As part of our ongoing quest to get you meaningful and powerful stories from the startup ecosystem, we invited yet another passionate and purpose-driven woman entrepreneur – Samara Mahindra for an exclusive interview with BrilliantRead Media. She is a proven leader, mentor, keynote speaker and Founder & CEO of CARER. Samara has over years of experience in the field of integrative oncology. She is certified in Physical Rehabilitation and Functional Exercise, Cancer Exercise Therapy and Breast Cancer Recovery and has also received certifications as a Holistic Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Holistic Cancer Coach from Beatcancer.org, Center for Advancement in Cancer Education and certification in Plant Based, Nutrition from Cornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Foundation.
Carer, India’s first integrative oncology startup provides personalised cancer care to patients. It provides integrative therapy and treatment to help patients heal better, feel better and live better during and after cancer treatment.
Let’s read more about her inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with her:
Talk us through your background and your journey as a women entrepreneur, please;
I have always had a deep curiosity about health and wellness. I would spend the majority of my free time learning about physiology, nutrition and general health. Unfortunately, I never took up the subject formally in my academic years at school however a personal incident in my life led me to go deeper into the subject.
My mother was diagnosed with cancer and while I lived beside her as a caregiver for many years, I spent most of those years monitoring and analysing how we could better her health and quality of life using holistic therapies that were beyond just treatment. Specifically using food, body and mind. I noticed a substantial impact on how these therapies were positively affecting her life and that led me to dive into the field of health and wellness in a more formal manner. I then spent many years studying health and working in the field. Post which I was exposed to a well-established concept of integrative oncology that uses conventional treatment for cancer along with holistic therapies to provide patients with a comprehensive approach to healing from cancer or any chronic disease.”
That was my first step towards entrepreneurship. I wanted to provide these therapies to patients in India and built a company to do so. The journey has been challenging however extremely fulfilling. I am asked many times, what it’s like to be a “woman entrepreneur”, but I fail to understand the differentiation. An entrepreneur is an entrepreneur, without gender bias. I have walked the path and had similar experiences like any other entrepreneur. Being persistent and having resilience at times of rejection (which is often) is important. Adapting to a changing environment is key. No business plan will ever be definite or close to it and that’s the biggest lesson I have learnt.
Why did you choose entrepreneurship over a corporate career?
Entrepreneurship runs in my family so it was a natural progression however, most importantly I wanted to fulfil a need and solve a problem. I noticed no one was addressing it and hence decided to do it myself.
Please share with us some of the challenges you faced in your journey;
Rejection is a major challenge that all entrepreneurs face however I have personally noticed that rejection leads to other opportunities. Initially for us, being in the medical fraternity, credibility was questioned. We needed to show data, results and quality to assure doctors that our therapies were effective and could improve the outcomes of the patient. Hence we spent a lot of time building credibility, doing trials and pilots and creating a methodology that today has proven to improve the life of a cancer patient on treatment and post-treatment.
A big challenge I faced was internal. CARER came about because of a personal encounter with cancer and from an immense amount of passion. While that’s good, it’s important to have a balance between the business side of things and being passionate. Initially, that was a major challenge for me. I was unable to look at things from an objective non-emotional point of view and purely numbers based. But in time and many mistakes later, I learnt where the fine line exists.”
What is your Business Mantra: Money or Emotions?
It’s a bit of both. Emotions are an integral part of keeping the soul of the business alive and money is the fuel to grow, expand and reach a large audience.
How do you handle the pressure and manage stress?
The people around you are the most important element in managing your mental state of being. I am involved in a very serious and emotionally draining business that works directly with patients, so my family and friends are the anchors in my life. I also spend a lot of time in self-care. I am spiritual by nature and deeply involved in meditation and mind-body therapies.
What has worked well for you so far?
Not getting carried away with funding and having the investment to grow. I believe a frugal mindset at the beginning is crucial, even when you raise funds. My mantra – “fail fast, frugally”.
Also, my instinct has never failed me.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Mindset, resilience, the ability to be objective and analyse the business from all aspects.
We would love to know your advice for all those starting out as an aspiring women entrepreneur?
There never is a perfect time. If you have something to be passionate about and need to see it through, then just start. You will learn along the way.
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.
