If fathers are the first heroes in a daughter’s life, mothers are the first best friends that they have. And in some cases, mothers, as always, play all the roles with ease. Brought up by a single, independent and hard-working mother, Archita Chandra understood the importance of being self-reliant at an early age. This also sparked the fire inside her to be light in the life of other women who need inspiration through her platform, ShreeNaari.
Here’s her story, in her own words.
Take our reader through your professional journey?
I started working from when I was in school, distributing leaflets, and doing small-time marketing (volunteering) jobs in Chennai. I have always been very passionate about working for and with women, and have worked with a lot of self-help groups in Chennai and other Indian cities. After my post-graduation, I joined Event Management and marketing and worked in senior management positions with companies like Red Chariots and Wizcraft International, In Chennai for 10years. Post this, I partnered with my husband’s event and marketing agency CreativeArc Entertainment. I did not leave my passion for working for women and continued to work to the best of my abilities with various NGOs across India. During this Coronavirus pandemic, I realised that women entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to reach a larger audience and/or are not digitally literate to get on an online platform. This is when I thought of ShreeNaari, and started it in June 2020 in partnership with my friend Reema.
What were the roadblocks or challenges you faced throughout your career? And how did you overcome them?
Brought up by a single parent, my mother, I had realised at a very early age that being Independent and self-sufficient is the key to success. Initially, my aim was always to ensure that I earn the money so that I don’t burden my mother. These times also made me realised how important education was for women to become independent. During my event career, I was faced with many challenges of working in a male-dominant atmosphere but my learning and patience from my past helped me get through them with ease.
What is your philosophy of efficient leadership?
I strongly believe in inclusion, teaching, and learning.
An efficient leader is non-judgmental, a good listener, and someone who is never threatened.
I intend to be honest and truly bring fundamental changes to the society and people, I strongly believe in the power of media and networking and know that nothing is impossible to achieve if you make smart and simple moves. I believe within each of us is the strength to conquer and a purpose to be accomplished.
Do you think organizations must have a balanced gender ratio in leadership positions? Why?
Firstly, the fact that this question is asked, means that there is still a long way to go!
Gender shouldn’t be a factor in whether or not a person can be a great leader — a person’s leadership abilities should depend on their individual strengths and personality traits. Gender diversity must be a bottom-line issue and not an HR issue, it is a basic Human Right.
Women value work-life balance, they are empathetic, they are amazing multi-taskers, they handle crises very well, they are adaptive, and are very patient.
We must also keep in mind that gender equality is not just a women’s issue, men must participate and contribute to making this happen.
What is your company/profession all about?
ShreeNaari is an ecosystem where every woman can earn and grow with infinite possibilities. www.shreenaari.com is an exclusive eCommerce platform for women, where they have the freedom to sell their products under their banner without having to pay any commissions, get the recognition they deserve through digital media, and showcase their products in the global market. Whether you are an entrepreneur who has products or a service to offer, or even someone who has innovative ideas to share, ShreeNaari encourages all these power-packed women to come forward to build a resourceful and powerful community of women entrepreneurs. We invite all women from across the country, from all corners of life join hands with ShreeNaari and promote their indigenous talents on this national forum to make a better and stronger India.
What is your vision for your company/yourself and your core values (for the company)?
A Powerful Community of Women Entrepreneurs! That is our vision and we are taking small significant steps to make this happen every day. From guiding women on how to use a digital platform to giving them the courage to come forward and make their dreams come true, we at ShreeNaari envision to reach out and support every woman, some way or the other. We aim to make every woman financially independent and we have a lot of various avenues planned out for them in the near future.
“I truly believe in the strength of women. I want them to watch their feet find solid ground and grow roots so deep that they will never be overtaken.”
What are your future endeavours/objectives and where do you see yourself in the near future?
I want to reach out to and make a difference in the lives of as many as women possible. I want to be able to make them realise what they are truly capable of. I want to work with a powerful group of thinkers and together create events and situations that provoke the mass to think differently. I empathize with and respect the role women play in their personal and professional life. I want them to earn their deserved position and respect, also educate children to help them be independent.
“I don’t know what the future holds but I am moving forward taking small smart steps, building it the way I want it to be, but if I’ve learned anything from my life, it’s that you only get one and you don’t know how long it will last or who you inspire along the way, so it is best to just be bold and be you”.
