How a Family Business is Truly a Supreme Creation
Smruti Sriram and father Sri Ram own Supreme Creations, the world’s largest manufacturing company of reusable bags, eco-packaging, and giveaways. Not only are the products ethical, but also eco-friendly; each product can be reused over 5,000 times. Together, Smruti and Sri have manufactured for 50,000 clients across the world and work with both small and large businesses to fit their marketing, packaging, and retail needs. Their clients include companies such as Nike, Topshop, Weetabix, and London Fashion Week, which are some of the most popular companies in the world.
The company Supreme Creations was started by Sri Ram and about eight years ago his daughter, Smruti Sriram became a part of the rapidly growing business. Initially, Smruti Sriram thought about becoming a management consultant, but later realized she wanted to obtain first-hand experience in the business world. There began her journey at Supreme Creations, where she started out answering phones, packaging samples, and independent market research. About two years ago, Sriram was offered the position as CEO and has been learning amazing life and business lessons from her father.
Smruti Sriram praises her father immensely, for she claims that he has been her “biggest male cheerleader” (Management Today) and has influenced in her in such a way that allows their business to be possible. Sri Ram, according to his daughter, is a wonderful mentor with a strong, optimistic outlook. Smruti Sriram has learned, and continues to learn, a lot from her father that allows her to be a successful businesswoman. She handles her business very professionally, as to not allow family and business to overlap (BBC); Smruti Sriram claims that she is careful to not address her father as “father” or “dad” in the office, as to conserve the professional nature of her job. In fact, her clients were not aware that Supreme Creations is a family business, which proves how Sriram is successful in keeping her business and family lives separate.
Smruti Sriram advises that any son or daughter working for their family’s company must not take their opportunity for granted. Never allow your familial connection to a business grant you a sense of entitlement, and understand that you cannot expect to run the business right away. Smruti Sriram also suggests that upon joining a family business you must research its history and once you enter the business you must always listen to everyone that surrounds you in order to learn as much as possible. Finally, Sriram advises that you must always respect the owners of the business, as to be a part of your family business is a gift.
The work that Smruti Sriram has accomplished in order to become CEO is admirable, while it also proves how driven an individual must be in order to own a business. Smruti Sriram shares that she works long hours, negotiates contracts, and is responsible for hundreds of employees (Management Today). What makes this work possible is the father/daughter duo’s ability to be frank with one another. According to Smruti Sriram, the two are “brutally honest” and do not hold back in their feed back to each other. They keep each other in check and don’t allow each other to forget the importance of respect and generosity (Management Today).
Today Sriram is able to truly operate according to her own values, such as her life motto, “don’t be boring.” She works according to this life motto, while she also hires individuals who carry with them the same moral. We can all learn a thing or two from Smruti Sriram and her father about the complexities and rewards of business, as well as the level of respect that goes into maintaining a successful company.
To see the company and learn more about their products, click here.
