By Daniella Dawn Lyngwa
For decades, success in Meghalaya largely followed a familiar path. Young people completed their education, prepared for competitive examinations and aspired to secure a government job or a position in the corporate sector. Entrepreneurship, particularly among first-generation business owners, was often viewed as a risky alternative rather than a preferred career choice.Today, that narrative is gradually changing.
A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs
Across Shillong and other parts of the state, a new generation of entrepreneurs is proving that skills, creativity and innovation can be transformed into sustainable businesses. They are identifying gaps in the market, solving everyday problems and building ventures that not only create livelihoods for themselves but also generate employment, encourage local talent and contribute to Meghalaya’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
From hygienic packaged ice and handcrafted cakes to gourmet burgers, sustainable fashion and event technology, these startups may operate in different industries, but they are united by a common belief that opportunities are often created rather than found.
For many of them, the journey did not begin with substantial capital or sophisticated business plans. Instead, it began with simple observations and the courage to act on them.
Finding Opportunity In Everyday Problems
For founder of MeghaChill, Pyndap Kharwanlang, the inspiration came shortly after returning to Meghalaya after spending nearly a decade away.
“I had just moved back after living 10 years in the city and I found it really odd that there was no consistent supply of clean ice,” he recalls. “That made me realise there was a simple problem worth solving.”
What seemed like a minor inconvenience soon revealed a significant gap in the local market. Whether it was family gatherings, restaurants, cafés or special occasions, finding hygienic, food-grade packaged ice was often difficult.
Determined to change that, Kharwanlang established MeghaChill, a brand built around quality, hygiene and convenience.
“Before MeghaChill, Meghalaya didn’t really have a dedicated supplier of food-grade packaged ice for everyday consumption,” he says. “We wanted to make sure people could access clean, reliable ice whenever they needed it.”
His story illustrates how entrepreneurship often begins by recognising problems that others have simply learned to live with.
A similar story of identifying opportunity during uncertainty unfolded for founder of La Vida Cakes and Bakes and Craftastic by MVT, Mandisa Vida Tariang.
Like millions across the country, Tariang found herself confined at home during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. While many struggled with anxiety and uncertainty, she decided to use the time to learn something new.
Armed with nothing more than an old oven, a small investment and plenty of determination, she began experimenting with baking.
Every recipe became a lesson. Every cake became an opportunity to improve.
What started as a hobby soon developed into a successful home-based baking business.
At almost the same time, she rediscovered another passion that is handcrafted art.
Beginning with recycled glass bottles that she transformed into decorative pieces, her creative journey gradually expanded into hand-painted earthen pots, customised gifts, bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, personalised wedding invitations, signage boards and handcrafted wedding accessories.
Looking back, she says the lockdown changed her life. “What began as boredom during lockdown evolved into two businesses built from passion, creativity and perseverance,” she reflects. Her businesses today are centred around personalisation.
Whether customers approach her for a customised birthday cake or handcrafted wedding décor, her focus remains the same which is creating products that reflect individual stories while remaining affordable. “I always encourage customers to share their budget,” she says. “I believe meaningful handcrafted products should be accessible to everyone.”
Sometimes inspiration comes from life’s simplest moments.
From Simple Ideas To Successful Businesses
For brothers Nick Passah and Brandon Lyngdoh, founders of 2 Bois & A Burger, the business idea emerged after eating a burger that failed to impress them.
“We had a burger we didn’t enjoy,” Nick recalls. “It got us thinking that we can do better.”
Nick approached his brother Brandon, a chef, and together they began discussing the type of burger they themselves wanted to eat. That conversation eventually became one of Shillong’s growing smash burger ventures.
The brothers believed there was room in the city’s food scene for authentic smash burgers prepared with fresh ingredients and consistent quality. Their hospitality background proved invaluable. Beyond cooking, it taught them customer service, teamwork and the importance of consistency. “Running the business keeps teaching us every day,” Nick says.
For founders of SooLa, Glorissa Kalra War and Wanda Kharakor, the journey into entrepreneurship was less about solving a market problem and more about creating something meaningful together.
Both found themselves reaching the end of their employment contracts at around the same time. Standing at a crossroads, they began discussing what they truly wanted to build.Fashion had always played different roles in their lives.
While Wanda naturally gravitated towards sketching designs and creating collections, Glorissa found herself drawn towards curation, concepts and business operations.
“Neither of us could have built this alone,” Glorissa says.
Together they launched SooLa—a slow fashion brand that offers curated collections, bespoke garments, styling consultations, garment rentals and customised clothing while maintaining sustainability through upcycling textile waste.
Their approach aims to bridge the gap between inexpensive mass-produced clothing and costly bespoke fashion. Instead of asking customers to choose one extreme or the other, SooLa offers personalised yet accessible alternatives. Most recently, the business has also begun exploring business-to-business collaborations, opening another avenue for growth.Technology has also become fertile ground for entrepreneurship.
For founder of Onlybees, Balajied Sungoh, inspiration came through Shillong’s thriving music and events scene.
Working closely with grassroots music projects, he repeatedly noticed organisers relying on handwritten lists, paper tickets, cash payments and direct messages to coordinate events.
“The creative community didn’t need more talent,” he says. “It needed better tools.”
Onlybees has since evolved into an integrated event management platform that handles registrations, online ticketing, customer relationship management, analytics, access control and event operations for organisers across the Northeast. Instead of forcing local organisers to depend on platforms designed elsewhere, Onlybees offers solutions tailored specifically to the region.
