“You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.” – Sheryl Sandberg
Rarely does it show on the outside, but everyone in the fast-paced corporate world struggles to establish themselves as ardent leaders. Time is changing for the better. Women are breaking the glass ceiling and emerging as determined, strong and dynamic leaders.
Let’s take a look at the success stories of some of the renowned women entrepreneurs who are a symbol of power, whose virtues are their strongest weapon; whose achievements have a voice.
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Aarti Kalro
Founder, Arura
Aarti is a multi-talented entrepreneur who inherits exceptional writing, healing, and counselling talent. Becoming an entrepreneur was not a conscious choice for her. She started her professional journey in the fashion industry and gained first-hand experience from industry experts. Gaining expertise from diverse fields, she started her entrepreneurial journey by incepting Arura in 2014. She calls it a “journey of self-discovery and growth, one that will continue for a long time!”
Arura: It is a brand that is built with the intention of empowering the mind, body and soul. The highly professional team of Arura is on a mission to spread joy and bring transformational change in the lives of people. The company is moving ahead significantly from being a wellness brand to the art and wellness space.
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Dr Ankita Singh
Senior Vice President & Global Head of HR, Cignex and Founder, HR Association of India
The epitome of ‘determination’, Dr Ankita Singh is an HR Expert who comes with 23 years of experience in managing and leading various aspects of HR. She entered the business world at a very young age and worked hard to gain industry knowledge. Holding a PhD in management, she is a Gold Medalist in BBA as well as MBA. The key area of her expertise includes transformational change management and M&A initiative.
Cignex: It is a global consulting company that offers expert solutions and platforms on Cloud, Open Source and Automation Technologies.
HR Association Of India: With the vision of creating a community of professionals, learners and mentors, Dr Ankita laid the foundation of HRAI in 2020. It is a non-profit organisation that enables people to explore, discuss and understand the latest industry trends and business scenarios.
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Dr Anubha Walia
Director, Prism Philosophy
Dr Anubha Walia is a renowned woman entrepreneur who began her entrepreneurial journey with Prism Philosophy in 2012. Harnessing her passion and strong willpower, she has an experience of over 12 years in the industry. Self-directed and self-motivated, Anubha believes in the philosophy of growing with a strong sense of purpose. With her exceptional training services, she helps individuals in excelling the art of soft skills.
Prism Philosophy: Focusing on the holistic and engaging learning experience, Prism Philosophy brings the best out of every person. The company has a reputation for quality and world-class services in Executive Coaching, Corporate Training and Yoga & Wellness.
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Arti Khosla
Founder & CEO, COAE International
Arti Khosla is an award-winning entrepreneur who is transforming the educational landscape for a better future. She is the Founder of the Centre of Assessments for Excellence. With her brilliance, process-driven mindset and competence, Arti is managing the operations of the company.
COAE International: Centre of Assessments for Excellence was incepted in 2016. It is an accredited assessment certification body that helps organisations and their people successfully achieve positive results. The company provides top-quality services in Assessments, Audits and Certifications.
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Aruna Budhiraja
Founder, Kreative Konsultants
Since her childhood days, Aruna has always loved creating new things. She started her career as a fashion designer and later got into the field of scientific Vastu consultancy but her fate landed her in the business of corporate gifting. And here she is, leading Kreative Konsultants since 2007.
Kreative Konsultants: Kreative Consultants started its journey by offering small tabletop gifts but it has phenomenally grown into a big firm that is today manufacturing a plethora of Corporate and Promotional gift options – notebooks, organizers, trophies, writing instruments, customised t-shirts, merchandise, smart wearables, tech products and more.
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Dr Bharati Nadkarni
Founder, Appropriate IP Services
Dr Bharati started her career by working in India’s biggest pharmaceutical company, Sun Pharma in the IP domain. After brushing up her skills for about 2 decades, she led the foundation of Appropriate IP Services. The firm only recruits women employees who are compelled to take a career break for different reasons like childcare, health issues or family relocation.
