Notoriously known for founding and successfully exiting a fitness and tech platform Garnysh, Meeta Vengapally has made a place for herself as an investor, advisor, and Board of Director in the business world. The woman serial entrepreneur is also a writer and Top Influencer in the industry noted by Forbes and momager to Winston and Sitara Vengapally. Recently she was also seen at the judges’ table for the Ms. California Pageant. Highly sought-after by wide genres, including tech, lifestyle, fashion, and beauty companies, this self-made multi-millionaire continues to pave the path and inspire women and men. As of 2022, Meeta’s net worth is reportedly estimated at 10 million.
Meeta also holds an M.S. in Psychology, and she wrote her thesis on mindfulness which has been published and is currently available on Google Books. She has continued to write about women in business and current social issues for major publications. Because of her status and influence, she has been featured in top-tier publications such as Forbes, MSN, Entrepreneur, BuzzFeed, Thrive Global, Inc among others. As a top influencer, she has also worked with several high-profile brands such as Kat Von D, Sephora, Elizabeth Arden, Pixi, and many others.
Meeta’s entrepreneurial roles include being an investor and part of the Board of directors to several Silicon Valley startups and several global companies. Most of her time is split juggling between being an entrepreneur and managing her kids Winston and Sitara, who happen to be actors.
Global Millionaire Magazine recently caught up with Meeta to discuss her journey in the industry, and here’s what went down:
Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?
I’m known as the founder and CEO of a fitness and tech company formerly known as Garnysh, which was acquired right before the pandemic. I’m also recognized as one of Forbes’ Top 5 Social Media Influencers. Currently, my entrepreneurial roles include being an Investor and part of the Board of directors to several Silicon Valley startups as well as some global companies. Most of my time is split between doing that and managing my kids Winston and Sitara, who are actors.
What are you currently doing to maintain/grow your business?
To be honest, I’m currently in a balancing act game, trying to manage everything on my plate. But even so, the entrepreneurial spirit stays open to any new opportunities, ideas, and projects. I am grateful for my team to tackle everything that directly correlates to my focus, drive, and undying desire to do it all.
What social media platforms do you usually use to increase your brand’s awareness?
Mostly Instagram and Facebook, but I have to admit that social media sometimes needs to be on a snooze mode to stay focused.
What is your main tactic for making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?
Authenticity and openness to failure go a long way. I learned that in the initial days of my business. Staying original to the idea, no matter how big or small I think, leads to the roadmap of the business. Then it’s a matter of taking small steps daily, which eventually become part of the big picture. I believe my business’ uniqueness was how we approached our initial customers. We built a product purely based on our beta testers’ feedback. I failed and pivoted, then failed and pivoted, and just kept going through this cycle until one day, our platform crashed due to too many orders. That was a true a-ha moment in the face of panic.
What form of marketing has worked well for your business throughout the years?
We didn’t spend anything on marketing. Part of our vision is to be face to face with our customers. This is probably not the fastest or the quickest way to scale at mass levels, especially when you are just starting with limited team members. However, it was very important to me to start local, gain feedback from the get-go, and have a personal touch.
What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?
Saying no to opportunities due to too much going on. Because I’m directly managing both of kids’ acting careers, I’ve had to make some choices to make room for this adventure.
What money mistakes have you made along the way that others can learn from (or something you’d do differently)?
I wouldn’t call it a mistake per se, but I do understand one thing which I think some people can benefit from. You don’t need to spend a lot of capital when starting out. And another huge trend I noticed as a new founder and now as an investor is that people ask for funding too soon in the game. We don’t invest in ideas; we invest in proof of concept and the team. I am humored when the wannapreneurs try to “pitch me” their idea but have nothing to back it up with.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
You will never influence the world by being just like it.
What new business would you love to start?
I would love to contribute to the mental health space. I’ve always had a passion for it, so I’m currently pursuing my Ph.D. in Psychology. I don’t know about business, but I would like to give back by doing what I can in that space.
If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?
I’d change my narrative and the self-talk. I’d love to have seen me get started sooner than I did without ever doubting myself or my drive.
What advice would you give to a newbie Entrepreneur setting up their first business?
Outgrind, outwork, outhustle everyone and look at your competition as your inspiration for improvement.