#20: Make learning fun for your kids

Priyanka holding the Starter Kit

Given her defence background, Priyanka Prabhakar has lived in various cities across India, as well as overseas. Given this, she changed a lot of schools. After completing her MBA from Pune, she spent two years working in digital advertising and online publishing. About 19 months back, Priyanka, along with her friend, Shitij Malhotra, founded Traveller Kids. “The idea was to increase children's knowledge about different countries and to inspire them to travel to new places and know about new cultures, since this culture is new in India and has a long way to go. We all know that now there's also the iPad and digital content that is replacing physical games and toys. So our main idea was also to get the kids back into enjoying physical games and activities,” shares Priyanka.

Traveller Kids offers a variety of Country Boxes, Educational Games, books, and other fun accessories for your kids. “The last 15 months have been fantastic. We have received a very positive response from the market; sold over 3000 games and have around 100 subscribers to our Country Boxes. A lot of people have bought our products as return gifts, so that's another market we have forayed into,” exclaims Priyanka.

“A lot of our customers have told us that they feel our products are imported, and that's a big compliment for us, because everything is proudly Made in India by us,” she adds.

The best part about Priyanka’s job is making games and then testing them. “It begins from conceptualizing, then designing, and then finally manufacturing them. It never gets boring. Some of our products have been our companion while we travel ourselves. Also our travel has increased multi-fold thanks to Traveller Kids. Obviously, I am not complaining!” she says.

Ask her about what she wants to do next and she quips, “I easily get satisfied at work. But one has to want more and be cynical about the numbers. So I keep telling myself to be more cynical. I am aiming to become one of the biggest educational games makers in the world. Fingers crossed.”

#19: Get Coached for a Life Beyond Motherhood

 - Are you expecting a child and apprehensive about how you would sustain your career and still raise your child after your child is born?

- Are you struggling to complete your daily tasks and seem to have a never ending list of ‘to dos’?

- Do you believe you need to slow down and make a career shift? Are you ready to become an entrepreneur but have no clue how to go about it? Do you want to get back to work after a long break and are unable to do so?

Meet Namrataa Arora, founder of Life Beyond Motherhood, who is a certified coach, and promises to help you from any or all of the situations above. 

After spending over 14 years in various leading MNCs in India, while specialised in learning and development, Namrataa did very well for herself. Working with some of the best Fortune 500 companies and holding coveted roles, after having a child, seemed futile. “Suddenly, I found myself amidst very uncomfortable questions and I realised it was my urge to spend more time at home that was driving me to ask these questions. I happened to meet a Master Certified Coach (MCC) while I was still at work and was fascinated with the field of coaching. On exploring further, I decided to get certified as a coach. Coaching is not about telling people what to do and hence is different from training or mentoring. It is about helping them define their goals and then working with them to help them accomplish their goals. It is about the client and how she can reach her potential. Simply put, coaching is about moving from where you are to where you want to be,” she says.

“Pursuing a coach training certification from International Coach Academy, Australia, demanded a lot more time than I had estimated so decided to give away my corporate career. I took the leap of faith and decided to become a coach. After a few coaching assignments, I realized I was able to relate a more to women, especially mothers and issues which relate to them as compared to any other group. I wanted to reach out to mothers and share how I could help them. I had been through a tough phase in life, trying to juggle between work and motherhood. For the longest time, I had no time for myself and it was through coaching that I realized the need to put myself first. It is the ability to prioritize one’s own needs over one’s responsibilities, which has led me to where I am today and through Life Beyond Motherhood, I wanted to do just that,” she adds.

Namrataa loves being an entrepreneur, since she can create her own little world, the way she wants to. “I do not work when my daughter is around, unless it is by exception. I have designed my work around my life and not the other way round. I had a wonderful experience finding this balance for myself and I it was almost like what a child might feel when she learns to walk for the first time. Once I had found my balance, I knew I just had to help others around me find their balance. That’s what I do. I am a Life Balance coach for women, specifically, for working mothers. The best part of my work is my experience in corporate, my family values, my love for coaching, have all found their place in this beautiful blend which I have created in the form of Life Beyond Motherhood. I feel complete and fulfilled – everyday,” she elaborates.

“I remember one of the instances when a male client asked me to coach him. As an entrepreneur, I was faced with a typical dilemma - to go ahead or to deny myself the opportunity. I could easily coach him and earn some money; instead I decided to collaborate with another coach who was open to working with men. I was proud of myself for making that decision. It made me believe I was focused on my niche (that is coaching women) and as a result of many such choices, I am already establishing myself as an expert in the area of coaching women and working with various corporates in the area of diversity,” she remembers.