Appropriate IP Services: Established in 2019, the firm provides support on patent and prior art searches, landscape reports, product identification, due diligence, freedom-to-operate, invalidation strategies, competitor activity tracking, IP creation and varied support on IP issues overlapping with business and regulatory aspects of generic pharma development and launch.
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Binita Kadam
Chairperson & Principal Trainer, RGB Training Services
Binita is a hardcore training and development practitioner with over 15+ years of experience as a Behavioral Coach, having worked with corporates, academic institutions and multiple industries. With an aim to help people learn better workplace dynamics scientifically, she established RGB Training Services in 2011.
RGB Training Services: The firm provides psychological skill development for workplaces and universities. It also offers behavioural and psychological training. The firm also offers Immigration Services & Coaching for International English Tests under the umbrella ‘RGB Study Abroad’.
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Divya Pentapalli
Founder & Principal Designer, Designs by Divya
Divya’s love for design ignited in childhood because of her parents and grandparents who used to create unique artworks. Despite holding a B.Tech degree in IT, her inclination towards the design world made her go to Mumbai to learn interior design. She did multiple internships which eventually gave her the confidence to incept her own design firm, Designs by Divya in 2016.
Designs by Divya: Known for its trendy styles, creative ideas, and functional designs, Designs by Divya offers design services for both residential and commercial projects. The firm specialises in luxury interior design projects in Powai, South Mumbai, and Thane.
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Gauri Awasthi
Founder, CEO & Chief Curator, The Artisan Street; Co-Founder & MD, Digital Edify
A digital transformer, growth hacker, brand consultant, investor, mentor, storyteller, start-up evangelist, and omnichannel expert, Gauri Awasthi is a big name in the business arena. She is also an avid reader, travel enthusiast, and passionate blogger. She started her entrepreneurial journey in 2020 by establishing Digital Edify. In 2021, she started another venture, The Artisan Street.
Digital Edify: It is a one-stop digital transformation facilitator for all kinds of business needs. Services like Performance Marketing Solutions, Affiliate marketing, SEO, and more are provided by the platform.
The Artisan Street: It is an e-commerce platform where you can find handcrafted Apparels, Home Decor, and Fashion accessories. The platform promotes the handcrafted skill sets of all women artists and artisans.
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Ghazal Alagh
Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Mamaearth
A corporate trainer turned artist cum entrepreneur, Ghazal Alagh is a name known by all. She is the woman behind the very popular skincare brand, Mamaearth. Ghazal is currently serving as the Chief Innovation Officer of Mamaearth and is responsible for product development and community management of the company.
Mamaearth: Incepted in 2016, Mamaearth is a toxin-free, natural skincare brand. Run by Ghazal Alagh and her husband Varun Alagh, Mamaearth has become a household name because of its top-notch certified products.
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Jayasree Madhu
Founder & MD, Aamodini India
Jayasree Madhu started her career in 2006 in the medical device industry but an entrepreneurial bug bit her in 2019 which led to the foundation of Aamodini India. Via her venture, Jayasree envisions leading clusters of rural women towards building their own financial ecosystem which eventually helps them to be self-sufficient.
Aamodini India: It is a social entrepreneurship project of Aamodini Insights Private Limited. It is a platform for women, of women, and by women and is on a mission to create a space where women of rural India can build their entrepreneurial mindset by leveraging the natural resources that are at their disposal at competitive prices.
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Kirandeep Dham
CEO, Globus Infocom Limited
With a strong determination and passion to bring a change in society, Kirandeep Dham is running Globus Infocom with a resilient and futuristic approach. Currently, she is handling multiple departments including HR, Marketing & Communication, Training, Service & Support, IT & Admin.
Globus Infocom Limited: Standing tall in the education technology industry for more than 2 decades, Globus Infocom provides the best-in-class, cost-effective and advanced education technology solutions. The ultimate objective of the platform is to offer innovative and meaningful solutions to the users.
