Anaita Sarkar is the co-founder and CEO of Hero Packaging, author of How To Sell Anything Online and her authenticity shines through to her MASSIVE TikTok following.

But in this episode, she’s not here to give you the polished founder story. Anaita shares the mistakes that left Hero Packaging staring down a $600,000 inventory bill she didn’t know was coming, the moment she questioned whether she was actually a good business owner, and what it took to fight her way back. She also shares some of the most practical advice we’ve heard on BIZ, including the simple experiment she used to test whether there was actually a market for Hero Packaging before betting on the idea.

On today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• How Anaita tested demand for Hero Packaging with a landing page and a $20-a-day Google Ad before properly launching.

• Why 50, 100 or 200 people actively showing interest in your idea could represent a much bigger potential market.

• How a growing business can look successful while dangerous financial problems are building underneath it.

• Why blindly handing your finances to an expert can be a costly mistake, and what Anaita learned from discovering a $600,000 inventory bill had been missed.

THE END BITS

READ OR LISTEN to Anaita's book "How To Sell Anything Online"

Support independent women's media.

Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! 

HOST: Lisa Lie 

GUEST: Anaita Sarkar - Hero Packaging

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser

SENIOR CREATIVE PRODUCER: Thom Lion

ASSISTANT PRODUCER: Sasha Tannock

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.