Any piece of advice that your parents gave you while growing up, that stuck with you?
First “Whatever you do, make sure you give it your best”
Second “if things don’t go your way, create another way”
Best advice ever!
What taught you more, your school/college education or your marketing job?
Each phase had some learnings. Life is about learning from each stage that we go through.
School taught me how to stand up to bullies.
College taught me how to try out new things.
My job taught me how to survive the big bad competitive world.
Tell us about your self-marketing philosophy. How can we all learn to do that efficiently?
When you work for yourself – be it your business or you’re an artist, you have to be everything.
You have to be your own sales person, finance person, your own PR and marketing , basically you have to handle everything on your own. Because if you won’t do it , then who will?
You know your brand or your product the best, so you have to step up , roll up your sleeves and start putting yourself out there. Opportunities don’t fall into you lap. You got to grab them before someone else does.
Do you think some people view/judge practical women as a rare heartless unfeminine breed? Have you ever been criticized for it?
All the time!
This has been going on for ages. Strong women seem to put off most people. I have been criticized for it so many times but naysayers don’t bother me.
What made you so practical?
When I was working in a corporate job , I realized I wanted to give music a shot. I took a practical step by saving enough money from my job and then quitting it, to follow my dreams. One has to be practical in life.
Hard work gets you somewhere. But combine that with smart work and it will take you ahead in life. Since then I do most things with a practical approach.
What is the first step to becoming practical?
Identify the pros and cons of whatever you want to do.
It’s good to go with the flow but even the river has somewhere to flow to. Know what you’re doing, be aware and keep an open mind always.
From singing to saucing, how did that happen?
Once I quit my job to take up music full time, I knew that I wanted to be my own boss. Being in a band is great but it’s difficult to pay bills. Whatever cheque I got, had to be split with my musicians. So I started to do things around my love for entertainment, around my microphone - so I started anchoring shows and doing voice overs .
I soon realized I wanted to start a business.
I started El diablo sauces with my husband in Jan 2017. Everyone thought I was crazy to plant this idea into my husband’s head. People would say “You’re newly married, you have to settle down into a comfortable life. Why are you turning it upside down by starting a business?” Call me stubborn or crazy but I believed in our business plan. My husband quit his job too and here we are with India’s freshest hot sauces- El Diablo Sauces.
How important is multitasking?
I hate sitting idle. You know what they say “An empty mind is a devil’s workshop” I like to keep myself busy. Mutlitasking helps with productivity and prevents procrastination. Multitasking teaches me how to use my time more efficiently.
Do you follow those self help book 5am kind of rules or do you like to create your own rules?
A bit of both.
I try to follow some rules and create my own.
But all rules start from 9 am! Haha.
What’s the key to juggling diverse roles like businesswoman, singer & songwriter all at once?
I always say “You know you’re doing the right thing when you want to do it 24*7, 365 days a year”.
When we do things we love and enjoy, juggling them becomes easier.
You are pretty much your own boss. How important is discipline in this case and how do you discipline yourself everyday?
Discipline is a very important key. I set targets for myself on a daily basis. All my gigs and events are penned down in excel sheets so I can analyze my growth and keep a close eye on my finances.
For my business, I set myself sales and business growth targets. Discipline is like a blueprint. Once we have it, it’s easier to work our way around it.
Do you get overwhelmed at times? How do you handle it?
All the time!!
Things go wrong all the time. And then I remind myself that obstacles and hurdles are meant to challenge me, not to stop me.
Describe a Badass woman.
A badass woman knows what she wants and knows how to get it. And even if she stumbles and falls , she fixes the crown on her head and continues on her path.
Who are some Badass women who inspire you?
My mother is the most badass woman I know.
We all can find heroes amongst us. My mother is my hero.
Your advice to girls who are trying to be more practical but cannot help and be impulsive.
If you don’t do it now, then when?
I know it’s easier said than done, but if you really want something to happen, you got to make it happen.
Stop hitting that snooze button. Seize the opportunity!
You won’t regret it.
