5 ​Successful ​women who made it big

Women who have beaten the odds and emerged as catalysts for change

Text: Rochelle D’Souza & Shalet James    Photos: Various Sources

Women empowerment and the much feared ‘F’ word – feminism, has come a long way since burning the bra and fighting for the right to vote. Women are highly educated, extremely successful in their careers and will not cower away from a challenge, women juggle their family, social life, work and other responsibilities on a daily basis and there is a strong and well rooted representation of women in the public sphere as well. The women of our mothers’ generation – those who have lived to see empowerment grow from the women’s suffrage, to Kudumbashree and the dawn of women assuming the roles of mayors, doctors, lawyers and police officers; the generation of women who fought hard to get as far as they have – believed that the road to equality was a long and hard one.

More than 100 years after the first International Women’s Day was celebrated, the women of the 21st century, the ones who have been empowered, who were raised to be strong, who have read ‘The Feminine Mystique’ and Hélène Cixous and have interpreted and woven it into their lives; the ones who have seen their mothers tread on eggshells as they balance work and family, have set unreasonably high standards for themselves.

As far as we have come, there is still far to go, but a few women have made it their God-given purpose to break stereotypes, beat the odds and set the standard for the rest of us to follow. They have set out to break glass ceilings and pitch on the same playing field as their male counterparts and be treated as nothing less than equal. They are a very clear what they want, how they want it and when they want it, and have set about to go get it, irrespective of what society has to say about it. Carrying on the tradition of celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of the women on Women’s Day, FWD Business took the opportunity to have a conversation with a few young inspiring women who have climbed the ladder to success, surpassed the odds and continue to do so every single day.

Rekha Menon

Tell us about your journey as an anchor, columnist and Corporate Communication professional?

I started my career with Asianet in 1998. Initially I was involved with TV programming and was behind the camera, working in the production, communication and public relations. As part of my work and interest I used to script for the programs too. Later I started working in a Management Consultancy firm, run by Mr G Vijayaraghavan, the IT visionary of Kerala, as Associate Consultant.

One day, my friend at Asianet approached me to anchor a show as his regular anchor left the show and the telecast was 12 hours away. I agreed and went for my first TV audition. My audition was judged by the biggest stalwarts of Indian Media, Sasikumar, T.N Gopakumarand celebrated writer Paul Zachariah. My TV debut program FTQ became an instant hit. It’s been 20 years, I have been juggling my corporate career and creative life as TV anchor. I am very fortunate to have interviewed most of the glitterati’s of Indian Cinema. Travel writing, Columnist opportunities then followed. My responsibilities have been doubled now. But, I still juggle my work, TV and family life.

Share one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt on the job and the Best and the Worst decisions you’ve made.

Never trust anyone blindly. Listen to people and never be hesitant to put forth your ideas and views. Be empathetic. Every role is easy to handle if you are approachable and friendly to your subordinates. I am not a micro manager but never compromise with deadlines; sometimes people tend to take me for granted! Worst decisions are many, right from hiring a person who is a mismatch to my team, doing a TV show which was not my genre, trusting a friend and being back stabbed… but you learn from mistakes. Fail Fast and Sail Forward!

What is the most significant barrier to female leadership? (You may specifically mention with respect to your industry)

She herself. You have to demand and earn respect in your work and family life. I believe that if you can give your 50 percent then rest 50 will be taken care.

Do you believe that you have succeeded in terms of your career and what more do you wish to achieve?

Success is a relative term. I am extremely happy that I am a self made woman. I got into a brilliant work atmosphere mentored by very capable and efficient bosses, and also created a brand of myself. I was never attracted to fame. I always wanted to do something very creative. I wish to be an entrepreneur in the near future, maybe I will start something that involves my media and corporate life.

Who has inspired you the most and how?

