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Building Water Confidence & Community with Ronjiny Basu · Behind the Business

• 0:00
  Ian McLean: Welcome to another episode of Behind the Business, presented by Gore Mutual.
• 0:04
  Ian McLean: I'm your host, Ian McLean, President and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterdoo Chamber of Commerce.
• 0:09
  Ian McLean: This podcast is recorded on the traditional territory of the neutral Anishinabe and Hoden Ashone peoples.
• 0:15
  Ian McLean: Each week I sit down for candid conversations where we go beyond the boardroom and behind the business to uncover the real stories of Waterdoo Region's business community.
• 0:25
  Ian McLean: Today I'm Behind the Business.
• 0:36
  Ian McLean: We're joined by Regini Basu, co-founder of Puddle Swim School in Kitchener.
• 0:41
  Ian McLean: Regini traded a traditional corporate path for entrepreneurship, creating a swim school, a sensory-friendly, high-trust swim program focused on building water confidence and safety for kids.
• 0:53
  Ian McLean: We'll hear why she made the leap, how she designed Puddle's small class and heated saltwater program, and how she's building a team and culture families can trust.
• 1:02
  Ian McLean: We'll also explore her connection to the Waterloo Region community and the leadership choices that keep her business running safely and successfully.
• 1:11
  Ian McLean: So join me as we go behind the business with Regini Bassi.
• 1:14
  Ian McLean: Well, we're excited to have you here, Regini.
• 1:17
  Ian McLean: Thanks for joining us today.
• 1:19
  Ronjiny Basu: Thank you for having me.
• 1:20
  Ronjiny Basu: I'm excited to be here.
• 1:21
  Ian McLean: So let's start with the story.
• 1:23
  Ian McLean: I mean, this this podcast is always about the stories and the bit and the people behind the business, but also about leadership journey.
• 1:33
  Ian McLean: So we kind of intermix those those things in all of our conversations.
• 1:38
  Ian McLean: But let's start with your story.
• 1:39
  Ian McLean: You have an MBA and years of experience in program management and marketing.
• 1:45
  Ian McLean: But what was the moment that convinced you to break out on your own and start a swim school instead of following the more traditional path?
• 1:54
  Ian McLean: If you get an MBA, usually people say, I'm going to go and work for a big company and get into the corporate mill.
• 1:59
  Ian McLean: How did you go from what probably looked like that was the path to a swim school?
• 2:06
  Ronjiny Basu: Well, Ian, you hit it on the nail.
• 2:08
  Ronjiny Basu: Post my MBA, I did follow that conventional route of joining the corporate world.
• 2:12
  Ronjiny Basu: But I think there was always that itch post an MBA to being an entrepreneur.
• 2:16
  Ronjiny Basu: And I just needed that push to manifest and make it a reality.
• 2:20
  Ronjiny Basu: So you have an idea, I was sitting on it, and my partner, my business partner and my husband, he um and my friends was a guiding kind of force for me.
• 2:30
  Ronjiny Basu: And I said it's either now or never.
• 2:33
  Ronjiny Basu: Um and just just I said, just do it.
• 2:36
  Ronjiny Basu: And I applied my years of experience in the corporate world, coupled with um the passion, what I've learned in MBA schools, and um just went ahead and did it.
• 2:47
  Ronjiny Basu: And I I saw a problem in um you know swim schools.
• 2:50
  Ronjiny Basu: Aquatic education is lacking, it's limited, but there's a high demand for it.
• 2:54
  Ronjiny Basu: So I thought that would be a great area to invest in and to really um yeah, apply my background to.
• 3:00
  Ian McLean: So so the it is kind of, you know, swim schools are, you know, swimming pools in generally in the northern climate are are very expensive to maintain.
• 3:11
  Ian McLean: You know, so how did you how do you manage to get the the pool time?
• 3:15
  Ian McLean: I mean, though that's got to be one of the main issues that of making sure you've got you've got the access to the the you know the facility that you need.
• 3:24
  Ronjiny Basu: Absolutely.
• 3:25
  Ronjiny Basu: So we just said let's um let's just build our own facility.
• 3:29
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh we went through um a lot of fun challenges of the traditional route again.
• 3:33
  Ronjiny Basu: Um we wanted to um we explored franchising.
