Live your life with JOSH - My story at Josh Talks Kochi

(Hi all, I am posting My Josh Talks Full Script. In the actual talk, I didn't narrate a few incidents due to time constraints) 

In 1994 , one important thing happened for girls in our nation. Aiswarya rai became miss world and susmitha sen became miss universe. This led to global dreams to millions of little girls in india. I was a little girl too . a 13 yr old with dreamy eyes who didn’t know what to do with her life until then. Suddenly got a new dream. I want to become miss world . well, just like you guys laughed now, my friends and family also laughed. They teased me. They said, you – look like a crow, how can u even think of becoming a miss world. I felt bad. I felt rejected . I went and asked my mom “ why did you give birth to me as a dark skinned girl? Else I would have gone to become miss world. “ My mom, just like an old proverb “every crow’s kid is a golden kid” . said, “you are beautiful. Most beautiful I have ever seen. And becoming miss world is not the definition of beauty. You can be better defined when you achieve with your capabilities. Study hard and you will grow big.” 

Well, this was one of my first failed career aspiration. Some of my early “NOs” in life. Yes, on an average a girl hears 75% more NOs and DONT's  than boys.  But I then decided to work hard and make a mark in this world with not just external beauty but also with my deeds.

Hello all. I am Chandra vadhana , a dreamer and doer,   an  entrepreneur,academician , voice artist , dubbing artist, Trainer and an RJ . I wear multiple hats and balance multiple professions. I think doing multiple things helps me in being always active, enthusiastic and being happy always. Yes, Girls are generally good at multi tasking. That’s how the nature has created us.

So, the little girl grew up to do her studies and being brought up by a working mother, the one good thing that happened to me is that I had life skills, and I always wanted to be independent. So, when the parents of other girls in the family saved money for dowry, my mother insisted that its spent for our education and exposure. I became an NCC cadet, travelled to various parts of India and people around asked my parents , “ How can you send your girl alone to far off places ?” She said, she knows to manage herself. If not let her learn how to do that.  I was fortunate to get that kind of parents.

Incidentally My first NCC camp was an utter failure . but once again, my mom said, “ you should go for the second one . else I wont allow you in my house.” Though I went reluctantly, I later went on to become the best cadet and also represented the nation in youth exchange program.  So, after every first failure, a push by someone helps to get back in track. And If there is no one to push, push yourself! 

 It was in my college days that I wanted to become an entrepreneur. But no one in my family liked the idea – just like me becoming the missworld . But I  persisted. I set up a goal to do MBA so that  I can learn business. 

I went on to do an MBA and got campus placement in a social project and  I felt “wow” . Now I am standing on my feet. I worked hard and my first job was brilliant! Meanwhile  I got married. Yes, two kids as well. Then came the predicament – with no one to take care of my kids, my mom died when my daughter was born. I had no option than to quit my job. Though I tried to get back to career after first maternity , it didn’t last long because I then got pregnant with second one! For the next four years – it was a struggle period. The fight between my lost dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and here I am– managing two kids and big house. 

During those days, I sent out resumes to many companies. And never got an interview because probably the hr managers got confused because here is an mba with no experience in marketing, hr or operations and a mother of two babies. Why take headache! I then started emailing to some officers and big guys whom I met in my first job. I wrote “Sir, please help me. I am having problems. I cannot survive with just my husband’s income and we have house loan and two little kids. Give me a job or recommend me to someone .” One gentlemen replied, “ Chandra, don’t lose heart. You are very talented. Whatever you facing now is not problem. They are temporary situations. These are challenges and you should face them courageously. All the best” . yeah , it sounds inspiring. But at that time I was like “ I ask for a job and you give me motivational speech? To hell with you”

But, years down the lane this one statement has helped me to overcome much of the struggles that I faced further. Look at every trouble as a challenge for you to overcome . remember it comes to you because you have the power to overcome it. 

So, during that challenging period, I registered for my psychology degree. I completed my masters in psychology and started freelancing as a trainer. I got fascinated by the field of training. I imagined myself to be a world renowned trainer and speaker. It was in those days, the entrepreneurial bug bit me and with no full time job, I decided to become an entrepreneur. Me along with another friend of mine with her little kid started a co. – an HR consulting co. Well, those days, the word startup was not in the dictionary. The only word was “business” and it was not what something an educated girl from a decent family does. Period. You are supposed to work either in a bank or become a lecturer.  Sterotypical jobs . Well, with nil support from family and friends, we couldn’t survive beyond 1 year and I still remember the day I locked my office and came home and cried like a baby . And I gave promise to my husband that I will never do business again. (which I later broke!) 