One of the very special things that happened when Namrataa started her coaching business was rediscovering her passion for writing. She started to blog one day and encouraged by the following and the response from her friends and family, she started to write a column for a newspaper as well. Today, she writes about twice a week – for her blogs, a guest blog for a parenting magazine, Parent Edge, a bi-weekly column for SHE, the women’s section in The Goan and some guest articles interspersed in between. “Just the thought that I might be able to reach out to so many more people through my writing is inspiring enough for me,” she explains.

“When I started coaching, I was not even sure if I would be able to get any work. Today, I am working with leading corporates, coaching women as a part of the organization’s diversity agenda. I don’t know where I want to take my business, but I know for sure I am headed in the right direction. My intention is to establish strategic partnerships and find ways of maximizing my reach, to help as many women around the globe that I can,” she ends.

#18: Chandigarh Aashiqui to Photography!

Meet Chandigarh ki kudi, Simran Jagdev Gulati, who loves to shoot. OK, don’t get me wrong. She’s a fabulous wedding photographer who has no Diploma in photography, but is still making a lot of noise in this industry. “I am actually Masters in Finance and Investment from the University of Nottingham, UK and was working at a MNC in Gurgaon from 2007-2012. I quit my job in April last year, to pursue photography full-time. Honestly, it fell right in place with my wedding that took place in November 2012. It has been over a year since I took it up full time,” she shares. 

It’s true that your true love can spot the potential in you faster than you, yourself. In 2009, her then fiancé, (now her husband) Mohit Gulati, gifted her a Photography Workshop in Delhi. Since photography was the only stress buster she enjoyed during her hectic work schedule, Simran took it up without giving a second thought. 

Simran never planned on becoming a professional photographer, until she got her first break. “I have always been taking photographs whenever and wherever I travel, but doing weddings is a different ball game altogether. I have been shooting for a few years now and I enjoy every bit of it, even when it's not easy. The whole process from capturing something, working on it afterwards and satisfying people with the end product makes me happy. I love to take photos and am lucky enough to make a living doing so!” she exclaims.

Simran shares that being a woman; initially shooting weddings was tough. “I felt extremely awkward holding my camera and shooting people. I also got stares from a lot of people. Now I am much more confident. I feel that the brides feel more comfortable around a lady photographer, especially during their makeup session.”

Having done more than 50 photo shoots (weddings, engagement, babies, and couples) for Simran it has been a crazy learning experience. “I've never gone big on envisioning setups or photos that I may want to create – it never, ever turns out even close to what I may have thought. I just go into the location and immediately see what I want to do and where and how I want to do it. I really don’t think there’s ever been a better time to be a wedding photographer– if you have talent and a unique style, you can get your work out to the world much faster than ever before,” she says.

Above all, I know that life for a photographer cannot be a matter of indifference. Opinion often consists of a kind of criticism. But criticism can come out of love. It is important to see what is invisible to others. – Robert Frank.

To view more of Simran's work, click here: Simran Jagdev Fotography.

#17: She's CReating Enlightened Awakenings!

Meet Deepti G Gujar, founder of CRÈA (CRÈAting Enlightened Awakenings) which is her initiative for healing, spiritual growth and transformation, to help you CRÈAte the life you desire, dream and truly deserve. 

“Little did I know though when I picked up Dr. Brian Weiss’s book, Many Lives, Many Masters in 2006, that my whole life was on a brink of whirlwind transformation. Through an inner calling I delved into past life regression therapy – at first for my personal healing and to seek answers that had plagued me since childhood which eventually led to helping others like me to find their answers through their own stories buried in their psyche. A breakthrough came through Dr.Newton’s Inner Child Work workshop that helped me tap into parts of my childhood that were almost entirely wiped out of my memory. This workshop unleashed layers of anger, turmoil, and anguish accumulated since childhood, and through the personal care of Life Research Academy, I was able to heal, let go of ages of trauma and start a new journey towards wholeness.”

“With a degree in Computer Engineering and working as a software professional for 5 years, I realized I was missing something. Around the same time I began the journey to heal myself. Somewhere in me, there was a voice that kept rebelling against this very term because I wanted to feel more in control of my life without having to control it. This was an awakening call that drew me into spirituality. Enroute this spiritual pilgrimage of the past five years, life took me to exploring other spiritual pathways like Angel Therapy, EFT, The Work, Rebirthing-Breathwork (both by Dr.Newton and Leonard Orr), and self-inquiry thanks to lovely friend and guide, and another spiritual teacher, Nithya Shanti. I now use a combination of these intuitively to help fellow seekers dive into their consciousness and empower themselves. As I progressed in this path, life transformed. Since then, every day has been a fresh new breath of life. Along with doing a lot of certifications related to healing, I also started writing actively, at first for my spiritual teacher, Dr.Newton's magazine, and later on branched out on my own,” she shares.

