Space-age partners in creativity -- and hard numbers
| Date :16-Jul-2022 |
By Vijay Phanshikar
THE moment they start talking, the invisible bond between them becomes visible -- which is the essence of their success together. Years have passed, and the bond has continued to be stronger, closer -- and more fragrant. Co-founders of Spacewood Furnishers, Mr. Kirit Joshi and Mr. Vivek Deshpande show how togetherness has become everything for them in demanding business conditions -- core, foundation, shield and, of course, the tool.
Both of them demonstrate an implicit faith in the Divine -- and through it a faith in themselves. It is this faith that has propelled Spacewood into the country’s top-5 in all the segments -- office furniture, kitchen furniture, wardrobe, home furniture, doors, full-home solutions, interior designing, all types of modular settings...! There may have been time when they might have vied to get into the top league in company with other high-calibre performers. Today, others in the business make that effort -- to be in Spacewood’s haloed company.
But when Mr. Kirit Joshi and Mr. Vivek Deshpande started the company way back in 1996, all they had with them was Rs. 65,000/-, their engineering degrees, some experience of working elsewhere for a while -- and dreams. As students of the Visvesarayya College of Engineering (VRCE -- now VNIT), they formed a strong bond of friendship. Together, they prepared subject notes for engineering and sold those to others. So successful did that business become that they started making honourable amounts of money for themselves -- so much so that they did not have to ask for money from home.
Yet, that business -- of selling subject notes -- did not satisfy their dreams. That mental unease was the propelling factor. And, in addition to that unease, the twosome had another valuable asset -- abstract thinking. They let their imagination travel freely -- and landed the idea of modular furniture. The name ‘Spacewood’, too, came out of that abstract thinking. ‘Furniture for space-age’. ‘Furniture for spaces’ ‘Wood for spaces’ -- Spacewood!
That clicked. And that is still clicking -- in the process bringing in success, money, name, and an immense innate satisfaction. That has been the story. That is the story. And that promises to be the story in future -- scripted by two young Nagpurians.
Of course, the journey was not smooth all the time. There were challenges -- including a massive fire a couple of years ago, that turned their stock into ash, in their MIDC Hingna Road, Nagpur premises. But even in those terribly tough moments, Mr. Kirit Joshi and Mr. Vivek Deshpande stood calm, stood their ground, and patiently started building back -- brick by brick.
“The Divine was with us. We got our strength from that faith in the Divine,’ says Mr. Vivek Deshpande. Mr. Kirit Joshi has a non-urban background, so to say. He was born in an agri cultural family in Dhamangaon (Vidarbha) and experienced tough life.
Mr. Vivek Deshpande, too, had his family living for some time in Hinganghat, but later shifted to Nagpur.
When they started dreaming of Spacewood, their basic idea was to offer to the people “affordable luxury”, Mr. Deshpande says.
“Massive changes were sweeping across the society. Cultural changes, so to say. That also triggered a lot of alteration of people’s demand for design. A revolution was taking place, and we were there to serve the changing needs,” Mr. Joshi adds.
Both of them speak a common idiom, keep glancing at each other for approval of sorts, and enjoy telling their story. Yet, as they speak on, there are no frills, no airs, no fanfare. Simple language. Simple thoughts.
Lots of definitions are changing. The idea of longevity of furniture, too, is changing. Modern furniture is altogether different from the classic brand that once attracted everybody. Lifestyles are changing, and Spacewood is for all such people who want to change, who want to live a modern lifestyle. People seek comfortable ambiance. They see things on television. They get ideas. And they want to translate those ideas into their homes. “We are there to do things for such people. Ours is a machine-made furniture. There are limitations to that furniture. Yet, we try to add a classic touch to even that kind of furniture”, Mr. Joshi says.
Of course, they deal with wood. They are conscious that they do not want to burden the planet. That is their social responsibility. That awareness permeates their thought and action at Spacewood.
In the process of running the business well, the Joshi-Deshpande duo has made possible international strategic business alliances, acquired modern technology to refine their manufacturing, and have gone full distances to make their business sustainable and organisation enduring.
Much of their success should be owed to their leadership qualities. “We have hired top class people at all positions. We communicate with them constantly and let everybody express freely. So, when challenges arise, our team is able to handle things smoothly. That is our special asset,” Mr. Vivek Deshpande says with obvious pride in his tone.
What qualities does a leader need to click?
Mr. Kirit Joshi answers this question saying “Empathy, vision, mission, and logic. In all, deep thinking”.
How do they manage work-life balance? How do their families respond to their business calling?
“Our families support us fully. Actually, when we started, we did not have much problem. For, we had already proved ourselves, as students and as small-time businessmen. And we had nothing to lose. Our publication was doing well. So, we had a fall-back arrangement. We proceeded with aplomb,” says Mr. Vivek Deshpande. “And we do no work at home, barring a few phone calls. There is a family-time together with which there is no compromise,” he adds. Mr. Kirit Joshi says, “Our principle is, no work at home. We have capable people who take care of work when we are at home. The standard of so many professionals we have is truly good and high”.
Throughout the conversation lasting nearly two hours, the invisible bond between the two keeps showing every now and then. Their likemindedness is absolutely clear. And, as both, Mr. Kirit Joshi and Mr. Vivek Deshpande, say in different words, they have no personal aspirations. Their world view is beyond the materialistic. Together -- or even separately -- both of them appear well sorted -- in the space within.