Started with a simple yet thoughtful concept—a gift should be cherished for long—gave birth to the idea of ‘Cotton Napkin Bouquet’, says Mansi Pol, the 20-year-old founder of S Napkin Bouquet. What began as an emotional observation at a wedding has now grown into a thriving business redefining how we present flowers.

Currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Pillai College, Panvel, Mansi vividly recalls the moment the idea took root. In 2022, she attended a wedding in Pune, where she saw the couple being showered with dozens of beautiful flower bouquets. But what struck her was what happened next. “After receiving them, the bouquets were simply kept behind the stage. I felt a pinch in my heart—something given with so much love could not be cherished for long,” she says.

That moment stayed with her. When she returned home, she began thinking, why not create a bouquet that could replace real flowers, yet still look as beautiful—and last much longer? During the Navratri festival of 2022, that idea finally blossomed into S Napkin Bouquet.

Mansi bootstrapped the venture herself with an initial investment of Rs 10 lakh. “I used the maturity amount from my LIC policy and borrowed Rs 2 lakh from my father to start the business,” she shares.

The entrepreneurial journey was anything but easy. Convincing people to move away from traditional flower bouquets was a big challenge. “I knew my product was niche, and breaking the mindset around original flower bouquets would take time,” Mansi says. Fortunately, her family believed in her vision. Her parents offered both moral support, and her paternal uncle, Sandeep Pol, stood firmly by her side.

To bring visibility to her concept, Mansi turned to social media. Her first product, the Single Red Rose Stick, quickly became a hit. Today, it remains her most popular item among the 42+ designs made using cotton napkins available in eight different colours ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 2,500. She also introduced the Moriya bouquet, a unique offering that gained traction.

As demand grew national and international, Mansi knew she had to scale. With the help of her uncle, she set up a production house at Wagle Estate in Thane and employed 10 women full-time. Her mother now manages telecalls and order bookings, her father oversees the accounts, and her uncle continues handling raw material procurement. It has become a true family-run enterprise.

From 2022 to 2023, Mansi earned Rs 16 lakh in revenue. The following year, from 2023 to 2024, she posted a net profit of Rs 5 lakh. Building on this momentum, she recently opened a retail shop in Sector 34, Kamothe, and launched another production unit in the same area.

In a major milestone, Mansi also secured a place in the OMG Book of Records for crafting the world’s tallest napkin bouquet—standing at a remarkable 5.4 feet.

Looking back, she remains passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship. “There is a lot of room for many great ideas,” Mansi says. “People just need to have the zeal to make a difference and the courage to walk the path of entrepreneurship.”