I then took up a teaching job. Things became normal .Kids started school. Life moved on. Me being an aspirational girl always , I sometimes get the feeling that I shouldn’t be in a comfort zone. The moment I feel so, I jump into troubled waters . So, while I was happily teaching, I got admission for phd and I quit my job. While I was a researcher ,I also had a second profession as an RJ . Having multiple professions helps in widening your network and thus, I got to do an interview of a leading businessman in Kochi. After the interview, he said, “you are smart, why don’t u join my company?” I said “yes” and during my next interview, I said, “Sir, I have been successful in whatever I did so far, the only thing I failed is business. My family says I can never be an entrepreneur .I want to learn enterpreneurship” He gave me job to work right under him and for the next two years, I was actually “interning” to become an entrepreneur! 

In 2014, I quit my job – high paying one and plunged into entrepreneurship once more. I faced lot of struggles in the first two years that  I was sent out of my own office twice . After two years, I realised that my major weakness was that I went behind whatever someone else told me was right. In one such failed moment and with an ultimatum from my family – “either you quit business or we quit you!” , I organised an event what I call as a turning point in my life. It was a conference for trainers and it helped me get connected with a good network of professionals for the first time. Network of right people is critical for success. When you are surrounded with wrong people, you end up doing wrong things! 

So, after tasting one small success, I then decided, “ I will do what I feel is right. Even if it fails, I am responsible” .This policy helped me to take risk. I took a loan and started to work on my innovative online product “ t4trainer.com” .we became Nasscom 10k startup. Flourished well. Made a decent brand. And that’s when the next  blow came . My entire team of 8 people quit except for one girl. I am back to square one. I had mostly fresher girls and for their families – this job was a timepass until they found a suitable groom. So, finally, with my single member team and with no office, I worked from home.

In December 2017, I got the next big blow. The portal which I had put effort for more than an year got hacked . I contacted every IT professional I knew for help but no one could retrieve the site. Failures after failures are something I got used to by now! 

But one good thing about me is that I always come up with new dreams ! 

To cut the story short – these are all instances which probably paved the way to my current initiative Prayaana. Prayaana is kerala’s first employability , entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem for girls . The two key areas we work on is college students and  women after career break and provide them a proper career orientation and support. I don’t want any young girl or a young mother with an aspiration go without necessary support , mentoring and facilities .  I want to create awareness about the importance of career for women and that “marriage is NOT the ultimate aspiration for a girl” . I also want to ensure better women participation in our economy. Our growing economy cannot afford the qualified women to be just homemakers. One reason whey women do not enter career is feeling of quilt and also lack of family / societal support. For all reasons , we need to create awareness – we need to sensitise our society which says “ quit your job when getting married . quit your job coz your husband got transferred. Quit your job , your child is in the tenth std” I don’t want you to Quit. I want you to find an alternative and persist.  I want the society to understand that a career for women is equally important as her marriage.

That;s what I did. Persisted through all the challenges . Today, we at Prayaana are changing the lives of many women to comeback to career and in re-instilling her dreams. India ranks very low in terms of women entrepreneurship. Forget entrepreneurship , we have been recently rated as one of the worst countries for women. Well, I don’t think we are so bad. If yes, we need to act immediately.  I tried in my little way through our Disha  campaign which happened in Feb .

We have also launched our C2C Mission which helps qualified housewives to comeback to career.

We give her the courage and competencies to go ahead and just like every good thing , a small side effect comes – a little bit feminism is also instilled ! And feminism for me is the opportunities that a woman can get to realise her true potentials.

One last story before  I stop: Prayaana is the name of the first failed project after I became an entrepreneur. The project was a job fair meant for a govt dept which after I putting in work of over a month got scrapped . Once again I came home and cried like a baby. Years later, when I wanted to launch the women initiative, no other name than this came to my mind – because, I could have failed the first time but I wont fail every time. Yes, Failures are temporary.

I started my story as a timid 13 yr old who lacked self esteem. But today, I consider it as a destiny that I am able to give confidence and inspire thousands of girls and women about their dreams! And I  have miles to go before I sleep.