The Unexpected Gap That Started Everything
In early 2020, I was transitioning between two jobs. I had just resigned from Sheba.xyz and was about to join Beximco Communication Limited. Offer confirmed, start date set — I had a few weeks of free time ahead.
Most people would rest. I decided to build a business.
Bangladesh has an incredible wealth of traditional products — handloom sarees from Sirajganj, handwoven lungi from Pabna, premium leather goods — that rarely get the branding and digital presence they deserve. Most sellers operated through informal Facebook pages with no real brand identity. I saw a gap, and I had time.
"Most people would rest. I decided to build a business."
The Vision — More Than Just a Shop
From day one, I didn't want to build just another online store. I wanted to build a brand — one that celebrated authentic Bangladeshi craft and gave it the professional platform it deserved.
What deshoz was built to do
- Sell only authentic দেশী পণ্য — handloom saree, leather goods, lungi — sourced directly from makers
- Build a multivendor platform so local sellers could join and grow together
- Invest in real branding from day one — logo, packaging box, printed bags, website
- Run consistent, on-brand social media across Facebook and Instagram
Branding from Day One
Most small e-commerce ventures in Bangladesh skip branding entirely in the early stage — they sell first, brand later, or never. I chose the opposite. Before the first product was sold, I commissioned a professional logo, designed branded packaging boxes and printed carry bags, all in the brand's signature teal. The goal was simple: when a customer received their order, it had to feel like it came from a real company.
I also built the entire social media presence in-house — every post designed, every caption written, every product photo styled to stay on-brand. These two posts below show the kind of content that went live on Facebook and Instagram during launch:
The consistency paid off. Customers didn't just buy a product — they bought into a brand. The teal bag in deliveries became a talking point. People photographed it, shared it, recommended it. That's what intentional branding does.
Building the Website — No CS Degree Required
I am not a developer. No computer science degree, no coding background — just a genuine passion for technology and the willingness to research obsessively.
The Story Behind the Products
Handloom weaver in Pabna's Chatmohar — where deshoz sourced lungi directly from artisans
deshoz wasn't just about selling things. It was about connecting buyers with the people who make them. Our lungi came directly from handloom weavers in Pabna's Chatmohar — where entire families have woven cloth for generations.
Our sarees came from the handloom clusters of Sirajganj. Every product carried the promise: বিশুদ্ধতা গ্যারান্টি — purity guaranteed. We didn't just sell products. We told the story of where they came from and the hands that made them.
Going directly to the source wasn't just a moral choice — it meant better quality, better margins, and a story that no middleman-sourced product could match. When customers asked "where is this from?" we had a real answer, with real photos, and real names.
"It wasn't just about selling. It was about connecting buyers with the people who make."
Launching During COVID-19
The timing was terrible — and oddly perfect. Physical retail was shutting down but online shopping was surging. People stuck at home were discovering e-commerce for the first time. I leaned in hard.
I taught myself media buying — Facebook campaigns, audience targeting, creative testing, conversion tracking. Tested, failed, adjusted, and tested again. I also personally handled deliveries, gathering raw feedback no analytics dashboard ever could.
When Customers Responded
The branded bag made an impression. Real trust was built from real quality. Customers started recommending deshoz to others.
The branded teal bag wasn't just packaging — it was a signal that this was a real brand, not just another Facebook page.
What Actually Worked
The logo, teal bag, and packaging made an immediate impression. Customers noticed, photographed, and shared it organically.
Bangladeshi handloom carries deep cultural identity. That story sells itself — it just needs someone to tell it properly.
Web dev, media buying, delivery — doing it all gave deep knowledge of every layer that compounds over time.
Going to weavers in Pabna and Sirajganj directly meant better quality, better margins, and a better story to tell.
What I'd Do Differently
Sharper initial focus. Covering sarees, leather, and lungi simultaneously while building a multivendor platform was too ambitious for a solo founder with limited capital. One category first — then expand with momentum.
The vendor side is a second business. Getting sellers onto a multivendor platform requires trust-building and onboarding. I underestimated how different that is from running your own product line.
More artisan storytelling, earlier. The weaver photo, the sourcing journey — that content drives organic reach and builds genuine community. I'd invest in it from week one.
The Bigger Lesson
deshoz taught me that the gap between "I have an idea" and "I built a business" is mostly made of action, not expertise. You don't need a CS degree, an agency, or a big budget to build something real.
"The gap between idea and execution is mostly action, not expertise."
COVID took a lot from a lot of people. For me, those few weeks of transition became one of the most educational experiences of my professional life — a brand, a platform, real customers, and a skillset I still use every day. Not bad for a job break.
Have a project in mind?
Let's talk about building something together.
