Interview with Samata Patil Keer | Someday Somewhere

I hope this can inspire you to become a successful entrepreneur too! Why is it important to hear the story of a successful entrepreneur?

Having the vision to become an entrepreneur is great. Making it happen is another story!

In that frame, I had the pleasure to interview Samata Patil Keer, the founder and director of Someday Somewhere Private Limited. Someday Somewhere is an ambitious venture specialising in anything that involves travel.

1. What gets you out of bed in the morning i.e what’s your source of motivation?
To check my phone for happy travel tales from my travellers and referral new inquiries every passing day.

2. Why should people choose your product/services?
While the itineraries and inclusions remain almost the same across destinations how one induce the interest in that place and present it to the travellers makes a difference. The personal attention we give to each inquiry understanding their taste, preferences and involving them in planning their own vacation is a process, and we make that process interactive and fun. While everyone in the market is selling almost the same travel experiences, it is the individuality that makes you stand apart. Also, when you feel so passionately for your work, it reflects!
We are not agents, we are travel consultants and facilitators.

3. What’s your competitive advantage and why can’t it be copied?
I think individuality and passion can’t be copied, it’s absolutely unique to each.

4. What risks are you facing?
The credit we have to pass on to corporate clients or even in general to our clients. The billing ticket size is big in general (a normal travel package for 2 is more than a lakh easily) Hence, while we don’t get much of a credit, passing it to the clients is a huge risk.

5. Have you considered any alliance/partnership?
Yes, I have a basic level business alliance with Skytrack Travels, which is a 30+-year-old tour and travel company. We are in a mutually beneficial alliance and we leverage each other’s strengths.

6. What are your cash flow projections? When will you break even? How much will you need in investments?
We are just 7 months old and close to touching 1 Cr turnover. We have put in effective cost controls in place too.

We are bootstrapped and at the moment not looking for any investments. The direction in which we are headed, and the way we have evolved, eventually things should grow.

7. What comes to your mind first money or emotions?
Emotions! Passion is an emotion.
If you have that, the money will ultimately follow.

8. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
It’s a tough one. Because I feel sometimes your strength can be your weakness and your weakness can be your strength. It’s all about how you put it into play at a different time and situation. I’m a workaholic, I’m obsessed at times by my work that could be both a strength or weakness. I’m emotional that also might be a weakness in business. I’m still in the process of self-discovery and I get amazed at this natural process of we upgrading to our own latest versions.

9. How do you handle the pressure?
My previous Corporate work experience comes in handy here. I’m an optimist, I look at things positively. I don’t easily get pressured. I look at difficulties as challenges. However, music and meditation help in certain situations to cool off.

10. What advice would you give to someone starting out?
I think the very first question one should ask themselves is “ Do they really want to and need to start on their own?”

I have seen many getting into starting up is either because they have not thought through it but just feel they want to try something or they have a family business background or they simply want to join someone else doing it and want to invest in a person or an idea they like.

It’s essential that you feel for what you are driving and have a vision and a journey in your mind for it. Whatever you choose to do should add some value and make a difference