Women Achievers – Dhwani H. Chitroda, Shree Vasudha Gel Earthing

I feel that my strongest attribute is my ability to work well under stress

Q. Could you tell us something about your professional achievements and career progression?

For me the best achievement in my professional life was when is switched my career path. I started my career as a paramedic in one of the most prestigious institutions of India. No matter how many different treatment techniques and methods I worked on, I still had a yearning for something to do with one of the many branches in the field of management. Rather than being focused on the treatment of people I was more interested in the service part. I was more keen about expanding the network and branding of the industry. While I studied I was also looking after Marketing & Sales of our family business. So just to get a knack of what my career or future would look like, I started working in the industry and that is where I realized that medicine is not something I wanted to pursue in life while my interest was lying in management. A good exposure of marketing & branding on international level helped me gain a lot of confidence over my decision. I struggled greatly throughout the whole process, even doubting whether I could make it to the end successfully. I battled with the worst case of anxiety. I’ve experienced it on a daily basis, continually second guessing my achievements and how I’d managed to get through each day. But my life couldn’t get any better after I decided to reboot my career from medicine to management. A lot of people perceive career switch as a negative thing. I believed in something, and had faith that it will all work out fine in the end and completely ignored the naysayers! I always adhered to the fact that you’re never too old for a change in career.

Q. What are the attributes that helped you to reach where you are in your career?

What I believe still is and has always been a true push-start to my career is being a learner for life and being persistent. I feel that my strongest attribute is my ability to work well under stress. I firmly believe that stressful situations provide us with opportunities to grow- both personally and professionally. In short, I view stress as an opportunity to rise to the occasion and learn more about myself. I feel that this trait can provide me with benefits regardless of the situation I find myself in. Even though I place a great amount of emphasis on organization and scheduling- I also find that a certain degree of flexibility is needed in the workplace.

Q. How far have you succeeded in challenging the stereotypes?

I currently work at Shree Vasudha Gel Earthing and here, we recognize and follow that gender equality is the first and foremost matter of human rights. Being in a male dominated industry, I did face a lot of struggle trying to prove my point to the person on the other side of the table. But strong determination and immense support from my directors is what has helped me maintain my position in the industry. Although, women and girls enjoy greater rights and opportunities than at any time in history – and yet gender equality remains a distant goal.

Q. How can women entrepreneurs broaden their horizons and become inspiring leaders of tomorrow?

The ability to influence people in an organization is very crucial. It’s about being able to sell your vision and plans and get people to believe that what you are telling them is the best and right way to move the organization forward. For every women entrepreneur, it is vital to be a person of mettle as well as metal. Expanding the horizon of your vision, itself is the first step on the ladder. We need to overcome our inhibitions of “what-ifs” and be assured that we do hold the potential to lead teams, run a business and take care of our loved ones. We usually struggle to balance our lives and tend to believe that work-life is different from social life. Instead, the focus needs to consciously be on blending the two aspects which will help ease the struggle of this juggling act.

Q. In both essential and digital functions, women suffered the repercussions of the economic and social effects of the pandemic. Your comments?

COVID-19 is hard on women because the economy is hard on women, and this virus excels at taking existing tensions and ratcheting them up. Of course, the disruptions to daycare centers, schools, and afterschool programs have been hard on working fathers, but evidence shows working mothers have taken on more of the resulting childcare responsibilities, and are more frequently reducing their hours or leaving their jobs entirely in response. It was affecting and will still continue to affect the economy. Balancing work and family obligations has long been the reality for women. Historically, women have been the primary caregivers in their families. From taking care of their loved ones at home without letting it affect their performance at work, women evolved as at the true work from home warriors in the pandemic.

Q. What’s the message you want to send to young working women?

In the current scenario, you will meet a lot of people who do not get or understand your vision. Try to avoid these people or do least work conversations with people that do not inspire you to move forward. Push away the walls up that keep you from pursing your dream. If you break down those walls and tell yourself it can be done and you can do it all, then nothing will get in your way. Once you’ve figured out what you want, go for it. I have personally come a long way to find peace with myself, balancing the various roles I play in life. May it be as a daughter or an as a team lead. My advice and learning for the next generation of female leaders is this, know your priorities and stay focused on your commitment. Be confident but also humble, admit that we are not just merely called superwoman, but we can always strive for the best we can achieve. Love yourself.

TO BE A LEADER, you need to be resilient, persistent and empathetic.