The Market Research students at SJIM had the unique opportunity to hear from a Social Entrepreneur whose journey started in the very same classroom where they are currently figuring out the world of ‘marketing research’.

Maitri Wadher, an SJIM alumni of the 2016 batch, in 2016 for her class project for the Market Research course, did a study to understand the issues and struggles of the ‘left handed’ people in this very ‘right handed’ world we live in. People who are left-handed are called many different things, “Southpaws”, "Lefties", and other simply mean names, like “Weird” or “Strange.”

Maitri, a ‘southpaw’, recalled her struggles and challenges growing up in a world made for right-handed people. Maitri decided she had to do something to ease the lives of fellow lefties. In September 2018, she started The Left Out Store, which makes everyday products ranging from left-handed writing tools, scissors, and kitchen tools, to quirky merchandise for left-handed people.

Maitri shared her ‘Left Out Store’ journey with the students. In spite of an extremely large ‘potential market’, (‘lefties’ estimated at between 10-12 percent of the population), and in spite of being the only store for lefties in India, the Left Out Store growth story has been sluggish with many challenges.

Maitri had a very interactive session with the students describing her challenges and had many discussions and conversations on possible ways to create awareness for her store and for her to play the role of an advocate for the ‘left’ cause!

The Left Out Store is now going strong as an online store. She plans to open the first physical store in Bengaluru. She regularly markets her products at exhibitions, and keeps The Left Out Store active on Instagram, Facebook, as well as on the official website.

On what keeps her motivated, Maitri says she believes in the ‘golden circle concept’ by author Simon Sinek, which is to answer WHY one’s organisation exists, HOW it achieves its objectives, and WHAT the organisation does. And why does The Left Out Store exist? Maitri confidently says, “To end the bias that exists against left-handed people and to make their lives a lot simpler.”
Prof. Abraham Karimpanal, faculty for Marketing at SJIM organized this talk.

The event took place on 15 July 2024

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