“From 15 years of being a ‘Wantapreneur’ to 15 years of being an Entrepreneur – this is my story.”
As it is for most girls from a typical Indian family, society determined the course of my journey.
Right from what subject to choose after 10th, to where and how long I worked, every decision had on objective- to better my chances of finding an eligible bachelor.
From a young age, I nurtured the dreams of becoming a business owner. Coming from a business family, it just felt like a natural thing to do. But my desires and goals were of little consequence. Having a professional degree from NIFT, getting a job at the renowned Ritu Kumar Export House, these had no significance other than looking good on my marital resume.
Everyone made me believe that marriage is the ‘only’ big goal- the logical next step for me. Indeed, marriage is a big milestone. But intense conditioning left little room to think about what’s after this milestone. Because then it is a natural flow of taking on various other roles and responsibilities.
I too went along with this flow until suddenly at 30 it dawned on me that my life is just passing by and I was wondering what happened to my entrepreneurial dream?
I realised It was time to stop being a puppet and take control of my life. I sat my family down and told them it was time for me to start my business.
It wasn’t easy, but then there was no stopping either. Entrepreneurship became my tool to do what I always wanted. It helped me become the decision maker. Over time, I moved into various businesses- from e-commerce to consulting to podcast production- each having a purpose and mission of its own.
Transitioning into a new business meant facing fears of failure and imposter syndrome. But with self drive and community support, I could overcome these obstacles.
As I look back, I find the hardest part of my journey was to get started. I was able to do it only because I never gave up on my dream. And as I pursued my desires, the naysayers became my biggest cheerleaders.
That’s what every woman is capable of- dreaming, daring, and doing incredible things!”
Roshni Baronia is #4 of our #100careertransitionstories