• 3:36
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh so we did go through two different franchises and um it didn't work out, and then everything happens for a reason.
• 3:44
  Ronjiny Basu: We said let's just start our own brand.
• 3:46
  Ronjiny Basu: And I think that was a fun challenge when you're building not only a business, an opening, when you're building a brand too, and you you need to sustain it.
• 3:54
  Ronjiny Basu: So um that was all part of the journey, and we created an above-ground pool, something very unique, and um just launched it.
• 4:03
  Ian McLean: Wow.
• 4:03
  Ian McLean: Okay, and and so you know, as you think back on what was the single skill or lesson from your MBA um and prior roles that have had the biggest impact on the either the formulation and the success uh in helping you run puddles.
• 4:22
  Ian McLean: That's the name of your company, puddles.
• 4:24
  Ronjiny Basu: Correct.
• 4:25
  Ronjiny Basu: Um I love that question because having um I'm all about connecting with people.
• 4:30
  Ronjiny Basu: I love learning about a person, their background, and um their just their the culture and community.
• 4:37
  Ronjiny Basu: And uh something that resonated with me during my um business uh days is uh we would read a lot of Harvard business review and cases.
• 4:44
  Ronjiny Basu: Um there's a concept you you hear about business to business or business to consumer, B2B or B2C.
• 4:50
  Ronjiny Basu: There's something called H2H.
• 4:52
  Ronjiny Basu: So it's human to human or heart to heart.
• 4:54
  Ronjiny Basu: And um at the end of the day, it talks about emotional intelligence and the genuine power of when you empower people and how that leads to uh retention, um, success, higher performance, and just a stronger um business overall.
• 5:10
  Ronjiny Basu: So, really um again, the human-to-human connection, that element, that is something that I lead with and I apply in all of most of my app facets in running the business.
• 5:21
  Ian McLean: So, what specific problem?
• 5:23
  Ian McLean: So you said you came up with the idea, you wanted to apply your MBA, you know, all the training you'd got there.
• 5:30
  Ian McLean: What was the specific problem that you saw in swimming education that you wanted to fix?
• 5:37
  Ian McLean: Like, like, and what makes the approach to teach to you the way you do it teaching differently from other swim programs?
• 5:45
  Ian McLean: Because I mean, some of us would have gone to the YMCA back in the day to learn how to swim.
• 5:50
  Ian McLean: Um there there are different, there's you know, uh swim clubs like Roe and others.
• 5:56
  Ian McLean: I mean, there's there's all level of of things in here.
• 5:59
  Ian McLean: What what's the specific thing in swimming that you that you wanted to fix?
• 6:04
  Ronjiny Basu: Great question.
• 6:05
  Ronjiny Basu: So, you know, being um a parent, I I saw with the rapidly changing demographics, especially in the Waterloo region, there is a high demand for uh swimming.
• 6:15
  Ronjiny Basu: It's a life-saving sport, but there is a low supply.
• 6:17
  Ronjiny Basu: So community centers, there are so many, but they are limited.
• 6:21
  Ronjiny Basu: And the Waterloo region had no private swim school.
• 6:25
  Ronjiny Basu: So that was immediately like a red, a light bulb just went off.
• 6:28
  Ronjiny Basu: Like, hey, let's just let's launch the first uh private swim school, let's build build that facility, bring water safety education to kids but also to parents.
• 6:38
  Ronjiny Basu: Because what's really important and a lot of people don't realize is swim um safety education, it doesn't just um apply to a swim school, I mean swimming pool or even a lake.
• 6:48
  Ronjiny Basu: It can it can occur in even in a bathtub.
• 6:51
  Ronjiny Basu: So um it's all about prevention and and educating people on that.
• 6:56
  Ian McLean: So it's swimming and the uh and the safety aspects of it, all of it together.
• 7:01
  Ian McLean: No, you start it starting a new business in a new community is not simple at the best of times, or it's not easy, certainly at any time, but it's not it's not simple either when you're kind of uh dealing with all of the the newness of not only the business but but the community.
• 7:16
  Ian McLean: But why Waterloo Region?
• 7:18
  Ian McLean: What made this the right place to plant roots?
• 7:22
  Ronjiny Basu: I think when my my husband and I were doing research, um we're originally from we're in Mississauga, the GTA region, and it's quite saturated in terms of private swim schools.
