Dreamers Into Doers -- marthastewart.com

Doer of the Week: Rupa Wickrama

After years of working in the fashion industry, Rupa Wickrama needed a change. In 2009, she drew up a business plan for Saky Sacks, a line of reusable bags that are as stylish as they are environmentally friendly.

When did you start your business?
I started detailing a business plan in early 2009 and launched in March 2010.

When did you know that you could really make a go of this?
I've been confident from the start that Saky Sacks would be a success. Many retailers have purchased our product and been successful with it, so it's great confirmation that we have a great product.

How did you turn your idea/dream into a business plan?
Once I decided to start the business, there was no looking back. Having had experience with budgets and financial plans in the past, preparing the business plan was the easy part.

What inspired you to do this?
I could not find a reusable bag that I would carry. I wanted a multi-purpose bag that was both stylish and functional -- so I designed my own. I felt that in order to make an impact in reducing the amount of single-use plastic or paper bags, I had to give women a bag that was stylish enough that it would become one of their favorite accessories.

What was the biggest obstacle?
Getting retailers to try out our bags -- we had some price resistance at first. But once we got the product in the stores and the sales went through the roof, we started to build a loyal following not only with our retail accounts but many happy customers. My first order was done on consignment, and that boutique ended up repeating the order five times in the first six weeks because the bags sold out so fast!

How long did it take for your business to become profitable?
I expect to break even or show a modest profit in our first year.

What's the hardest part of what you do?
I have no employees, so managing my time effectively while I am wearing so many hats can be challenging.

What's the most fun part of what you do?
The independence and fulfillment I get from being my own boss and creating beautiful products that both my customers and I love.

How have you been using social media to grow your business?
I use Facebook and Twitter, which are great tools for building awareness and brand recognition for our products. I try and keep the content interesting and relevant.

What's the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Follow your passion and you will be successful.

If you had it to do it over again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
It is hard to say. At the time I made the decisions, they seemed to be the right thing to do. I do wish I had participated in more trade shows right after we launched. As our business evolves, we are constantly learning about better ways to manage the business and improve our profitability.

What advice would you give to Dreamers who haven't become Doers yet?
Follow your passion, surround yourself with rock stars, and be prepared to take some risks.

Check Out Rupa's Photos

See all Doers of the Week

Keep Up with Saky Sacks
Twitter.com/sakysacks
Facebook.com/GreenStyleOnTheGo
SakySacks.com

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Comment by Selma Avdicevic on August 30, 2010 at 9:24am: Congrats! The fabrics are really cool.

Comment by Gretchen Seefried on August 29, 2010 at 12:45am: Darling product! Congrats on making the Doer of the Week! Good luck to you with your new business!

Comment by Melissa Diamond on August 28, 2010 at 9:11am: Such a great idea--your bags are beautiful!

Comment by Bettijo @ PagingSupermom.com on August 27, 2010 at 12:31pm: I need one of these. So cute!!

Comment by Lisa G.~ Polka Dot Pound Cake on August 27, 2010 at 8:06am: Congratulations! Love the fabrics.

Comment by Kim Bent on August 26, 2010 at 2:30pm: Congratulations!!!!!! Most excellent!

Comment by Rupa Wickrama on August 26, 2010 at 1:43pm: Thank you to all for your well wishes! It has been quite an exciting week :-)

Comment by Roi Anne McRaith on August 26, 2010 at 11:54am: Rupa,
Your line is fashionable and functional! A great combo. Very inspiring, congratulations to you!
Roi Anne, Sparkling UP!

Comment by Karin Lau on August 26, 2010 at 5:39am: Love the bags, Rupa! Great colors AND great photography, love how you arranged them for presentation! Very tasteful!
~Karin

Comment by Patty Gale on August 25, 2010 at 10:21pm: Congratulations, Rupa! LOVE your product line.

Comment by Kris Casucci on August 25, 2010 at 10:11pm: Congratulations Rupa, they are gorgeous! I can picture young and old totally enjoying carrying your bags, great designs!
~Kris

Comment by Beth Cape on August 25, 2010 at 8:30pm: Rupa, form, function, style, and eco-friendly. Great job.

Comment by Carrie Middlemiss on August 25, 2010 at 4:55pm: Congratulations Rupa! It was great to see you this last week. :)

Comment by Debbie Munden on August 25, 2010 at 4:50pm: Rupa,
Love the colors and the design. Do you drop ship in U.S? Send me wholesale info interested in potentially selling this product on twinsandtriplets.com in shopping section. Also have a site called diapersbabystore.com This bag could be used as a stylish diaper bag too! Do you have a catalog? Congrats on becoming Doer of the week! Great photos!