So we have never done a Career Confidential like this, but there is a first time for everything. Today, we are featuring the co-founders of SkinYoga, a natural skincare brand out of India. The best part is that these three ladies happen to be sisters too! They each answered 5 questions from the Career Confidential Q&A.
Full name: Deepika Choudhary
Position / Job title: Co-founder at SkinYoga
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? :
I wanted to be exactly like my mother; Indian bride, a strong businesswoman, a mother and wife and yeah amazing cook and amazing driver. I was so fascinated the way she handled work and her family.
Fast-forward several years/decades. How did you land (or create) your current position?
I love to click pictures. I took up photography as my career option because I loved it. People say I have a great eye for detail and a great design sense. I have no business idea or no sense of how I could use photography to earn a living. I left it to my sisters and chose to become the branding person for SkinYoga. It was one of the usual afternoons when we 3 sisters were sharing business ideas and SkinYoga was born.
Tell us what a typical work day looks like for you. What is your job REALLY like, both the glamorous and not-so-glamorous parts?
My job is suppose to be the most glamorous out of all three sisters since I handle the photo-shoots… models…lights. But honestly it’s just a normal day at work. It is more exciting than glamorous to shoot a new product. Also, being the youngest, I am over protected by my sisters and am treated like a baby, which further takes away any possibility of feeling glamorous.
What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to other career-minded women?:
No matter how busy or demanding your work is, keep going steadily. I understand the amount of passion one can have for their work, but you need to do things, which you might think are not necessary or can wait. It’s an investment in yourself because you are the most valuable and the only asset you will ever own. In short don’t put your life on hold for work or stop working to begin a new life.
Let’s talk about work/life balance. What does that mean to you? Is it important?
I have always tried to keep my lifestyle and work very simple from the very start and this gives me more scope to adapt to a new routine and schedule. I am lucky that ways cause I know not lot of people can be flexible due to rigid nature of their job.
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Full name?: Jagriti Choudhary
Position / Job title?: Co-Founder at SkinYoga
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was a confused kid. At one point I wanted to be an astronaut and there were times when I wanted to be a teacher, a sports person, a kite flyer, a housewife. I was extremely passionate about each option!
Fast-forward several years/decades. How did you land (or create) your current position?
It was only when I was 18 -19 years old, I realized I wanted to be an entrepreneur and that I could never work for some one else. However, I did not know which industry I wanted to be in. I tried my hands on several small start-ups from water to education and failed miserably. One lucky day it struck to me that I have to create a business about which I had 1. Knowledge 2. Passion and that day I knew it had to be in the natural beauty space! There I was creating SkinYoga with my sisters Radhika and Deepika.
Tell us what a typical workday looks like for you. What is your job REALLY like, both the glamorous and not-so-glamorous parts?
My work involves me spending time in the farms, in front of my computer or in the factory. There is no glamor! I am trying to think hard where is the glamor… hmm.. NOPE can’t think of anything!
What is the single most important piece of advice you would give to other career-minded women?
I want to empower women and I want to see them in a better place! My single most important advice to career minded women is that they should pick a career about which they are passionate from within… something that makes their heart happy and something that liberates them…We often tend to pick something that pays us most. The choice of picking passion over money is the ultimate answer to a successful career too!
Let’s talk about work/life balance. What does that mean to you? Is it important?
Work/life balance is extremely important. I learnt this the hard way. The lack of work/life balance resulted the failure of my previous start-up. I consciously make efforts to plan weekend trips, work-out everyday, meet with my girlfriends in the evenings. I have to admit that this takes a lot of effort but it’s refreshing and I know this will keep my business alive.
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Full name?: Radhika Choudhary
Position / Job title?: Co-Founder at SkinYoga
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid I wanted to be an artist, classical dancer, a yogic and go to the Himalayas and meditate. What I do today is very close to that; I create products for SkinYoga.
Let’s talk about work/life balance. What does that mean to you? Is it important?
Extremely important. It means staying elevated 24/7. I get bored very quickly and I have to be excited at all times. I am an extremist. But now, for me, working with my sisters keeps this balance in check.
If you could look into a crystal ball and see 20 years into your future, what would you want to see?
Content heart, sharper mind, radiant skin, rocking body and a roaring attitude like a lioness!
Do you have any career role models? Who are they?
My mom and dad. They made largely on their own at a very young age. I look up to them not because of the money they own today but because they made it while sticking to strong morals and high values and being righteous in a big bad world of business. We usually hear people say “its shark like survival instinct” but I saw my parents reach their goal with positivity, hard work and honesty while bringing up us four children. Hence I know its possible.
If you married a millionaire husband and didn’t have to work, would you? (Be honest.)
Technically I don’t have to work today cause my Mom married one haha. But In our family, education and work was always given the most importance. We have seen our mother work very hard and flourish as a career woman. And her husband respected her cause of that. I believe, there is nothing sexier then a self empowered women.
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