I come from matrilineal system in Kerala and the women around me inspired a lot –My grandmother Mrs Sreedevi Menon, my mother Prof Vatsala Menon, groomed me to be a fearless tomboy and my mother-in-law Indira P Bhaskaran ( Legend Shri P Bhaskran’s wife) adopted me as a friend and daughter too. Their stories helped me analyze and face situations in life. Ajit, my husband, has helped me in all junctions, and continues to do so. My son Avaan adjusted a lot with my juggling career and I owe to him a lot. In corporate, many eminent professionals helped me groom my career and a special mention to my former woman boss from the United States who later became one of the members of IT advisory to President Obama.

One thing you would like to go back and tell your 25-year self about (in terms of your career and your area of work)

I hate to grow old. I am still the 25 year old who is vibrant and lively.I have never changed the thought process of the 25 year old. I have always been surrounded by youngsters. I am person who can remain young and still be mature enough in making decisions. I am mix of 25 & 40.

Light Q&A

What according to you is a stereotype?

Every women’s life is a stereotype. Do not go with the society norms, if you follow the society, then that is stereotype. Be Different, Do different, Think Different.

Dream job when you were 10 years old:

My childhood dream was to get a job in a chocolate factory or marry a bakery owner in London.

What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, “You are a woman, you wouldn’t know/you ought not to!”:

I just laugh at them and say “Man grow up, you are a kid,” I have said it too. Once while entering a board room for a presentation, a guy said “Rekha you have developed wrinkles,” but unwaveringly I told him, “Even after 50 years, people will remember me as Rekha Menon, but, what about you?” (Laughs)

One mantra of motivation that you swear by everyday:

If I am moody, I just go out and talk to people, get some energy out of it. Talking is my motivation. Another mantra is to hear some loud Bollywood music and sing along alone!

At 60, I will be…:

The same. Then, I hope I would be an entrepreneur and would have employed women who have wave length like mine and we might have together set up a wonderful La La Land.

Nazneen Jehangir

Tell us about your journey as the Head of Nest technologies and the challenges of being the second generation entrepreneur.

In 2009 I joined the NeST family group and I have watched it grow and diversify into various sectors namely food and beverages, infrastructure, education and training and the software and hardware design, development and manufacturing services that we are renowned for. It was a deliberate decision that I would join after the birth of my first son, to maintain a work-life balance. And I decided to concentrate on software and training because it is my specialization. When managing the challenges of a fast-changing technology business, there is also the burden of stepping into the shoes of the 1st generation founders who took the company from a single manufacturing facility in 1990 to a diversified transnational conglomerate, with a vision to cut a turnover of 1 Billion Dollars in 2020.

Share one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt on the job and the best and the worst decisions you’ve made.

What I learned as a 25 year old who joined the family business as CEO is that one has to listen – to what is said and unsaid – and ask questions and learn, rather than talk. I don’t favour micro management, but prefer to concentrate on the big picture and strategy than the nitty-gritty of operation. But when a large software development project was on the verge of failure due to inadequate planning and risk mitigation, one has to literally get one’s hand dirty. I still don’t do micro managing but the processes I’ve put into place ensure that I get early warning in order to take remediation measures if necessary. If you ask me personally, what the best decision of my life has been, I would still rate my decision to join the family business though I would have loved to continue as a home-maker.

What is the most significant barrier to female leadership?

Gender inequality. Even though today’s women are well educated, corporates consider many factors as barriers in choosing her, especially to lead a team. A potential employer factors in many variables like the prospect of her continuing the job after marriage, long leaves associated with pregnancy etc. before offering the job. Though most corporates would deny it, glass-ceiling is very much a reality.

When did you consider yourself a success?

While it may be flattering for someone else in her early thirties, to be rated by the world as a success, I prefer to have my feet firmly planted on the ground even as I aspire for the sky. We have set in motion several initiatives that should help NeST Group’s software businesses to reinvent itself over the next 3 years. It is an ambitious plan to help us penetrate new geographies, and become a leading digital transformation player. When we achieve this target, I would qualify myself as half-a-success, with yet miles to go.

Who has inspired you the most and how?

