The Story of ZHI Enterprises “11th March 2021… A decision was made. We were not sure if it was good or bad. But we chose to believe in it, and we worked hard to make it good. That is how our journey began.” I wanted to start our story with these words because ZHI Enterprises was never a pre-planned business. It was born from challenges, courage, and a dream. This is not just a business story. It is a story with many shades struggles and victories, hopes and lessons. It is the story of moving from getting coolie wages to giving coolie work, the story of art, sustainability, and family unity. And this is the story of ZHI Enterprises, proudly named after my hometown Sirkazhi. What’s in the Name “ZHI”? Hello everyone, I am Balaji Sekar. Our business is called ZHI (ழி) Enterprises. You might wonder, “What kind of name is this? We’ve never heard such a name before.” The answer is simple. I am deeply fascinated by this unique Tamil letter ழி. It is rare, no one has used it before, and most importantly, it reflects my roots my birthplace, Sirkazhi , the heaven where I grew up. What We Do We manufacture eco-friendly cane furniture and handcrafted products. At present, we focus mainly on B2B, working with five retail clients, while occasionally serving direct-to-customer orders. We operate from Samiyam, Thaikkal, Sirkazhi. Today, I can confidently say what our business is. But when we started, there was nothing – no experience, no capital, no knowledge. Just a decision, and a lot of determination. Why We Started Covid played a big role in this journey. We are not from a business family. My father worked as a steel fitter, mostly as a daily wage worker. To support us financially, he often had to work in the Gulf countries, where the work was very hard and physically demanding. Despite all his sacrifices, our life was never luxurious. My mother, Jayachitra, was the pillar who raised me and my younger brother Vijay Sekar, facing countless struggles but always ensuring we had education and dignity. From childhood, both of us brothers carried one dream: to do something for our parents one day. So, when Covid forced my father to return home after losing his job, we wanted him to stay with us. We thought of many options like grocery shop, tea shop, biryani shop, even construction contracts. But cane business was never in our plan. Why Cane and Rattan? Our village, Thaikkal, is well-known for cane swings, furniture, and handicrafts. For decades, this area has been a traditional industrial cluster, with around 120+ retail shops and 30+ manufacturing units, supporting nearly 1,500 families for over 50 years. Products from here reach across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Pondicherry. One day, a friend of my father suggested: “Why don’t you try cane furnishing?” That one idea sparked everything. We debated a lot as a family. My brother and I felt we should buy from manufacturers and sell, to avoid risk. But my father insiste
d on manufacturing on our own. At that time, I was in my final year of engineering, my brother in his first year, but his decision was final. So, we set up a tiny 10x12 ft micro manufacturing unit and rented a small shop. It was the Covid era, and we were completely new to business no knowledge of pricing, salaries, sales strategy, or market. The Struggles We borrowed money from relatives, pledged my mother’s jewelry, and took small loans. The challenges were many: No sales for months during the second lockdown. Poor shop location with no visibility. No profits initially. Thoughts of giving up. But we didn’t. My parents worked on production, while I managed the shop. Slowly, customers noticed our quality and designs, and we started getting B2B clients. Though our shop failed due to poor location, our wholesale base grew stronger. Even after two years, established shops of 30+ years saw us as competitors. They tried to undercut prices to take away our clients. But our relationships, service, and quality kept us in the game. Where We Are Today Our journey hasn’t been smooth. We’ve faced: Late payments from clients (sometimes after 6–10 months). Shortage of skilled craftsmen. Rising raw material costs. Intense competition in our cluster. Still, while many who started during Covid have closed, we survived. In fact, we have made a name for quality in our region. So far, we have: Produced 13,000+ products Employed nearly 15 craftsmen and workers Built a reputation strong enough for even 35+ year old ventures to consider us competitors. Today, my father handles operations and manufacturing, my mother manages finance, and though my brother and I now work in Bangalore, we support ZHI by taking care of finances, SOPs, D2C sales, legal work, and marketing. Our Limitations and Dreams We still face challenges – limited capital, small manufacturing space, shortage of skilled workers, and customers who don’t always pay fairly. But our vision is clear: To uplift the lives of people in our region who depend on this craft. To carry forward this traditional art to the next generation. To make sustainable lifestyle products affordable and accessible. To reduce plastics and promote eco-friendly living. And ultimately, to make ZHI Enterprises a proud identity of Sirkazhi. Closing Words ZHI is not just a business. It is our family’s dream, our parent’s sacrifice and our small step towards a sustainable future. “Today, our cane products have reached countless homes, schools, workplaces, and gardens across Tamil Nadu and beyond through our retailers. Whenever you see a simple swing, a cozy chair, or a sturdy stool made of cane, it might just be a piece of our family’s hard work and dream.” If one decision on a random day in March 2021 could transform four ordinary people into entrepreneurs, then we believe any teacher, student, or dreamer reading this can also take that one decision and make it right with heart and hard work.
