Originally published in The Students Magazine
Manu Singh and Vineet Sethi are a far cry from what they were two years ago. Vineet had been working in Infosys, while Manu was working in Kotak Mahendra Bank. Today, they own ‘Hysteria’, the only store in India that sells original music merchandise. You wouldn’t think that a couple of years ago they could have been sitting behind a desk, compelling you to do God-knows-what with your money, when today, the merchandise in their store requires no compelling to be sold.
Both Manu and Vineet have known each other since they’d done their MBA together in IMT, Ghaziabad. After graduating, they’d gone their separate ways until they met in Delhi, quit their jobs and decided to pursue their love of music by opening a store that caters to music lovers. They chose Bangalore for its music culture, and in 2010 opened ‘Hysteria’ on Church Street.
It’s only when you enter ‘Hysteria’ that you realize how apt the name really is. On the wall to the left you can see the faces of musical geniuses that generations have grown up worshipping, staring back at you. Across the shop, on the opposite wall, are t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and posters. The music, the art and the vibe come together to make you feel like you just found paradise, and you wouldn’t mind spending eternity there. It draws you in, and you find yourself unable to resist the urge to buy everything you set your eyes on.
On a typical day, the store draws in music lovers from at least ten different countries. The store’s popularity isn’t just because of its concept, says Manu Singh, but also because of music’s capability to cross boundaries. The store’s patrons may speak different languages, but their love for music brings them together.
It is obvious that both Singh and Sethi’s love for music goes beyond their business. They support local bands by stocking their CDs for free. It’s not just the bands they support though. They sell artwork by local artists, like a caricature-style illustration of Chris Martin that hangs on their wall. Recently they had organized an art competition called the ‘Rock \m/ Rolla’ contest. “We thought, why can’t Indians have their own expression of music?” says Manu, when asked why they came up with the contest. “We wanted to encourage the local scene. Local artwork can sell, but it should be of quality, of the right level of competence.” The contest resulted in around 40 artists submitting their creations. The winners received cash prizes.
They have another idea up their sleeve: a contest called ‘The Jam’ that they will be launching soon, where bands or solo artists can put up a five minute video, and the band or artist with the maximum likes will win ten grand.
Manu and Vineet plan on expanding into other categories soon. So far, they’ve been selling things that are typically rock and roll. First off, they’re going to start selling Metal merchandise. “We’re growing deeper, before looking at selling sports, movies or gaming products.” Soon, they’ll be launching their website as well, allowing customers to order products online.
Hysteria did not come to be what it is without challenges. “The first thing we had to do was find a decent place. This space was once a mattress store”, says Manu. “Moreover, we had to work on a shoestring budget. The licenses were a heavy investment in itself, and the imports required a large chunk of money. The supply chain is still a huge challenge. It can take up to 20 days to clear shipment, and it’s also important that we get quality supply.”
So what motivates them to keep going at it? Manu gives this question some thought before answering, “Our constant need to not get bored. There is no worse disease than boredom and that’s why we started something as crazy-ass as this. Our old jobs were limiting, but this store is something we can take to any level.”
Being young entrepreneurs themselves, what is the advice they would like to give others who plan to go down a similar path? “Don’t take any advice, because you’ll learn as you go along. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The picture from outside is very different, you need to get into it to know how it really works.” Manu firmly believes that getting an MBA is a farce. “It doesn’t amount to anything”, he says. Qualifications aren’t a big deal for them. Their store manager is a 16 year-old named Chirag, and if the store’s popularity is any indicator, he seems to be managing quite well.
For someone who doesn’t want to be inspiring, Manu sounds pretty inspirational when asked where he would want to be a couple of years from now. “Life is never about where you’re going to be, it’s about where you are. The only inspiration is yourself.”