Sani's Niki Shamdasani Talks Bootstrapping A Niche DTC Brand

Hear how the South-Asian-inspired fashion startup defined its place in a highly competitive industry.

In this episode of The Checkout, we chat with Niki Shamdasani, co-founder of Sani, an Indian and South-Asian-inspired fashion startup.

Niki and her sister Ritika founded Sani Designs when they realized how disconnected they felt from their South Asian culture. Niki and Ritika were determined to bring their cultural identities together through a brand and help women everywhere channel the radiant energy rooted in South Asian fashion.

Niki takes us through their journey of growing Sani as a bootstrapped business—from their humble living room beginnings to making it on Rent the Runway to going viral on TikTok.

Catch the conversation wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts).

In this episode, we talk about:

The Sani sisters’ journey as a bootstrapped fashion business
The cold outreach strategy that got them onto Rent the Runway
How TikTok plays a crucial role in Sani’s brand awareness and lead generation strategies
TikTok virality bumps the brand experienced
How improving relationships with suppliers can help prevent stockouts
Lead time reduction strategies
How the Niki and Ritika are preparing to scale the brand