{"id":39961,"date":"2025-08-07T18:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T12:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/08\/07\/tariffs-tough-calls-and-diwali-prep-1700-entrepreneurs-gather-in-surat-with-strategy-on-their-minds\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T18:26:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T12:56:11","slug":"tariffs-tough-calls-and-diwali-prep-1700-entrepreneurs-gather-in-surat-with-strategy-on-their-minds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/08\/07\/tariffs-tough-calls-and-diwali-prep-1700-entrepreneurs-gather-in-surat-with-strategy-on-their-minds\/","title":{"rendered":"Tariffs, Tough Calls, and Diwali Prep \u2013 1,700 Entrepreneurs Gather in Surat with Strategy on Their Minds"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Surat (Gujarat) [India], August 7:<\/b> You could say it started like any other Tuesday in Surat \u2013 buzzing traffic, hurried tea breaks, and a steady pre-Diwali pace. But step inside the sprawling venue of the <\/span>Progress Alliance Mega Business Meet 2025<\/b>, and you\u2019d feel something different in the air. Not just the usual optimism \u2013 but urgency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over <\/span>1,700 business owners and entrepreneurs<\/b> from across Gujarat weren\u2019t there for small talk. They came with a purpose: to regroup, rethink, and recharge \u2013 especially in light of the recently imposed <\/span>25% US tariff on Indian exports<\/b>. It\u2019s not the kind of news that MSMEs can afford to ignore during a make-or-break festive season.<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet, the room didn\u2019t feel worried. It felt awake.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Entrepreneurs<\/p>\n

A Setback or a Setup for a Comeback?<\/b><\/h3>\n

That was the question hanging in the air, even if no one asked it out loud.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kamal Deora, the founder of <\/span>Progress Alliance<\/b>, didn\u2019t sugarcoat the situation. \u201cYes, the tariffs are going to sting,\u201d he admitted, pausing before adding, \u201cBut they also remind us what self-reliance really means.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Referencing Prime Minister Modi\u2019s <\/span>Atmanirbhar Bharat<\/b> and <\/span>Swadeshi push<\/b>, Deora called for a redoubled focus on Indian-made products, stronger local networks, and smart digital adoption. The applause wasn\u2019t thunderous \u2013 it was thoughtful. It came from people who understood that patriotism isn\u2019t a slogan when you\u2019re running a business. It\u2019s a choice made in sourcing, pricing, hiring, and delivering.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strategising for Diwali: Less Panic, More Planning<\/b><\/h3>\n

With Diwali around the corner, most participants didn\u2019t have the luxury of delay. They dove straight into brainstorming \u2013 how to adjust product lines, manage costs, and tap into local markets if export pipelines get choked.<\/span><\/p>\n

The event\u2019s heartbeat was in its <\/span>B2B meeting rounds<\/b>, where deals were discussed and partnerships shaped over handshakes and cutting chai. Some spoke of shifting focus to domestic orders. Others floated the idea of joint ventures for shared logistics.<\/span><\/p>\n

One dry fruit exporter from Rajkot summed it up in a sentence: \u201cIf America sneezes, we learn to carry an umbrella.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was also refreshing to see <\/span>women entrepreneurs and first-gen business owners<\/b> taking center stage. Separate sessions were held on digital marketing, branding, and leadership \u2013 not in theory, but grounded in hard-earned stories. One young participant from Ahmedabad shared how Instagram Reels helped her textile business grow by 220% in just eight months. Her phone buzzed through the session with live customer pings.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Platform That\u2019s More Than Just a Network<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Progress Alliance isn\u2019t your typical business group with surface-level greetings and vague promises. Founded in 2014, it has grown into a <\/span>5,000-member strong community<\/b> across 13 cities. But more than numbers, what stands out is how hands-on their approach is.<\/span><\/p>\n

From debt recovery support (\u20b9400 crore and counting) to facilitating <\/span>\u20b92,000 crore worth of loan repayments<\/b>, their model is action-oriented. In fact, many MSMEs credit the platform for helping them survive not just market swings, but personal crises \u2013 unpaid invoices, sudden liquidity crunches, and unscalable sales models.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their programs have quirky names but serious intent:<\/span><\/p>\n