Starting a business often feels like juggling a thousand tasks- especially when you’re trying to balance work with family life. For Nick and Heather, founders of Old Delhi Music and Bhava Harmoniums, it was a journey of turning passion into a sustainable business without sacrificing family time.
In this blog, we explore how they scaled their business from a basement side hustle to an international brand by focusing on quality, ethical practices, and patient growth.

Finding the Harmony: Building a Business With Family at Its Core

Nick and Heather’s journey began not with a grand plan, but with a simple idea- importing harmoniums to fill a gap they noticed during their time as touring musicians.
Their story proves that successful businesses often start small, grow slowly, and require a blend of passion and persistence. As Nick puts it, “Start small and expect it to be a long road.”

This approach allowed them to balance raising a family with expanding their business. Here’s how they did it:

1. Prioritize Quality Over Quick Profits

From the start, Nick and Heather were determined not to compromise on quality. When the first shipment of harmoniums arrived in poor condition, many would have quit. Instead, they spent countless hours rebuilding each instrument by hand.
Their focus on quality set the stage for what would become a thriving business model:

• In-house manufacturing: Frustrated by inconsistent quality, they eventually launched their own manufacturing operations in India, ensuring that every instrument met their high standards.
• Ethical practices: By providing fair wages and stable jobs, they built a dedicated team that was motivated to maintain exceptional craftsmanship.

Key takeaway: Quality isn’t just about the product- it’s about creating trust with your customers and your team.

2. Grow Slowly, But Grow Well

In today’s world of instant results, the slow and steady approach can seem outdated. But for Nick and Heather, patience was a competitive advantage.
Rather than chasing rapid growth, they focused on sustainable expansion:

• Self-funded growth: They reinvested profits back into the business instead of taking on debt.
• Selective marketing: Instead of traditional advertising, they built relationships at niche music events, turning satisfied customers into brand ambassadors.
• Wholesale expansion: With Pete Mohr’s coaching, they expanded into wholesale, allowing them to scale efficiently without compromising on quality.

Key takeaway: Sustainable growth comes from making deliberate, patient decisions—not just chasing the next big opportunity.

3. Treat Your Team Like Family

As their business grew, Nick and Heather knew they couldn’t do it alone. But instead of seeing employees as a cost, they viewed them as family—both in North America and in India.

• Fair compensation: They rejected the common industry practice of per-piece payment, opting for stable salaries and benefits to ensure quality and loyalty.
• Empowerment through trust: By aligning their team with the business’s core values, they built a culture where employees felt genuinely invested in the company’s success.

Key takeaway: A team that feels valued and trusted will go above and beyond to help the business thrive.

Navigating Risks: A Calculated Approach

The decision to leave a stable university job and rely entirely on the business was no small risk. But Nick and Heather made sure it was a calculated one:

• Inventory safety net: Before making the leap, they had a significant inventory paid off, ensuring that they could weather unexpected challenges.
• Step-by-step decision-making: From starting a manufacturing facility in India to purchasing a larger warehouse in North America, every decision was made cautiously, with an eye on long-term sustainability.

Key takeaway: Risks are part of business- but they should always be calculated, not impulsive.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Old Delhi Music and Bhava Harmoniums

As they plan for the next five years, Nick and Heather see continued growth- both for their family and their business. With new product lines in development and a strong foundation of ethical practices, they are poised to expand their impact globally.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, their story offers powerful lessons in patience, quality, and building a business that aligns with your values.

Key Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs:

1. Start small, but think big.
2. Invest in quality- it pays off.
3. Build a team that shares your values.
4. Take calculated risks, not blind leaps.

If you’re ready to build a business that grows sustainably, listen to the full episode of the Business Owner Breakthrough Podcast with Nick and Heather