“I had a vision after one of my meditations - and the word that flashed said it had something to do with Christ and sounded like the Sanskrit word kriya. The vision kept getting strengthened and I just let it without interfering much. I just sat down and distilled the word CRÈA and my mind expanded it to CRÈAting Enlightened Awakenings,” she explains.

CRÈA in its essence imbibes CRÈAtion. As an inner calling, Deepti started CRÈA with the intention to guide people to their true potential as Light Beings awakened to the power of their Consciousness. This initiative includes workshops, seminars, sessions and awareness get-togethers. Through CRÈA she also wants to share information on how to integrate spiritual knowledge in one's daily life based on her own personal experiences.

“The basic principle is that everyone seeks a union with God, universe, or life. This need for union is so powerful that once it comes up in a person's awareness, the person will endlessly seek to perpetuate his/her union,” she adds. This path calls for transformation - transforming every lie, society, parents, culture, past lives have taught you into the Truth of your being - a non-verbal Truth that can only be lived, not expressed. Often people who come to me are not just transformed once, but they realise the value of staying in that zone of Eternal Love. Whether they continue this journey with CRÈA or not, the wheels are set into motion and they begin to find love within their own selves,” she elaborates.

On asking about her journey so far, she quips, “For me more than the external events taking place, the inner state of being that I carry, is more momentous, more eternal. Last year I witnessed a slow-burning transformation with someone I was connected to for lifetimes. This phase taught me to relate as Osho talks about, it taught me what it means spiritually to be a woman, to be in a space of love, to trust your own intuition over anyone else's opinion and how one can create this Inner Space of love without having a lover. That was a sacred insight for me and I am still applying and unravelling the mystery of this insight in my day to day life.”

The highlight of my Deepti’s work 'happens' when a person sees what is possible. “That for me is real or tangible. When we get a sense of "I CAN" then we call from within us the power to manifest our greatness. The miracle is to see that you were innocent where you thought you were guilty, to see you were powerful where you thought you were helpless, and to see that there is nobody on the other side, when you were spending your time blaming someone or yourself,” she beams.

Deepti shares that her aspirations for now is to surrender more to the divine flow. Osho once said, “Unless you accept yourself as a blessing, unless you accept and welcome yourself, unless you accept yourself in deep gratitude, unless you love yourself, you will never become an overflowing energy. This is my next goal - to push myself into that high of self-acceptance and break the barriers of trust with myself and others. I see this overflowing into a space which people can look up to as what they are capable of. Maybe that space will manifest into a healing center  a book, or something else. That I leave open to the universe to decide. Surrender is a state of active vigilance to what your inner being tells you. It makes you act radically, with thoughtless, pure action. That is my aspiration for now,” she ends.

Wishing Deepti luck in all her future endeavours!

#16: Meet the 3 Mad Chicks

3 Mad Chicks

Whoever said that women can not work together clearly does not own a 3 Mad Chicks’ bag. 

The brand 3 Mad Chicks is a trend setter when it comes to bags. It offers a range of colourful, young, stylish, and funky bags for the bold, fun, and cheerful youth of today. Meet Ankita Negi, Oshima Jain and Smriti Chadha, alumni of NIFT, New Delhi, who have been the best of friends since the second year of college. They used to and still hang out together. “We have been inseparable since we met. Our design ideas, thinking direction and the way we work were pretty much the same. So that is how we actually thought of working together,” they share.

“The first time that we thought of starting a company was in our 3rd year. By the starting of our 4th year we were sure about what we wanted to do and how to do it. In the beginning of our 8th semester we started designing and went ahead with our plan. Not all faculties were supportive of our idea, but we needed some negative motivation too. Managing college and work was a bit hard initially but in the end it was all worth it,” they elaborate.

Ankita comes from a military background. Her dad served in the Air Force, which is where all her discipline and punctuality comes from. Oshima and Smriti come from a typical business background. Their parents have been very supportive of their idea from the very start. “They have helped us in every possible way, from encouraging us to even giving us a loan,” they share.

“We have had amazing times together, learnt how to deal with problems, how to make up for each other's mistakes, and celebrate the good times. Although, the best part of this journey has been the freedom to do whatever we wanted to. And also design without any restrictions or instructions. We've tried to maintain a very friendly, light and a happy work environment for all our employees too,” they add.

