Meet TheGlitz ‘Super Woman’ Arpita Katyal, She is just 25 but her dreams are big. But she knows that her dynamic personality and spirit are in the process of making her dreams, a reality. An entrepreneur par excellence, Arpita is taking her family legacy forward by launching international quality but ‘made in India’ fashion labels. As the CEO of Roperro, a new-age online venture, she represents a brand that is avant-garde in quality and style.
She also represents Roperro Pvt Ltd. on the Council of Leather Exporters and the Apparel Export Promotion Council. Her organization also supports the Vidya Devi Charitable Trust specifically to promote women’s education and empowerment. Arpita Katyal has been recently felicitated with ‘Global Leaders 2022’ award. Read on as TheGlitz ‘Super Woman’ Arpita Katyal tells her story.
Your journey has had many momentous milestones. Could you tell us about your life-changing journey that has moulded you to be what you are today?
My journey has been wonderful with multiple inclusions of struggles and learnings. Roperro was born as an idea in my head but with the launch of the pilot, I gave a part of myself to the fashion world to acknowledge. Recognition with a dynamic motive to make luxury a must have transformed my life. Although it wasn’t an easy road, I am still proud of it.
My love for fashion and knowledge of the supply chain inspired me to launch my own brand in this sector. I wanted to develop a brand that was fashionable, reasonably priced, and accessible to everyone. My adventure got started that way.
I received the “Global Leader Award” recently, and it was a momentous moment for me. Yet, that’s not it. With the goal of recognising my vision for Roperro on a worldwide scale and taking#EverydayIndulgence to greater heights, I intend to empower women and influence fashion daily.
Could you list 3 of your major achievements?
Referring to the quality and not the quantity, in a short span of time, I have achieved the following that makes me feel good about myself.
• Firstly, having completed my Bachelor’s with honours from the states. This gave me the power to enter the market with a zeal to outshine and get the best out of myself.
• Next would be not just building a brand but five. Roperro is the umbrella for all, a luxury brand that envisions making luxury an “everyday indulgence”.
• Third, would be a very recent achievement of being recognized as a “Global Indian Leader”. I learned how I can confide in myself and bring answers out that prove to be beneficial for the brand.
What are the setbacks you have faced? How did you tackle these setbacks or challenges? And what lesson have you learned from it?
I believe I had to learn this the hard way. Whilst the brand was launched the fashion industry was way ahead of me with the trends and setting new standards. With time, I felt that my young age became an obstacle and at times I was not taken seriously. I started to follow my own motto: “Not to let people hold you back, work twice as hard as you can”.
It gave me internal power, strengthening my inner self and motivating me to manage the general criticism with confidence. This challenge shaped my approach towards Roppero teaching me a very important lesson. Challenges and setbacks will always be a part of your journey, never let anyone or anything set boundaries is what I have learned.
When you look back, what are the three qualities in you that have helped you become what you are today?
Turning the pages backward, they land me endless memories of when Roperro was only in my head. Since then, I have certainly changed and upgraded myself. Imbibing what I had initially learned when I was a kid has helped me much. The qualities that have moulded me to become what I am today are:
• Being Passionate: It is inevitable not to care deeply about what you are doing if you want to achieve your goals. You can be energised by passion, and it can help you get through the more challenging times. Yet, one cannot feign passion. You must genuinely believe that what you are doing is important and/or profoundly meaningful. I personally felt a different energy in me when I started working for Roperro. Indeed, it was and still is exciting!
• Driven Persistence: I have always seen my ancestors being determined to put in more effort than most people and see that tasks are completed. In the same way, I feel the urge to take charge when necessary and derive satisfaction in seeing tasks through to completion. I align myself with excellence and give myself a purpose.
• Timeframe: Effective time management techniques encourage success since they can spur you on to remember deadlines. Though Roperro is a brand that I initiated, yet I wish to complete each task or activity efficiently and on time by using time management skills. Punctuality is a part of time management. This necessitates being on time for work and showing up for team meetings as scheduled. This can guarantee you get all updates on new initiatives or business developments, which can increase your productivity.
Who are the people who have been the wind behind your wings?
Whenever I sit alone, a question often crosses my mind, what would I have done differently if my family had not supported me? This makes me grateful to them in every way, the people who are the wind behind my wings are my family. Especially, my parents have been very supportive and understanding that they are there always rooting for me.
They’ve always taught me to be fearless and follow my dreams. In addition, my friends have never failed me. They have seen Roperro’s journey throughout, from being a rough sketch in my head to the grand launch with numerous dreams attached. Finally, I would also like to thank myself too for being the wind behind my wings. I worked hard to get where I am today. From having no faith in myself to being a CEO of an ecommerce platform was not easy, and I still have a long way to go.
Lastly, if there was a quote to define you, what would it be?
“The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.” – Leo Buscaglia
This is the quote with which I relate religiously. It makes me feel powerful with no set horizon of exploration. Since I have been involved in the process of building a brand image for Roperro, it has personally brought the best out in me. The world is your canvas and one has the power to paint it with immense creativity. This is what I realised when I used to sketch my designs with integrity trying to deliver and curate luxury for all.
