Raghav Kapoor’s entrepreneurial journey from a modest call centre job to founding a multi-crore leather brand underscores the grit and resilience that define India’s rising class of self-made business owners.
Raised in Kanpur, Kapoor faced financial hardship early on. When he was in class three, his father’s shoe business failed, forcing the family to shut shop and sell their home to stay afloat. To rebuild their lives, his parents started a small women’s fashion boutique, Hers Fashion, from a 200 sq. ft. shop in Gomti Nagar — a business that continues to run today.
Not inclined towards academics but deeply interested in art and design, Kapoor chose to skip college after his 12th standard. He took up a job at a call centre for Rs 12,000 a month — an amount he once considered significant. However, the repetitive nature of the job soon left him disillusioned.
It was his brother-in-law, Varun Jolly, who gave him a break at his small export firm, Text Horse. Here, Kapoor learned the craft of designing leather saddles, harnesses and bridles for horses — niche but technically demanding work that laid the foundation for his future. Over eight years, he spent up to 16 hours daily mastering leather design, developing an eye for detail that would later set him apart. Kapoor continues to contribute as a designer at Text Horse even today.
In 2016, a chance encounter with a European client, Celine, proved transformative. During a factory visit, she expressed disappointment over the disorganised production unit and directly asked Kapoor, “Why don’t you make bags yourself?” Motivated by this, Kapoor spent days designing dozens of bag prototypes. Impressed, Celine backed him, and with a personal investment of Rs 10 lakh, Kapoor and Jolly co-founded Finalines.
Starting with just 600 sq. ft. of space and a team of 20, Finalines has grown into a thriving B2C brand producing around 5,000 leather pieces monthly across 70 product categories. Today, the brand’s annual turnover has crossed Rs 7 crore, with 80% of sales within India and the remaining from European markets. Unlike many Indian leather brands, Finalines uses 100% French leather known for its premium quality and durability. Its Mila Sling Bag remains a bestseller.
