In 2016, while volunteering in a company acquisition exercise as a leader with other senior managers who were all male, I became aware of my innate entrepreneurial abilities. I was the sole female leader in the Senior Men's Leadership team.
As a child, I aspired to be a model. From an early age, I was resolved to follow in my parent's footsteps and make my own income. As a middle-class kid, I never imagined establishing a company. I always thought that a 9-5 job that paid well was my best bet.
My family has always been there for me, and I've been fortunate to have rewarding work with many prospects for advancement and high-profile accolades.
Yet, despite my accomplishments, I was unsatisfied and longed for a more meaningful career. I spent a year reflecting on my life's path, investing in my growth, and building relationships with successful businesspeople before setting off on my entrepreneurial adventure.
Then, I started my own company, called Elegant Success Impressions. A business that aids employees in making positive changes to their careers via the formation of new routines and the practice of personal accountability. ESI is a Mumbai-based coaching and consulting firm that operates across all of India. In our programs, we help both working professionals and students develop the skills they need to find jobs they love.
When it comes to the obstacles I had in the first year of establishing my business, I was not an oddball. The greatest problem I had after leaving the corporate sector was that the same individuals started treating me differently. No one in my inner circle which I had counted on to back me up had any idea what I was up to, so they stopped returning my calls. They ignored my texts, but it didn't dampen my spirits in the least, since from the beginning, I've received the support of my husband and kid, my parents and siblings, my closest friends, and prior colleagues and bosses. Besides, discipline, determination, and the capability to make decisions have been crucial to my consistency.
Leaving my comfortable career at 45 to pursue my business goal was challenging, but I think everyone is a protagonist in their tale. One must realize the incredible strength they have.
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