New Delhi: Nowadays, it is hard to imagine a childhood free of technology-related distraction and constant noise, but Panda’s Box wants to restore it in some degree. This startup, founded by Rajat and Sukriti Mendiratta, specializes in developing screen-free learning products and experiences.
There are several factors that distinguish Panda’s Box from other startups in the industry. First of all, it does not have business origins; it was rather inspired by personal interests. Specifically, Sukriti, one of the founders, observed that most of the existing products available in the market are loud and too fast; they depend too much on screens. Moreover, many parents buy stuff that will keep their kids entertained, regardless of actual quality or educational value of such products. Hence, it became clear that there must be something better, simpler and more natural.
Another interesting fact about the brand’s history is that both founders worked in corporations for a long time before establishing Panda’s Box. Sukriti had climbed the corporate ladder, assuming senior brand roles at Hyundai, Revlon, and Sugar Free (Zydus Wellness), where she managed large-scale celebrity campaigns and integrated marketing initiatives, yet she started feeling that she was missing something. She was helping to develop well-known and successful brands, but none of her own ideas made its way to the market. Eventually, she decided to start building something more valuable than her previous achievements.
Rajat, now responsible for managing operations and business strategy of Panda’s Box, was initially skeptical. To him, the idea seemed too emotional and unambitious – he did not see huge profit potential in it. However, everything changed when the company received feedback from their first customers. They shared that their children felt special connection to Panda’s Box products and even used them as comfort companions. At that moment, Rajat understood that they did not sell a product; they sold a solution, and their product was able to make children calmer and kinder.
The slogan that describes Panda’s Box best is “Screen-free and Culturally Connected Learning”. According to Sukriti and Rajat, most parents want to provide their kids with this experience, yet they do not know how. Today’s world offers a lot of distractions to families, parenting involves many difficulties, and life itself seems too fast for them. Therefore, Panda’s Box provides solutions that simplify everything and help parents educate kids gently.
There is one distinctive feature of the products developed by Panda’s Box, and it is not connected with their quality; rather, with the approach towards creating the product itself. Sukriti explained that children perceive everything calmly and easily if they are not under pressure, and they dislike being taught something. Thus, Panda’s Box products aim to entertain and distract in order to facilitate learning. For instance, mantra chanting becomes soft and playful because otherwise kids would refuse to use the product.
Starting and managing a startup is never easy. One of the difficulties described by Rajat is balancing between expenses and profit. While everybody talks about growth and marketing of the direct-to-consumer brand, few people mention returns, delivery problems, and other routine challenges. Profitability concerns Rajat and his team each and every day since it is very difficult for any startup to achieve it in the beginning.
One great opportunity Panda’s Box received was appearing on Shark Tank India. According to Rajat, the effect was twofold, besides attracting investors and becoming known, the brand gained a huge amount of customer trust. People who were still doubting the product started supporting it; internally, it helped the team to move quickly and work more professionally.
Of course, working together with the spouse creates additional challenges because one often has different ideas or vision of the business. Nevertheless, Sukriti and Rajat managed to find some compromises, as they focus on their common goal (the brand), not on their ego or opinions. Besides, they divided responsibility to avoid conflicts.
The founders’ future plans do not include rapid growth and success, this is just part of the strategy. In contrast, they dream about having a stable, prosperous, and popular brand. They are not going to follow the trend, and will continue making valuable stuff for years to come.
Nowadays, the trend in the market is storytelling. While a good story attracts customers, the quality and reliability of a product attract customers second time. Hence, Panda’s Box focuses on developing good stories for its products, as well as ensuring repeat use and improving business aspects.
Using culture in the product is very important, but Panda’s Box does it delicately and wisely. Instead of promoting particular ideas to kids, they just show different aspects of culture. This approach makes kids perceive culture as an entertaining thing to explore. Using soft formats such as plush toys makes children feel comfortable and interested in learning.
Today’s competition is fierce, but Panda’s Box believes in their unique selling point. Namely, they create products that have great design, affordable price, broad choice, and good distribution channels. The company’s portfolio includes plush toys, books, and games.
While building and running a business, the founders learned many useful lessons.
Specifically, they noticed that it is wrong to assume that one product will work in any environment. For instance, trying to promote their product via a mall kiosk, they failed since such format requires fast sales, while Panda’s Box products require storytelling and time for kids to understand and love them.
