Meet The SHEROES - Anjali Batra

 Anjali Batra, Co-Founder of Food Talk India shares her dreams and aspirations in her interview with SHEROES. 

1. What problem are you trying to solve? What opportunity are you taking up?

The problem we are trying to solve - or rather have been solving for over three years, is to help people discover and share amazing food experiences via real-time suggestions and real people.

We connect Food Talker's and Food Seekers across the globe, and give them a platform to share their food adventures and discover new ones.

2. What do you do to solve this problem?

Over the last 3 years we have connected over 500K people to share and discover amazing food.

Being a crowdsourced platform, gives us the credibility of genuine opinions and recommendations from one consumer to another.

But, why stop at 500K when we can empower everyone to make a smarter faster and more delicious decision for every meal - The Food Talk app does just that.

We are launching a visual, rated crowdsourced food application that will enable people to share or discover amazing dishes in under 7 seconds, a social network for good food.

Our goal is create a platform that acts as "The world's largest Communal Dining experience" with flavours, palates and opinions from across the globe - virtual of course.

3: What was your childhood ambition, and how did you share it with family and friends?

Well my childhood dream was to do theater- I always wanted to get into creative arts. I was never one of those kids that wanted to live a cookie cutter life. I enjoyed being an entertainer, giving people experiences that they would remember. I've always been a people person. Sadly stage fright got the best of me and I never really had the talent. But I found my theater, I took a back seat and orchestrated a platform that helped people find beautiful experiences instead.

4: Your schooling, college: was it targeted towards what you hoped to be... did you become what you 'studied' to be, or did you change course and chart a different path?

Well honestly, education never really played a key role in my life. I was one of those kids that believed in practical experiences more than books and lessons. I studied marketing in my undergraduation and well to my surprise, that is what I am doing in many ways. However creativity is not something you study, it comes from within. And, I guess I was lucky to find my calling sooner than later.

5: How and when did you chose your field?

I spent about 3 years of my life working in the Public Relations industry. I worked a lot in the Fashion and Hospitality sector, and that is where it struck me, that I am inclining towards this sector.

PR taught me a lot, most importantly it taught me how strong my wits were against it. I knew that, I always wanted to do things more from a consumer point of view, and that's where I found it- Experiential Marketing.

How Food Talk happened for me, well it was destiny in many ways. It all started when I met a stranger sitting across me at a dinner table. Today we are business partners, running what could potentially be a Food Revolution someday.

6: What were the personal hurdles you had to cross?

Honestly, I was very lucky to have an amazing family that supported me through it at every step. In fact, it was my family that pushed me to take that plunge and go down the entrepreneurial route. They raised me to believe that anything is possible if you just give it your 110%. The struggle that I faced, and constantly still do is that people don't understand the space we are in. Everyone considers it a hobby and not a viable business. It's hard to be taken seriously sometimes.

I'm constantly asked questions like, oh that's great but what do you do for work? Or does your business even make any money?

7: How did your peers react to you? As a young educated woman, were you at an advantage, or disadvantage?

I feel like, I belong to a very progressive generation. Almost 40 % of my personal network are all entrepreneurs, following their dream and putting themselves out there.

So, it was definitely an advantage- because, I always have someone to turn back to. For advice, connections or even to just vent out the frustrations that come with running a startup.

8. What were challenges you faced and how did you overcome hurdles?

Everyday is a new challenge, a new hurdle. From finding the right talent, to setting up systems and procedures, to the constant struggle to always want to do MORE. It's not easy for two young kids to set out and start their own company.

How we overcame them, ‘join the system and not fight it’. Setting up a clean company is the most important thing. It lays the foundation to a successful business. It's hard at first and honestly, takes a lot of patience but it's worth all that and more.

Finding the right team, that is the second most important thing, probably both are just as important. Founders have a vision, the right team helps you bring it alive.

And, my third most important challenge- the art of delegation. I struggled with that for the longest time. Having faith and giving away control is not easy. I am a micromanager, and it took me a while to come around to it. And when I did, l realised that I finally had the time to do MORE.

9: What do you see changing for women professionals in India?

Well I can't say much for Women professional's across India, however for Metropolitans, I feel the times have  progressed exponentially. We still have a long way to go. The fight for Gender Equality is far from being won. However, we are definitely progressing towards it and female Entrepreneurs are being put on a pedestal, and are being celebrated world over.

There are forums for entrepreneurs, and then there are forums for Female entrepreneurs. That right there marks a progressive path.

10. How would you encourage young women to consider entrepreneurship as a viable profession?

My advice to young women who are looking to consider entrepreneurship:

Hell Yes! The most magical feeling is knowing that, everyday you struggle and put in your sweat and blood, but you do it for YOU, and for no one else.

So here are my top five tips:

• If you have an idea, act upon it. There are millions of people out there with great ideas, but there are only few that actually translate that idea into a reality. Someone else will do it, if you don't.

• Take Risks, calculated smart risks. But you will never succeed until you take the plunge.

• Find a Co-Founder, someone that shares your vision.

• Follow your dream, do not follow the money. That is the biggest mistake most people make. Money will come to you, but do not lose your vision and run towards monetizing your idea.

• And most importantly, find a balance in your life. Work is always number one priority, but don't lose yourself in it.

11: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10 Years from now, I see myself having done an MBA with a specialisation in Brand Strategy. Taking Food Talk to a global level, and hopefully changing the way the world experiences every meal. Food must be cherished and if every meal can be a beautiful experience, then why do it any other way. And hopefully mentoring new age start-up brands find their path. If not that, I could definitely settle for traveling the world exploring the various forms of Gin ;)

12. What do you do for fun?

Mixology, I absolutely love making healthy drink concoctions. It's a total passion. And, I balance that off with a healthy dose of exercise. I find solace in my daily workout. It's the only time my brain just switches off and goes into a trance.