• 7:30
  Ronjiny Basu: So Cambridge, Waterloo, Kitchener, there are no private swim school facilities.
• 7:35
  Ronjiny Basu: And we researched the changing demographics of young families that are moving in, and there is definitely a spike in the need.
• 7:42
  Ronjiny Basu: And uh we said, let's go ahead and um build a swim school.
• 7:47
  Ronjiny Basu: The community has been inviting, warm, it's a fabulous community, and um we're here to help spread the first into a marketplace is also a good place to be when you when you when you've got uh when you've got market need.
• 7:59
  Ian McLean: Um you've spoken about working with um local safety groups.
• 8:05
  Ian McLean: And what is one specific partnership or program that you're pursuing or would like to pursue with public agencies or schools?
• 8:15
  Ian McLean: Because I imagine there's got to be a crossover there, like I as I mentioned, whether it's the YMCA or or there are there are programs already in either swim lessons and swim safety.
• 8:26
  Ian McLean: Um schools, um they used to, I don't know if how much they have now, but schools, you know, uh pulling those pieces together to make it the the business operationally a uh viable and and a success.
• 8:40
  Ian McLean: How do you put all those pieces together?
• 8:43
  Ronjiny Basu: Right.
• 8:44
  Ronjiny Basu: We are looking to explore uh partnership with uh elementary schools specifically.
• 8:49
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh myself and my aquatics director are looking to conduct in school sessions on water safety, and we also uh will um provide schools the option to opt into uh coming to our facility and host swim sessions, you know, where the children can build and experience water safety.
• 9:07
  Ronjiny Basu: A few of our SP USPs include we are heated salt water, um which is gentle on a child's skin and hair.
• 9:15
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, it's a warm, shiver-free learning environment.
• 9:18
  Ronjiny Basu: So these factors help a child feel comfortable, and it's really about feeling confident and comfortable in the water before anything else.
• 9:26
  Ronjiny Basu: So those are definitely some um critical partnerships we're looking to explore in the uh very near future.
• 9:33
  Ian McLean: Well, I think when you get to my age, it's you get back to being a baby, we're a nice warm bath, and swimming is uh it's gotta be the right temperature for you to get in.
• 9:42
  Ian McLean: So um it it's um it's it's important to uh to make sure that people are comfortable in that environment.
• 9:50
  Ian McLean: So listen, given the rise in concerns, I mean, and we hear here unfortunately we every summer you see, especially the summer, um, or in in you know the spring when when there's there's you know rivers and other things that are um are swollen, we hear the all the concerns about drowning and we see too many of those.
• 10:10
  Ian McLean: What role do you see private swim schools like puddles playing alongside the public service part, the public service announcements uh and the and the public campaigns?
• 10:21
  Ian McLean: How do you think the two fit together?
• 10:24
  Ronjiny Basu: Um very uh very well.
• 10:26
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh I think private swim schools like puddles play an incredibly critical role in spreading the word.
• 10:32
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh we are looking to involve ourselves in public outreach and campaigns and getting the words out to messages out to families, to parents, uh, to children, um, launching campaigns and outreach, basically campaigns across the board.
• 10:47
  Ronjiny Basu: Um we're here to educate from the very, you know, uh starting with your child, get them into a water education, like aquatic system environment as early as possible.
• 11:00
  Ronjiny Basu: And uh for parents as well, there are a lot of adults who also may not know how to swim swim.
• 11:06
  Ronjiny Basu: So equipping them with the knowledge but also the skills as well.
• 11:09
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, something we've also launched recently is uh we have now introduced adult swim lessons because due to a demand and something we did not um it was a pleasant surprise.
• 11:19
  Ronjiny Basu: So we are here to educate everyone, uh, but our instructors are, you know, we have various levels, every level covered.
• 11:26
  Ronjiny Basu: They are there to instruct children at different level, um, you know, their their backgrounds and their skill set.
• 11:33
  Ronjiny Basu: And um it's it's a very important message just to um help you know as a prevention, um, driving preventive campaign to run that.
• 11:43
  Ian McLean: The Behind the Business Podcast is made possible through the support of our title sponsor, Gore Mutual.
