Neha Gupta, Co-Founder, Beyond Designs
Architect, Interior Designer & Founder of luxury furniture, home accessories and interiors solution brand Beyond Designs, Neha Gupta is the creative mind behind its growth and popularity. Multi-faceted and multi-talented, Neha with her strong sense of aesthetics and style, has designed exquisite spaces, while also managing the intricacies of the business.

Working alongside my husband Sachin Gupta, Founder of Beyond Designs, and promoting the brand has been an exciting journey; in the last 20 years, we have crossed many milestones.

I have taken the lead in the brand’s expansion. We launched the first outlet - a by-appointment-only store in 2009. Later in 2018 we opened the flagship store in the Delhi Design District on MG Road. It was my dream to offer a unique shopping-cum-dining experience – something that I had enjoyed abroad - so in early 2020, we launched the Beyond Designs Bistro - offering predominantly European cuisine with a smattering of Asian fare. We kept it open all through the lockdown by offering special DIY meal kits and dine-at-home kits.

We subsequently launched Beyond Designs Home; it showcases exquisite décor articles and accessories, some created in-house, while others are curated from around the world. We have recently added a bakery to the Bistro, and there are more plans in the pipeline. I also handle the back-end operations of the company.

The most common challenge women face in their work area is not being taken seriously, or accepted as a senior, or a leader by men. Women have to handle many responsibilities, as well as fight the bitterness that comes from such a mindset. I’m lucky to escape this prejudice since I’m the owner of the organization, but I’m aware of women facing this discrimination by male juniors and subordinates.
Beyond Designs Bistro was my dream to offer a unique shopping cum dining experience – something that I had enjoyed abroad and wanted to replicate in India

My advice to would-be entrepreneurs is: follow your dreams in a systematic manner, and focus on your strong areas, instead of taking up everything. Know when you are absolutely ready to take the plunge or the next step, don’t be in a hurry, or let go of a chance. Timing is important, as well as your complete readiness.

Beyond Designs