MD
Blue Club Collection
Member:Privilege Clubs(India Retail Forum) (India Fashion Forum)
A second generation entrepreneur, Sunny Bharani has a BBA degree from Som-Lalit Institute, Ahmedabad, and is a post-graduate in Retail Management from Symbiosis, Pune.
Starting his career in 2011, Bharani currently manages the operations of four retail outlets under the Blue Club Collection brand in Saurashtra, West India.
Blue Club has grown by an impressive 65 per cent in the current fiscal over the previous year. With a top line sales of Rs 24 crore, the chain opened two new stores in the current fiscal, taking its total retail space to 32,000 square feet. The company’s per square feet revenue has grown by 8.5 per cent, and like-to-like growth is at 7 per cent in the current financial year.
The retailer is now planning to expand in tier III cities of Gujarat. “By 2017, we are planning to open four more stores in smaller towns with 5,000 to 7,000 sq ft each store,” Bharani says. “We are also planning to launch private labels this year, which will take the company’s profitability to the next level,” he adds.
“What I find most wonderful about retail is that it keeps you on your toes, and it will be always going to be same,” Bharani says. “I am always looking for expansion, be it in online or brick and mortar.”
To Bharani, the most important learning of retailing has been team empowerment and forwarding of leadership, which is built on the bases of trust, throughout the organisation and in its structure.
“Retail is replete with learnings; every day you come up with things that will teach you something about life. The ever changing market keeps one amazed, and the best thing one learns is the true meaning of synchronisation and its importance in execution,” he points out.
“Retail makes your communication strong and sensible due to the daily interaction with consumers. Their behaviour and responses are the key factors for growth and stability,” he adds.
For Bharani, the biggest professional challenge is the synchronisation of brand perception along with consumer demand. “Maintaining profitability along with implementation of new technology in day-to-day operations, as well as execution of thought strategies is the other tough part, due to volatile market changes.”
“To achieve full potential, Indian retailers must stay the course. We need to maintain growth, understand our USPs and further refine them,” he notes.