The single most influential figure who shaped my personality and outlook was my father N Jehangir. It took guts and raw entrepreneurship to set up a factory in the 90s, when private enterprises and profit were dirty words, and turn the business into an empire 26 years later. Whenever I’m faced with a crisis, I put myself into his shoes and think. I’ve also been influenced by the maturity and wisdom of my husband Binub Azeez who is a seasoned business man himself.

One thing you would like to go back and tell your 25-year self about (in terms of your career and your area of work)

I would tell myself that business is an art and that is not something everybody can learn and practice, but is an inherent talent.

Light Q&A

What according to you is a stereotype?

Let me give you an example. I love Formula One racing, superbikes, action movies and so on. It always amuses me when I’m in a social gathering and men talk to me about fashion celebrities or Bollywood gossip thinking I’m interested in it. More often than not there are plenty of people out there to break those stereotypes.

Dream job when you were 10 year old:

To be an event planner. I had an eye for detailing and perfection.

What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, “You are a woman, you wouldn’t know/you ought not to!”:

*Sigh* The saddest part is that even educated people fall prey to this without bothering to examine facts and contexts before doing so.

One mantra of motivation that you swear by everyday:

Try, try and try again until you succeed.

At 60, I will be:

Always wanted to start a School with values and even run a little organic farm. May be I will nurture a few of these crazy ideas I have, when my two kids are finally grown up and independent.

Annah Chakola

Tell us about your journey as a designer who set out to create her own label and the challenges you faced in the process of doing so.

I launched Boho Gypsy 5 years ago. I started making jewellery as a hobby and little birdie on my shoulder was getting restless and wanted me to find its way back to my roots, so I took my savings and came to Asia, travelled around and the concept of Boho Gypsy came alive. I started small with just jewellery and slowly expanded into apparel and home decor and now I find myself styling spaces which is what I love doing best! My big moment came when Wholefoods, a large US retailer found my little brand and we developed a custom line of jewellery and bags from them. We are currently in 50 of their stores. Being a solo business owner can be scary because you never know what each month is going to bring but that’s also part of the joy of it because it pushes your boundaries daily.

What is the biggest or the most important lessons you’ve learnt on the job over the year. Also, what is the best and the worst decisions you’ve made so far?

It’s important to gain experience before you venture out on your own. I made the mistake of opening a boutique in the US being a complete novice. I had no retail experience prior and it didn’t pan out but it taught me a lot about how to move forward. Being in the creative field, it’s easy for people to seek advice from you without any form of compensation because there is nothing tangible you can show until the end product, I’ve offered up free advice and even took up a big projects purely on good faith only to be not given any credit in the end let alone being paid for my time and energy. You have to try and try again till you find something that works for you. Mistakes are part of the process. Don’t always think in monetary terms, it puts you in grave danger of losing sight of your intent and then things fall apart. The best decision I made in my life was 5 years ago, I took my savings, I jumped off the cliff and launched Boho Gypsy.

What is the most significant barrier to female leadership?

All barriers especially in this day and age are the ones you create yourself. I’ve never looked at myself based on my gender when it comes to work/ leadership. If I believe I can and want to do something, I will do it. No one can stop me. In that way, I have no fear.

Do you believe that you have succeeded in terms of your career and what more do you wish to achieve?

I don’t measure success in terms of money, I never have. I always wanted to figure out a way I could use my creativity into a business without compromising my authenticity because if you love what you are doing then you really don’t have to work a day in your life. I have a lot of ideas up my sleeve for 2017, I want to get more into creating spaces and get into home and lifestyle products. Everything you surround yourself with has its own vibe and I love helping people tap into that place where magic happens, I call it ‘Fairy Dust’.

Who has inspired you the most and how?

I choose to surround myself with inspirational people. My best friends are strong woman who all live so differently from each other, yet each inspire me on how they choose to put their best foot forward in their daily life. From being a mother and a full time law student and still being able to put on a genuine smile at the end of the day to an artist that blows my mind every time she puts pen on paper. I have friends who push me daily to be a better version of myself. That’s inspiring!

One thing you would like to go back and tell your 25-year old self.

Don’t get that business degree and don’t play it safe. Get creative immediately, that’s what you were born to do. Trust yourself and the rest will fall into place.

