For Coimbatoreans S. Radhakrishnan and his friend, Sakthi, what was once a hobby is now an emerging venture.
While at college, they helped their classmates and friends prepare surprise gifts. Their start-up the6.in is into the business of “surprising” customers with personalised gifts.
If a non-resident Indian wants to give a surprise to his friend or family member in Coimbatore with a gift, the6.in takes up the job. It does not just deliver the gift but makes it a memorable experience.
Mr. Radhakrishnan says the6.in (www.the6.in) is into two basic services — “happiness consultants” and “surprise providers”.
There are several non-resident Indians who want to send a gift to a family member here for a special occasion such as birthday. They need to call up the6.in, choose from one of the readily available products and personalise it with a message or can even ask the6.in to source a gift of their choice.
What makes the6.in different is that the customer can decide how it should be delivered to the family member here and it will be done. The focus is on the experience, he says.
In the case of providing “surprise” services, any customer who wants to surprise someone — be it presenting a gift to a friend at a dinner, organising a helicopter ride, or wishing someone a happy birthday on the screen of a movie theatre — the firm takes it up. “We have serviced 1,000 people so far,” he says further.
The start-up has been selected for incubation at the Coimbatore Innovation and Business Incubator.
It has expanded its services to Bangalore and Chennai and plans to have off-line stores in both the locations. “We have invested just Rs. 5 lakh so far and want to take the venture to the next stage,” he says.
