Happy Women’s Day
As the world today celebrates International Women’s Day, we at TravelRasoi take this opportunity to celebrate the spirit of 3 women entrepreneurs, who talk about their achievements and successes, the setbacks and the challenges faced and of course the heart and soul they have put in their work to become the person that they are today. They are the women who in spite of roadblocks eventually learnt to take them in their stride and chase the dream of doing something big in life. They are the women achievers who can be a big source of inspiration to the society and we feel that their success stories need to be told for they set an example for every woman on this planet, who like them aspires to be someone special in her life.
It is very gratifying to see people appreciating your work and products being recognised in the market. I was able to revive the dying art of Punjab, the handmade Phulkari by giving it a modern twist and making contemporary products out of it for modern day usage as the Co – founder of Desifusion.
By setting up Lyall farm store I have been able to introduce a melange of ethically sourced, quality, natural and handmade products made at our farm and other villages around India into our urban homes. By doing so we are also creating sustainable livelihood and employment by supporting the rural farmers, women and artisans across India.
It is one of the best feelings but I feel I still have a long way to go and a lot to achieve. I feel very humbled when my work is appreciated and recognised. My husband Gurpreet Singh has been my biggest support in this journey and I dedicate this success to him.
The greatest challenge I have faced to date has to be the role I played in setting up the business and helping my company survive the current market conditions. I learned a great deal from the experience. It was a great challenge.
Achievement for me is the result that you personally bring about while fulfilling a particular role with full dedication, focus, workforce and positive energy that will give achievements on achievements. I had a dream and I am following that with all my heart and enjoying each and every moment of it by experiencing all kinds of ups and downs. But learning everyday makes me happy and energetic. I am eternally grateful for all the amazing experiences this venture has allowed me, for all the amazing people I have met from all over the world who chose to spend their time with us. It absolutely gives me a proud feeling.
The love and support that I receive from my parents and the belief that they have in me has always been an outstanding inspiration to me. Being a girl from a Rajput family and that too in the hotel business was very tough for me but my parents’ constant support and dedication made that easier for me. I would definitely dedicate my success to my parents.
Challenges have always been the toughest things in life to face. I have not faced much challenge and this is because of my confidence and belief in myself and my determination to complete the given responsibilities with full dedication. Also learning new things in life with every possible problem/challenges teaches you a new chapter and resolving them with true dedication gives a great sense of victory. But to achieve this, the only tool that we need to have in us is FAITH.
Rachana Behl – Chef cum Entrepreneur
I am living my passion and dream by doing what I wished to do always. So the summary is follow your heart and instinct and not your mind. Take some leaps of faith, take some chances. The path however is not easy for women in this field, but by not doing what you really want to do is a bigger injustice to yourself.
I started with a small home catering business and now after running many cafes and restaurants, I am now a consultant to many cafes and restaurants all over the country. I feel empowered having this skill and am able to use it in the best possible way for personal growth and a mental harmonious balance.
My biggest support in my journey are my friends and family, who have been around me and reposed faith in me and my work. I also should not forget my clients who consistently gave me patronage and believed in me and also all my business partners who are such strong women and gave me strength unconditionally.
The challenges of working are sometimes so great and insurmountable that you sometimes stop and think is it all worth it..? Sometimes the biggest challenges are posed at you from within you and those closest to you, but the idea is to never get bogged down by others. Keep up your self confidence by believing in yourself first, take advice but listen to yourself only, take responsibility for all your decisions and never play the blame game. Respect yourself and give respect to everyone who works alongside of you.
And so…
One of the best messages that I have read today on the occasion of Women’s Day goes something like this – Without “HER’’, even “HERO” is “0”. That’s so true! And after talking to our 3 women achievers, I certainly feel that we women have indeed come a long way and that there is nothing that can hold us back. The only weapon that we need to achieve this is – to have FAITH in ourselves.
– TravelRasoi Team