations. However, it was probably not the ideal moment, since neither the globe nor India

was prepared for such a shift to digital commerce back then (concerning logistics, digitization, and more). But when the pandemic hit, all these changes to digitize e-Commerce and business took place all at once. In turn, it sped up the whole process of developing an e-Commerce ecosystem in India. During that time, I realized that we are now at a tipping point where a global digital supply chain can be managed from a central hub, opening global distribution possibilities even for the smallest manufacturer My work on Fyaril started with this motivation in 2021. Since then, during the last 15 months, I developed the concept, started a business, built the team, and ramped up operations in India and Europe through its head office in Sweden, a branch office in India, and a top partner ecosystem. We’ve already developed a global platform to provide a localized experience to the customers, a digitally integrated supply chain from manufacturer to customer.

You possess more than two decades of experience, how has your path to success and what is your success mantra?
The road to success is everything but easy. It's had, has its ups and downs, and I've experienced them both in the workplace & as a business owner when I employed a lot of people and helped them grow. The majority of today's aspirant suppliers and manufacturers lack exposure to the breadth and depth of global competition. To compete on a worldwide scale, businesses must alter their sales strategies to match the regional nuances of the destination market. Here, we mean selling things manufactured in India to individuals all over the globe, not only to those of Indian descent but to the global customer base. Indeed, that's a whole new ballgame altogether. Because when you go beyond that sphere, you're competing with top manufacturers from countries like the US, China, Germany, Sweden, and other global economies. That means you need to excel in all aspects of your business, from customer service to product development to marketing.

It's common knowledge that everything manufactured in India is certain to be of high quality. Those products are unique and can compete with anything on the market. We want to give confidence to the Indian manufacturers that, not only do they have world-leading products but also, they can compete and win globally. To help manufacturers in their global expansion, I believe, is our primary objective. To take local products from India and to make them globally renowned brands is our ultimate goal.

How would you define Fyaril as an organization and its position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to its customers?
The Fyaril platform facilitates online trade all around the world. We set out with the mission of developing a system through which a business in any part of India could sell its products to customers anywhere in the world. That led to the development of our platform, ecosystem, and operational setup. We are pleased to say that as of today, we are the only startup in the world that digitally integrates the entire supply chain including international shipping, customs, taxes, and regulatory compliances. While this is being done by a few large global marketplaces, there is currently no dedicated marketplace for Made in India goods that can expand to meet the needs of manufacturers to scale worldwide.

In light of your strong experience within the industry, what advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
Leadership qualities can be developed with time and practice. Some people indeed have natural leadership abilities, but it is a skill that can be focused on from early on in their careers. I think it's important to figure out what form of leadership works best for you and then attempt to apply it to the situations in which you find yourself. As a result, you'll be able to bring out the best in yourself and others, ensuring the finest possible outcomes from any collaborative efforts.

Sameer Deolalikar, Founder & CEO, Fyaril
Sameer holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics from India's Shivaji University and a Master of Business Administration from Denmark's Copenhagen Business School. In 2021, Sameer established Fyaril with a vision to make highquality, sustainable products produced in India widely accessible throughout the globe.