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. Sravani Reddy G for an exclusive interview with us. Dr. Sravani is a Leader, Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, Philanthropist, Mentor, Advisor and Change Enabler. She is the Global COO and Director of Board at Ojaska. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Dr. Sravani:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
Certainly! You describe me as a Doctorpreneur, and I couldn’t agree more. My professional journey has been focused on combining my medical expertise with a passion for business and entrepreneurship.
I began working in healthcare right after completing medical school, gaining extensive experience across various sub-sectors such as digital health, occupational health, home health, EdTech in medicine, pharmaceuticals, and health tech.
Throughout my career, I have been involved in supporting, building, running, and scaling enterprises in these areas, with a strong emphasis currently on integrative medicine, Health Tech, and Mental Health.
What sets me apart is my unique combination of clinical and business expertise, which I have developed through my education and work experience. I hold postgraduate degrees in both medicine and business administration.”
Combining these two educational experiences coupled with my industry experience has been essential in my professional journey as I understand both the medical and business worlds, which I believe is my greatest asset.
I currently serve as the Global COO and Director of the Board at Ojaska (USA) where we are building the new age integrative care models coupled with cutting-edge technology. Apart from strategic consulting, I have also invested in startups predominantly in healthcare but not limited to.
I am a board advisor for SolhWellness, ValueMomentum, Growth Garage. I am also a Non-Executive Director on the board for Elixir Pharma, Hyderabad. I am passionate about using my knowledge and experience to support and mentor other entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry while I experiment on my adventures.
In addition to my professional pursuits, I am also actively involved in various philanthropic organizations and initiatives related to healthcare and community service. I founded and serve as the president of Hopeville Charities in India and am a trustee for SMRATA trust, USA.”
My journey has been driven by my passion for healthcare and my desire to make a positive impact on society. By combining my clinical expertise with my business acumen, I believe I can create sustainable solutions that benefit patients and healthcare providers alike. I see my journey as just beginning, and I am excited to continue learning and growing as a Doctorpreneur.
And last but not the least, I am a doting mother to a rockstar seven-year-old daughter of mine which is an essential part of who I am and my journey.
How did you discover your passion? Also, talk us through your varied interests and roles;
I would like to say I am still in the process of discovering my passion and it’s been a dynamic journey thus far. But most of my discovery happened through active choices I have made in diversifying the domains I worked in or the kind of roles I chose to pick up along the way.
I have actively chosen strategic roles to put myself in the crux of the businesses and I have been lucky with the opportunities I got. But these were risky active choices especially when you are making them early in your career.”
Certainly, throughout my journey as a Doctorpreneur, I have learned several valuable lessons that have shaped my perspective and approach to healthcare and entrepreneurship.
Firstly, I have learned that the combination of medical and business education is a powerful asset. Having a clinical understanding of healthcare allowed me to identify gaps in the system and areas where innovation can improve patient outcomes.
At the same time, my business education equipped me with the skills and knowledge to develop and implement innovative solutions, build and scale businesses, and create meaningful impact for patients and communities.
Secondly, I have learned that a successful healthcare enterprise must prioritize patient outcomes over profits. The healthcare industry is unique in that it is driven by a mission to improve people’s health and well-being.
By prioritizing patient outcomes, healthcare businesses can build trust with patients, create sustainable business models, and achieve long-term success.
Thirdly, I have learned the importance of collaboration and partnerships in healthcare. No one organization or individual can solve all of the challenges facing the healthcare industry. Collaboration between different stakeholders, including healthcare providers, payers, regulators, and patients, is crucial for developing and implementing effective solutions.
Finally, I have learned that innovation is key to driving progress in healthcare. Whether it’s developing new technologies, implementing new care models, or improving existing processes, innovation is essential for improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, and increasing access to healthcare.
Overall, my journey as a Doctorpreneur has taught me the importance of combining medical and business education, prioritizing patient outcomes, collaborating with others in the industry, and driving innovation to create a meaningful impact in healthcare. These lessons have guided my work as an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, and will continue to shape my approach to healthcare in the future.”
