Meet The SHEROES: Vandana Suri

What problem are you trying to solve?

I am trying to keep women and kids safe in India, through a practical solution of women driving them. I am ensuring that  women can drive them as chauffeurs, cabbies or even take up driving school vans.

What do you do to solve this problem?

I source women from lower economic background, train them to become professional drivers, employ them and give them a driving career, a whole lot of respect and the feeling of being wanted. In turn, these women drive kids and corporate women to schools, offices and keep them safe. It is a win-win for these drivers, as they learn a life skill, earn a lot of respect for themselves. They are able to support themselves financially and keep families safe and happy. It is a far out ripple effect of doing good.

What inspires you every day to do what you do?

The smiles of the parents, every day when our Roos (drivers - they are branded as kanga"roos" - a caring yet strong animal) pick and drop these kids. The look on the parent's face says it all. That feeling of providing safety, inspires me a lot.

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

My childhood ambition was to become "Rajni" - if you recall there was a show on Doordarshan years ago, about this kick ass woman who would butt into things that were going wrong and find practical solutions.  Unfortunately, because of the inner fire it was garnering inside me, my mom would not let me watch it too muc!! But I guess, today I have taken an avatar like her, and it thrills me to the core, because I know I am making a change.

I was always a speaker, however, I was a backstage storyteller. Today when I look back at my backstage performances, I think as a person, I would like to term myself as the "inner voice" of the subconscious.

Your schooling, college: was it targeted towards what you hoped to be, did you become what you 'studied' to be?

No, totally different from what I studied. I changed path - not once, but twice. I was studying my chartered accountancy, then I changed my career into banking sales and advisory. And today, I have become a professional driver myself, and setting up a driving industry

How and when did you chose your field?

Honestly, it was the Uber rape incident in 2014 that actually shook me up. Not that Uber had to do anything with it, it just got branded like that. I read the headlines, where the victim had said " This would not have happened to me if there was a woman driving me". And those words rattled me from within, and that made me think, if no one wants to take this step, let me do it. That thought helped me to start - TAXSHE in Jan 2015

What were the personal hurdles you had to cross?

My mom was shocked that I wanted to become a driver. However, she knew the potential inside me, and was very confident that I would actually make something very meaningful out of it.  

My 13 year old son is very proud of me, all his friends and their families praise the step I have taken. My son terms this as a "revolution" in his history class!  

My brother did not even know I started this for almost 4-5 months. The day he came to know, he actually screamed at me for not involving him in this project right from the start. Today, he has joined me in the business and is heading operations of Taxshe.

So, other than a few shocking moments, my family actually stood by me through this out and out.  

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

My peers were seriously surprised that I moved from an investment banking career to starting TAXSHE.  They thought I must be nuts, dealing with labour class, since I had absolutely no experience.  However, most of my colleagues have always known as a tigress, and they had full faith in me. They knew I will make something great out of this. And I guess, within myself, I always had a mind of my own, I always did my own thing, took advice from people, yes, but did only what I needed to.

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

My biggest challenge was finding women who would believe in this concept and stand by me. There was a whole lot of convincing I had to do for the Roos and their families. Plus language barrier, I did not know Kannada, and they did not know english/hindi. But I guess the cause was so great, that somehow communication started from the heart and broke through those barriers.

The second hurdle that we still face is funds, investors think I am doing this for charity, while people who donate think this is a business proposition.  A social venture somehow doesn't have the right positioning in India - we can do good and still make a fabulous business model out of it. Why does doing good have to be only charitable?!! Doing good is good, period.

What do you see changing for women professionals in India?

I think women need to first believe in themselves as professionals. Most of the women I meet, believe in themselves as only family caretakers, they even earn only for supplementing family income. They feel burdened with more responsibility. I want women to look at a profession as being complete. I believe work also should be for our own self worth, money will follow after. They should stop living for only everyone else, and focus one their self worth as well.  

I think women make best entrepreneurs, because a woman's wired talent from birth is "multitasking".  Since it is so inbuilt in us, why not actually use this art to the fullest?

How would you encourage young women to consider entrepreneurship as a viable profession/ vocation?

1. Keep at least 2 years of savings/ fall back funds in your savings account/ fixed deposits. And ensure this fund should not be locked in property and illiquid assets.

2. Get your family to believe in what you want to do. You cannot be doing work while your family is worried about you, ensure they are at peace with your work.

3. Don't be afraid to see a ZERO in life, there is nothing below it, only way next is to move UP!!

4. Do something you believe in, don't do it just because of peer pressure or just for proving a point.  Don't worry if you are lost or confused over options, your dream will find you. Wait for it.

5. You cannot swim by putting your toe into the water, you have to jump all in!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In the history books! Under columns of REVOLUTION!

What do you do for fun?

Pack my bags, get into a car, drive with my kid to a different place, all on the basis of a GPS map! I believe every woman must travel alone now and then, the feeling of being free is so important, you need the wind beneath your wings!!

I also love movies, all nonsensical ones, which take me away from serious issues in a world of laughter.