Crucial Success Skills Forged Through My Journey
My journey is defined by two crucial skills: a willingness to take risks and resilience in the face of failure. Originating from a typical middle-class family in Baroda, Gujarat, where employment was predominantly in the government or private sector, launching a business was a significant gamble, especially without family connections. Despite widespread skepticism, I took the leap into entrepreneurship. Amid the challenges of the Covid pandemic, with zero revenue threatening the business, thoughts of quitting surfaced. Yet, my inner voice spurred me to persist, leading me to invest this challenging time in honing skills in online training platforms and understanding the impact of social media. Today, our success story includes collaborations with leading brands nationwide, having successfully carved out a distinctive niche for ourselves. This journey encapsulates the power of risk-taking, resilience, and the transformative ability to turn adversity into opportunities.
Crafting Creative Opportunities from Every Challenge
One of the significant challenges I encountered during my professional career was dealing with rejections from clients. I vividly recall the early days of pitching to clients when a friend arranged a meeting for me with a prominent company in Ahmedabad, featuring their HR Head. Following the meeting, the HR Head remarked, 'Shivani, you are too young to become an entrepreneur. Why don’t you join … ABC (my competitor) for training? Spend some years learning from them, and then you can start your own consulting.' Needless to say, I returned home that day feeling frustrated and shedding tears. The urge to give up was strong. After some reflection, I realized that this rejection might have been more about a person who couldn't achieve their goals projecting their failures onto me. I didn't want to end up like him—frustrated and projecting my insecurities onto others. This mindset helped me navigate through the negative scenario, and I persevered in my entrepreneurial journey. Fast forward five years, the same client (with a changed HR head) invited me to serve as their PoSH consultant. Now, I am empanelled with all their groups as a PoSH consultant. It goes to show that every cloud indeed has a silver lining.
My Impact
I am deeply passionate about assisting organizations in fostering a culture of inclusion, promoting diversity, and establishing a foundation rooted in the safety of all employees against sexual harassment. I firmly believe that workplace sexual harassment not only inflicts mental and/or physical harm on the individuals affected but also diminishes employee engagement and productivity. To ensure equal participation and opportunities in the workplace, it is crucial to eliminate discriminatory behavior, particularly in terms of gender sensitization and sexual harassment, and to restore the confidence of employees in the organization. I am convinced that achieving this goal requires effective and efficient compliance with laws against sexual harassment. My mission is to contribute to the creation of a secure working environment where every woman feels safe and empowered to work.
Scaling New Heights in Personal and Professional Triumphs
Success, to me, means surpassing my own achievements from the previous day. While I do keep a watch on what my competitors, colleagues, and friends are undertaking, success is a profoundly personal concept for me. It revolves around my continuous improvement in what I do each day. Rather than fixating on a singular, audacious goal, I find fulfillment in celebrating small milestones and relishing the ongoing journey. Currently engaged with over 800 clients, spanning from SMEs to MNCs, my work has earned recognition from Goldman Sachs - NRSCEL (IIM Bangalore). However, I view these accomplishments as just the starting point. My commitment remains steadfast in making incremental progress every day, as I believe this journey is ongoing and holds the key to sustained success.
The Synergy Between My Path and Recognition Values
When I embarked on my journey, fear and uncertainty loomed large. Despite having a passion for empowering women and making a meaningful impact, I grappled with financial responsibilities, including bills and caring for my two children. The decision to become an entrepreneur was daunting, especially as a single mom facing numerous challenges. Beyond the various labels thrust upon me, the ongoing struggle to balance the roles of an entrepreneur and a mother added to the complexity. Moreover, lacking prior knowledge or experience in running a business intensified the hurdles. Throughout this journey, I made numerous mistakes. However, a clear vision and a steadfast commitment to the purpose behind starting this venture – empowering women – provided me with the resilience to persevere. Each mistake became a learning opportunity, propelling me forward and contributing to the success I now enjoy. I want to share this message with every woman out there: Are you grappling with the challenges of achieving your goals and finding it difficult to strike a balance between your professional and personal life? I've been there too. If I can overcome it, so can you.