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
I have always been a fighter when it comes to challenges or tough times in life since childhood. I dont give up. Now as a healthcare leader, my passion for making a positive impact on society drives me forward during challenging times.
Resilience, perseverance, and a growth mindset have helped me overcome personal and professional challenges, and I prioritize self-care to stay motivated.”
The support and guidance I have received from mentors, family, and colleagues, along with the opportunities I’ve been given, motivate me to strive for greater things.
Raising a child is also a driving force, as I want to be a positive example for her. Ultimately, I am driven by the desire to leave a lasting legacy in healthcare and become a better version of myself.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My biggest source of motivation comes from several people in my life. The longest-standing motivation probably is my own younger self. How I fought through the tough times since childhood and never gave up.
How I always hoped for a better tomorrow and worked towards it not knowing what was in store. That little girl is the key to my strength-my own younger self.
Then my late father was a first-generation entrepreneur who never shied away from dreaming big and taking risks. He built his business, Elixir, with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn from his failures.”
His determination and perseverance in the face of challenges have inspired me to take on challenges of my own. It’s the same courage that he showed while he was battling terminal cancer which finally got him, but he put up a strong fight. That’s taught me a lot.
Then my late husband who was the epitome of love and friendship taught me the importance of impermanence and the value of kindness and tolerance. He showed me that material possession are not what truly matters in life and that our relationships with others are what brings us true happiness. His life while he was around, has helped shape my perspective and keep me grounded.”
Lastly and recently it’s my seven-year-old daughter, Tanu, who is a constant source of inspiration for me. Despite losing her father at a young age, she has shown remarkable strength, courage, and grace in handling the situation. She has taught me to be a better mother and human being, and her resilience motivates me to be a role model for her.
My own life, its challenges and difficulties have become transformatively motivational in my life now.”
Overall, these individuals have taught me valuable lessons about determination, resilience, kindness, and the importance of cherishing the relationships we have in life. Their influence has helped me stay motivated and strive to be the best version of myself.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
> To not keep a facade and allow myself to be just me, keeping it real
> Taking risks and show courage
> Taking ownership of whatever is the situation and be accountable to see it through till the end
> Actively choose mindfulness and living in the now.
> Understanding that life is not doing things to me but these are being done for me and use them to my advantage
> Use setbacks as strength to propel the next leap
> Accepting the impermanence of life
> To value things as none and people as all
> To forgive easily, love unconditionally and tolerate more when it comes to people we care about.
> To be kind to myself and be unapologetic about self-care
> To live like there is no tomorrow
Please note that I am in an active pursuit of exercising all the above every day, it’s a journey, not a destination I arrived at.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Do not define success with respect to someone else or how the world sees it. Define your own and work towards it. To me, success is if I am doing better than yesterday. That’s how simply I see it. The only key to success is to learn continuously from your actions each day and focus on bettering it tomorrow. They add up over time.
What advice would you give to our readers?
– Don’t give up no matter what, if that’s your passion.
– But also be flexible to let go when it needs to, if it isn’t meant for you. Don’t get sucked into the sunk cost fallacy.
– Know that we have finite time, so be cognizant of who and on what are you spending it.
– Be a lifelong learner
– Choose risks
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
What makes it exciting about my journey is definitely anything but orthodox. It truly has been a rollercoaster. Be it professionally or personally juggling the kind of diversified roles that I did and do – it’s quite a ride.
That keeps my soul alive to be able to do such interesting diversified things within healthcare. What is most satisfying professionally is when I see organisations and leaders approach me with such faith and trust to drive things for them.
Personally what is most satisfying is to see my seven-year-old tell everybody that she wants to be like me when she grows up.
Finally, Am just waiting for my book “Ungrief” to hit the shelves next February when I hope to help people to navigate through their grief and trauma-that would be a satisfaction worth talking about.
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.
