$9,700 And Sliding Into Oprah's DMs Helped This 31-Year-Old CEO Disrupt A $200B Industry

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.

Bala Sarda named his tea company Vahdam after his father, Madhav (a reverse anagram). The startup went on to disrupt what data shows is a $200-billion industry.

Benzinga reached out to Sarda, 31, to learn more about how his entrepreneurship took off: From investing just $9,700 of his own capital to launch the company to expanding into spices and ranking among Oprah Winfrey's "favorite things."

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BZ: How does your current schedule compare to when you first started the business in 2015?

Sarda: I have transformed from a night person to a morning person, and I absolutely love it. I usually start my day early and set aside an hour or two in the morning to work out. I’m a fitness enthusiast and love weight training. When the lockdown happened, I set up a mini gym in my house and got all the essential equipment. I have been very consistent with my workouts since then. I also play tennis a couple of times a week. More than my body, I think it has really helped me focus even better at work.

Do you work from home or at the office?

I travel to the office almost every day. On average, I spend 10-12 hours in the office while sipping on multiple cups of tea. We have a very young, passionate team. Prioritization, effective time management and delegation have been my personal hacks for managing time better and maintaining a work-life balance. I usually end the day by watching a couple of episodes of a TV series or a documentary on Netflix NFLX. I also love reading autobiographies of business leaders.

How does Vahdam 'cut out the middle man?'

Vahdam is disrupting the 200-year-old supply chain of tea which was impaired by multiple middlemen, and the freshness of the product was totally lost by the time it reached the consumers. By leveraging technology and cutting out unnecessary middlemen, Vahdam delivers India's finest teas and superfoods to the world under an ethical, sustainable, home-grown brand. All Vahdam teas, spices, herbs and superfoods are sourced directly from plantations and farmers within days of harvest, packaged garden fresh at their BRC Certified state-of-the-art facility in the National Capital Region of India, and shipped directly to our global fulfillment centers in various parts of the world.

You DM'd Oprah and won her endorsement. How much did that mean for you and your team?

Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration for millions around the globe. She is also a tea connoisseur and a huge chai lover. She has been extremely vocal about her love for Chai. Chai originated from India and Vahdam was the first tea brand from India to make it to her list. The entire team at Vahdam was thrilled and honored to be a part of Oprah’s "favorite things." What made it even more special is the fact that Oprah is one of the biggest philanthropists globally and it resonated with Vahdam’s brand ethos.

Being featured on Oprah’s list definitely opened up a lot of doors and opportunities for the brand. For a brand that was only three years old then, it helped us get brand recognition and credibility, and it strengthened trust amongst tea drinkers in the U.S. and globally.

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