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Kusum Singh
CEO, Magna Group
Kusum began her journey as an entrepreneur by establishing Magna Group with the objective to make the world a better place to live. She has an industry-rich experience of 24 years which helps her lead her team from the front. She wholeheartedly believes in the philosophy of ‘Beauty – Inside Out’.
Magna Group: Magna is a place where one can find all kinds of world-class superfoods and Health, Hygiene & Beauty Wellness Products. Each and every product offered by Magna Group does not contain any harmful toxins or artificial & synthetic materials.
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Manjari Sharma
Founder & Principal Architect, Wagma Designs
Manjari Sharma is an internationally acclaimed interior architect and the founder of one of the renowned interior design firms Wagma Designs. Under her leadership, Wagma Designs has evolved into an ultimate epicentre of design perfection. She is indeed a design maestro people look up to.
Wagma Designs: Founded in 2004, Wagma Designs is a one-stop destination for all kinds of interior design needs. What attracts customers towards the firm is its high-quality service. Besides that, state-of-the-art 3D visualisation and competitive pricing are the add-ons.
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Manju Mastakar
MD, Armstrong Capital & Financial Services
Reiterating the fact that the future of finance is female, Manju Mastakar is contributing to the financial market via her investment solution firm, Armstrong Capital & Financial Services. She incepted the firm in 2010 with the objective to offer a complete suite of wealth management services.
Armstrong Capital & Financial Services: The company stands tall in the finance sector by providing top-notch financial services like Direct Equities, Mutual Funds, Treasury management, International Funds, Passive Indexes, Private Placements, PMS, AIF, REITS, Risk management, Corporate Bonds, Structured products, and Fixed Income Instruments.
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Muskaan Arora
Founder & CEO, 11 Ouest
Muskaan Arora is a new-age leader whose philosophy revolves around storytelling. She set up her own creative agency in 2021 which is strategically aligned with the ongoing digital world to assist brands communicate and connect with their consumers.
11 Ouest: The company specializes in boutique branding and marketing services for brands in the Real Estate and Retail space. Its two-pronged service model focuses on Brand Consulting and Digital Storytelling to offer brand communications and innovative positioning for every client.
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Nandita Kanwar
Director Growth & Strategy, Hydromo amd Founder, eConcero
Nandita Kanwar is a marketing and advertising professional with proven expertise in market research, marketing and digital marketing. Her sales-oriented marketing methods to achieve end-to-end results make her stand out. Her marketing strategies are backed by insights and well-researched facts.
eConcero: It is a leading Market Research and Digital Marketing agency founded in 2015. The company aims at creating top-of-the-world experiences for its clients & partners and bringing them the desired outcomes.
Hydromo: A renowned water and renewable energy company that empowers the commercial, industrial and luxury home sectors with sustainable water and energy solutions.
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Nikunj Sharma
Founder and Principal Designer, Nikunj Sharma Design Studio
Interior Designing entered Nikunj Sharma’s life when she was only 16 years old. After gaining technical qualifications, and sharpening her skills by doing internships with renowned interior designers, she started working as an educator for design institutes after relocating to Jaipur. Ultimately in 2000, she founded Nikunj Sharma Design Studio.
Nikunj Sharma Design Studio: The studio teaches interior design to all those people passionate about the field. The firm has also earned fame due to its excellence in creating stunning first impressions. Nikunj along with the creative professionals, designs spaces that reflect splendour and sophistication.
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Nirali Bhatia
Founder, Cyber B.A.A.P and Director, V4WEB Technologies
Nirali Bhatia is India’s first Cyber & Counselling Psychologist who spreads awareness about the dark side of the online world. She was also seen on the popular MTV show, Troll Police as an on-set counsellor and official therapist. She is the Founder of Cyber Bullying Awareness, Action and Prevention (Cyber B.A.A.P).
Cyber BAAP: It is a portal that educates users on cyber harassment & offers the victims the required guidance & counselling.
V4Web Technologies: Incepted in 1999, V4Web Technologies offers interactive communications, digital reality and internet strategies services.
