At BrilliantRead Media, our aim is to bring to our community some of the unique and compelling stories from the start-up ecosystem. As part of this endeavour, we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur Paulami Niyogi for an exclusive interview with us. Paulami is a Trainer, Coach, Mentor, Mindfulness & NLP Practitioner and Consultant. She is the Founder of Paulami Niyogi Consulting. Let’s learn more about her inspirational journey and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Paulami:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey, please;
I grew up in a small town in West Bengal. I was not aware of the possibilities and opportunities in my school days. I thought of pursuing a traditional education and following in the footsteps of my seniors. Knowingly or unknowingly, I was nurturing a dream inside. The dream to excel. I moved to Kolkata for my college and then I decided to go for Business Management.
Being in a very traditional family I thought of choosing HR as a specialization. Back in 2009 HR was considered suitable for girls as it gives a chance to bag an office job. My perspective was completely changed when I joined IIBS, Noida campus for my MBA.
My professors and career counsellors helped me to unleash my potential, develop my personality and follow my passion. I started learning the “Art of Sales’ ‘.
I met new people, I learned new skills, I went through a lot of self-introspection. And finally, it helped me to draw my career path. I was motivated to take part in conferences, debates and music festivals. I started looking at life from a different perspective.”
During my Corporate tenure, I discovered that employees are not always happy with what they are doing. Money is not the only motivation. I started interacting with a lot of people and came to know that they find it difficult to find the balance between work and life.
I came to know that Life coaches can help to make a difference. I underwent a Coaching program myself. I left my job and decided to start my career as a freelancer. I was always inclined towards Digital Marketing and Social Media Management. I enrolled myself in a course conducted by MICA. Simultaneously, I started working with local businesses and mastered the skills.
I was mentored by Industry Leaders and found my way to success. I took the decision of starting my own company Paulami Niyogi Consulting and started offering services like Digital Marketing, Brand Activation, and Public Relation. Today I have clients from different spectrums and that is helping me to generate work opportunities for my team.”
What made you passionate about ‘Coaching’?
I believe everyone has certain capabilities to bring change. I was inclined towards Coaching as I have got certain benefits from my Coaches. I always wanted to add value to society through my actions. Clients invest in Coaches to achieve their professional and personal goals.
Coaching is a powerful process. I was deeply involved in my own Coaching process. I felt the difference in every level of my decision making. The reason I became a Coach is to make that difference. Today, when I work with my clients, watching them rediscover their life I feel happy and content.”
I always look forward towards building a happy community. I want people to achieve happiness from everyday life events. This passion of unboxing the happiness factor brought me to Coaching.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Coaches have multiple roles to play. The journey of a Coach is challenging but it is fulfilling and rewarding. We have our own struggles but the success journey is extremely satisfying. I get the opportunity to help people to make changes.
When I see my clients have achieved their life goals it brings a great sense of joy. In the case of Life Coaching, managing emotional boundaries can be a big challenge. I have always found opportunities in my challenges. Ethical Coaching Practice is helping me to overcome my challenges.
There are other challenges as well. Not many people are aware about Coaching and its benefits. Generating awareness is the first challenge we face. For young Coaches people question about the credibility. So, it takes immense patience and perseverance to take cases.
My willpower and confidence drive me every day. Personally, I have been through a lot of emotional challenges which includes the loss of my husband due to Covid. But I have decided not to stop for a moment. Life itself is the biggest driving force. There are endless opportunities which we can explore.”
It is not just professional opportunities; you also get to do a lot for society. My Coaching journey is also helping me to heal and learn new things about life.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My parents are my biggest source of motivation. I have always tried to follow in the footsteps of my father. He being a doctor has helped several underprivileged people to get access to sustainable healthcare.
He has taught me to devote my life towards community service. My mother has always supported me in all my life decisions. She had always focused on empowerment and personal development. I would also love to talk about my husband. He helped me to build my dreams and supported me in every aspect of life.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
There are a few:
1) Being Confident
2) Focus Management
3) Decision Making
4) Design Making
5) Risk Analysis
Please share with us, how do you motivate your clients?
I try to focus on individual strengths. It is my responsibility to make them aware of their potential. Once they identify the inner power they come up with more authority.
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
My motivation comes from my music. Learning music helps me to start every day with a positive note. It gives me a chance to be a learner forever. I can seek guidance from my Gurus. I get directions in life.
Also, I take a keen interest in Meditation. That helps me to balance my activities. I take inspiration from nature. I love gardening. Plants are a reflection of life and vitality. Seeing them growing and also nurturing them every day gives me a purpose to keep going.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
I will say it straight that there are many factors but if you really have to have the key elements then to me these are the ones:
(a) Discipline and Consistency
(b) Dedication and Confidence.
(c) Devotion and Coherence.
(d) Determination and Curiosity
(e) Decision Making and Being Cognizant
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Try to look at the bigger picture. We often restrict our thoughts and try to invest ourselves in non-productive work. Identify your optimum potential and that can be achieved only by taking chances. Don’t be afraid of chances. If it works it is okay, if doesn’t then you move ahead, take lessons from your mistake and never repeat them.
Find a mentor and plan your life ahead. Focus on self-care and self-development. Be open to learning and build your own community of like-minded people.
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.
