In the pursuit of happiness

Menaka Bhandary

Monisha Benzy Issac

Naazli Somjee 

Nastassja Suri

Shakshi Chowdhary

Let’s get this straight — bouquets and banquets are passé. Modern-day women who hustle expect MORE from their lives. By that, we mean motivation, opportunities to connect, being surrounded by result-oriented folks, and enterprising vibes. So, just in case you’ve been thinking of ways to show your adoration to a woman, here’s a tip or two from the horse’s mouth!

“One myth about modern-day women that I think needs to be busted is that we lack the patience and understanding that women before us had. I think we are more patient than ever, begins Shakshi Chowdhary, co-founder and creative director BloomBox, averring how it’s about time one does away with stereotypical myths. “Not only do we have the patience to deal with societal limitations, but also the patience to deal with additional limitations and challenges set for us by women of previous generations. We are often told that we don’t understand why things are the way they are, and why we face the limitations we face. But the sad truth is, that we do. This is exactly why we modern-day women strive and work hard every day to seize the opportunities the women before us didn’t even think they could.”

In keeping with the world’s growing demands and constant evolution, one thing is certain: Women no longer want stagnancy to be a part of their lives. “A large part of my entrepreneurial drive is aroused by my passion and ambition. Growing up, we are told that it is important to be independent — but no one tells you why — no one tells you about the freedom and the exhilaration that comes with being in control of your life,” begins Menaka Bhandary, founder of Blown Salon, who further adds, “A quality I have come to appreciate in a person is ambition. It’s gratifying to see people who not only aim for the stars but also give it their everything to get there — I have an especially soft spot for other women entrepreneurs. I think that a misconception that surrounds this idea is that a woman who prioritises herself does so at the expense of everything else. A woman can prioritise herself and still run a business. A woman can prioritise herself and still want kids. A woman can prioritise herself and still have more than enough love to give to friends and family.”

Thinking along similar lines, Nastassja Suri, co-founder of Chakra, a Bengaluru-based spinning studio, believes most modern-day women are more likely to be impressed by people that drive them to sweat it out and be their best versions of themselves. “Seeing our riders elated after a 45-minute spin class drives me every single day. Similarly, seeing the love our trainers have for our riders is truly inspiring.” For Sakina Ahmed, Founder of Needle Eye designer boutique, investing confidence and faith in a woman’s abilities makes a world of difference. “The trust clients show when they come back and appreciate my work is the best feeling in the world. Secondly, freedom of speech is a fundamental right and I believe it should be that way, it’s sad that even today it isn’t that way. Gender equality is being perceived differently sometimes, where the world sees as we are demeaning the other gender to show us superior, NO! We are just asking us to be seen and considered the same way the male gender is seen as. People also feel that modern-day women always play the woman card to get out of a sticky situation but that’s not true and I think that myth needs to be busted.”

While it’s always a great idea to surround yourself with good people, nothing beats confidence that comes from within. And, the woman of today realises that. Naazli Somjee, Interior Designer, MIMI Homes, swears by the power of confidence and believes nothing quite replaces faith in oneself. “In this day and age, I think a new-age woman gets turned on by being treated equally and fairly, both professionally and personally. In almost every industry, men are dominant, so a huge turn-on comes from being able to compete from the same starting point. A common myth about new-age women is that we are more emotional when it comes to business dealings — this is quite untrue. In fact, I think women can be more astute in many types of situations because we understand that there are always more moving parts to be wary of.” Monisha Benzy Issac, Superyacht Broker/ Director at LR Wonder Company India asserts that when a woman knows her worth, things fall into place. “Well, passion, competency, consistency, and risk-taking are all necessary, but there is one fundamental thing that women have to equip themselves with: self-esteem. Cultivating courage and confidence in ourselves as women are key to making it in this high stakes, high tension, fast-paced industry.” That aside, she also vouches for the power of success. “Being able to provide for yourself and your family by not having to depend on anybody is what the new age woman is about. If you look at the jobs that women take up nowadays, we’ve really moved away from the traditional offerings. I work as a yacht broker in what is perceived as a male-dominated industry. I know my way around the engine room and have been a part of new projects. Seeing female Yacht Captains running an 80m makes me excited. Another myth that I find to be annoyingly untrue is that women don’t get along with each other in a workspace. It was not very easy for me to break into my industry, and having come from a steel background — I had to figure it out all by myself. I had some fantastic ladies to guide me who are still my mentors and role models to this day.” In addition, the fear of complacency setting in is one of the biggest fears among girls who wish to hustle today. “Fear of not being successful; fear of not turning a profit; fear of not meeting the quality standards set by the super-competitive industry; fear of not keeping up with changing trends; and as a result, being coined “outdated”; and also, the fear of regret of not doing enough/more,” she opines, adding that overlooking respect and recognition are deal-breakers. “Respecting that we know what we want and what is good for us. And recognising that we too are capable of leading, carrying out difficult tasks, as well as at the end of the day doing a fantastic job makes a mammoth difference,” reveals Shakshi. But that said, there’s no denying that nothing works better than setting boundaries and priorities. Dr Akanksha Singh Cornuit, founder ProMed Aesthetics, believes a good combination of being spiritual and ambitious can be a very attractive trait. “I think the myth that needs to break is that people think women don’t take risks or lack confidence in taking decisions or they’re too emotional about it. In fact, I think it’s the other way round. They are much more confident in their decision-making, they are ready to take risks and are open to being held accountable for it.”