Archisman Misra of StudioBackdrops.com on Building India’s Creator Gear Marketplace, Scaling Offline Distribution, and Empowering the New-Age Creator Economy
📝Interviews
StartupTalky presents Recap'25, a series of exclusive interviews where we connect with founders and industry leaders to reflect on their journey in 2025 and discuss their vision for the future.
In this edition of Recap’25, StartupTalky speaks with Archisman Misra, Founder and CEO of StudioBackdrops.com, who shares how he built India’s largest online marketplace for photo, video, and audio equipment by deeply understanding the real needs of creators. Drawing from his own experience as a photographer, Misra explains how the platform was designed to make professional-grade gear more accessible, affordable, and reliable for creators across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities.
He goes on to discuss the brand’s expansion into budget-friendly in-house product lines, the strategic pivot from a D2C-first model to a strong offline distribution network, and how education, trust, and community-led growth have driven long-term loyalty. The conversation also explores StudioBackdrops’ approach to AI as a support tool rather than a customer-facing layer, the growing opportunities within India’s creator economy, and the company’s roadmap for 2026, including deeper penetration into emerging cities, hands-on workshops, and expanded technical support for creators nationwide.
StartupTalky: What service does your StudioBackdrops provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?
Archisman Misra: We at StudioBackdrops are India’s largest online platform for photo, video, and audio equipment. From photographers and filmmakers to social media creators, we provide 100% genuine products, curated listings, and expert technical support. Our goal has always been simple, to equip creators and artists with the best tools so they can create professional-quality content without the high costs.
When I started StudioBackdrops in 2016, it was out of my own experience as a photographer that I realized how hard it was to get good, reliable equipment in India at reasonable prices. That vision has shaped everything we do. Beyond just selling quality products, we want to collaborate with and nurture talent in the industry.
Think of us as a one-stop marketplace for all things photo, video, and audio. Whether it’s lighting, backdrops, audio equipment, or studio essentials, we aim to provide end-to-end solutions with popular brands to our in- house brands - Baroque Studio, AriesX, Backdrops4ever and Indus - for every creator, big or small or at any geographical location in India.
StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?
Archisman Misra: Over the past year, we’ve expanded our offerings to cater not just to professionals but also to creators who are just starting out or working with a tighter budget. While most of our products are in the mid to premium range, we’ve launched more options for the budget to mid-range segment—without compromising on quality or safety. For example, under our AriesX brand, we recently launched portable on-camera flashes—Xtend 10 and Xtend 12—along with a range of lens filters, OptiX. These products are designed to give creators professional-grade tools at accessible prices.
Our goal has always been to care about creators and their pockets. Even our new, more affordable products go through the same rigorous testing and research as our premium lines, so creators can trust what they’re buying. Whether someone is a seasoned professional or a beginner, they can find exactly what they need to create high-quality content.
StartupTalky: How has the industry you are in changed in recent years and how has StudioBackdrops adapted to these changes?
Archisman Misra: In the last few years, we’ve seen a huge shift in the industry. Content creation has become a full-time profession for many, and formal work opportunities for creators are growing rapidly. With this change, creators are looking for the right tools to produce high-quality content, whether it’s for social media, professional shoots, or independent projects. At StudioBackdrops, we’ve adapted by not just offering products, but also by educating creators on how to use them effectively. We share technical knowledge, product use cases, and practical tips because the needs today are very diverse. For example, a tripod isn’t just for a camera anymore—it can be for a mobile phone, a ring light, or even a small home studio setup. Similarly, a home content creator might need a backdrop, lighting, and tripods, while a travel creator has a completely different set of priorities.
And we’ve expanded our catalogue, launched specialised categories, focused on in-house Indian brands, and now deliver to 20,000+ pin codes—making professional gear practical, affordable, and accessible for creators across India.
StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the StudioBackdrops's growth and performance?
Archisman Misra: We track growth through metrics that reflect real customer trust such as purchase frequency, repeat orders, and average order value. These tell us if creators are coming back because the products genuinely work for them.
From a business standpoint, we also benchmark ourselves against the industry. We’ve been growing at 72.85%, which beats the industry CAGR, and that reassures us that we’re building something sustainable and relevant for the Indian creator ecosystem.
StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your StudioBackdrops faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?
