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 Shalini Bhattacharya for an exclusive interview with us. Shalini is an Entrepreneur and Co-Founder & Creative Head of India Hemp and Co. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Shalini:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I’m a creative problem solver with a background in business and a passion for building a better world. My career spans over 16 years – as a management consultant, creative head of a magazine and as the co-founder of India Hemp & Co. for the last 5 years.
At India Hemp and Co. we work with the mission of building sustainable, high-protein, plant-based food systems. I believe in the magic that unfolds when passion meets purpose.
Key drivers of my professional journey:
(1) I’ve been fortunate to be trained by the best:
– ESADE Business School, MBA
– Indian Institute of Management (IIMB), NSRCEL
– KPMG – Management Consulting
– My entrepreneurial journey has been an invaluable teacher
(2) I have built businesses with a range of clients, across geographies (primarily EU, US & India) working on delivering user-centred products and services.
(3) I believe in empowering the community to maximize impact. Whether it is through high-protein food with India Hemp & Co., or building a community of social innovators and mentoring start-ups through OpenIDEO.
‘India Hemp and Co’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
Jayanti (my co-founder & sister) and I explored a number of names before landing on something we thought would hold the label of a homegrown brand as well as the credibility for an exciting, up and coming Cannabis industry. We worked with a very talented designer and loved the logo she created for us!
Hemp is one of the most sustainable, planet-friendly plants around – it’s also a powerhouse of nutrition!
Customers are often forced to compromise on ingredients, quality and/or packaging. We at India Hemp and Co. are presenting you with an alternative, more planet & health-friendly choice. Hemp’s Omega 3 & 6 act as a natural anti-inflammatory. The key for a healthy heart and brain. It’s also great for protecting your hair, skin and joints.
What’s more, it’s packaged in 100% recyclable packaging.
(a) Its protein content (33-37.5gm of protein per 100gms) vs chicken (32 gm of protein per 100gms*) – think about that for a minute.
(b) It is rich in minerals such as Calcium, Iron and Potassium and Vitamin E
(c) A good source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 (together they have anti-inflammatory properties)
(d) Contains antioxidants
(e) Hemp seeds have several additional health benefits such as aiding in digestion, benefiting skin disorders, reducing symptoms of PMS and Menopause and risk of heart disease by producing nitric oxide (which dilates blood vessels leading to lowered blood pressure) from amino acid arginine which it contains in very high amounts.
(f) Also incorporating more plant protein in your diet, reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, blood cholesterol.
(g) Not only is it vegetarian but also vegan and gluten-free.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
That’s a great question! Being aligned with your purpose, along with having a strong team, community and co-founder helps keep me focused & energised. We’re also a group of creatives, who take challenges in our stride and enjoy thinking of innovative ways to overcome challenges.
On the other hand, business is a lot like life. You learn, grow, make mistakes. There are periods of ebb and flow. I find that accepting rhythms and building good systems helps to lean on when things get stressful.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
(i) Nurture your inner child. That sense of play is a good way to tap into your creativity. It also helps with the perspective of trying new things and navigating uncertainty with a positive mindset.
(ii) Strive for balance. Both internally and externally. Stress is a part of each of our lives and as we now know the root cause for most diseases. It’s important to have tools, balances diets and lifestyles to be able to handle stress better and to avoid burnout.
(iii) Build consistently and systematically. Minimize the chaos to be able to focus on the things that matter. Pay attention to the small annoyances and fix them early on. Implement good communication, project management, financial systems.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
– I think each person is on their unique journey. Being self-aware and perceptive of the world around you is a great place to start.
– Having a clear vision of where you want to be, also helps course correct when you’re misaligned.
– Developing a practice of self-care, whether it’s meditation, yoga, moving your body, getting a massage, finding what feels for you is KEY to dealing with stress and staying calm in the face of uncertainty. This one I had to learn the hard way.
– Be Bold. Take the leap! Have fun along the way, trusting that you’ll be able to pick yourself back up if you fall.
– Continuously learn and consistently improve to stay ahead in the game. Find your strengths and focus on building that.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Follow your curiosity. This requires you to silence the noise.
Don’t be afraid to build your own path. Keep learning – about yourself, what you like (online courses like Coursera, and MasterClass), what you don’t like, what you’re good at, how you can serve the world. Find your Ikigai and be patient, it’s a journey.
Take the time and create opportunities to explore the professional world.
I used to use my summers to intern. I’ve sold sarees at Deepam, made coffee at Cafe Coffee Day, worked with radio stations, wrote for the Bangalore Times and ventured into entrepreneurship – all before I made the decision to explore a career consulting with KPMG. That really exposed me to the workings of a business, across aviation and FMCG, Banking, Technology among others.
Talk to people. Connect with professionals whose careers interest you and explore. That’s the thing, like I said earlier, there’s a magic that unfolds when your passion meets your purpose.
Start your journey with experimenting to be able to find both of those for yourself.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Personally, it’s the process of creation for me. Seeing what was a seed of an idea, grow into a brand, championed by a team and bringing together our beloved community, across the entire country! It all started with a thought, over lunch on a random day.
The creative process of building and testing and then putting it out in the world to be shared is so exciting! It really is the most rewarding thing, to be able to have the privilege to build something that makes the world a little better.
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.
