Hosting Business Giseness has become a journey of constant discovery for me. Each guest brings a whole new venue of wisdom, but my conversation with Manohar Iyer was particularly eye-opening. Sitting down with the founder of Saptham Taila, I realized that the most profound business ideas aren’t always found in a boardroom. Sometimes, they are found on a grocery receipt at an airport.
Manohar was a successful IT professional living in Australia. He could have easily stayed in tech. He could have opened an outsourcing center or a global capability center (GCC) in India. Instead, he chose what many would call the “difficult path”—the world of traditional oil production.
You can listen to the full conversation, Saptham Story – Manohar Iyer, Saptham Taila – Business Giseness, here.
The Pivot: The Airport Realization
The turning point for Manohar happened around 2012-13. While waiting for a flight in an airport, he looked closely at a receipt for groundnut oil and groundnut seeds. He noticed a strange gap in pricing and health standards. This moment made him realize how mechanical and “lost in translation” our modern lives had become.
This was his “Clean Label” spark. He didn’t just want to sell a product. He wanted to solve the mystery of what we were actually putting into our bodies. This pivot—moving from the predictable world of IT to the complex, gritty world of cold-pressed oils—is a masterclass in following an intent rather than just a trend.
The Saptham Blueprint: Experience over Outlets
Manohar’s approach to Saptham Taila isn’t about traditional retail. I don’t even like calling his locations “outlets.” They are Micro Factory cum Experience Stores.
He built a system where customers can actually witness the cold-pressing process. This transparency creates a level of trust that traditional brands cannot match. By systematizing quality and transparency, he turned a commodity into a premium experience.
Manohar emphasizes a critical lesson: “Grow with intent, not just with passion”. Passion can fade, but a clear intent to solve a problem for the community keeps a business grounded and scalable.
My Key Takeaway: The Intent to Impact
Manohar Iyer’s journey reminds me of the methodical grit we saw with CR Anand or Sharat Khadri. It is about taking a systematic “techie” mindset and applying it to a traditional industry to make it better.
He left a high-paying international career because he saw a gap in the market and a need in society. Today, Saptham is not just an oil brand; it is a revolution in how we think about “Clean Label” food. His story is a powerful reminder that if your intent is right, you can build a successful empire in any sector.