Although their businesses differ dramatically, the entrepreneurs agree on one thing—technical skills alone are never enough. Communication, consistency, adaptability and problem-solving emerged repeatedly as the qualities that determine whether a startup survives.
Learning Beyond Classroom
For Kharwanlang, several years in the corporate sector helped him develop professionalism and planning. However, he believes entrepreneurship has become his greatest teacher.“Every challenge teaches you something new,” he says.
Tariang’s education came largely through self-learning.Inspired by her mother’s creativity and her aunt’s baking, she relied heavily on online tutorials, experimentation and countless hours of practice. “Running both businesses became my biggest classroom,” she says.
Sungoh offers a similar perspective. “The internet became my university,” he laughs. “There was no manual for building a ticketing company in Shillong. Every event became a classroom.” While passion often starts a business, perseverance is what sustains it.
Each entrepreneur recalls moments of uncertainty.
Overcoming Challenges One Step At A Time
For MeghaChill, one of the biggest challenges involved convincing customers to trust a completely new packaged ice brand. Building confidence requires patience, consistency and delivering quality every single time. “People naturally stick to what they already know,” Kharwanlang says. “We had to earn that trust.”
For Tariang, limited resources were the first obstacle. She managed every aspect of the business herself
—from baking and crafting to sourcing materials, marketing products and arranging deliveries. “The only way to build credibility was by consistently delivering quality,” she says.
For Nick and Brandon, introducing smash burgers to Shillong presented its own challenge. Many customers were unfamiliar with the concept. Instead of rushing expansion, they concentrated on serving quality food and allowing satisfied customers to spread the word. “Word of mouth became our strongest marketing,” Nick says.
SooLa’s challenges extended beyond fashion. The founders had to navigate registrations, legal compliance, pricing strategies and assembling the right team. Yet one obstacle continues to affect them even today. “Access to affordable raw materials remains one of our biggest challenges,” Glorissa explains. “We often have to order online or travel to Guwahati or Delhi to source suitable fabrics. Better local availability would make a huge difference for textile and craft businesses in Meghalaya.”
Onlybees, meanwhile, faced a different hurdle. Many organisers were initially reluctant to replace traditional paper ticketing with a locally developed digital platform. Rather than relying on aggressive marketing, Sungoh chose visibility. “We showed up at every event, delivered consistently and let the results speak for themselves.”
The Role Of PRIME Meghalaya
Several entrepreneurs credit the Meghalaya government’s PRIME Meghalaya initiative for strengthening their journeys.
For Kharwanlang, financial assistance reduced the burden of starting while providing something equally valuable—confidence. “Someone believing in your idea makes a huge difference.”
Nick says PRIME provided mentorship, bootcamps, funding and practical business guidance after their startup was selected among its top ventures.
SooLa describes its experience as deeply personal. Winning the e-Championship and later joining an incubation programme opened access not only to funding but also to continuous mentorship and expert guidance. “People weren’t just handing us a cheque,” Glorissa says. “They genuinely wanted us to succeed.”
Although Tariang built her businesses independently, she believes government initiatives remain crucial in encouraging entrepreneurship through mentorship, networking and training.
Yet every entrepreneur interviewed agreed that funding alone cannot sustain businesses.
More Than Funding: What Entrepreneurs Need
Mentorship, market access, financial literacy, incubation facilities, easier compliance processes and stronger awareness of government schemes remain equally important.
Some also highlighted the need for shared makerspaces and incubation centres where entrepreneurs can test products before investing heavily in equipment.
Technology Has Emerged As Another Powerful Equaliser
For Tariang, social media transformed a home-based business into one serving customers across multiple districts and even outside Meghalaya. Instagram and WhatsApp became her storefront.
Onlybees naturally depends on technology itself. “Social media is our storefront,” Sungoh says.
SooLa similarly uses Instagram alongside digital tools such as Canva, WhatsApp Business, spreadsheets and artificial intelligence to manage operations efficiently.
Words of Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Despite working in different sectors, their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs sounds remarkably alike.
“Don’t wait until you feel completely ready,” says Kharwanlang. “Believe in yourself and start,” Tariang advises. “Just start, no matter how small your idea is,” Nick emphasises. “Start messier than you think you need to,” Glorissa adds.
Perhaps Sungoh summarises it best. “Fear usually comes from imagining the whole journey at once. You only need to see the next step.”
Building Meghalaya’s Entrepreneurial Future
Their ambitions extend far beyond personal success.
Kharwanlang hopes MeghaChill becomes the first name people think of whenever they think of packaged ice.
Nick and Brandon envision expanding their burger brand to new locations while creating more employment opportunities.
Tariang hopes to introduce new products, collaborate with local artisans and encourage people to support locally made products.
SooLa plans to expand beyond Meghalaya while building a collective that nurtures future designers and entrepreneurs.
Onlybees hopes to become the operating system powering creative events across the Northeast and eventually the rest of India while continuing to employ and train local talent.
Collectively, these entrepreneurs represent something larger than individual success stories.
They reflect a changing mindset among Meghalaya’s youth—one that values innovation alongside employment, skills alongside degrees and entrepreneurship alongside conventional careers.
Their journeys demonstrate that successful businesses do not always begin with massive investments or perfect conditions.
Sometimes they begin with an old oven. Sometimes with a disappointing burger. Sometimes with the absence of clean ice. Sometimes with fabric scraps. And sometimes simply with the decision to take the first step.
As Meghalaya continues nurturing its startup ecosystem through initiatives such as PRIME and other entrepreneurial support programmes, stories like these suggest that the state’s future economy may increasingly be shaped not only by those seeking jobs, but also those creating them.