When three mad chicks work hard to please the crazy chicks all over the country, they have exciting stories to share. “We have a list of funny incidents actually. We used to be so caught up in our work that we have made the silliest of mistakes. One time Smriti ended up for a photo shoot in Hauz Khas Village without her camera! Another time Ankita traveled a long distance and actually forgot to get the packaging material on the day we had to pack and send out the stock. And Oshima's car has been our makeshift store room with all the material and bags loaded in the boot and the back seat. Sometimes even the front passenger seat, leaving enough space for her to sit and drive,” they exclaim!

These 3 mad chicks claim that the freedom to take their own decisions, work the way they want, and maintain the sort of work culture where they can work without stress- is what they enjoy the most. “We have also learnt a lot through our mistakes and experiences, and we try to improve with every incident and decision,” they add.

In the next couple of years, these goal oriented women see their company in the international market. “We also plan on expanding in terms of products. Currently we're also in the process of launching our own website with our own payment portal, which would definitely increase our profit margin, help in expansion and also marketing,” they share.

(Meanwhile you can shop their collections on Jabong.com, Myntra.com, Flipkart.com, Yebhi.com, Koovs.com)

#15: Your clothes: designed with love

A National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi alumni, Ridhi Bansal graduated in the field of knitwear design. After graduation, she worked with the label "Not So Serious" by Pallavi Mohan, and then in a buying house in Nehru Place before starting her own label, almost two years back.

The inspiration behind her brand Ridhi Bansal was simple; all she wanted was to make the Indian women feel more beautiful and confident in their own skin. “And the feeling you get by making someone else happy is just another high. Whether a certain shape or cut is in vogue at that time is not always relevant. It is more to do with ones’ own look and expression. My idea of fashion is solely based in style: a very personalized and self-sufficient form of dressing,” says Ridhi.

“Every situation in every day is an opportunity, to dress and put-forth something beautiful in the world. My inspiration is an attempt to add something beautiful in the world, in my own little way,” she adds.

For Ridhi, the journey so far has been rocky yet worth the effort. “Working with various karigars and dyers, I have learnt to manage different kinds of people involved in this line of business. But at the end of the day, the best part of my job is to see a happy client. My day is made when a client thanks me for making her look pretty. Since it is also about making something from scratch, what I picture in my mind and when it comes out just the way I want it, is the best feeling ever,” she exclaims.

The highest point of Ridhi’s journey was in fact right before she started her brand. She got through Parsons The New School For Design, but ended up returning from there due to her own reasons. “But that did give me a big ego boost!” she shares.

Asin wearing Ridhi Bansal's creation

“With this profession becoming a hobby for a lot of people, and because of abundant resources available, people find it easy to open home boutiques. This becomes a tad bit difficult for people who put in 4 years to study this field, to stand out. I believe that what my strong point is that I don’t believe in Avant-garde designs. Even if I make the clothes for the ramp, they would be very wearable. Also the colour sensibility is my strongest point. I want today’s women to not be afraid of dawning any colour. From the popping florescent to the pastel hues, I want women to stop thinking that a particular colour doesn't suit them. I want that concept to be out of their head,” she says.

“My label is just a an attempt at helping my clients find that form of expression and translate it into their own personal style, while staying relevant with the times,” ends Ridhi.

#14: Paint Your Sole: Rainbow Style

Nidhi Inani wearing her own collection

A born misfit in a conservative Marwari business family, Nidhi Inani, the brain behind Paint Your Sole, discovered the creative streak in her when she was 6 years old. She copied her aunt’s drawing as it was and ran around the house showing it to everyone. “My mom nurtured my talent ever since. We gave our family a little shock when I decided to do my graduation in Fine Arts and she decided to support me with my decision. The shock was obvious as I was expected to pursue my career in Commerce but I chose to be the black sheep of the family instead. I was mocked at by my other Engineer and MBA cousins for choosing something that was not-so-intellectual and this went on throughout my graduation,” shares Nidhi.

After completing her bachelor's in Painting from JNA&FAU (Jawaharlal Architecture and Fine Arts University) Hyderabad. Nidhi wasn't convinced with the art scene in Hyderabad. So she moved on to what she once thought was impossible- apply for admission at NID (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad). “I applied for a course that was closest to my field and that was Ceramics and Glass Design. But due to my health and family issues I had to discontinue the course after a year,” she adds.

Ask about the big idea behind Paint Your Sole, and Nidhi has an interesting story to share. “When I was in my 2nd year of graduation, my mom was throwing away my brother's old canvas shoes during Diwali cleaning. But I had a better idea- I took the shoes and painted all my favourite things on it. I wore it to the college one day and the response I got was overwhelming. That day I just made a mental note in my mind that if I had nothing better to do with my life, I'd sit and paint shoes. And after I left NID, I was overcome with depression for about 2 months. All I did was eat, sleep, mourn and become fat. That was the time when my mind rang a bell and I decided to give it a shot. I gathered all the pictures of the shoes I had painted so far as gifts for my cousins and friends and put them up on a Facebook page I created. And within 20 days of uploading, I already had 100 people following my page and there was no looking back ever since,” she exclaims.