• 11:48
  Ian McLean: Proudly Canadian, Gore Mutual has stayed true to one purpose for more than 185 years: insurance that does good.
• 11:56
  Ian McLean: It's the reason they exist.
• 11:57
  Ian McLean: They believe that when we focus on being good, doing good, and spreading good, we all thrive together.
• 12:03
  Ian McLean: We're grateful for their continued commitment to our local communities and the positive impact they make every day.
• 12:09
  Ian McLean: For more information, visit goremutual.ca.
• 12:12
  Ian McLean: Um, you lead a you know, a passionate team, but but a mission-driven team of trying to deliver on both the lessons but also the safety, safety part of it.
• 12:26
  Ian McLean: Um, how would you describe your leadership style?
• 12:29
  Ian McLean: I mean, you you know, anyone that runs an organization like like mine, a small business, large business, leaders need teams.
• 12:38
  Ian McLean: So how do you how do you um describe your leadership style with your team and how does it shape the culture at puddles?
• 12:47
  Ian McLean: And I mean, this is like, you know, in traditional sense, command and control, or you know, devolving.
• 12:54
  Ian McLean: I mean, there's there's always different variations of how much control or how much uh um leeway a leader gives to their team.
• 13:04
  Ian McLean: How do how do you kind of how would you assess your own your own style?
• 13:09
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, I love that question.
• 13:10
  Ronjiny Basu: It's it's all about team puddles and empowering them.
• 13:13
  Ronjiny Basu: We are blessed to have a fantastic team.
• 13:15
  Ronjiny Basu: I call it the A team.
• 13:17
  Ronjiny Basu: Um and I love that they are part of our journey.
• 13:20
  Ronjiny Basu: So when we brought in our instructors and our front desk staff, our customer experience team, um, they came into the facility right before it was where our doors were opening.
• 13:29
  Ronjiny Basu: So they saw it from the construction you know phase.
• 13:31
  Ronjiny Basu: Then they came back when we're opening the doors and they were so excited.
• 13:34
  Ronjiny Basu: We have a think ideas uh ideas box in our staff room, which is we call it the Google um staff room of our the, you know, it's fully stocked with pizza, everything that the you know the young instructors would love.
• 13:45
  Ronjiny Basu: And they contribute with their ideas because I I tell them this is your brand too.
• 13:49
  Ronjiny Basu: My partner and I may have built the infrastructure, but they're fueling, you know, they are the heart and the soul of the brand, and um, I want to hear about their ideas.
• 13:57
  Ronjiny Basu: So they bring the great ideas.
• 13:58
  Ronjiny Basu: We we they contribute, they feel confident too, and we credit them.
• 14:02
  Ronjiny Basu: So it's it's really just a holistic team um effort, and um, it's a beautiful experience.
• 14:08
  Ronjiny Basu: And I think at the end of the day, my biggest win is hearing our staff, our team members saying, I love coming into work.
• 14:13
  Ronjiny Basu: And it's all an open door policy because literally I have my tiny desk in the staff room.
• 14:18
  Ian McLean: So they come to me and they're like, Hey, and um yeah, it it's it's and I well when you when you get staff that are invested in the success of a business, because you know, you're the entrepreneur, you're the business owner, and it's and it it is it's not always easy to get your team to be as invested in the success of when it's not their their their part.
• 14:42
  Ian McLean: You know, we see that it in in this in the chamber in the not-for-profit is like we all feel a sense of ownership that we're to to deliver for the members, and everyone feels an obligation to say, how can we do things better?
• 14:56
  Ian McLean: And that's that's not an easy thing to do.
• 14:58
  Ian McLean: So uh good for you to to to especially when you're dealing with some of your staff will be young, right?
• 15:05
  Ian McLean: But this will be their either part-time or it's an or it's their first first uh in a career that's a good experience for them to have.
• 15:13
  Ian McLean: In safety critical businesses, delegation's tough.
• 15:17
  Ian McLean: I mean, so you think of anything where you're dealing with transportation or food, or I mean, there's a whole bunch of safety things.
• 15:25
  Ian McLean: Hard to delegate that when they ultimately that you're responsible for the six the success and the the safety of the of the whole organization and customers.
• 15:36
  Ian McLean: How do you balance your hands-on oversight with empowering the instructors to make real-time safety calls?
