9 Years in Australia to Booming Indian Startup: Skippi Ice Pops Founder's Journey

Career Timeline

Why Australia?

• Wanted a change in life after 10 years in family business
• Seeking better lifestyle and learning curve
• Explored Dubai and Australia—settled on Australia
• Wanted to understand how bigger companies build brands
• Family business had limitations on learning capacity

What He Loved About Australia

• Work-life balance: 9-5, Monday to Friday—no employer pressures you
• Family first: Family, safety, and life always come before work
• Basic amenities: No daily challenges like in India
• Time with family: Watched kids grow (son was 1 when they arrived, 8 when they left)
• Less stress: No pressure of being an entrepreneur

The Dream House

Just over a year before returning, Ravi and his wife built their dream house in Sydney:

• First house built by them (not inherited)
• Every furniture and fixture chosen together
• Wife made all interior decisions
• Great dreams and ambitions for the home

Career Philosophy

Ravi developed a clear philosophy about work:

⚠️ The Trigger

Ravi's father was diagnosed with cancer.

Initial plan was to bring parents to Australia—they were even looking at business opportunities for his father there.

But after the diagnosis:

The 5-Week Exit

The decision was made one morning. Within 5 weeks:

• Sold all furniture
• Took pictures of the house
• Packed everything
• By February 2020, they were back in India

The Emotional Toll

Selling the first piece of furniture—a cupboard from the dining area:

They had to sacrifice it for a bigger cause.

Note: They didn't sell the house—it's still there as an option if they ever want to return.

The Timeline

• February 2020: Returned to India
• March 2020: COVID struck—one-year break
• Mid-2021: Father passed away after fighting cancer for over a year

Despite the painful outcome, Ravi was grateful they could be with his father during his final year.

The Kids' Ages

• Son: About 1 year old when they went to Australia, ~8 when they returned
• Daughter: About 6 years old when they went, ~13-14 when they returned

Why They Adjusted Well

• Not too late for them to adapt—right age window
• Flexible and hands-on at that age
• Ravi is a "pure desi"—mixed with culture quickly
• Only 7 years abroad (not 3-4 decades)

Key insight: "If my kids had found it difficult, it might have been very difficult for us to continue in India. But thankfully that was not the case."

School Selection

Finding the right school was priority #1:

• Australian education system is very different
• State syllabus or CBSE wouldn't work
• Chose international syllabus
• Otherwise kids would struggle and stress would fall on parents

The Mindset

All the knowledge gained in 7 years working with FNB giants in Australia—it was time to put those skills to test.

The Skippi Ice Pops Idea

Ravi noticed ice popsicles were popular in Australia, US, and UK—but found nothing in India.

The research method:

• Called 7-8 friends across different parts of India
• Asked them to check stores for ice popsicle brands
• Had to follow up multiple times (friends were lazy!)
• Result: No brands found anywhere

The logic: India has 140 crore population, hot and humid climate—this should work!

Shark Tank India Success

• Launched Skippi Ice Pops
• Featured on Shark Tank India on Sony TV
• Telecast: December 2021
• Both Ravi and wife Anuja are co-founders
• Brand became very popular after the telecast
• People started recognizing them in the ecosystem

Before (Pre-2014)

• Taxation nightmare: C form, H form, sales tax, VAT—confusing and lethargic
• Red carpet issues: Lots of compliance challenges
• Poor roadways: Shipping from point A to B was challenging
• Less technology
• Difficult to expand or focus on business growth

Now (Post-2020)

• GST: "Plain Manila"—simple and straightforward
• Infrastructure: Great roadways developed
• Technology: Many more IT job opportunities
• Work culture: Adapting to international standards
• Work-life balance: Maybe not equal, but approaching equality

Why India is the Place to Be

• 140 crore population—larger than entire European nations
• No need to look for markets outside India
• Every corner has a challenge = business opportunity
• People who start now will be more successful than those who come 5-10 years later
• Developed countries look "perfect"—hard to find opportunities there

The Gut Feeling Factor

Ravi admits there's risk involved:

Australia: Initial Loneliness

• First few years were lonely—even depressed some days
• "Why did I even come to Australia?"
• Hard to make friends quickly
• Only after a few years did he make very good friends

India: Quick Adjustment

• Took some time to adjust to Indian cycle again
• People walk in/out any time of day
• Calls from marketing companies or friends late in evening
• But friends and family are very supportive
• Pretty easy to settle across

The Emotional Connection Difference

Key insight about friendships:

What He Misses About Australia

• Stress-free life: Physical stress (cleaning, groceries) vs mental stress in India
• Clean air: Australia is less populated, fresh air was enjoyable
• Monday to Friday: Two days off every week was treasured

Physical vs Mental Stress

Ravi makes an important distinction:

What He Doesn't Like About India

• Pollution
• Traffic: "I hate driving in India—no pleasure driving bumper to bumper"
• "Chalta hai" attitude: People take things for granted, don't keep commitments

Current Work Reality

As an entrepreneur in India:

• Working 7 days a week without break
• Adding to stress levels
• Very different from the 9-5 Australia life

The Lifestyle Opportunity

If you have basic revenue (employee or employer), India provides a healthy, happy lifestyle:

• Gated communities with swimming pools, badminton, great amenities
• Cost of living still competitive vs other countries
• Swiggy, Zomato: Food and groceries in 5 minutes
• No wasting time at grocery stores
• Can be employer or employee—both work

Investment Perspective

India is great for investment too:

• India is growing rapidly
• Better place to grow your money
• Invest in apartment, live for a few years
• If you don't like it, you can go back
• Keep your passports ready—India allows people to leave freely

The "Test Before Commit" Approach

Ravi suggests:

• Visit India for longer during holidays
• Try to live as a resident, not visitor
• Take furnished apartments
• Get a feel for the lifestyle
• Then make your decision

Ravi's Journey Summary

• 10 years family business taught him FMCG fundamentals
• 7 years Australia taught him how big brands are built
• Father's illness brought him back—painful but purposeful
• 5 weeks to pack entire life and return
• Skippi Ice Pops born from market gap observation
• Shark Tank India gave national recognition
• India transformed: GST, infrastructure, opportunities
• Next 5-10 years is all about India