It is always our endeavour to share with our community some of the compelling stories on entrepreneurship. This week we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur Suchismita Chattaraj for an interview with us to understand more about her journey. Suchismita is a Successful Leader, Mentor, Change Enabler, Speaker and Founder of Unspoken Prejudice. Let’s read more about her inspiring journey, her background and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Suchismita:
We are aware of your contributions; talk us through your background and your journey, please;
An Engineer by profession, and an Artist by passion. Quintessentially Bengali, growing up in a small town of West Bengal, I was always a multi-faceted talent. I am a passionate singer, incredible dancer, music composer, and blogger who loves to inculcate Indian/Western and Bengali culture into my blogs and creations.
Since childhood, I have always had a knack for doing creative things and that’s when my love affair with fashion started. Getting clicked and publishing my pictures on social media has always been my regular errand.”
And then there was a time when most of my friends, colleagues, relatives asked me for advice around dressing up based on how they saw me getting dressed. They absolutely loved my pictures and motivated me to create my own blog and that’s how Chiquemyway happened.
Gradually my content was liked by people and thus I made an impact gaining 20K plus followers on my Instagram handle. I featured on multiple platforms and collaborated with several beauty, skincare brands.
When I was immersed in creating fashion & beauty content I also started on a project/venture of mine called “Unspoken Prejudice” bringing unthinkable and unspoken social norms to light for an open discourse.
How did you discover your passion?
What’s life without passion? It has been a fuel that has kept me going for years.
My passion has always been to be different and help people in whatever way I can. Growing up as a small-town girl, I had lots of dreams but fewer ways to pursue those.
I completed my Engineering and moved to Bangalore for my Job. Despite having a full-time job, I have been able to do whatever I can to satiate the thirst of following my passion.”
I have always been inclined towards music and fashion and in today’s day and age, when there are plenty of opportunities in the shape of various platforms, pursuing your dreams, has become feasible for any person and you don’t need to come from an affluent family to do that.
Today we have ways to reach and spread our message to a broader audience and that helps to accentuate our pace to fulfil our dreams and pursue our passion.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
I take challenges as part and parcel of living life and pursuing your dreams. If things were smooth then I would not have been what I am today. Switching the mindset to embrace challenges and treat them as part of life would help you ease into any situation and help you navigate through any challenge.
Treating challenges as normal that I spoke about earlier and also empathising with people, not a strategy though but my nature to put myself into other people’s shoes and feel what and how they would be feeling.
This helps me to understand other people’s perspectives and help me take the next steps or decisions accordingly.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My parents, especially my mom, have been my biggest source of motivation. They have been with me through thick and thin. They ensured to give me the freedom and right atmosphere to explore my passions.
Please share with us a unique challenge you faced in your early career?
Not just in my early career, I think with every new day we face a new challenge and for me, it has never been smooth. I have been judged by my own friends and relatives for being defiant and vocal.
Since I have always tried to raise a voice against the taboo or prejudices of society, I have been mocked. It’s not easy to stand against the societal norms which have been fed to us since an era and breaking the stereotype makes you deviate yourself from the crowd and stand alone.”
However, someone has to face the heat and I consider myself that SOMEONE.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
I have always listened to my heart. I have been lucky to get support and inspiration for many things.
My passion to express myself and explore life fully helps me out not only in my job but also in other things that I do.
I believe if you are passionate about something, every second, minute or an hour brings energy to fulfil your dreams and exercise your passion.
You are always positive and motivated, what keeps you going?
Honestly, I take one day at a time. Life is precious and I believe we are given the life of a human to serve a purpose. We all are here to make a difference and not just live and leave.
This idea itself keeps me going as I feel I have been blessed with numerous things which many of them aren’t with and I don’t have the right to discard or disregard the blessings I have been gifted with. Working hard becomes easier when you are pursuing your passion.
That’s why it is important to find that one thing that motivates you and never let that go, no matter what.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
> Hard work and being sincere to yourself. There is only one loser when you lie to yourself and that is you.
> Being honest with yourself first would help immensely to make you grow as a person.
> Focus on your deeds, access your activities and introspect yourself.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
For students I would say, your scorecard doesn’t really reveal your credibility. Life is the best teacher and experience is the ultimate lesson that we all have to go through in order to discover our strengths.
So do not get disappointed without exploring what you are good at and the moment you discover the same just put your blood and sweat to achieve it.
Always keep it simple. Let your content be an expression of who you are and what you want to convey. Don’t complicate things but focus on one or two themes and niche that interests you.
Follow Suchismita At:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/suchismita-chattaraj-pmp%C2%AE-csm%C2%AE-6a493050/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/chiquemyway/
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