“This year long journey has been creative and an enjoyable experience for me. It feels great to have eager clients who are always on their toes to see how their shoes turn up. Making my customers happy is what keeps me going. One incidence I want to share is I once painted a pair for a college girl in Delhi. I asked her to send me her picture wearing those shoes as she was so eager to get them. But unfortunately she was down with chicken pox when she received them. A few days later I was surprised to find that she had posted a picture of herself in the shoes with a note saying that she was so happy to have the shoes that she HAD to get well to get a picture clicked in them! That meant a lot to me. To know what kind of happiness my shoes can sometimes bring to my clients is indeed a fulfilling,” she further adds.

On the other hand, Nidhi did keep falling in and out of this relationship with her work. She often questions what the future holds for her work and whether she should stick to painting shoes or explore other options. But she has never once left its side. And they continue to be going stronger.

The best part about Nidhi’s job (apart from being her own boss) is that her creativity reaches all around the country with her just sitting in her bedroom. “My job is a reminder to me that nothing is impossible when you are determined to do something. I love interacting with people enthusiastically telling me how they want their shoes to look like. I have also grown in terms of creativity and have come up with a lot of designs of my own apart from customizing for customers,” she says.

“I want to give it my all and make one-of-a-kind pieces. I wish to give a more serious approach to it. I really hope that this work of mine gets commissioned as a serious works of art. I now want to give my work a direction as I have explored enough with it!” she ends.

Wishing Nidhi good luck for all her future endeavours!

#13: God's favourite ones

Geeta Mondol with her son Samarpan

Meet Geeta Mondol, the founder of Ashish Foundation, who works towards acceptance of differently abled kids in the normal society. 

Brought up in a Punjabi family, Geeta did her college education in Delhi and the US. She later married her batch mate from JNU, and is now a parent of 2 handsome young boys - Samarpan and Saday. “Samarpan is 18 years old and has autism. Saday studies in class 10. Both my husband and I work in fields where we hope to change the mindset of people towards a particular group of people, me towards that of those with disabilities and he towards the girl child,” shares Geeta.

When Samarpan was diagnosed with autism, he was just 8 years old. At that time Geeta lived in West Delhi, where she looked for facilities where her son could receive all the therapies he needed. However, she could not find any. “As I prayed, I felt led by God to start my own place. Initially I was afraid. But when I went to withdraw my child from a mainstream school where he was studying, I was asked to help the school set up an integrated section. Eventually I helped the school in setting it up, and after 2 ½ years I resigned from there to set up my own place, after I trained in the US,” she elaborates.

Samarpan was her biggest inspiration. “My belief system said that everyone is created in God’s image with no exceptions, yet when I saw around, all I saw was the burden that parents felt having to raise children with disabilities. Some parents were so overwhelmed by the disability of their child, which they had no time to understand or look at it differently. We never see those with disabilities on our roads, our festivals, or our weddings. I wanted to, and still want to change the way people think and bring those with disabilities into the mainstream of our society,” explains Geeta.

When Geeta decided to embark on this journey, she knew that this journey would have its share of ups and downs. But she prefers to look at the brighter side. "The joys are many, and so are the difficulties. I love working with children with autism, but I struggle with administration. Yet when I see children improving, or seeing my staff just pushing boundaries, it gives me a lot of encouragement. Finances have been difficult to come by, because we cannot give large numbers. Each child with disability requires individual attention. We cannot put 40 children in one classroom. So we maintain a ratio of 1:4 special educator to child, and 1:2 adult to child ratio in the centre. It is very costly, and sometimes making the ends meet gets very difficult,” she says.

Ask Geeta about some of her experiences and she remembers two of them vividly. “We had a student with Cerebral Palsy who came to us when he was not able to hold his head. He had no vocabulary either. We worked with him for 3 years. One day, we heard him screaming “Ma’am, Ma’am” The guests in the centre wondered why we did not stop him from screaming, but for us it was such a high point that he was finally speaking! We also had one student who refused to walk without help and would scream every time we jumped by saying, “Bachao, bachao”. However with help of an intensive worker, one day I entered the centre, to see the kid skating perfectly with his eyes closed, looking at peace with himself. I will never forget his face to this day.

The best part of Geeta’s job is watching her staff having a world of patience and working with children with a sense of humour even when they get violent. “A few days back, one of our students tore the shirt of the staff. The staff came into the office and asked for a new shirt. He laughed and said, “It is one of those days”. For me that is the best part to see the staff having inculcated the values I shared with them!” says Geeta.

