Meet the SHEROES - Shumaila Chauhan

She’s had an incredible journey, one full of learning. But it takes a strong willed mind to learn from every step. Some people may succumb to the pressures of everyday life while others like Shumaila Chauhan will strive on by focusing on the one thought – believe in yourself and your vision.

Shumaila started a small bakery business - The Pink CakeBox of her own at quite a young age. It’s definitely amazing to hear how she entered this chosen line of work.

What line of work are you currently in? How did the inspiration to enter this arena of work come about?

While in my final year of my MBA studies, I decided I wanted to open a bakery. I have grown up seeing my mom bake delicious cakes and while I never actually entered the kitchen myself I would always inspire my mom to try something new.

I spent hours going through her cookbooks and ogling at some of the cake decorations. I graduated in 2009 and already got my placement in 2008, the time of the financial crisis.

Lack of good job opportunities made my friend and I take the entrepreneurial route. We worked on a café cum boutique idea but things did not work out- there was family pressure to get married first and that’s exactly what happened. I got married to a wonderful man and went to the states. Lack of work opportunity and visa issues, led me to take on the status of a home maker.

I then started blogging about baking and cooking and for the last 4 years worked on my blog The Novice Housewife. The blog got me hooked to food photography and also fueled my passion for baking. I went to Canada and did a course in Cake decorating from the prestigious Bonnie Gordon College. With my husband busy with his MBA studies I decided it was the right time to come back to India and try my luck again with a business in baking.

What was your First Job like and what did it teach you professionally?

My first job was at Ranbaxy in Moscow as a Finance Executive Trainee. I was blessed with great bosses and realized how important it is to have a person heading a team who keeps motivating his team members and who takes extra measure in helping them grow professionally. My teaching at that job can be well summed up by these words by Richard Branson - Train people well enough so that they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.

What do Indian women lack when it comes to being successful entrepreneurs?

I think Indian women like to go on a guilt trip when they want to do something for themselves and they become way too conscious when it comes to taking a step forward and taking a stand in terms of what they would like to achieve professionally.

Family pressure and societal norms too haven’t helped and someone or the other is always there who is all set to pull you down and discourage you from what you set out to achieve.

Personally I feel this is the biggest hindrance that women in India face when it comes to becoming successful entrepreneurs.

What advice would you give someone starting a new business?

I think it’s very important to believe in yourself and your vision. There will be tons of people who will discourage you and you just cannot lose hope. There are a lot of times you will fail.

You need to learn from your mistakes, you need to be strong willed and determined and you need to know that it happens. Mistakes happen. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Give yourself some time to get used to it And, if you believe in your idea and you know you can improve on it, you should continue striving to work on it. Remember everyone starts somewhere, so please don’t compare yourself with established people.

I did that a lot, I still do, but I keep reminding myself that with time I will also get there. There will a lot of low and high points and sometimes a longer period of low, that is when your mettle needs to show and you need to stick it out.

What does it take to balance your work and life in today's world?

Well, I have just started and am still struggling with balancing my work and life. So at present I won’t be the best person to answer that. For now, it’s mostly work with very little personal life.

Where are you from and where are you currently based now?

My dad was in the air force so I have travelled across India, but we belong to Punjab and right now they are based in Chandigarh, where I am operating my baking business - The Pink CakeBox.