Being an Entrepreneur and a Mom – How to juggle between the two worlds

My journey towards becoming an Entrepreneur has its own history and are a result of my personal experiences, but the one to becoming a mom definitely was just about the right time and I was thrilled. I studied art from New York and love to make things from scratch. Very early on I was chosen as top 10 women artists in India.

In February 2016, I was successfully exhibiting nationally and internationally and selling artworks when I found out I was pregnant.

When Varun and I were pregnant for the first time, we were on the hunt for toxin-free products for the baby. That’s when we realised there are no options for safe baby and mom products in the Indian market. For me, the only option was to import these products internationally and the whole process was gruesome and expensive. And that’s how we also gave birth to Mamaearth. The idea was starting a brand that works on insights and develops products from world-class research and attempts to solve problem that young parents face. Today, I am working closely with several moms to build a product line of 100% toxin-free baby products comparable to international standards.

Then started the struggles of being a mompreneur and finding the “balance” between both worlds. Being a mom and Chief Innovation Officer have one thing in common, both come with responsibilities and constantly need you to improvise. I believe in ‘early to bed and early to rise’ and call it a day by 11pm. I start my day early planning every hour, just to make the most of it for both the sides of my world. But on some days, I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day! I begin my day with reading books or blogs and working out. I love spending quality time with Agastya. I help him with his online classes, and we study and play together. Eventually, I figured it was all about taking it one day at a time!

Later, Varun and I launched the The Derma Company to help millennials with solutions for various skin and hair concerns like acne, pigmentation, dandruff and hair fall. We realized that this generation is active on Social Media and is hiding behind filters, rather than embracing their natural skin. I remember how it was dealing with a sudden outbreak of acne on my face and didn’t know where to get help from. That’s how we conceptualised products with scienced-based ingredients, which are both, effective and accessible.

Now, I am a mother of a 6-year-old and proudly carving my way in this sector. Every aspect of juggling between the two worlds – work and being a mom, comes with its ups and downs; but one thing that I have always told myself is to never give up and never stop chasing your dreams. When work becomes too much, I look at Agastya, I instantly smile because all of this is eventually worth it.

One thing I do when I can’t prioritize between work and being a mom

At times when I am struggling to prioritize, I just take a deep breath and calm myself to figure what’s the most important things for me and then prioritise accordingly. I remember this one time, very early on in my start-up journey, when I had to choose between an interview and my sons first ever sports meet. I ended up going for my son’s meet and rescheduling the interview for a later date which eventually did not happen. But I have no regrets of any choices that I have made.

How to juggle between the two worlds in one line

Have the energy to hustle, eat well, stay fit, manage your time well and rock both the worlds.

My advice for moms

Take it easy! Kids do not come with manuals and it’s okay to make mistakes.

My guilty pleasures

Watching a cheesy rom-com movie with a pizza and no phone around.

My favourite part about being a mom

Being surrounded by abundance of pure love.