Geeta wishes she could share the success of Ashish Foundation with others, and hold training programs where she can share the principles she believes in and how they make a difference. “In the future, I see these young adults contributing to the nation and becoming part of the mainstream, rather than living on the fringes of society and marginalized even among those who are marginalized,” she ends.

#12: The filmy doodle queen

"I learned how to draw from being bored in school. I would doodle on the margins of my paper: Kevin Nealon"

Meet Angel Bedi, the crazy girl who is the heart and soul behind TheFilmyOwl. “I was always the naughty kid in class who would doodle all day in notebooks, be a pro at making cheat notes and come back home to get glued to Zee Cinema. After school, I got through NIFT. Post my graduation, I took a one year breather, during which I drowned myself in paints and eventually fell back in love with doodling. To be being filmy and dramatic is the ultimate definition of freedom, which is further highlighted with free flowing colours. I'm an obsessive compulsive observer and that is exactly where all my inspiration comes from!” shares Bedi. 
During her year off, she went through the 'easy living' 'easy art' phase and this is how TheFilmyOwl came into being. “There was never a thought process around or behind it. One day I just shared some of my illustrations online and the response I got was overwhelming. I never really thought this flightless birdie (the owl) would take off with such beauty,” she shares.

“I think it’s all the positive reinforcement I got from the people who appreciated my work, that made me work harder and do something substantial,” she adds.

Angel believes that her journey has just started. After having freelanced for some quirky design labels like Happily Unmarried, and done interior design graphics for restaurants, along with wall illustrations for Channel [V], she now wants to take baby steps. “I was also one of the artists at the COMIC CON this year that made me realize that my products have a huge market for young adults, so hopefully the future is bright and colourful!” she exclaims.

Everyday Angel receives mails and texts from all over the country, appreciating her work. “It is the best feeling ever. I'm a sucker for 'nods of approval' and every time someone tells me how my illustrations make them smile, I smile. I am so lucky to be making a living out of romancing the love of my life - Art. I don't think I will ever get tired of being lucky,” she giggles.

For all you filmy fans, there is good news. www.TheFilmyOwl.com is going live soon! 

“I have convinced my lazy ass to buck up and make it happen. There are going to be lots of products, from t-shirts to pajamas  cushion covers to tote bags and most importantly - doodle diaries. I want people to start doodling, making lazy art, and writing diaries. Believe me: it is the best therapy ever,” she says!

#10: Products with a soul

In less than a year, SaiVijaya Naidu’s venture SoulfulSaai has taken off, giving her a much needed boost. From conceptualizing to designing, she does it all. She has sold her products on more than 6 websites, and continues to do so. Boasting a Post Graduate degree in Textiles n Clothing from the Mumbai University, she also happens to be a gold medalist and the university topper. She was inclined towards art, right from school days, so she eventually convinced her parents to let her take up Textiles Designing as opposed to being a typical doctor or engineer. “Loaded with all the knowledge from my degree, I even worked as a lecturer for a year in my own college, but got bored soon, as I was teaching exactly what I had learnt, ie. too much of theoretical knowledge. I discontinued and took up writing. I wrote on fashion and textiles which I thoroughly enjoyed, but fate had a different course for me. The erratic schedules and late nights didn't go well with my family so I quit the job, and did freelancing instead. But that too wasn't motivating. So I ended up spending time online, made new friends Facebook and Twitter, and even blogging a bit,” shares Saai.

Soulfulsaai was actually her Twitter-handle, which eventually gave birth to her brand. Nandita Iyer, a fellow food blogger, suggested Saai that she checks Etsy.com. Well, that was it. Once she took this plunge, she pledged that she would swim the Atlantic. “In the beginning I surfed aimlessly. But then I did realize  that of all the products I surfed, I liked the segment on hair accessories. I immediately went to the nearby malls to check what type of hair accessories was sold and their price range. Later I decided to check the process of opening a shop on Etsy.com, and realized it was much simpler than opening a bank account!” exclaims Naidu.

After a while Saai realized that Etsy catered mainly to international clients, and she wanted to make a mark in her homeland too. That’s where she decided to open up a shop on Craftsvilla.com. Slowly, she spread her wings, and now sells her products on websites like Itshandmade.in, Shopick.com, Unwrapindia.com etc.

But the path she decided to take had its own pros and cons. “Frankly, every moment in the process of building Soulfulsaai has been eventful. As it was a relatively unthreaded path, any decision I made, I had to be ready for success or failure. I had my own share of disappointments. The first exhibition I had was a disaster. The reasons were numerous, but I sure learnt a lot from it,” shares Saai. On the brighter side, she is happy to be her own boss!