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Dr Prameela Sreemangalam
Founder, Mind Scan
Dr Prameela was working in the Aviation industry but her innermost call to serve humanity for a larger cause made her start an entrepreneurial venture. Combining her deep knowledge of Psychology and Psychotherapy, she founded Mind Scan. Dr Prameela is a PhD holder in Psychotherapy and Counseling domain.
Mind Scan: Mind Scan is a Centre of healing and inner transformation. It serves the industry through psychology tools, energy healing modalities, life coaching, wellness workshops, zen-wellness, positive re-enforcers, and individual counselling in both online and offline modes.
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Pratibha Rathi
Director, Maneva Consulting
Pratibha is an ardent leader with 15 years of corporate experience. She is a qualified Computer and HRM Professional with graduation in Law & Science. With her entrepreneurial skills and true leadership, she is managing the operations of her HR firm, Maneva Consulting.
Maneva Consulting: Maneva Consulting is a one-stop HR solution that offers training and staffing solutions, helping clients achieve fast deployments. The company currently offers services to different IT and a few non-IT companies.
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Preeti Phuskele
CEO, Concord Talent Hunt & Pinacolish
Preeti started her career as a professor in management institutes in Pune. Her life as a professor was going smoothly but she had to quit her job for childcare. Later on, some financial challenges made her pivot to the entrepreneurial path and thus, Concord Talent Hunt was born in 2017.
Concord Talent Hunt: The firm offers early and quality hiring services. It specialises in hiring niche technical positions, specific positions & senior roles for the Research and Development and operations departments of Engineering Companies.
Pinacolish: Founded in 2020 by Preeti, Pinacolish offers assistance in improving staff performance, marketing planning, defining communication strategies, marketing strategies, and more.
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Priyanka Garg
Founder & MD, Maaesa Creations
The pink city, Jaipur has always been known for its craftsmanship and heritage. When Priyanka Garg experienced the rich art culture of the city, she knew what to do. To infuse trends and styles with heritage and craftsmanship, she incepted Maaesa Creations. The firm is carrying forward the authentic Tie-Dye legacy of Jaipur.
Maaesa Creations: Maaesa makes handcrafted garments and fashion consumables in the women’s casual wear range. The brand specifically makes garments for women falling in the age bracket of 18 – 55.
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Priyanka Nawani
Founder & Director, Flicka Cosmetics
Priyanka’s entrepreneurial journey started when she came to know that women belonging to Tier 2 cities don’t have the access to affordable and good-quality makeup at all. Therefore, to bridge the gap of affordable and accessible makeup products, she incepted Flicka Cosmetics.
Flicka Cosmetics: The brand offers a comprehensive range of beauty and makeup products like lipsticks, highlighters, blushers, and much more. Flicka has launched over 700 SKUs which are available in 250+ retail outlets across the country.
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Ritika Jayaswal
Founder & CEO, Nourish Mantra
Ritika began her career by working in her family business of iron and steel manufacturing but her innermost call pivoted her to build a brand from scratch. Thus, she founded Nourish Mantra in 2020 and is running it graciously by utilizing her vast professional experience and expertise.
Nourish Mantra: Blending ancient Indian wisdom with modern chemistry, Nourish Mantra is on a mission to provide result-driven beauty and wellness solutions. All ingredients used in making the products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and ethically sourced.
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Ritu Khanna
MD, Paradigm Ventures
Ritu Khanna is a professional recruiter and relationship developer. She is the Co-Founder of Paradigm Ventures. Since the company’s establishment, Ritu is successful in leading Recruitment, Board Consulting, and Family Business Advisory Services. Her in-depth research in different areas of recruitment helps her make better decisions.
Paradigm Ventures: The firm offers Senior & Middle-Level Hiring and Recruitment Process Outsourcing to Interim Management, Executive Search, and Recruitment Drives. It serves different sectors like manufacturing, finance & insurance, telecommunications, oil & gas and many more.
