In an exclusive interview, embark on a thought-provoking conversation with Krish Himmatramka, the visionary founder and CEO of "Do Amore" Krish's company is renowned as a trailblazer in ethical engagement and wedding ring production, with a mission to create a positive impact on a global scale. From its inception to the impressive growth of Do Amore Rings, Krish shares candid insights, challenges, and his unwavering commitment to a sustainable and compassionate business model. Explore the secrets behind Krish Himmatramka's inspiring journey and his vision for a brighter future.
Absolutely! I'm Krish Himmatramka, the founder of Do Amore. Do Amore is the world's most ethical engagement and wedding ring company, with a mission to bring positive change to the world. We asked ourselves, "How can life's most treasured moments be a source of good in the world?" And that's what we do. Every Do Amore ring provides a person in a developing country access to clean water. This way, couples can use their life-changing moment to change another life forever. Celebrating special occasions by making a global impact is what we're all about. When I first started Do Amore, I began with an $18,000 investment, but we've never raised capital until Shark Tank. All our sales have come from that initial investment, which is pretty remarkable.
It's been quite a shift. In the early days, I was focused on every aspect of the company—improving customer service, website, social media, and customer relationships. But now, it's more about enabling our team to better serve our customers. It's about ensuring our team embodies the caring spirit we want our company to represent. Our team has become an extension of me, and that's what I love. So, it shifted from doing everything to enabling everything.
Certainly. Initially, our strategy focused on being as helpful as possible. We prioritized search engine optimization (SEO) by creating content that addressed the questions people had when buying engagement rings. We wanted to genuinely assist potential customers. For instance, a blog post I wrote about "Gold versus Platinum" seven years ago still ranks first on Google when you search for that topic. We didn't overly optimize for SEO; we just aimed to be genuinely helpful.
A few years ago, we shifted to paid advertising to tell our story. Our customers are those who believe they can change the world, and storytelling through video and audio channels like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube became essential for us. So, the shift went from informative and educational to storytelling.
Our consistent brand message revolves around using life's most treasured moments to do good in the world. It's about deepening the well of love, both for our customers and others. Whether it's helping a couple start their journey together or giving people access to clean water or education, it's all about sharing love and making a positive impact.
Three significant challenges. First, I've always been strict about our partnerships. We believe that we become who our closest partners are, so if a partner was consistently saying no to customers' requests, we parted ways. We didn't want negativity affecting our operations. Being cautious about partnerships was crucial.
Second, transparency played a significant role. We've always been open with customers about any hiccups in their orders, and this transparency not only fosters customer appreciation but also helps us avoid making the same mistakes again. It keeps the team motivated and honest.
Third, we've focused on cross-training our team so that everyone understands one another's roles. This way, our customer service team knows the operations side, and vice versa. This cross-functionality has been crucial in enhancing our problem-solving abilities and customer service.
Three things. First, our social impact is not just on paper; it's tangible. Staying closely connected to our impact keeps me motivated. I'm deeply involved in our clean water projects, and witnessing the change we're making is incredibly motivating.
Second, setting goals beyond revenue and profit has been vital. Enabling team members to achieve their goals, seeing their visions come to life, and maintaining a low return rate are equally motivating factors.
Lastly, focusing on our return rate helps me stay driven. Despite offering a 30-day return policy, we have the lowest return rate in the industry. It shows that we're genuinely helping customers from the beginning, and I take pride in that.
In the short term, we aim to expand our jewelry offerings beyond engagement and wedding rings to cater to special occasions and events like anniversaries. We want to use life's cherished moments to make a global impact.
In the long term, our goal is to bring sustainability and ethical practices to the class ring industry. Class rings are a significant industry, and we want to make them sustainably while supporting education initiatives. It's a big project, but we're excited about it.
I'd summarize it in three points:
Pursue the idea you can't stop thinking about. Don't focus solely on market size or funding; choose the idea that keeps you up at night.
Start your business with good business practices. Avoid going cash flow negative immediately, and consider not raising capital right away. Running a business with limited capital forces you to be cautious and address problems early.
Listen to your audience. While it's essential to ignore naysayers, also pay attention to those who appreciate your product. Their enthusiasm can be a valuable indicator of your idea's potential.
Chris - Thank you, Krish, for sharing your valuable insights and experiences with our readers. Your journey with Do Amore is truly inspiring and offers valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs!
Passion Drives Impact: Krish Himmatramka's journey exemplifies the power of pursuing a business idea fueled by unrelenting passion. His commitment to making a positive global impact through ethical entrepreneurship has transformed Do Amore Rings into a beacon of change.
Sustainability Over Capital: Krish's success story challenges the conventional notion that hefty investments are necessary for business growth. His emphasis on sound business practices, coupled with an ethical and sustainable approach, underscores the importance of organic growth and customer-driven innovation.
Listening to Your Audience: A crucial lesson from Krish's entrepreneurial journey is the significance of paying attention to your customers. Rather than succumbing to naysayers, Krish encourages entrepreneurs to listen closely to their audience and use their feedback to refine and improve their offerings.
Deepening Impact: Krish's long-term vision goes beyond just ethical jewelry. His plans to expand into special occasions and educational jewelry highlight the potential for businesses to drive positive change while serving customers' unique needs.
Krish Himmatramka's story serves as a testament to the transformative potential of entrepreneurship when driven by purpose, sustainability, and a genuine desire to make the world a better place.
