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Founder@ Interview
With Hemapriya Natesan
“If I could offer one piece of advice to fellow founders or those considering starting their own journey, it would be: Don’t just chase sales; focus on building a solid foundation first prioritising cash flow Establishing strong systems, understanding your cash flow, and ensuring you have the right infrastructure in place are crucial for sustainable growth.” – Hemapriya Natesan
Today we feature Hemapriya Natesan, the founder at Hemapriya Ecommerce Academy. We hear their story in their own words, their successes, their challenges and their insights.
Let’s start by getting to know you. Can you please tell us a little bit about you and what you do?
I’m Hema and I’m an Ecom Scaling expert who helps ecom businesses stuck in a plateau to double sales without the need for paid ads. I’ve also successfully grown my own 3 ecom businesses part time around my children to $2M
A great introduction and start to this interview. Can you please tell us, how did you start, from what age, and what made you decide to change direction and start?
Honestly, my journey into entrepreneurship was completely unplanned. I started out running my own e-commerce businesses—three of them, to be exact—in kids’ food, decor, and wellness. But as I grew them from scratch to over $2M in sales, I found myself constantly being asked by other e-commerce owners for advice on how to scale their businesses. That’s when I realized I had a knack for helping others achieve growth in their businesses, especially when they felt stuck.
What started as just sharing tips eventually turned into full-blown coaching, and before I knew it, I was not just an entrepreneur but also a coach. It was accidental in a way, but once I saw the impact I could make, it became a passion of mine to help others hit their sales goals and regain the freedom to enjoy their lives.
Thank you for that insight. So can you tell us…What does your business do and where is your company based?
I founded the Hemapriya E-commerce Academy to empower women entrepreneurs in the e-commerce space, equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to overcome sales challenges and achieve sustainable growth.
Through the Academy, I offer a comprehensive coaching program focused on personalized strategies, performance optimization, and targeted engagement to help women-led businesses thrive in a competitive market. Based in India, I operate internationally, serving clients from various countries who are eager to elevate their e-commerce success.
In addition to the Academy, I run three successful e-commerce businesses myself: a kids’ food company that provides healthy, delicious options for children, a vintage decor brand , and a wellness brand dedicated to holistic health. These ventures have collectively generated over $2 million in sales, primarily through organic traffic.
By sharing my expertise from both the Academy and my own businesses, I aim to inspire women entrepreneurs to elevate their sales from $5k to $40k and beyond, creating a global community of empowered individuals ready to redefine success in the e-commerce landscape.
How long has your company been operating, and what have been some of the key milestones in its development so far?
Hemapriya E-commerce Academy has been operating for over 2 years, but my own e-commerce brands have been thriving for the last 9 years. During this time, I’ve achieved significant milestones that reflect both my personal journey and the success of my clients.
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In my own ventures, which include a kids’ food brand, a stylish decor line, and a wellness brand, I’ve generated over $2 million in sales primarily through organic traffic. These successes laid the foundation for my commitment to helping other women entrepreneurs excel. At the Academy, our key milestones are the remarkable results our clients are achieving.
For example, one wellness brand experienced a $10,000 increase in sales after implementing the targeted email campaigns we set up for them. Additionally, a green activist company began seeing consistent sales growth thanks to the strategic changes made through our Signature Sales Surge System.
These accomplishments not only highlight the effectiveness of our approach but also fuel my passion for empowering women in the e-commerce space. As we continue to grow, I look forward to celebrating even more client victories and expanding our impact on aspiring entrepreneurs.
What’s the story behind your success? What led to your aha moment? how did you get to where you are now?
My journey to success is quite unconventional, beginning with my background as a doctor. I dedicated years to my medical career, committed to making a difference in patients’ lives, but life had other plans for me. I stumbled into the world of e-commerce almost by accident, which turned out to be a pivotal moment in my life.
The turning point came when I recognized the struggles many women entrepreneurs faced in the e-commerce space—feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to scale their businesses. This insight ignited my passion for creating the Hemapriya E-commerce Academy, where I could provide the support and guidance I wished I had during my early days as a business owner.
As I navigated my way through three thriving e-commerce ventures—offering kids’ food, decor, and wellness products—I realized that my medical background equipped me with unique skills: a keen ability to analyze problems, a commitment to helping others, and a strong sense of empathy.
