S20 Ep2: Eshita Kabra-Davies, founder & CEO of By Rotation, on revolutionising the rental fashion industry

Ready to revolutionise your fashion choices? Discover how one woman is changing the world of fashion and empowering women to turn their wardrobes into serious financial assets, with the Airbnb of clothing. 

In this inspiring episode, Holly Tucker chats with Eshita Kabra-Davies, the trailblazing founder and CEO of By Rotation, about transforming the fashion industry through a sustainable, rental-based approach. Eshita shares her entrepreneurial journey, from the spark of inspiration whilst on honeymoon in Rajasthan, India, to the challenges and triumphs of building a community-driven platform. She opens up about the personal sacrifices and the resilience required to navigate the competitive landscape, especially as a woman of colour in the startup world. Including a frank conversation about the reality of raising funding as a woman. 

The conversation is a heartfelt reflection on the power of perseverance, the importance of support systems and the future of conscious consumption. Tune in to be empowered by Eshita's story and motivated to pursue your own passions with tenacity and purpose.

Win an Independent Ad Break on Conversations of Inspiration: If you’re a founder yourself and would like to be in with a chance to win your own ad break on this podcast, head over to holly.co/dell.  This competition is delivered in partnership with Dell Technologies and their programs Dell for Startups and DWEN (Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network) — which provide startup expertise from dedicated technology advisors and scalable solutions to ensure your business is always ready to grow.

Time Stamps 

The mission of By Rotation (00:01:28): By Rotation's mission to challenge conventional norms in fashion ownership and promote sustainable consumption.

The changing attitudes towards fashion rental (00:05:05): How attitudes towards renting clothes have evolved, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Empowerment through fashion rental (00:07:43): The financial empowerment experienced by lenders through By Rotation and the shift in perception of women's shopping habits.

Starting and scaling the business (00:29:18): Holly Tucker talks about the importance of having a plan and understanding the destination, followed by Harshita discussing the unique experience of starting and scaling the business during lockdown.

Challenges in fundraising (00:33:57): Eshita and Holly discuss the gender and ethnic disparities in VC funding, cultural challenges in early-stage funding, and the importance of financial support over mentorship programs.


Challenges in Fashion Industry (00:44:19): The difficulties faced in entering the fashion industry and how Eshita grew her network.

Community Building and Mission (00:47:28): The importance of community in a peer-to-peer business model and the mission to transform consumption.

Balancing Work and Personal Life (00:51:52): The speaker's hectic weekdays and the importance of recharging on weekends.