Light Q&A

What according to you is a stereotype?:

When you choose to close your mind off from growth and it’s easier to put people in boxes, you create stereotype…I steer clear of such thought.

Dream job when you were 10 years old:

Exactly what I’m doing today.

What comes to mind when you hear someone say, “You are a woman, you wouldn’t know/you ought not to!”:

Ignorance and insecurity. I laugh. Someone who has the gall to say such small minded things won’t have the consciousness to understand a rebuttal.

One mantra of motivation that you swear by everyday:

Trust your Process, Annah.

At 60, I will be…:

Full of experiences and possibly bruises to show that has made me fall a million times over personally and professionally but has taught me how to rise back up as a better version of myself. You will see peace and fulfilment in my being. I’m already on that journey so I can only imagine how amazing 60 is going to be. You will see wealth in my eyes and not in my bank account. That’s what I can carry to my next life.

Rohini Mohan

Tell us about your journey as journalist and author and the challenges you faced particularly as a female journalist working in conflict zones.

I’ve been a journalist for 13 years now, and think of the areas I am interested in simply as human rights reporting – this is sometimes political, sometimes developmental, sometimes inspirational, and sometimes about conflict. Conflict journalism often becomes about running to dangerous places and writing about guns and glory. I do not get an adrenaline rush from covering conflict and avoid it most often – perhaps this is because of my understanding of war as avoidable, or maybe this is my female nature, I don’t know. When I do cover conflict, as I have in Sri Lanka and Kashmir, and during communal riots in India, I am focused most on the safety of the people helping me, and the subjects, who are everyday people living amidst the conflict, whom I write about. The more I cover conflict, and see its long term ravages, the more meaningless I find borders, guns and war. The challenge is to still report while feeling this way.

Share one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt on the job and the best and the worst decisions you’ve made.

The biggest lessons I’ve learnt is to listen more than to talk, and to be ready to change plans as and when necessary – never say no when someone says they will show you something, or offers to take you somewhere. As for the best decision I’ve made, it was to not think too much about reporting in the war zones of Sri Lanka, and to just do it over 5 years till I felt less ignorant. Thinking too much has never helped in any scenario. The worst decisions have been to make promises to people that I will come back – in a journalist’s life, that is possible in very few cases wherein I would be able to return and meet them or speak to them again considering the situations that these people were in, and it’s terrible to break your word.

What is the most significant barrier to female leadership?

Speaking specifically about my field of expertist, journalism in India now has more women than ever, and in junior levels, women outnumber men. But most senior reporters or editors are often from upper caste and class, and this is more so for women. A Dalit woman hardly makes it above lower level – not even middle management. This is because of two primary reasons – Firstly, the unfair, ridiculous lower pay scales for women (especially freelance and reporting) so that only women with family money, or earning spouses can afford to be in journalism. This may stand true for other professions as well. Secondly, the lack of proper policies and structures within most news organisations to deal with everything from sexual harassment (within and outside the workplace) to maternity leave. These are quite significant barriers.

Do you believe that you have succeeded in terms of your career and what more do you wish to achieve?

I’d never say I’m successful, but I will say I am on the right track, doing exactly what I want. I think journalism is about longevity and impact, so it is a continuous process. I hope I have the stamina to keep the pace and keep doing what I do in the foreseeable future.

Who has inspired you the most and how?

One of the most inspiring teachers for me was journalist P. Sainath. His lecture on poverty and elite detachment was something that I had the chance to sit throughwhen I was around 20-years-old. Immediately after that went to a village polluted by a tannery in Tamil Nadu. The combination of the two had a profound impact on me. It changed the way I looked at the world, and I’ve never been detached from my surroundings since. Reading the novelist JM Coetzee also inspired me to understand and explore the darkest impulses of human beings. How else will we understand and be able to prevent the horrors of the world?

One thing you would like to go back and tell your 25-year self about

To never compare or compete with peers, because it only distracts you from your own true purpose.

Light Q&A

What according to you is a stereotype?:

A half-baked impression that has solidified into a weapon.