This helped me understand the challenges my clients faced and the solutions they needed. While many have supported me along the way, I encountered skeptics who doubted my vision and questioned whether I could truly make a difference in such a competitive landscape. Their skepticism fueled my determination to prove them wrong. I dedicated countless hours to learning, experimenting, and refining my approach, ensuring I could empower other women to succeed.
Today, I’m proud to say I’ve transitioned from a doctor to an accidental entrepreneur, driven by a mission to uplift women in e-commerce. My story is a testament to the power of resilience, community, and the unwavering pursuit of one’s passions, proving that sometimes the best paths are the ones we never intended to take.
We know that there are ups and downs in business. What’s been your biggest lesson so far?
One of my biggest lessons in this entrepreneurial journey has been understanding the critical importance of cash flow over sales figures. Early on, I found myself in a tough spot with $30,000 in debt, despite achieving $30,000 in monthly sales. This experience was a stark reminder that high sales numbers can be deceiving—while sales might look impressive, cash flow is what truly sustains a business.
I learned that sales figures are often seen as a vanity metric, but maintaining positive cash flow is essential for sanity and long-term success. I had to restructure my business and implement rigorous cash flow management practices, focusing on margin optimization and adopting the Cash Flow Prioritization Model.
This shift allowed me not only to pay off the debt but also to increase my monthly sales to $40,000 with sustainable profits. Now, I share this lesson with my clients at the Hemapriya E-commerce Academy, emphasizing the need to prioritize cash flow alongside sales growth.
It’s crucial to ensure that revenue translates into real financial health, allowing for stability and future growth. Resilience and a solid financial strategy can turn challenges into opportunities, paving the way for lasting success.
That’s insightful. How has that lesson influenced your approach to decision-making, especially when faced with uncertainty?
That lesson about prioritizing cash flow over sales has profoundly influenced my approach to decision-making, especially in uncertain times. Now, whenever I’m faced with a challenging situation or ambiguity, I always start by assessing the financial implications of any potential decision.
Understanding that cash flow is the lifeblood of my business means I ask myself critical questions: Will this decision improve our cash flow? How will it impact our margins? Am I allocating resources wisely to ensure we remain financially stable? This mindset helps me make informed choices that prioritize the long-term health of my business rather than getting caught up in short-term gains.
Additionally, I now approach uncertainty with a more strategic lens. Instead of fearing the unknown, I focus on creating contingency plans and building financial buffers that provide flexibility. This proactive approach not only gives me confidence in navigating challenges but also allows me to seize opportunities when they arise.
By instilling these practices, I empower my clients at the Hemapriya E-commerce Academy to make sound financial decisions as well, fostering resilience and adaptability in their own businesses. Ultimately, this lesson has transformed how I view uncertainty—not as a threat but as an opportunity for strategic growth.
One of the key insights I wish I had known earlier is the importance of cash flow management over just focusing on sales figures. Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I celebrated hitting $30k in monthly sales, only to find myself $30k in debt. It became clear that while sales are often seen as a sign of success, it’s cash flow that truly sustains a business.
If you were to go back in time, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
If I could go back in time, the advice I’d give my younger self would be both empowering and practical. First and foremost, I would encourage myself to embrace the entrepreneurial journey sooner. I often found myself hesitating, second-guessing whether I was ready to take the plunge. I’d tell myself that it’s okay to start imperfectly—action is more important than perfection.
To those who doubted me, I would remind myself that their skepticism often stems from their own fears and limitations. I’d emphasize the importance of surrounding myself with supportive individuals who believe in my vision. Criticism can be a powerful motivator if you choose to use it constructively, so I’d urge myself to stay focused on my goals rather than internalizing negativity.
I’d also reassure myself that it’s completely normal to question the path I’ve chosen, especially coming from a medical background. There were times when I wondered if I should have stuck with being a doctor instead of venturing into entrepreneurship.
But I’d remind myself that the challenges I faced as an entrepreneur were actually opportunities for growth and self-discovery. The journey might be tough, but the rewards of building something meaningful and making a difference in others’ lives are worth it.
Ultimately, I’d encourage my younger self to trust the process, stay resilient, and have faith in my vision. The lessons learned and the impact I could make as an entrepreneur far outweigh any doubts or obstacles I might encounter along the way.
We’re nearly halfway through our interview so it’s a great time to ask how does your business run. What three tools make your business run better?
