Finding a young entrepreneur in Bihar is very rare. Everyone wants an education to get a job. No one thinks to create or provide jobs for others. This is something that limits the progress and growth of the state. Understanding it deeply, Atul Jha, a young entrepreneur from Samastipur district of Bihar, is trying to change the landscape of the service sector and agricultural sector into business.
In a candid conversation with InsightfulTake, he shares his journey, challenges, and insights to create a culture of business to inform, educate, and inspire the younger generation. His humble nature and strong determination are the keys to his success. We would encourage you to go through this interview to learn from the nuggets of wisdom he gained from his struggle to set up a successful platform in the construction domain named Gittimitti.com.
InsightfulTake: Can you tell us about your childhood and education that helped you become a businessman?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): There is nothing special about my childhood or education to talk about specifically. I am the eldest son of a central government employee. I did my schooling in my hometown, Samastipur, in Bihar. I went to Delhi for higher education. I completed my graduation in mathematics (Hons). Then I joined the Delhi School of Economics for a Masters in Economics. Thereafter, I got a chance to work with the Institute of Economic Growth. I became aware of many economic and financial issues. All these helped me become a mature and strong person to take on challenges.
InsightfulTake: People generally from your state do not venture into business. How did it happen to you?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): That’s true! But everything changes with time. This is what happened to me. Just a week before the onset of Corona, I went to my hometown and settled there. Situations and willpower became one to build shelter for myself first, then for others as well. Corona exposed the vulnerability of jobs. And it taught me also to begin with business ventures and become an entrepreneur.
InsightfulTake: Did your business venture start with Gittimitti.com?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): No! I am not the kind of person who hits the bullseye straightaway. I started with the tobacco business because tobacco is considered a cash crop in the Samastipur district of Bihar. I wanted to build my business utilizing it, but it became very hard for me to organize it properly. Some ethical questions were always buzzing in my mind, although it went very well. In the meantime, my father started building a house for his after-retirement abode. I began to stretch my hands to help him get it done. And, finally, it led me to establish Gittimitti.com.
InsightfulTake: What’s your vision and future plan?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): As I told you, my helping hand to erect a building for my parents made me aware of the nitty-gritty of construction work. I saw people suffering from the complexities of getting materials from different sources. Rates keep fluctuating every day, and laborers are not skilled enough to run the plan accordingly. Combining all these difficulties, Gittimitti.com has been developed to offer all solutions under one roof. It is cost-effective and delivers the project quickly and without any hassle.
My future plan is to develop an e-commerce online platform for the construction and renovation of buildings, flats, cottages, bungalows, and so on. It will provide an opportunity for buyers and sellers to meet and transact their business as per their requirements. It will be a story of a bootstrapped company becoming a leader in the construction industry in Bihar.
InsightfulTake: Since you want to develop an e-commerce platform, you may require investors. How will you get it?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): Nothing is easy in life; you have to work hard to make it happen. The market size of the construction industry is huge. It would be around 2,48,000 crores in India that employs 32 million people. Therefore, opportunities are there to cash in. As of now, companies are looking forward to investing in it, and I am in talks with a handful of investors.
InsightfulTake: What are the challenges you face in this industry?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): You can’t achieve without challenges. Of course! We have some…such as lack of skilled labor, infrastructure deficit, cost overrun, project delays and so on.
InsightfulTake: What is the unique selling point of Gittimitti.com?
Atul (Gittimitti.com): The unique selling point of Gittimitti is to provide affordable houses to everyone at their convenience. I do hope that in the future, the construction industry will be a major stakeholder in social welfare.