“I don’t only want people to benefit from Soulfulsaai, but I also want to create awareness about my brand, unlike the mass-produced products that lack personal touch. Today I am confident that there is a demand for my products because I use techniques like crochet, beading, macrame, soutache, and fabric flowers. While on the other hand, there are women who are struggling to earn a decent living. If I could bring these two things together, I would be happy,” says Saai.

#9: Dollops of love for your little one!

Women are known to multi-task. Meet Mariam Noronha, who juggles the roles between that of a teacher, blogger, freelance writer, artist, designer, an avid crafter and the owner of Dollops of Sunshine. “In one word, I’m a maverick!” she says.

Mariam, already MA in Commerce, is currently working towards completion of her Doctoral thesis. “Currently I teach Commerce and Management to under graduate students. I have worked as a freelance writer for over 6 years now, and that stint includes various genres of writing such as fiction, travel and web content development. I began blogging professionally over 2 years ago. I own and manage a blog called TheOneOfAKindPreneur that is about unique and custom-made businesses. Besides that, I write for a number of business blogs based out of Asia, Europe and Canada and also on the Indian social media scenario for SocialSamosa,” she shares.

Mariam has always loved creative pursuits. She dabbles in calligraphy, water-colours, one stroke painting, doodling and crochet. “I love colours and creating hand-made products gives me a lot of satisfaction. Designing hand-painted home decor, kids’ apparel and products is something I have begun enjoying in the last one year,” she adds.

Dollops of Sunshine started out as a Facebook page where Mariam used to share (not sell) pictures of her hand-painted trays, cards, lamps, table mats etc. Always having enjoyed crochet, last year she came up with the idea to create some fun crochet designs for babies. “I discussed this with my friend Abida Khan (an avid crafter herself) who immediately appreciated the idea. So both of us discussed this idea, over a cup of tea. Eventually that led to creation of a small collection of hats and booties for babies. Our first batch of designs sold out in just 3 days and soon we had people asking us to do more!” she quips.

As far as inspiration goes, it was more about giving vent to their creative side while creating designs that are colourful, fun and different. It was about getting out there, and making a difference with hand-made goodness. Far from being a commercial venture Dollops of Sunshine is about taking crochet designs for kids, to another level.

“My job as a teacher and a writer allows me to touch many lives. That is the exciting part of it. But as a designer, every day comes with new possibilities, more inspiration, loads of colour and lots to look forward to,” she elaborates.

In less than a year they have received a lot of appreciation and love from people. Dollops of Sunshine work towards adding a bucket full of happiness to the lives of babies and of course their mothers. “When people write in and say ‘We love your work’, or ‘I picked 15 pairs of DOS booties because I didn’t want to let any design go’ these things cannot be equated with money. The love and appreciation people have shown, is truly amazing. Everyone wants a piece of sunshine and we couldn’t ask for more. God has been very kind,” she shares.

Ask about what she has in store for the future, Mariam says, “It is too early to tell. The web has truly empowered people and Indian design too has truly come off age.  Vibrant Indian brands are filling up the web with their work that can be genuinely appreciated. But for us, the journey has just begun!”

#11: Lakdi Ki Kathi: All about kids

Meet Poonam Sharma, a true Delhite at heart, and an architect by profession, she has over 12 years of background in doing design work. She now owns the online furniture shop Lakdi Ki Kathi that specializes in kids’ furniture. “Back in April 2011, I went on a maternity leave from work, a few days before my baby was due. But I didn't know that I wasn't going to join them back. But the thing about having your child is that you also want to raise them yourself. You wish to be around when they learn how to hold their neck, start sitting, start eating, walking, talking, and the list is never ending. In short, I wanted to be around my daughter and see her grow up. And that basically meant that I could not get myself to go for a 12 hour/day kind of job,” shares Poonam. 

While searching for some furniture storage options for her daughter, Poonam realized what a huge gap there was in this segment. The choices she had were paying too much to buy high-price stuff from places like Hauz Khas Village or the malls. Or hire a carpenter to do it for you, (which is fine if you have a real love for seeing how furniture gets made and don't mind labourers sitting in your home). The last option was to hire a designer, who may or may not have the relevant expertise.

“But in today's world, no one really has the time or energy to get this done themselves, right? So, I saw a huge opportunity of combining my love for design and kids, into doing something that could save many parents all the hassle that I went through while furniture shopping for my daughter. That is what got me thinking about opening a shop. And with Anuj, my brother stepping in, he decided to put all his marketing gyan to make this into an online shop instead!” exclaims Sharma.

