As part of our relentless pursuit to identify and share with our community some of the unique and compelling startup stories from the ecosystem, this month we spoke to Team Holistiq.in to understand more about their journey, their vision and the way forward. Holistiq offers holistic wellness solutions to individuals and corporates by considering multidimensional aspects of wellness which includes physical as well as mental health.
Before we read their unique story, let’s also read more about the Founders:
FOUNDER: Priti Raikar Thakkar – Priti has a decade of experience working in the mental health industry & an overall experience of 25 years working in corporate. She is a Counselling Psychologist, a Mental Health Therapist and a Life Skills Trainer. As a Speaker, she talks about mental health and life skills.
She is a Private practitioner. She is a visiting Counselling Psychologist at various institutions from deemed universities for the Government of India to NGOs’. She trains underprivileged students on Life Skills & Soft Skills. She provides online as well as face-to-face counselling.
She believes that nurturing our mental health can take care of our overall wellness of how we think, feel & regulate our emotions. She shows people how to cultivate self-care & self-advocacy by teaching them the coping mechanisms & helping them overcome their limiting beliefs.
She always felt that good mental health at the workplace is equally important as it is in our personal lives. Good mental health at the workplace allows people to work stress-free thereby, contributing to their overall well-being and increasing productivity.
CO-FOUNDER & CEO: Mihir Thakkar – Mihir has more than 25 years of work experience which includes 15 years of experience working in the Health and Wellness industry.
As a Co-founder & CEO, he brings his experience in offering holistic and curated solutions in multidimensional aspects of wellness for your physical & mental health. He believes that one must keep harmony in all areas of life by approaching healing from the perspective of being whole.
His ability and talent for customer relationship management and strategic corporate alliances have helped him reach out to corporate & communities by making them aware of how important one’s overall well-being is.
Our Founder and Co-Founder together by using their experience and expertise bring the best of both worlds of an integrated approach to mental well-being and physical wellness.
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Priti and Mihir:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, tell us a little bit about your startup and your collaboration with your husband
Priti: Our company ‘Holistiq, counselling & wellness services’ offers holistic wellness solutions to individuals and corporate by considering multidimensional aspects of wellness which includes physical as well as mental health. We understand that wellness is crucial encompassing both physical and mental aspects of health.
As a team Me and my husband founded this company. Since my expertise lies in mental health care, I believe that nurturing our mental health can take care of our overall wellness. I show people how to cultivate self-care by teaching the coping mechanism by offering counselling services and therapy. Mihir brings in his experience by offering holistic wellness initiatives that include preventive health checkups, Health Risk assessments & Mindfulness programs
Mihir: Together we use our experience & expertise and bring the best of both worlds of an integrated approach to mental well-being & physical wellness
Please share with us about your expansion plans?
Mihir: Expansion plans can vary widely depending on the specific niche or sector within wellness.
Our plan is to diversify our services. We want to explore opportunities to reach a broader audience.
We are embracing technology to enhance our wellness offerings through mobile applications, virtual sessions, incorporating technology to track health metrics. We are considering partnerships and collaborations with wellness professionals.
We are working on reaching out to corporate clients by offering wellness programs in workplaces.
We are also working on training and wellness programs for corporate, schools and college institutions, healthcare workers, etc
In your opinion – what is more necessary: An idea or a good team for a successful startup?
Priti: I think the collaboration between an idea and a good team makes it successful. A strong and innovative idea forms the foundation of a successful venture A Good Idea at the planning stage is as important as a good team at the execution stage.
Mihir: Without a viable and compelling idea, its challenging to build a sustainable start-up model. A good team brings idea to life through execution. Team members collaborate their expertise and drive the growth of any business.
Priti: Sustaining the quality and maintaining the consistency by offering good services makes a successful start-up up according to me
What are some of the best practices you advise your clients and how does it help them?
Priti: The advise I normally give my clients on wellness is that they practice an integrated approach for their overall wellness. To improve overall mental well-being, they must practice mindfulness techniques. Foster relationships and maintain social connections to reduce feelings of isolation and provide emotional support to the community. Seek professional help when needed and set realistic goals by breaking tasks into manageable steps.
Mihir: I advise clients to understand that mental and physical health are intertwined. Establish routines that promote mental and physical well-being. Stay informed to better understand symptoms and treatments and keep a check and monitor your health regularly, be it physical or mental
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
Mihir:
1) The first lesson I learnt in my life is that discovering and pursuing a sense of purpose gives life direction which involves identifying one’s passions, values and goals.
2) The second lesson is to align actions with these elements to create a meaningful existence and sense of achievement.
3) The third lesson is your authenticity and self-acceptance and embracing who truly you are with all your strengths and imperfections.
Priti: the three most important lessons I learnt is
1) Resilience and Adaptability because it allows us to navigate adversity with courage and perseverance.
2) Empathy, Compassion and Gratitude. Understanding and empathizing with others’ feelings builds stronger relationships, compassion motivates kindness and cultivating gratitude involves positive aspects of life and leads to happiness and resilience.
3) Learning and Growing – having a mindset of learning helps in personal development whether through formal education or experiences or self-reflection, continuous growth allows us to evolve and thrive.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Mihir: My journey is driven by constant evolution, innovation and exploration. What makes it exciting is I am regularly updated with improvement which allows me to grow. Exploring new ways keeps my journey dynamic and full of potential
Priti: Diverse Interactions with clients from various backgrounds make my journey satisfying. It provides me an opportunity to delve into different perspectives and improves my ability to help, listen and heal them. Additionally seeing how holistic solutions can be applied to benefit individuals and society adds to layer of excitement and purpose to my journey
How leadership qualities can help with your career or business growth?
Mihir: effective leaders have a clear vision for the future and develop strategic plans to achieve goals. This vision inspires others to align efforts towards common objectives thus ensuring progress. Good leaders motivate and empower their teams, encourage creativity and innovations and recognize achievements. Upholding ethical principles and integrity is also crucial for maintaining the credibility of a leader.
Priti: Decision-making and problem-solving qualities of a leader steer the organization towards growth and sustainability. Effective communication skills inspire trust, build relationships and influence the team to support initiatives. Leaders must navigate challenges, demonstrate resilience, practice transparency and accountability. A leader should lead by an example.
What are the business mantras you have embraced as you sought to establish your success story?
Mihir: Mantras to contribute to building a success story is
– Focus on value creation
– Embrace innovation as a core principle
– Focus on quality
– Adapt CustomerCentric approach
Priti: To establish your success story
– Start with a clear vision
– Uphold high ethical standards and operate with integrity
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
