Founder of Ekaya Banaras Reveals ₹40 Lakh Mistake After Forgetting to Stop Billboard Campaign

Ekaya Banaras founder Palak Shah has shared a costly early-career mistake that reportedly led to a loss of nearly ₹40 lakh, highlighting the challenges of building a luxury brand from scratch.

In a recent Instagram conversation, Shah opened up about an oversight from the early days of her business journey that turned into an expensive lesson in operational management.

Ekaya Banaras, a premium Indian textile and fashion label known for its contemporary Banarasi sarees and handcrafted designs, traces its legacy back over a century as a fourth-generation family textile business. The brand now operates stores across major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.

The Billboard That Became a Costly Oversight

Shah recalled the incident dating back to 2012–2013, when she was around 21 years old and had just launched Ekaya Banaras. In an effort to build brand visibility, she booked a high-value billboard near Delhi’s luxury retail hub, DLF Emporio, even though the brand did not yet have a physical presence there.

“At that time, I had just started and I was very young. I took a hoarding near DLF Emporio just to create awareness,” she said.

She added that the advertising space itself was already a significant expense for a young business, costing around ₹13–16 lakh for a single month.

However, the real issue arose later when she forgot to discontinue the campaign.

“I completely forgot to pause it,” Shah admitted.

The Moment She Discovered the Loss

Months later, Shah realized the billboard was still running when she passed by the location. Initially, she assumed it might have been extended as a goodwill gesture.

“I saw my hoarding still up and thought maybe they had extended it for free,” she said.

A call to her accountant quickly revealed the reality — the campaign had never been stopped, and billing had continued uninterrupted.

“That mistake cost me nearly ₹30–40 lakh at a time when the business was still very small,” she shared.

Her Father’s Reaction and Lesson Learned

Shah also recounted informing her father, Bharat Shah, Director at Ekaya Banaras, about the financial error. While she expected strong criticism, his response was unexpectedly calm and supportive.

“Instead of getting angry, he told me, ‘It’s okay. You will learn. These are the kinds of mistakes that happen,’” she recalled.

She added that the experience made her significantly more cautious in handling business operations going forward.

“Since then, I’ve become much more vigilant. I just hope I never repeat such an expensive mistake again,” she said.