Archisman Misra: While many D2C brands slowed down post-COVID, our ability to deliver in difficult conditions kept us afloat. But by 2023, the revenge-buying phase had faded, and consumers were returning to physical stores, with e-commerce no longer seeing the same traction. In response, we shifted to a B2B model, building a strong retail and distributor network. Today, we work with five regional distributors and over 200 resellers across Tier I, II, and III cities. When we started, 90% of our business was online, but today it’s reversed as it is 70% offline and 30% online. This pivot has helped us stay connected to creators wherever they prefer to shop.
Another challenge was our exports segment being impacted by US tariffs. While it slowed international growth, it gave us the chance to strengthen our presence in India with product expansion and strong distribution network.
StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack that you pulled off.
Archisman Misra: We’ve never looked at marketing as something separate from what we do every day. As we’re creators ourselves, so the approach comes very naturally. A lot of our growth has come from our own customers. When photographers or various content creators use our products and share their work, that does far more for us than any campaign. We actively feature that content and collaborate with our users because it’s real and it’s credible.
We also put a lot of effort into education. In India, creators often don’t just need gear—they need clarity. So we create simple, detailed tutorials and explainers around lighting, backdrops, and studio setups, including upcoming products. I’m also very involved personally. I talk about the products, its use or how the creators can produce amazing content and share behind-the-scenes moments helping people understand that there’s real work and research behind every product.
If I had to call it a growth hack, it’s this: we focused on being useful and honest first. By behaving like creators instead of retailers, word-of-mouth and repeat customers did the heavy lifting for our growth.
StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?
Archisman Misra: StudioBackdrops was built as a D2C-first business, so technology isn’t a layer we added later—it’s the backbone of how we operate every single day. Our core platform runs on WooCommerce, which gives us the flexibility to manage a large catalogue, launch new products often, and scale without losing control over the customer experience.
For customer communication and support, we use Jio Interakt. It helps us stay closely connected with our customers and deliver a smoother, more responsive experience, something creators really value when they’re working on deadlines. We’re also big supporters of Indian-built ecosystems, and Zoho plays an important role in managing our internal operations as we grow.
We keep our tech stack simple, reliable, and purpose-driven—everything we use helps us run the business smoothly and serve creators better.
StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?
Archisman Misra: The imaging industry is growing at about 6.7% in APAC, compared to 4.5% globally, and that says a lot. APAC is where culture and creator growth are happening, and India is right at the center of it.
In India, we’re still early. Creators are emerging across Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities, many buying professional gear for the first time. They’re not just looking for products—they want guidance, trust, and affordability. That creates strong long-term growth potential. Globally, the market is more mature and driven by upgrades and brand loyalty. In India, it’s often about first-time access along with learning, experimenting, and building trust with the brand.
The world is now looking to countries like India to drive the future of the creator economy, and that shift opens up a massive opportunity for Indian brands to lead, not just participate.
StartupTalky: How are you using AI, whether in service delivery, internal processes, or customer experience, and what impact has it created?
Archisman Misra: We’re very clear about our approach to AI. While the world is moving towards automation, we’ve chosen to keep StudioBackdrops human-led. We don’t use AI in customer-facing roles, and we don’t use it for writing or content creation. Every interaction, recommendation, and piece of communication comes from real industry professionals.
AI is only used internally—for research and data processing. It helps us study product trends, compare specs, and organise information faster, but all decisions are still made by our team.
StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, service offering, and team base in the future?
Archisman Misra: Our focus for 2026 is going to be on reaching creators across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. We want to be present wherever there’s a need for professional-quality photo, video, and audio gear, not just in the big metros. That means more offline touchpoints, more brand workshops, and more opportunities for creators to interact directly with our products.
We’re also growing our team to make that possible. A bigger sales team will help us reach every corner of India, and an expanded technical support team will ensure that creators not only have access to the right equipment but also know how to use it to its full potential. Workshops, one-on-one guidance, and hands-on experiences are all part of how we plan to support our community while expanding our customer base and service offerings.
StartupTalky: One key tip you would give to a founder running both a service and product-based company?
Archisman Misra: One tip I’d give to another founder running a service and product-based company is this - secure your supply chain and make it your first priority. From sourcing the right products to getting them delivered reliably, it can make or break your business. I’ve seen firsthand how crucial this is, especially with non-standard products like nine-foot paper backdrops. Early on, I personally worked with logistics partners to figure out how to reach even the most remote corners of India. If your supply chain is strong, everything else like service, customer trust, growth, falls into place.
Preeti Karna
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