Year-end reflections from Mariya, Founder of Nete

Hello everyone. I am back. I know I had promised to write more, but of course that did not happen. That’s the life of an entrepreneur. 

I’m writing this from my cosy room in Mumbai. The temperature has finally dipped, and the city feels a little softer. I’m usually not one to reflect on the year that was. I always look ahead, plan forward, and try to stay focused on what’s next. But this year felt different. I wanted to end December strong. I didn’t fully get there, but I came close. And that feels like something. 

When I think of 2025, one word stands out clearly: change. Some of it loud and unmistakable. Some of it quiet, steady, and deeply personal. As the year winds down, I find myself reflecting on the milestones and the mistakes. The small wins no one saw. And the people who showed up, consistently and generously. I feel grateful. Nete itself began quietly too. Not with grand announcements, but with instinct, curiosity, and a deep desire to build something beautiful. I wanted to create a space where craft, comfort, and conscious living could coexist. Where clothes felt like home. Where people felt seen. I didn’t have all the answers then, and honestly, I still don’t. But I trusted the intention. And that trust carried me forward.

I am not much for New Year resolutions, but I did want to go out of my comfort zone this year. So I did. 2025 began very differently from how most years begin for me. With my first pop-up in Bombay and many more that followed.

NETE x The Vintage Garden, Mumbai, January

NETE x Asiko, Ahmedabad, March

NETE x Asiko, Ahmedabad, March

NETE x Asiko, Ahmedabad, March

NETE x The Wardrobe, Kochi, April

NETE x The Folly, Chennai, November

NETE's Pop up, Bangalore, December

The pop-ups were exhausting. There’s no romantic way to say that. But they were also incredibly rewarding. They taught us so much about people, about expectations, about managing ourselves while managing others. They reminded us that everything can be done with clarity, respect and love, even when things get messy. Working with our designers in person, keeping things small and intentional, felt special. Every pop-up felt like a little Nete party. Intimate. Honest. Human. I didn’t expect to enjoy them as much as I did. But I surprised myself.

If you know me, I like working quietly, letting the work speak, staying invisible where possible. So standing in front of people, speaking about Nete, and meeting customers face-to-face felt a tiny bit terrifying. But also very warm and loving.

This year, what did I earn? Credibility built quietly. Connections that grew without trying too hard. Conversations that turned into stories. Customers and designers turned into friends. Messages arrived from places I’d never been, yet felt strangely close. 

I don’t think I unlearned anything this year. If anything, I kept everything handy. Lessons, instincts, old fears, new courage. I didn’t discard them. I just learnt how to carry them better. I did try new things, though. Professionally and personally. I became more regimented. I started running, which even now surprises me. I didn’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations. I took more risks. Not perfectly, but consistently.

I find myself reminiscing as I write. Three hundred and sixty-five days is a long time. We live through so many moments, even in the most ordinary days. Most of the time, we don’t recognise them as meaningful until we pause and look back. That, to me, is what December is really about.

In 2025, we welcomed new team members, even as we chose to stay intentionally small. We also said some difficult goodbyes. Along the way, we learnt how to work with more honesty, navigate disagreements with more care, and celebrate progress without waiting for perfection. What stood out most was this simple truth. Even on the hardest days, showing up for each other changed everything. When I ask myself where I felt most like myself this year, there isn’t one defining moment. It lived in the rhythm of the days. In the discipline. In the quiet consistency. In waking up, putting one foot in front of the other, and choosing to continue.

As the year ends, I don’t feel a sense of finality. I feel anticipation. A readiness for what’s next. Nete is closing 2025 with deeper roots, clearer direction, and a community that feels truly aligned. And I’m ending it with gratitude for the year that was, and genuine excitement for what 2026 has in store.

Thank you for being part of this journey. For trusting us. For choosing slow. For showing up. Here’s to change, courage, and the quiet work of becoming.

With warmth,
Mariya Timbadia
Founder, NETE