Rohit Kumar: Entrepreneur, Import-Export Expert of Indian products to USA and CEO of New Origins

In this episode we have Rohit Kumar joining us from Los Angeles, USA. Rohit is not just an entrepreneur but also a content creator who actively promotes budding entrepreneurs, assisting them in establishing their own businesses. He focuses on consumer products, import and export, e-commerce, and logistics.

Since 2011, Rohit has been CEO of New Origins, a service provider for consumer product brands. New Origins also operates 2 consumer product brands of its own: Brush with Bamboo® and CleanPlaneterra®. Rohit also holds a BA from UC Berkeley where he graduated first in his class.

In our conversation with Rohit, we discussed his background as a businessman and entrepreneur, specialising in consumer products and import-export. With over 15 years of experience, Rohit shares his journey of creating brands, navigating import-export processes between India and China, and managing a warehouse in the US offering shipping services and 3rd party logistics (3PL).

About two years ago, Rohit made a strategic decision to venture into content creation. His motivation? To share his extensive knowledge and encourage more exports from India, seizing the significant opportunities available in the global market. Rohit shares his unique experience of spending a significant part of his life in both Los Angeles and Delhi. He also shares the challenges he faced initially moving to India.

However, he contrasts this with the present, where globalization and technological advancements have made life easier for expats and NRI communities. When Rohit moved back to the US, he started his career by working in Silicon Valley. However he felt a lack of flexibility in his job so he took the bold decision to leave Silicon Valley and embark on a journey to create something of his own. This led him to the realm of physical products, eventually leading to the establishment of his own import-export business.

Rohit started his journey when he stumbled upon the idea of introducing bamboo toothbrushes to the US market. This marked the beginning of his venture into brands and the evolution of his business. While doing this business, Rohit realized that in the Western market, there was a preference for products labelled “Made in India” over those labelled “Made in China.” The discussion also reveals the global potential for Indian products and the role the NRI community can play in facilitating this growth.

Rohit also shares his insights into the current market scenario and the immense opportunities for those looking to export products from India. He emphasizes the importance of a “product-founder fit” and encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage their unique regional strengths and cater to the global demand for Indian products.

Rohit believes that the NRI community plays a very important role in the global export landscape. Drawing parallels with the Chinese expat community, he highlights the need for the NRI community to act as foreign operators, salespeople, and network builders for Indian entrepreneurs. The potential lies in creating a network that actively promotes Indian manufactured goods on a global scale.

We conclude the podcast with some important advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. Rohit encourages entrepreneurs to look around their regions and discover products that align with their strengths and local specialties.

He emphasizes the need for a well-rounded understanding of buyer preferences and the potential for growth in various product categories.