In the beginning of 2013, Poonam started to shortlist some carpenters after they did some sample pieces for her. Meanwhile, she also conceptualized the product range she was willing to offer and their designs. “Then we searched for a workshop space in the vicinity which was spacious enough. We officially opened the workshop in March this year. It took us almost 3 months to finally complete all the production and get the photography done. Later it took us another month to get the web store’s design up and running. In July, we officially announced the opening of our store Lakdi ki Kathi. Since then, it has been all about marketing and trying to reach out to the relevant audience,” she shares.

Ask her about what she loves the most about her new job and Poonam gets all excited. “Being my own boss and working from home is the most satisfying feeling ever. I love being around my daughter most of the time. And obviously designing for kids gives me a high. Since I learn a lot from my own experiences as a parent, am easily able to put them to a practical use.”

“On our store, we offer a lot of designs and a lot of customization, depending on any specific requirements the customer may have. From customizing by adding your child's name, giving colour options, multiple polish options, handle choices etc, we believe in giving the customer an exclusive experience. Right now, we need to push ourselves to think out-of-the box to get this into the hands of as many parents as possible. In future, I also wish to promote my design capabilities, by doing up the entire room and adding value in terms of design,” she ends.

#8. Image is everything. A Rich Image is even better.

Apart from her work, what does a working woman need to be noticed? A powerful personality. A persona that makes your head turn and notice her. Meet Aayezah Jameel, the founder of Rich Image, who helps you find that X-Factor in you.
Born to parents with phenomenal artistic temperaments and aesthetic sense, Aayezah inherited the love for words, the value of colours and relationship with textures. “I was always taught the importance of good manners, appearance and behaviour. Even at school, my principal always said, I want my student’s appearance and behaviour to speak for them and declare them as worthy citizens,” she shares.

After a string of confused career decisions and a commendable tenure in the best of hospitality industry, as General Manager with Hilton and Marriott, Aayezah proved her worth. “My first business venture was at the age of 24, while I was working with Hilton. When I came back to India, I started my Immigration and HR firm by the name of Twenty 4 Seven 365 Placement Services Pvt. Ltd. The company was started with the purpose to provide people with the honest and legal advice to immigrate, after witnessing hundreds of people being misled and cheated at the name of work permits while I was in United States. Twenty 4 Seven 365 has been a satisfying journey and its success gave me the freedom to venture into a field that is still alien to the Indian masses – Image Management,” says Jameel.

After having believed that every person is beautiful and unique in their own way, Aayezah wanted to bring out the best in every person – both their inner and outer image. “This desire to bring out a positive and happy change in as many lives as I can, kept me inspired and motivated to build the realm of Rich Image,” she says.

Rich Image trains and enriches individuals to form a professional image, an impressive personality, develop impeccable business, social and personal etiquette, maintain a powerful social image, manage relationships and enhance communication skills – all of it contributing to the holistic growth of an individual and adding value to their company’s brand image. While at Hilton, impressed with the way American women carried themselves impeccably at all occasions, Aayezah delved into the subject and learned a lot. She spent years in gaining knowledge, following fashion, completing certifications and collecting information to create a strong foundation for Rich Image.

“My passion lies in supporting individuals in realizing their self-worth and creating a Rich Image for themselves. This eventually led me to build a platform where I could bring together my expertise, technical and creative aptitude and create a learning source for every individual,” she elaborates.

The journey of Rich Image has been as enthralling and as challenging. It was a challenge to introduce a completely new concept in the market and the greater challenge was to help people realize and accept that they need a positive change in their image. “It is a very personal area of an individual’s life that they share with me and it needs tremendous sensitivity and empathy on the consultant’s part to enter that territory and win their trust. Image Management goes beyond fashion and styling, and delves into the lifestyle patterns of a person,” shares Aayezah.

In the years, Aayezah has been invited as a Guest Speaker at conferences and events that gave her a larger reach. She now serves on the Panel of Guest Speakers with Goldman Sachs and Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. “I am also associated with powerful networks like I-Met Global and life management providers like Rich Life Worldwide. I conduct workshops and seminars regularly with them,” beams Jameel. “I thoroughly enjoy my speaking assignments. A speaking assignment for me is not just a chance to market my work but an opportunity to help people refine and define their inner and outer selves. I also enjoy my one-on-one consultation sessions. Especially my de-cluttering and organizing sessions. I assist clients in de-cluttering, organizing and refreshing their wardrobes, souls and lives,” she adds.

At present Jameel is in a very happy place with Rich Image. She has good assignments and a wonderful team. Of course, the marketing, product improvisations and deliveries keep them on their toes; but that is the pace they enjoy. “My vision for Rich Image encompasses a space where individuals can heal their inner souls and reveal their unique personality and discover their Rich Image,” ends Aayezah.