At BrilliantRead Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Sonali Verma for an interview with BrilliantRead Media. She is an Image Consultant, Soft Skills Trainer and Influencer. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Sonali:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My professional journey so far has helped me cross-polli-nate ideas across in a wide variety of industry sectors, including IT, HR, Image Consulting, Soft Skills Training.
After my MCA from UP Technical University, I joined Convergys India Services as TSO where I learnt people skills, customer handling, cross-cultural communication contributing to the growth of AT&T internet services across the globe. Thereafter, I worked as Senior Analyst with IGate Patni.
Currently, I am working as an Image Consultant and Soft Skills Trainer where I am adding values to people’s life.
Being a homemaker for several years and carrying corporate experience had helped me understand my clients in a better way and helped them to get success in every phase of life, be it personal, be it social or be it professional.
How did you discover your passion ‘Trainer’?
Through iterative planning intertwined with continuous shifts in execution. Over the last 12 years, I have been involved in helping my friends and near ones and resolving their issues, unaware of the fact that this was giving me a sense of satisfaction and joy seeing them happy. in my areas of interest.
During the Pandemic, I realized that I was also in need of such counsel-ling that could regain my confidence. So I joined the course and became certified in whatever I was doing.
In due course of time, these initiatives helped me identify the areas of my core passion – Image Consulting and Training. It was essentially about arriving at a point just to explore what really resonated with my personality and life choices.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Empowering and helping individuals meet their best versions. Irrespective of their skin colour, body shapes, face shapes when they learn to camouflage their variations and highlight their best features and feel confident wherever they go and then come back to me with a smile. This motivates me to go further.
Also, every individual is different and comes with different sets of problems so it’s a new learning for me.
I believe in sharing Joy and that’s the first principle of SVIC(Sonali Verma Image Consulting). I believe all people are capable of change. It is important to understand people are shaped by their experiences and circumstances.
In my world, we envision a place where all people are confident, presentable and successful that in turn helps them improve their mental and emotional health and achieve harmony.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My life changed around when my pillars; my husband Sanjay and my kids, Trisha and Rudransh, graced it. Sanjay had accepted me as I was, he never tried to change me and stood by my side always.
He is my friend and my mentor. Last but not least my Dad, who has always inspired me and encouraged and appreciated on my achievements.
My kids are my stress busters for sure. No matter what I forget every problem when I see their smiling faces. My daughter Trisha is my friend whom I really desired as my first child.
My son Rudransh who is 4 yrs old and recently started talking. His broken sentences, his demands, his naughty behaviour, all adds happiness to my small world.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
There are a few:
> Being mindful
> Always being resourceful
> Empathy
> Eagerness to learn.
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) Accepting & Loving myself.
(b) Responsibility for my actions
(c) Standing up for myself
(d) Resourcefulness
(e) Compete with myself
(f) Positive Attitude
(g) Taking massive action (execution) with consistency and belief
What advice would you give to our readers?
Looking at several job roles, it’s at times difficult to grab one, however, if it’s our passion that is monetized then it is big deal.
For bread and butter we need an income, however, along with that if we pursue our passion and if given a chance are able to monetize it.
It will be the perfect profession. So that at the end of the day, you should be happy, satisfied and should be motivated enough to kick start tomorrow.
Most early starters get lost among marketing verticals within the first 5-7 years and find it hard to switch roles after that. Career decisions require a long view of what comes after and a good understanding of personal skills and ambitions.
Make informed choices and build a professional life that empowers your lifestyle and gives you satisfaction and so happiness.
There is so much to be shared, but this conversation limits how much I can communicate on this platform. Students and young professionals regularly reach out to me on LinkedIn with their specific queries. Homemakers also resonate with me as I am also a mother.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Getting great feedback from those who have been inspired through my social media content, through my consulting sessions /training programs amps up my energy to deliver more value to them.
Seeing shifts in them and in their journey make it satisfying because I see their success as my success and their breakthroughs as mine.
I am an internationally certified Image Consultant and got my TTT(Train the trainer) certificate accredited by NABET and SQA, Scotland. I have also learnt makeup from the very famous celebrity makeup artist Elton.
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.