To run an e-commerce business effectively, these are three essential tools that I teach e-commerce entrepreneurs to leverage:
1. Klaviyo: For email marketing, Klaviyo has been invaluable in reaching and engaging my audience. I discovered it through recommendations from fellow entrepreneurs looking for robust email solutions.
Before using Klaviyo, I handled email campaigns manually, which was time-consuming and ineffective. Now, with its automated email flows that generate revenue on autopilot and powerful segmentation features, I can target specific customer groups and improve engagement.
Losing Klaviyo would mean reverting to a manual process, making it challenging to maintain consistent communication.
2. Triple Whale: This analytics tool provides deep insights into my e-commerce performance, helping me make data-driven decisions. I learned about Triple Whale through an online community of e-commerce entrepreneurs.
Before using it, I struggled with piecing together data from multiple sources, which made it difficult to see the full picture. Now, it centralizes all my metrics in one place, allowing me to analyze trends and optimize my strategies effectively. If I lost access to Triple Whale, I would miss out on those valuable insights and have to revert to manually aggregating data.
3. Microsoft Clarity: I utilize Microsoft Clarity for website analytics to understand user behavior and improve site performance. I came across it during research on analytics tools that provide heatmaps and session recordings.
Previously, I used standard analytics tools that lacked the detailed insights Clarity offers. If I lost access to Clarity, I’d struggle to understand how visitors interact with my website, which could hinder my ability to optimize user experience.
These tools have become integral to my operations, and I’m continually exploring ways to enhance my business efficiency through additional services and technologies.
What do you know now that you wished you had known before?
One of the key insights I wish I had known earlier is the importance of cash flow management over just focusing on sales figures. Early in my entrepreneurial journey, I celebrated hitting $30k in monthly sales, only to find myself $30k in debt. It became clear that while sales are often seen as a sign of success, it’s cash flow that truly sustains a business.
Understanding this distinction earlier could have saved me from financial strain and helped me make more informed decisions. I wish I had embraced the idea that failure is a part of the learning process.
Every setback I faced taught me invaluable lessons that ultimately contributed to my growth. Recognizing that challenges are opportunities for improvement would have alleviated some of the pressure I felt during difficult times. 
Based on what you’ve learned, what are some common pitfalls you’ve observed other companies in your space fall into?
Based on my experience, one of the most common pitfalls I’ve observed among companies in the e-commerce space is the relentless pursuit of sales at the expense of cash flow management. Many entrepreneurs become so focused on driving revenue that they neglect the underlying financial health of their business.
This often leads to overspending on marketing, inventory, and operational costs, draining cash flow and putting the business at risk. When cash flow runs low, even a company with impressive sales figures can face severe challenges. This financial strain can ultimately lead to bankruptcy if not addressed promptly.
It’s crucial for entrepreneurs to understand that while sales are important, maintaining a sustainable cash flow is essential for long-term success. Balancing revenue growth with careful financial management is key to ensuring that a business remains viable and can navigate the ups and downs of the market.
What future life goals do you want to achieve and why?
Looking ahead, I have these 2 main life goals I’m passionate about achieving I want to expand my e-commerce coaching business to reach and empower more entrepreneurs, particularly women, creating a supportive community that inspires others to pursue their dreams.
I want to support rural women in India by helping them gain livelihoods through e-commerce, empowering them to create sustainable futures for themselves and their families.
To finish our inspire questions…”We believe that sharing inspiring words can inspire others.” If there was one positive thing you would say to someone to inspire and empower them what would it be and why?
If I could offer one piece of advice to fellow founders or those considering starting their own journey, it would be: Don’t just chase sales; focus on building a solid foundation first prioritising cash flow Establishing strong systems, understanding your cash flow, and ensuring you have the right infrastructure in place are crucial for sustainable growth.
Sales can be enticing, but if you don’t have the right foundation, it can lead to financial instability and burnout. By prioritizing cash flow management and operational efficiency, you create a resilient business that can weather challenges and sustain growth over time.
Once you have that foundation, you can confidently pursue sales and scale your business in a way that is both manageable and sustainable. In the long run, it’s about creating a business that not only thrives in the moment but can also adapt and succeed in the future. Focus on building, and the sales will follow.
“Thank you it has been great learning more about your founder story and Hemapriya Ecommerce Academy”
To learn more about Hemapriya Ecommerce Academy Visit www.ecomhema.com
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