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Samira Gupta
Founder, Executive Presence Coach (MGSCC), Life Coach (PCC-ICF), Chief Image Consultant & Facilitator, Auraa Image Management & Consulting
Samira Gupta is an Internationally Certified Life & Executive Coach: PCC (ICF), Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Executive Coach, Advanced- Level MBTI, Image Consulting (IMPA – National Award Winner), Global Leadership Assessment (GLA-360), NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Advanced – Level Hypnotherapy, Rapid Transformation Therapy, Life Coaching (Including Spiritual-Emotional Wellness), Franklin Covey – 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Auraa Image Management & Consulting: It is India’s leading corporate training company that has trained over 2,50,000 mid & senior-level business professionals in different industries.
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Sapna Jha
Founder & MD, HapGen Education
Sapna Jha is a career strategist, performance coach and an avid entrepreneur who via her learning platform envisions promoting and imparting holistic learning beyond boundaries. Her platform, under her stewardship, provides leading-edge learning experiences with its comprehensive range of educational offerings.
HapGen Education: Established in 2017, HapGen is a one-stop extensive platform that provides leading-edge learning solutions for K-12 and College learners worldwide. The platform has delivered 10,000 hours of learning through 300+ online courses in 6+ countries.
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Seema Chaudhary
Chairperson & Managing Director, SM Express
Seema Chaudhary is leading a progressing logistics business with the same vision and value framed by her husband and Founder, Shrawan Chaudhary. After the untimely demise of her husband, Seema with her intelligence and growth mindset is taking the business to heights.
SM Express: SM Express is a leading logistic company that provides B2B logistics services across multimodal courier operations in Pan India. Since 1996, the company, with its robust infrastructure and state-of-the-art technology, is successfully offering top-notch logistic solutions.
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Sonali Bansal
Founder & CEO, Mayaa Money
It takes perseverance, grit and resilience to make a mark in the industry. Equipped with all three traits, Sonali Bansal is promoting financial literacy and financial inclusion through her newly built platform, Mayaa Money.
Mayaa Money: An interactive platform, Mayaa Money is a top-notch money management platform for smart savings and investments. Designed for both youth and parents, it helps them become financially independent with the help of gamified learning tools, savings and investment options.
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Srishti Arora
CEO & Co-Founder, Agriforetell
Srishti’s entry into the entrepreneurial world didn’t happen by chance. After graduating from BITS Pilani in Engineering in 2016, she started working at Reliance Jio wherein she worked on location-based data analytics and Big Data R&D in the GIS department. Once she understood the potential of data, she incepted Agriforetell in 2018.
Agriforetell: It is a tech platform that empowers farmers with data-driven decision-making, providing full visibility of farm operations. Agriforetell first collects data from multiple resources like weather stations, drones, soil parameters, and satellite data. After deeply analysing this data, the firm provides insights and predictions for the benefit of the farmers.
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Sujata Upadhyay
Founder, CDM Content Design Market LLP
Sujata Upadhyay is a leading content consultant and marketing enthusiast who firmly believes that coherent and compelling content can create a much-desired impact on the reader’s mind. To help businesses and startups enhance online visibility, Sujata led the foundation of CDM Content.
CDM Content: It is a Content Writing and Content Marketing firm that caters to the needs of B2B companies which are looking for business expansion. The content that the company generates and distributes is designed to attract, engage and convert potential customers into loyal clients.
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Zaiba Sarang
Co-Founder, iThink Logistics
We hardly see women working at the top levels in the logistics industry but the time is changing for the better. Zaiba Sarang is standing tall in the industry with her AI-enabled shipping platform, iThink Logistics. Zaiba is her own role model who takes pride in the fact that her logistics business is coming to the forefront of the industry.
iThink Logistics: Based in Mumbai, iThink is an end-to-end AI-enabled multiple courier aggregator shipping platform that has served over 5000 customers and has an impressive daily volume of 25,000+ shipments. Zaiba’s intelligence and business acumen places her firm among the top logistics companies.