Interview taken by Vikram Kumar 

Q1: Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background and professional experience?

I am Antaryami Mahapatra, currently operating in the hospitality sector with a focus on Professional Hygiene, Cleaning, and HoReCa product solutions. I was born in Tulandi, Barpali, a small village in western Odisha, but always aspired to build a larger vision beyond my hometown. I hold an MBA from Sikkim Manipal University and bring over 25 years of professional experience. My corporate journey began as a salesman and progressed into senior leadership roles with reputed organizations such as Godrej Consumer, Reckitt Benckiser, Marico Ltd, Milk Mantra, Cavin Kare, and Global Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd.

Q2: Can you tell briefly your business journey?

My entrepreneurial journey began in August 2019 along with my co-founder, Sudeep Tripathy. It was driven by my strong foundation in sales and leadership built over 25 years. While the idea of entrepreneurship had been with me throughout my career, I finally took the decision to start my own venture and have since been steadily growing the business.

Q3: What motivated you to start your own business?

Throughout my 25 years in sales, I gained exposure to various markets, industries, and business models, but the desire to build something of my own remained constant. In August 2019, after carefully weighing the pros and cons, I resigned from my job despite the risks involved. Soon after, COVID-19 struck in March 2020, and I entered entrepreneurship by supplying COVID-related products. As the pandemic subsided, I identified strong growth potential in the hospitality sector and decided to focus specifically on Hygiene, Cleaning, and HoReCa products.

Q-4: What were some of the major challenges you faced in your journey to the top?

At the start of my journey, before the news of Covid came, I started my business as I had planned in the food sector. I bought the product on a large scale for I had confidence that it would all be sold out. But due to lockdown the food sector took a hard hit and I was unable to go through my products and eventually lost a huge amount of my savings. In the early stages of my current business, the biggest challenges were limited capital, lack of brand recognition, and building market trust. The industry was highly price-driven and unorganized, with customers accustomed to fragmented suppliers. Despite these challenges, I took them head on and continued building the business with persistence and focus.

Q-5: Can you discuss a significant failure or setback you encountered and the lessons you learned from it?

One major setback was trusting large business houses on payment commitments, which led to cash flow issues and insufficient funds to service new customers. At times, I was unable to supply products to new clients due to delayed payments. This experience taught me to be more vigilant in customer selection and credit management. Although this approach led to losing a few customers, it proved beneficial and sustainable in the long run.

Q-6: What strategies do you use to stay updated on industry trends and innovations?

I focused on the following key strategies:

1. Customer-first execution

I personally met customers to understand their hygiene challenges and recommended the right solutions based on need and usage, rather than competing only on price.

2.Strong and diversified product portfolio

I gradually built a comprehensive range of over 1,500 SKUs across multiple categories, ensuring consistent availability, reliable quality, and relevance to institutional and HoReCa requirements.

3.Process-driven discipline from FMCG experience

I implemented structured systems learned from my 25 years in FMCG, including daily beat planning, regular follow-ups, strict credit control, and performance tracking.

My focus now is on scaling sustainably, strengthening distribution, introducing more institutional and B2B solutions, with use of new technology and building a professional team that can take the business to the next level.

Q-7: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who are just starting their journey?

My advice to young entrepreneurs is simple: don’t wait for confidence—start with clarity. Fear is natural, but most people fail because they wait for the perfect time, which never comes. It is better to start small, deeply understand customers, continuously learn from the market, and be willing to take calculated risks.

Q8: How do you approach risk-taking in business, and what advice do you have for managing and mitigating risks?

My approach to risk is rooted in discipline and continuous improvement, shaped by my long FMCG career. I rely heavily on structured processes, consistency, and daily execution. Continuous learning from customers and observing real market behavior helps me make practical, grounded decisions rather than theoretical ones. This structured, ethical, and customer-centric approach has enabled fast yet sustainable growth.

Q9: What role has resilience played in your career, and how do you bounce back from setbacks?

Resilience has been shaped by a strong sense of responsibility, curiosity, and problem-solving from early in my life. I naturally observe, analyze, and look for ways to improve systems and processes. These habits, strengthened through corporate experience, help me take ownership of challenges and focus on practical solutions rather than setbacks.

Q10: How do you handle tough decisions, especially when they involve difficult personnel choices?

Trust and integrity are the core principles I never compromise on. When faced with difficult decisions involving customers, suppliers, or staff, I step back and evaluate the situation through the lens of systems and processes. Even when decisions are hard, I ensure they are made with clarity and fairness. For me, growth without integrity is temporary—but trust builds businesses that last.

Q11: What are your plans for the future?

My long-term vision is to evolve Ableproff India from a strong regional distributor into a trusted Odisha-based hygiene, cleaning, and HoReCa brand with pan-regional presence. Over the next five years, we plan to launch our own branded high-rotation products focused on consistent quality, correct formulation, and value for institutional and commercial customers. Internally, the goal is to build a professional, system-driven organization with strong leadership, transparent governance, and long-term scalability.

Q12: Who is the driving force behind your success, and who do you wish to thank?

My family's love and support have been an instrumental factor in my entrepreneurial journey. Their encouragement and motivation means the world to me. I am deeply grateful to my late mother and father, whose guidance and values from my childhood have played a significant role in shaping my success.

Q13: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurship is a long-term commitment rather than a quick win. With patience, ethics, and persistence, the first step eventually leads to sustained growth and success.

“WHEN PURPOSE IS CLEAR AND EFFORT IS CONSISTENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP BECOMES A JOURNEY WORTH STAYING ON.”