• 15:45
  Ian McLean: Like that that that's not something you can always say, well, we'll park that and come back to it.
• 15:49
  Ian McLean: You're you're you're in the safety environment every moment that you've got you've got a someone in the pool.
• 15:57
  Ronjiny Basu: Absolutely.
• 15:58
  Ronjiny Basu: It goes back to our A team.
• 16:00
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, we start off with our fantastic aquatics director.
• 16:03
  Ronjiny Basu: Her name is Marina, she comes with 17 years of experience.
• 16:06
  Ronjiny Basu: We have a fabulous deck supervisor, his name is Sam, um, and there are different layers, uh, and then we have our instructors all equipped to make real-time safety decisions.
• 16:16
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, we're covered at each layer, and at the end of the day, they come in motivated and very, I guess they have the autonomy.
• 16:25
  Ronjiny Basu: So, and that resonates with also the children in real-time decisions.
• 16:28
  Ronjiny Basu: So, when they're happy, let's say the children are happy if they're not anxious, you know, it's calm.
• 16:33
  Ronjiny Basu: The children perform well, parents are happy, and we we're hearing that from parents on a daily basis.
• 16:38
  Ronjiny Basu: But ideally, um, having that expertise, and that's you know, with our rigorous interview process, um, we build bring in a team that has that um experience.
• 16:51
  Ian McLean: Pull on that a little bit.
• 16:52
  Ian McLean: I mean, finding the right talent is is not a, I mean, that's that's a that can be a challenge, right?
• 16:58
  Ian McLean: Getting the right fit, right?
• 17:00
  Ian McLean: Uh talk about that, you say you called it a rigorous um uh interview process.
• 17:05
  Ian McLean: What what does that look like?
• 17:07
  Ian McLean: I mean, I I think there's lots of business owners, people that are running businesses, big, large, and everything in between that are um are always looking for what's the best way to get at the real parts that you want to know about someone before you hire them.
• 17:24
  Ian McLean: Um how what what does it look like for you when you're doing those interviews?
• 17:28
  Ronjiny Basu: For our instructors, it's about a three to five-step process.
• 17:31
  Ronjiny Basu: And it should start off with uh the first interview with myself, and it was virtual because we were building the facility.
• 17:38
  Ronjiny Basu: And I just wanted to get kind of a personality assessment, just you know, if they um a personality check, uh the cultural kind of um check with them.
• 17:47
  Ronjiny Basu: And um, you know, it would we would transfer the next step, they move on to speaking with our uh aquatics director, Marina.
• 17:53
  Ronjiny Basu: Then she would invite them to come into the facility when it was built, and she would um see how they are in the water with children of different ages.
• 18:01
  Ronjiny Basu: Um so it really is just a whole again, a whole holistic kind of process.
• 18:07
  Ronjiny Basu: But um I attribute a lot of it to Marina.
• 18:10
  Ronjiny Basu: She's amazing when it comes to selecting strong instructors.
• 18:14
  Ronjiny Basu: And of course, a lot of it is trial and error, but we've been very lucky to, you know, uh attract a very strong team and retaining them.
• 18:22
  Ronjiny Basu: Although it's only been two months, but they they're happy.
• 18:25
  Ronjiny Basu: Um and uh I I we're we're strong.
• 18:29
  Ian McLean: We're close.
• 18:30
  Ian McLean: Well, and some of it hiring is is I would say it's it's always a little bit of the feel, like what do I do I want to spend time with that person or can I see them sort of fitting into the rule?
• 18:42
  Ian McLean: And then there's the expertise, like you know, do they have the skills and and the and the the the the practical part of actually being on the water or on the deck?
• 18:51
  Ronjiny Basu: Aaron Powell Of course.
• 18:51
  Ronjiny Basu: And of course there are the certifications that are required.
• 18:54
  Ronjiny Basu: So that is definitely the first check that we have to go.
• 18:57
  Ian McLean: If so, okay, so so I mean you you've started the uh I won't say passion project, I guess, but you came up with an idea, you took your MBA training, you said something would be you know we we want to take a kick at.
• 19:10
  Ian McLean: Um if someone there's lots of entrepreneurs who've got great ideas and they they not quite pulling the hammer on it, because those are big momentous decisions to take on the risk and and uh to you know the uncertainty of of starting something new.
