When 34-year-old Sourabh Jain first grew to become a father to his daughter, his perspective on life modified. Like several dad or mum, his daughter grew to become his world. 

Nevertheless, he struggled with bonding along with her at first. “She was so tiny and couldn’t converse. I didn’t know easy methods to bond along with her. That’s once I realised that video games and books are interactive and supply a chance to spend hours along with her,” he recalled in a dialog with The Higher India.

Thus started the hunt for video games and toys that not solely helped him bond together with his daughter but additionally contributed to her cognitive improvement. Throughout this search, he realised that not solely are these toys and video games exhausting to search out, however they will additionally burn a gap in a single’s pockets.

“One other realisation was that it is extremely exhausting to make toys eco-friendly. There may be some quantity of plastic all the time current and it’s dangerous to the atmosphere and the little ones,” he says. 

Whereas he aspired to provide his daughter the world, he additionally endeavoured to go away behind a cleaner, greener, and extra sustainable world for her. At present, he owns The EleFant — a toy rental firm, or in Sourabh’s phrases, ‘a labour of affection’.

The corporate has a buyer base in 14 main cities in India, together with Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Indore, Bengaluru, and many others. Interested in how the enterprise works and how one can lease toys on your youngsters? Learn on. 

Sustainable, age-appropriate and enjoyable 

Born and raised in a enterprise household, Sourabh all the time had an entrepreneurial mindset. Regardless of working as a chartered accountant for many of his life, he harboured a persistent curiosity in beginning his personal enterprise.

“The thought for EleFant emerged from the need to supply the most effective toys for my daughter, but it surely’s additionally a model for folks like us,” he explains.

Amid altering household dynamics, Sourabh noticed the rising problem for folks who juggle work and residential obligations concurrently. “More often than not, I’d be working, leaving little room to exit and seek for toys. I needed to simplify one factor for working dad and mom like myself,” he says.

The transition from the company world for Sourabh was gradual. “The thought started taking form in my thoughts in 2022, however I needed a stable plan of motion. I aimed to supply dad and mom a dependable service and an efficient subscription mannequin,” he provides.

Sourabh additionally emphasised the significance of guaranteeing that the toys offered to kids should not simply gratifying but additionally partaking and academic. “As a dad or mum, I perceive how essential it’s for teenagers to have the correct atmosphere on the proper time to encourage them and assist them develop,” he says. 

In pursuit of this idea, Sourabh enlisted the experience of a psychologist, a paediatrician and an ex-school principal to discern the kinds of toys that might be most useful for kids.

“After practically a 12 months of growing the idea and guaranteeing that every one our toys meet the very best high quality requirements, we determined to launch the model,” he states.

At present, the corporate has a buyer base of greater than 250 subscribers with over 2,000 downloads of the applying per day. In addition they have collaborations with 70 toy corporations the place they supply their toys. 

Amongst these 250 subscribers is Rahul Bhauwala from Mumbai who rents toys for his 6-year-old. “I’m a working skilled and I hardly get any time to exit and spend hours on the lookout for and shopping for toys. I may use that valuable time to play with my youngster as a substitute. Because of this I like utilizing The EleFant app. They’ve a variety of toys that are categorised as per age. The merchandise are very well-packaged and my son cherished opening them because it seemed like a gift to him,” he says. 

“We purpose to determine a round economic system the place toys are reused repeatedly. This not solely cuts prices but additionally advantages the atmosphere. Contemplating how rapidly youngsters outgrow issues, toys usually find yourself in landfills,” he explains.

Pocket-friendly for folks and enjoyable for teenagers

Whereas the behavior of reusing and thrifting may need began trending not too long ago, if we glance again to our childhood, sharing kids’s belongings has all the time been a part of our tradition. 

“We’d go down our toys and garments to our chachi, mami’s (aunts) youngsters. Nevertheless, with the nuclear household setup, this pattern has declined. I believe it was this apply that has made folks place their belief in us too,” he says.

Recalling the preliminary response of the folks he says, “The dad and mom have been very delighted and confirmed encouragement. Whereas they have been a bit of sceptical of sanitation since these merchandise might be reused, I defined that we now have a sanitation course of and each toy that reaches their child is protected for consumption,” he says. 

Moreover, the librarians and toy specialists of Sourabh’s crew are all dad and mom who perceive the necessity for sanitation and hygiene of the merchandise and ensure they’re correctly sanitised. 

“Our content material is completely centered on data, progress, and improvement. We firmly imagine within the essential function of toys and books in enhancing kids’s expertise. At present, we provide a various vary of 14 toy classes,” he says speaking in regards to the means of subscribing to The EleFant. 

The classes embrace STEM-based toys, board video games, artwork and training, faux play, sound books, instructional books, and extra. 

“The talents we deal with embody modal expertise, gross motor expertise, bodily and emotional improvement, in addition to social, environmental and relationship understanding, amongst others,” he says. 

The registration course of entails downloading the app, and as soon as on-line, they will proceed to grow to be a member, they will select from the out there packages.

“We provide three plans: Backyard, Property, and Forest. The Backyard plan permits for 2 merchandise at a time with two free deliveries per 30 days, costing roughly Rs 750 month-to-month. This plan fits households with youngsters deeply engaged in particular actions. The Property plan, our hottest, offers three merchandise at a time and three free deliveries month-to-month, averaging round Rs 1,000, catering to curious youngsters desperate to discover new issues,” he says. 

The Forest plan is good for tremendous energetic youngsters or households with two kids of various age teams, providing 4 toys at a time with 5 free deliveries at a median of about Rs 1,400 per 30 days.

‘These plans are well-defined, economical, and reasonably priced, permitting clients to get pleasure from a wide range of toys tailor-made to their preferences,” he provides. 

Sourabh says that he needed to make a enterprise that caters to all. “Our intention was not solely to cater to an elite membership, making it an costly and unique service. As a substitute, we aimed to supply a chance for everybody to provide their kids every thing in a sustainable method. The worth is stored this manner, emphasising inclusivity and accessibility for all.” 

In the event you want to check out Sourabh’s distinctive subscription mannequin, click on right here to down the applying. 

(Edited by Padmashree Pande)