Dream job when you were 10 years old:

I wanted to be a singer and a detective. A singing detective!

What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, “You are a woman, you wouldn’t know/you ought not to!”:

I count to 10 very slowly, and smile, saving my energy to quietly do whatever I want anyway.

One mantra of motivation that you swear by everyday:

Learn as much as you can today.

At 60, I will be…:

… finally reading all the books I’ve put off reading.

Harsha Thachery

Tell us about your journey as an entrepreneur and the story behind how Masalabox came to be.

My entrepreneurial journey started in early 2000 with my own share trading franchise. I was still a student then and it was something I jumped into without giving much thought. Whereas Masalabox was an idea I mulled over for nearly 4 years before launching it in August 2014. The idea struck me when I was pregnant and was on the lookout for healthy ‘eat-out’ options. I realized that there was no place that offered wholesome meals that were additive free and more importantly ‘homely’. I was not able to act on it immediately since that was the time I had my daughter and I was rather caught up with taking care of her. It was months later, when she started eating solids that I started thinking about food from a nutritional point of view. I started my own experiments with alternate grains and healthy ingredients to feed my toddler. This was when my husband suggested that I take it up more seriously so that more people can benefit out of this passion of mine. And that was how Masalabox was born. Talking about my entrepreneurial journeys and ventures, I can’t help but mention my newest baby – Nakedly Yours. It’s a brand of hand crafted natural cosmetics that we launched in December 2016 (www.nakedlyyours.com). I chanced upon a set of natural bath and body products at an exhibition last year and I thought the products were really good. Having used it for a few months, I spoke to the team about collaborating with us and taking it to a wider audience. One thing led to another and Nakedly Yours was born. We are in our nascent stages and the manufacturing for the product is done in Ooty and sold through our website and at a few pop up events at present. But the future looks promising.

Share one of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt on the job and the best and the worst decisions you’ve made.

Follow your passion and take timely decisions. There are no right or wrong decisions but rather lessons to be learnt in the process. Opportunities are lost by delaying decisions, so if an opportunity comes your way then don’t hesitate to go for it.

What is the most significant barrier to female leadership in your line of work?

I don’t think there is any gender specific barriers atleast in my industry. If not anything, being a woman has worked to my advantage. I was always welcome in peoples’ homes when I went to sign up chefs during the initial days because they thought I was ‘harmless’.

When did you consider yourself a success?

I don’t think I’ve ever thought of myself as a success or failure. What I believes qualifies as a success isn’t quantifiable in those terms, but I believe that the most gratifying part of my work has to be the fact that I was able to mobilize the women workforce who were otherwise underutilized and give them a business opportunity and an identity of their own along with financial independence. For me that is more important than monetary gain or anything else that is conventionally accepted as success.

Who inspired you and how?

I think my biggest driving force and inspiration particularly the inspiration for this entire enterprise would have to be my daughter. Everything I started was in some way or the other directly or indirectly influenced by her and I hope that she looks up to me as a role model some day. She is my inspiration every single day.

One thing you would like go back and tell your 25 year self about business.

I would remind my 25 year old self to always remember to take risks. I think, as we get older, we over think and ourpotential risk appetite is much lesser. Actually I would want my 25 year old self to tell the present me to just go with the flow.

Light Q&A

What according to you is a stereotype?:

I think a business or a person gets stereotyped when they get complacent and stop reinventing. I think we should always be on our toes and move with the industry and keep ourselves abreast with the changes happening around us to avoid being boring (stereotyped).

Dream job when you were 10 year old:

I wanted to be a doctor because I used to be one of those naughty kid who would find or dig up insects and dissect them in my make-believe lab.

What comes to your mind when you hear someone say, “You are a woman, you wouldn’t know/you ought not to!”:

Whoever said that hasn’t met a real woman. It’s a good thing when their expectation is set so low because they make it so easy for you to prove them wrong. You can only go upwards from there.

One mantra of motivation that you swear by everyday:

Keep smiling (it was my school motto too…lol)

At 60, I will be… :

Retired and travelling 4

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