• 19:28
  Ian McLean: If someone is out there with a great idea, there's something they're passionate about, and they're sitting on an on this idea, what's the single most or what's the single what's the most practical piece of advice you'd give them to move from that concept to opening the door?
• 19:46
  Ian McLean: Because I think there's a series of things, decisions you have to make, but what's the most w most uh practical piece of advice of how you get to the decision?
• 19:54
  Ronjiny Basu: Right.
• 19:54
  Ronjiny Basu: You know, uh you can sit on an idea, build a business plan, you know, just think about it.
• 19:59
  Ronjiny Basu: But if you're not going to um, if it's not going to manifest, um there's really it's about that, I think that transition, moving forward.
• 20:07
  Ronjiny Basu: So share your idea, involve others, test it out.
• 20:11
  Ronjiny Basu: You know, these momentum, this will build momentum, and that's when it starts becoming more of a reality.
• 20:17
  Ronjiny Basu: And it gives will build a confidence in you to move forward and take the next steps.
• 20:21
  Ronjiny Basu: Of course, share it within your closeness networking and also external um expand extended network.
• 20:28
  Ronjiny Basu: And um, yeah, every little step kind of moves forward towards manifesting.
• 20:32
  Ian McLean: Well, and I guess that that's actually helpful is that it is a you know, in many cases, it's a whole series of smaller decisions that keep keep you know that that build on one another.
• 20:44
  Ian McLean: Interesting.
• 20:45
  Ian McLean: Okay, well, we're almost out of time.
• 20:47
  Ian McLean: Um, but before we wrap up, as we always do, um, you know, we we get to our um our rapid fire questions.
• 20:55
  Ian McLean: But before we do that, uh maybe just wrapping up, what's the long-term vision for puddles?
• 21:01
  Ian McLean: Like uh you are you thinking of expanding?
• 21:05
  Ian McLean: You talked about franchising, is it scaling in other ways?
• 21:09
  Ian McLean: What what is it what's the what's the vision, what's the plan for for puddles?
• 21:13
  Ronjiny Basu: Well, um our our my long-term vision and and dream would definitely be to expand.
• 21:18
  Ronjiny Basu: We'd love to open up new locations and again targeting locations that don't have um that have very limited private swim school accessibility.
• 21:27
  Ronjiny Basu: So um I I I won't share too much, but we are looking at certain regions um outside of GTA that have that need.
• 21:36
  Ian McLean: Well, I was hoping to break news here on the on the behind the business podcast, but you've you've kept a tight lip, so there you go.
• 21:42
  Ian McLean: Okay.
• 21:42
  Ian McLean: Uh and and this is the part where where I mean you've told the story of Pottos, you told a little bit about your you know approach to leadership, but here, you know, this rapid fire sec section is asked the same series.
• 21:56
  Ian McLean: It's always fascinating to see how leaders respond uh to these questions.
• 22:00
  Ian McLean: So um if you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?
• 22:07
  Ronjiny Basu: Just do it.
• 22:08
  Ronjiny Basu: Take the next step, make uh take a thought and make it into reality.
• 22:13
  Ronjiny Basu: Just um do not lead with fear, lead with heart.
• 22:18
  Ian McLean: Well, and just do it.
• 22:19
  Ian McLean: It's a it's remarkable that that that that you know that that fits in so many ways, not just for Nike, but uh but but for entrepreneurs.
• 22:27
  Ian McLean: Uh what or who inspires you most?
• 22:32
  Ronjiny Basu: This it may sound cliche, but um my grandmother, um, she was a very self-driven woman, and she always had a very holistic um perspective towards life paradigm.
• 22:45
  Ronjiny Basu: So she would look at the bigger picture rather than kind of micro um vision.
• 22:50
  Ronjiny Basu: And um I think she taught that to me, look at the big picture, and that really helps take a step back when I'm assessing a problem.
• 23:00
  Ian McLean: Um if you weren't in your current career, so you, you know, and I guess it comes back, you were an MBA, then you've you've become an entrepreneur.
• 23:07
  Ian McLean: But if you weren't doing those things, what what do you think you'd be doing instead?
• 23:11
  Ronjiny Basu: So the unrealistic uh dream would be playing in Wimbledon, but um since that didn't uh materialize, uh I would launch an e-commerce venture.
