Let’s talk business. Starting your own business is not an easy task. Women like Shweta Saxena think the same. ‘But it’s definitely not impossible’, remarks the lady in her late 20s. This Jaipur-based Interior Designer has set up her own flourishing work after some (mega) blunders. Scroll down to read her story, who knows maybe you’ll end up learning from her mistakes!
The beginning.
I always wanted to be a dancer/choreographer. But somehow I began preparing for the CA exams. Basically I was confused, like any other teenager. I even remember sitting alone in my room one day, all confused and feeling low about my career prospects, when my extended family of about 15 members came to soothe me.
The opportunity.
I won the best dancer award in Rajasthan during an event and received many scholarships from various colleges and institutes across India. One of them was the Arch Academy’s Interior Designing course. My mother pushed me to take that up knowing I have a knack of creativity. All that was mystic.
Step 1.
I was 20 and energetic. I grabbed a job at Mahima Group along with taking up few dance classes to keep up with my passion. There was this one couple whom I was teaching salsa, and they asked me if I knew any interior designer. As eyes screamed – ‘Me. Me.’ , I realized it was the best kind of commencement my career as an Interior Designer could get.
They had constructed a big home for their joint family and I got to design everything from their master bedrooms to the kids’ rooms & even the office area, depending on each individual’s taste. Their home became my canvas where I planned everything from the scratch. My uncle, who is also in the same business, helped me with technicalities I wasn’t aware of like electric boards, water pipes, etc.
1 failure.
Ah, it was the 1 big project that I had grabbed back in 2008. I had to design the BPO of Lufthansa Airlines, and I was supposed to send them the final quotation of the total expense required. I forgot to attach the final page of bills in the copy and received very less amount from them after the project completion. That would be too unprofessional to ask for reconsideration and so, I fell into huge debts. The losses kept harming my life for like 2 years and unfortunately, I did the same mistake with another client. Phew, that was the most difficult and challenging time of my life! I remember being afraid of going out of my house and meeting the laborers and vendors whom I was supposed to pay.
Lessons learnt.
Today I am super-awesome at paperwork, thanks to all the blunders I had done in the past. Now I read everything at least 10 times before signing the papers and forwarding them to the clients.
Financial Independence.
It is VERY important. I started earning before I was 20 and therefore, I understand the importance of self-sufficiency. Money issues have not only delighted me, but also made others trust my abilities. I was not the kind who would depend on the family for my shopping and travel expenses – and today, I am not the kind who will wait for my husband to pay the house-bills.
Support system.
My family is my support system. But most importantly, I will give the credit to the men in my life – be it my uncle or my husband. None of them in my family ever had any doubts regarding my potential and that’s how I always felt confident enough to try out new things.
Mission.
I am very much inspired by Zaha Hadid, the 1 Arabic woman architect, who received the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004. If she can, I can.
Stereotypes in this field.
There aren’t any if you are commanding enough to control your environment, and are sure of your actions. I’ve never given any client or laborer the right to treat me any less than a man. Also, I know when to say a ‘No’.
One vice.
My mother once told me: ‘The best man to do a job is a woman’. I follow this advice with all my heart.
Photo Credit: Shashank K. Tyagi