Rhea Punjabi touching and enhancing lives.

Hi, Greetings of the day. Today we are going to tell you the success story of another woman Entrepreneur.

Startup Name: Rhea Punjabi Training & Consulting.

Founder Name: Rhea Punjabi.

Start year: 2016.

Hi Rhea, It is great to have you here.

Hi Dev, Thank you.

Rhea let us start our discussion.

Yes sure Dev.

Hi Rhea, What are the reasons which motivated you to start the company?

My decision to pursue a career as a self-enhancement coach stems from my personal struggle with low self-esteem and the nagging feeling of ‘not being good enough’. My younger self desperately wished for a genie that would magically help me overcome my irrational self-deprecating beliefs and wrecking emotional turbulence. Over several years, I worked on restoring and rebuilding my faith in myself, with remarkable success. I went on to pursue a diploma in Business Systems and Information Management from NIIT and an MBA in Retail Management and worked with prominent organizations such as eBay India, Wipro Technologies and Localbanya.com in various sales and marketing roles.

And yet, I still knew it wasn’t enough. Deep within, I was driven by the powerful need to share the lessons I had learned along the way with others who, like me, were coming in their own way of living a life of fullness.

 How the startup started its journey?

While I would get thoughts of quitting my job, I started observing what kept me happy. I found peace when I was around people, teaching students and solving their difficulties in various subjects and being a career and relationship advisor to many friends. I knew I had an entrepreneurial streak and wanted to pursue my own path, which led to me eventually switching streams to work as a coach and mentor in 2016.

The journey is very easy or tough? What are the hurdles you faced and how you overcome them?

It is not easy in the initial stage. People wonder how I can sell a course on happiness. Well, they are right. Happiness cannot be bought but with little guidance, one can definitely work on being a happier individual. My happiness program is experiential and activity based. It aims to unsettle the limiting beliefs that each one of us has.

There are a lot of Soft Skills Trainers in the industry. Moreover, they penetrate the market at extremely low prices. Some trainers have many more titles attached to their profiles such as NLP, Facilitators, behavioral trainers, and Storytellers etc. To stand out of this crowd can be challenging at times especially when you don’t want to compromise on your charges because you are confident of the value you are going to bring.

Also, many people find my dressing too casual for an Image Consultant especially because I believe in no hassle dressing and hardly any make-up.

How did I solve these? It is a combination of self-belief, inner image management, the right attitude, persistence, various attempts to reach the right target audience, networking, coaching on call, complimentary workshops and much more. Three things that have always remained constant are gratitude, self-belief and being flexible.

About funding from starting of the startup to right now?

Self funded. I haven’t raised any funding yet. As of now, I do not have any plans for funding but who knows what’s in store for the future.

As you are founder? What are doing before becoming the Entrepreneur?

1. Certified Happiness Coach in association with the Berkeley Institute of Well-Being, California
2. Soft Skills Training from Image Consulting Business Institute, Mumbai (Accredited by SQA- Scottish Qualifications Authority)
3. Image, Style, Wardrobe Management and Consulting from Image Consulting Business Institute, Mumbai
4. 8- day Train the Trainer certification (by NABET- National Accreditation Board of Education and Training) with an All India All Time Rank 3
5. MBA in Retail Management from K.J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai
6. 2-year Diploma course in Business Systems and Information Management from NIIT

I would describe myself as a friendly and outgoing person. I enjoy the outdoor life and travel within and outside India whenever I can. In my spare time, I love exploring new cafes and restaurants, reading inspirational articles and teaching. I whole-heartedly believe in the law of attraction and that all we are is a result of what we have thought. With that thought, I aim to guide people to create a better and happier version of them.

About the startup. Why should people choose you?

My USP lies in the fact that I don’t have a fixed set of content or program for everyone. I personalize every program to suit the client’s needs. In any meeting or training, I talk from my personal experiences and battles with low self-esteem, lack of confidence, not being assertive etc. That’s the key to developing healthy relationships and adding a personal touch to your work.

I create a life of fullness for all my clients. Each one of us wants to enhance some part of our lives, be it personality, organizing oneself, releasing the emotional trash from within or upping our happiness levels. I work with individuals to solve these and enhance their lives.

 Who are main competitors for your startup?

My biggest competitor is me. I strive to get better by the day. Each time I have a new assignment, I change my training strategy. I change the content, activities, and approach so that there is always newness in my services.

There are many coaches, trainers, speakers and facilitators in the industry. I can’t really compare myself to anyone because each one of us is different. No training is complete till it doesn’t have an element of YOU in it.

 Developments & Future plans?

I conduct training on over 25 modules on Happiness, Image Management, and Soft Skills under corporate, individual and institutional solutions. Some of the modules are Business and Dining Etiquette, Art of Dressing, Time and Stress Management, Goal Setting, Body Language, Communication Skills etc.

I am a visiting faculty with The Image Consulting Business Institute and The ITM Group of Institutions. I am a trainer with over 32 brands out of which 24 brands are from the retail industry.

In the next five years, I see myself having an academy, regularly running workshops and consultations to train the youth for a better tomorrow. These would be purely focused on life skills and leading happier lives.

 What is the inspiration tag line that will make you motivated??

This is my motto in life: Find what you believe in and do it

 Anything you want to say for younger people?

1. Spend time with yourself. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, we have forgotten who we really are. Nowhere on earth will you get such a peaceful and untroubled retreat.
2. Remember the 3 Ps in business- Passion, Patience and Perseverance. Even if one is missing, your business can go out of business

Thank you, Rhea for joining with us. It is great talking to you.

Thank you.

This is DevJ signing off from Startupsindia.

Website: www.rheapunjabi.com

Read Complete Interview of WinningStree With DevJ .