• 23:22
  Ian McLean: Really?
• 23:22
  Ian McLean: Yes.
• 23:23
  Ian McLean: Wow.
• 23:23
  Ian McLean: Well, you it sounds like you got all the experience and you'll need that some of that e-commerce, at least for from on the sales and marketing side for uh uh for the business you're going.
• 23:34
  Ian McLean: So good for you.
• 23:35
  Ian McLean: What uh are you reading a book?
• 23:37
  Ian McLean: Do you listen to podcasts?
• 23:39
  Ian McLean: How do you kind of either let go and let your mind go, or or how do you, you know, uh take in your your new ideas?
• 23:47
  Ian McLean: Is it a book you're reading or a podcast?
• 23:49
  Ronjiny Basu: So definitely um I've invested in a few books that have you know that would help me with this business, um, and having um you know, being a mom of two kids.
• 23:57
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh self-driven child, it's all about um equipping, empowering children, uh age-appropriate children with decisions that help them to become leaders themselves.
• 24:05
  Ronjiny Basu: Something as small as like my son, when he comes from home from school, he's eight, he will uh he makes a smoothie for himself and my his sister.
• 24:13
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh small tasks like that, you know, they they feel like they're leaders and that autonomy.
• 24:18
  Ronjiny Basu: Yeah.
• 24:19
  Ian McLean: That's good.
• 24:20
  Ian McLean: Um do you have a favorite business or a restaurant or coffee shop or some sort of business that here in Waterloo Region that that uh that you're you're big on?
• 24:31
  Ronjiny Basu: Oh, Waterloo Region, the the business community is so warm, uh heartwarming and close.
• 24:36
  Ronjiny Basu: Since we've launched our neighbors in our plaza, they are fabulous.
• 24:40
  Ronjiny Basu: One of them I have to uh do a shout out, Esther Chocolates.
• 24:43
  Ronjiny Basu: They're one of the finest.
• 24:44
  Ronjiny Basu: We are lucky to be neighbors with them.
• 24:46
  Ronjiny Basu: They sponsored um our goodie bags for our grand opening.
• 24:50
  Ian McLean: Yeah.
• 24:50
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, Cafe Demonde, uh, we had their creps at a grand opening and um Cafe O, they're down the street, a small family um run um business.
• 25:00
  Ronjiny Basu: But I've just I'm just befriending all the delicious to be able to do that.
• 25:04
  Ian McLean: Well that's a good that's a good thing, and Esther has been a good partner of ours as well over the years.
• 25:08
  Ian McLean: So um just as we wrap up, what's the best place for listeners to either connect with you or learn more about your work?
• 25:18
  Ronjiny Basu: Absolutely.
• 25:18
  Ronjiny Basu: I mean, uh definitely welcome to visit our website, puddleswim.com, with two S's.
• 25:23
  Ronjiny Basu: Uh, my email, Ron Genie, R-O-N-J-I-N-Y at Puddleswim.com.
• 25:28
  Ronjiny Basu: But more importantly, we'd love for you to just come by visit us.
• 25:31
  Ronjiny Basu: We are down the street at 1381 Victoria Street North, and I would love to give you a tour of the facility.
• 25:37
  Ronjiny Basu: Um, yeah.
• 25:38
  Ian McLean: Yeah, I'll look forward to doing that because I think it's uh it's a fascinating thing.
• 25:42
  Ian McLean: Listen, um one of the most valuable commodities that anyone in business has is time.
• 25:48
  Ian McLean: And certainly if you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur, time is is uh is most certainly the most precious thing you have.
• 25:57
  Ian McLean: So thank you for spending some of your time with us today.
• 26:00
  Ronjiny Basu: Thank you.
• 26:00
  Ronjiny Basu: It was an absolute pleasure.
• 26:01
  Ronjiny Basu: Thank you for having me.
• 26:04
  Ian McLean: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Behind the Business, proudly presented by Gore Mutual, insurance that does good.
• 26:11
  Ian McLean: New episodes drop every Thursday, so be sure to tune in next week.
• 26:15
  Ian McLean: You can also visit greater kwchamber.com to catch up on past episodes anytime.
• 26:20
  Ian McLean: We'll see you next time as we continue to go behind the business.