During the pandemic, my two business partners and best friends, Nehal Rai, Ketul Madhvani, Akshin Anish, and I decided to channel our creativity into building SplitPosh LLC, a print-on-demand clothing brand. The idea was simple yet fun. Customers sent in pictures of their pets, our designers transformed them into sleek vector art, and we printed the designs onto hoodies before shipping them out. It looked great on paper, but the pandemic caused two-month shipping delays, which threw a bit of a wrench into the business model. While some customers loved their hoodies, others weren’t as patient and decided to pull their orders.

Despite the challenges, the experience was packed with valuable lessons. I gained firsthand experience setting up a business on Shopify and learned how to navigate the complexities of forming an LLC. We also dove into website optimization, figuring out ways to enhance the user experience. On the marketing front, I honed my skills with Instagram and Facebook campaigns. Facebook became my go-to platform for running effective ads. We explored influencer marketing as well, figuring out who to collaborate with and who to avoid through a fair share of trial and error.

Starting a business with close friends wasn’t just fun; it was a crash course in teamwork, problem-solving, and how to adapt when things don’t go as planned. Even though SplitPosh didn’t go exactly as envisioned, the journey was full of learning moments and gave me invaluable insights for future ventures.