Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business?
Anubhav Sahni: I have been in marketing for the last 12 years. Events make an important part of marketing. So, this idea of one easy way of finding venues for events, Commercial activities was always there at the back of the mind. When I got an opportunity to get associated with Holiday Keepers, a vacation rental company, this idea took a concrete shape that a single place for all types of venues. Being a family man, Who loves to travel places and at the same time needs convenience for business, I could resonate with the thought of the target audience that I had in mind for this business.
Great Companies: What are the various Services provided by FabVenues
Anubhav Sahni: FabVenues is a booking portal for booking all and any type of Venues, be it for stay or for events. Be it an event for a full day or even for few hours. This platform gives complete flexibility to the venue owners (we call Them venue partners) to list their property as they deem fit for their business.
In addition to various venues, the platform gives flexibility to the owners for collecting payment in up to 3 installments, which is a huge value add to the customers who wish to book a place with high value ticket item much in advance. Customers typically book marriage/ wedding venues or business venues much in advance. This feature will help them pay with convenience and securely.
Further, the platform provides option to book F&B in addition other services that the venue partner can provide to the customers, so that customers can get all offerings under one invoice. This in turn gives more control to the venue owners as well as an opportunity to improve their booking value.
As a first, this platform provides a direct chat connect between the owner and the customer for price negotiations/ doubt clarifications etc. that’s not available with any other Indian service provider.
Great Companies: What makes FabVenues different from hundreds of other similar service providers?
Anubhav Sahni: The answer lies mostly in the last question. While there are a few venue types that is common with some of the leading booking platforms. This is the first ever booking platform for all venues types with as much control and flexibility built in.
This platform is unique in many ways.
The only platform to have all types of venues under one umbrella.
The first ever platform for listing and booking venues like Mall Spaces, Apartment spaces, community spaces.
We give complete flexibility to The venue owners, and that makes this model highly scalable with minimal cost inputs.
Great Companies: What are the struggles and challenges you face?
Anubhav Sahni: Like all the new concepts, It takes time to make the venue owners understand the concept and the benefits that they can derive out of this.
Further, since it’s a new name with limited brand reach and limited brand recognition, customers need time to get accustomed to the brand and have the trust to book.
Last but not the least, it’s an era of excess information, and to make a mark in reaching out to the target audience, it takes a lot of effort in marketing and outreach, and that takes a lot of marketing money. Being a start-up at bootstrapping level, availability of funds is a challenge.
Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for FabVenues?
Anubhav Sahni: We plan to grow both horizontally as well as vertically. Horizontally, starting from Delhi NCR and a few popular destinations in North India, we plan to grow PAN India in next one year, starting from Mumbai and Goa in the West, and Bangalore and Chennai in South in addition to continue to expand in North India.
We plan to go international with operations in the US by 3Q (apx Sep) in 2022, and then to other locations across Globe.
In next 5 years, we strive to be a trusted partner and a the preferred booking portal for all venues across India and other parts of the globe.
Great Companies: If you have one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Anubhav Sahni: If you believe in the concept, believe in yourself, in your team and continue to hammer until it gets done.
I would like to borrow a quote and learning from my last company, IBM which is one of the most iconic brands ever on this planet that says, “Trust and personal responsibility in all relationships”. That’s the mantra I abide by.