IndiaRetailing brings you a series in which we highlight the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on Shital Mehta
Mumbai: No business can survive for long without a vision; even if it does, it would be susceptible to every disruption and upheaval that generally comes in its business cycle. It needs a leader who has the capacity to translate, create that vision, or make it clearer and turn it into reality. The very essence of leadership is having a vision in the first place. Moreover, as you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet, it should be clearly articulated so that they can manage and lead people. A team led by a visionary leader with a clear direction knows what it can achieve and how far it can go.
In this special feature, IndiaRetailing highlights the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on…
Shital Mehta
Managing Director, Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd
Education
Alumni of Wharton Business School & S P Jain Institute of Management & Research Electronics & Communication Engineer by graduation
Career history and experience
Over 25 years of experience across FMCG, branded apparel as well as large format value fashion retail.
Strength & weakness
Strengths: Passion for building retail business
Weakness: Inability to maintain desired work-life balance
Aspirations you want to fulfil
On a mission to build India’s 1st and most profitable billiondollar fashion brand.
Game changing retail technologies according to you
- Smart stores which empower digitised in-store operations and self check-out
- Source from anywhere and fulfill from anywhere
- True AI/ML -based merchandise planning
Skills that helped you succeed in this industry
- Obsession about making a great product.
- Ability to listen and learn from people who are closest to the customer.
- Mindset of taking risk and stretch goals.
Your take on the future of industry
Retail is here to stay. I see glorious future of retail in India. Personalised experience, digitised operations and integrated supply chain will enable physical retail to thrive in years to come.
Any role model in the industry
While I admire many leaders in the industry, but Vikram Rao made a strong impact on me at a very early stage in my career, with his passion for product and love for developing leaders who can build great businesses.
If you had to pen down your top learning from your career
- If brand is the business you are in, merchandise is the brand for retail business.
- In order to build timeless business, it is important to know that “Top-line is vanity, Bottomline is sanity and Cash is the reality”
- Smooth seas don’t make skilful sailors.
Life mantra
In life, it’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
This article first appeared in IMAGES Group’s Business of Fashion Magazine March 2023 issue
