At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Dr. Shikha Khatana for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Image Consultant, Interior Stylist, Soft Skills Trainer, Influencer, Communication and Etiquette Coach. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr. Shikha:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I am a Dental surgeon with experience of roughly 5-6 years in various clinics and hospitals including Western Command Hospital in Chandimandir, Chandigarh. I also worked in an MNC as a medical underwriter for more than a year.
After that, I was on sabbatical as I was expecting my first baby in 2017 when I had my first baby girl, Dishita on my birthday. Thereafter, my life was about my kid. My husband is from the aviation industry, he is a commercial pilot. We used to be in a joint family back then but then due to some issues, we shifted and became a nuclear family.
That’s when I came to Gurugram. There I learnt to alone manage and settle the household and it was a difficult journey but was fulfilling in many ways. Later I had another baby girl in 2020, during the Covid period. She was a pre-mature baby with a lot of complications and it was a complicated pregnancy. It was a traumatic phase but we came out as a warrior and our life was blessed with two angels.
Post covid we shifted to our own place in Gurgaon and we had another beginning and there I decided to start with my professional life again and got myself enrolled in a business program with an institute for international certification program of Image Consultant and Soft skills trainer which was an eye opener for me. During this course, I conceived a third baby. I had a history of cesarean so it was complicated but then I did not want to do anything against God’s choice so parallel to my studies and course, I began my journey of pregnancy at 34 years of my age.
I had another baby, a baby boy in June and that’s when I started with another part of my course so I was in bed but studying and with a premature baby whenever I used to get time I was doing my studies as well. Gradually my baby grew and I soon got done with my certification course too. Just when my baby was 6 months old I started with my first training job and since then begun my professional journey again.
I started with corporate trainings and within two months I gave training on various topics and then I started getting one-on-one clients for image management. I had a passion about styling not only people but houses too so I came across a few architects and interior designers through the network of my partner with whom I joined a start-up.
With the need of the market and my expertise, I started my journey as an Interior stylist then. And fortunately, presently I have two residential projects that I am working on.
How did you discover your passion?
My passion is to help people be the best version of themselves. Now that does not only mean dressing well but behave well, present yourself well, communication and even how you keep your place.
My mother has been very organised always and I developed that habit by seeing her, it’s when after marriage and later in life this skills were appreciated and recognised I gathered this something is Essential but not common.
Gradually everything that I am doing now as a trainer, Image consultant and Interior stylist, it all goes around this one thing, visually pleasing yes, but organised and accessible is the key ideas. I teach them and their staff about how to maintain their house, their wardrobes and kitchen practically in their daily lives.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My mother, I know might sound cliche but there is a solid reason. She has played multiple roles, personal and professional and today even she is excelling in politics with dignity and pride.
She always told me, don’t demean anyone but do not ever compromise with your self-respect.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
More than strategies it’s the experiences during your lifetime that change you inside out. I am a rather emotional sort of person, I won’t forget easily and with a few dear ones, it makes a lot of difference.
But one of the few things that I learnt rather with difficulty was not to expect the world to be good to you even if you are good to them. They will only be good to you if it suits them or they need it.
I don’t believe anymore when I am told you do good others will be good, it’s more like I will be good so god is good to me, world is, however, it suits them.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
The clarity in vision, consistency in effort, Desire to be financially independent and definitely some support from your immediate, your family, neighbours and friends. Even with one less of these things, I wouldn’t have started my professional journey after 6 years of sabbatical.
What advice would you give to our readers?
Don’t think just because you are of a certain age, or have kids and family responsibilities you cannot or have enough money so you do not need to do anything for your individuality.
Believe me when I say I have seen homemakers at 45-50 of their age getting into this course and today working as amazing entrepreneurs. Because it’s not always about money, but mostly about that self-image, self-confidence, and self-respect that you need to do something professionally along with anything and everything one does personally.
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.