Any piece of advice that your parents gave you while growing up, that stuck with you?
First “Whatever you do, make sure you give it your best”
Second “if things don’t go your way, create another way”
Best advice ever!
What taught you more, your school/college education or your marketing job?
Each phase had some learnings. Life is about learning from each stage that we go through.
School taught me how to stand up to bullies.
College taught me how to try out new things.
My job taught me how to survive the big bad competitive world.
Tell us about your self-marketing philosophy. How can we all learn to do that efficiently?
When you work for yourself – be it your business or you’re an artist, you have to be everything.
You have to be your own sales person, finance person, your own PR and marketing , basically you have to handle everything on your own. Because if you won’t do it , then who will?
You know your brand or your product the best, so you have to step up , roll up your sleeves and start putting yourself out there. Opportunities don’t fall into you lap. You got to grab them before someone else does.
Do you think some people view/judge practical women as a rare heartless unfeminine breed? Have you ever been criticized for it?
All the time!
This has been going on for ages. Strong women seem to put off most people. I have been criticized for it so many times but naysayers don’t bother me.
What made you so practical?
When I was working in a corporate job , I realized I wanted to give music a shot. I took a practical step by saving enough money from my job and then quitting it, to follow my dreams. One has to be practical in life.
Hard work gets you somewhere. But combine that with smart work and it will take you ahead in life. Since then I do most things with a practical approach.
What is the first step to becoming practical?
Identify the pros and cons of whatever you want to do.
It’s good to go with the flow but even the river has somewhere to flow to. Know what you’re doing, be aware and keep an open mind always.
From singing to saucing, how did that happen?
Once I quit my job to take up music full time, I knew that I wanted to be my own boss. Being in a band is great but it’s difficult to pay bills. Whatever cheque I got, had to be split with my musicians. So I started to do things around my love for entertainment, around my microphone - so I started anchoring shows and doing voice overs .
I soon realized I wanted to start a business.
I started El diablo sauces with my husband in Jan 2017. Everyone thought I was crazy to plant this idea into my husband’s head. People would say “You’re newly married, you have to settle down into a comfortable life. Why are you turning it upside down by starting a business?” Call me stubborn or crazy but I believed in our business plan. My husband quit his job too and here we are with India’s freshest hot sauces- El Diablo Sauces.
How important is multitasking?
I hate sitting idle. You know what they say “An empty mind is a devil’s workshop” I like to keep myself busy. Mutlitasking helps with productivity and prevents procrastination. Multitasking teaches me how to use my time more efficiently.
Do you follow those self help book 5am kind of rules or do you like to create your own rules?
A bit of both.
I try to follow some rules and create my own.
But all rules start from 9 am! Haha.
What’s the key to juggling diverse roles like businesswoman, singer & songwriter all at once?
I always say “You know you’re doing the right thing when you want to do it 24*7, 365 days a year”.
When we do things we love and enjoy, juggling them becomes easier.
You are pretty much your own boss. How important is discipline in this case and how do you discipline yourself everyday?
Discipline is a very important key. I set targets for myself on a daily basis. All my gigs and events are penned down in excel sheets so I can analyze my growth and keep a close eye on my finances.
For my business, I set myself sales and business growth targets. Discipline is like a blueprint. Once we have it, it’s easier to work our way around it.
Do you get overwhelmed at times? How do you handle it?
All the time!!
Things go wrong all the time. And then I remind myself that obstacles and hurdles are meant to challenge me, not to stop me.
Describe a Badass woman.
A badass woman knows what she wants and knows how to get it. And even if she stumbles and falls , she fixes the crown on her head and continues on her path.
Who are some Badass women who inspire you?
My mother is the most badass woman I know.
We all can find heroes amongst us. My mother is my hero.
Your advice to girls who are trying to be more practical but cannot help and be impulsive.
If you don’t do it now, then when?
I know it’s easier said than done, but if you really want something to happen, you got to make it happen.
Stop hitting that snooze button. Seize the opportunity!
You won’t regret it.