Relationships took a backseat through 2020 and the time has now come where people feel comfortable moving on in finding partners, starting families and settling-in to love. Matchmaking services have seen an interesting uptick in business as people look for normality once again. Headquartered in New York, Vows for Eternity is a bespoke and personalised service that caters to global millennials, and has an established presence in Bombay, Delhi and London. We speak to Anuradha, the Entrepreneur who wears multiple hats – that of a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a businesswoman. Here is what she has to say-
What was your life like before you set up your own venture?
It was good – exciting, happy, productive. There was a lot of learning, experiencing things!
But somewhere along the way I had become comfortable – lost the drive, the edge. And then one day a trigger event set off the alarm and since then life has been this constant state of buzz and activity!
Where/how do you get your best ideas?
I get my best ideas when I have some downtime, when I am not caught up in the day to day things. That’s when the magic happens.
What’s something they don’t teach you in University that you should probably know?
The only colour that really matters is “green”!!
How do you choose your ‘pro team’
It’s based on my gut instinct. But I also think through how I can create a situation where people can play to their own strengths. And then I balance that out by providing the right opportunities to challenge them.
Does your vision change in the course of the COVID situation? How do you see the business coping with and recovering from here?
Oh yes – change and how! Today I am thankful for the eyeopener I have had in the form of COVID. It has been a tough and extremely challenging time and we have had to rethink how we did things and have changed our strategy significantly. The world is a very different place and we have been very fortunate that we have been extremely agile and rapidly implemented a number of changes both functionally and structurally.
What do you do when you are not brainstorming?
Working on strategy, planning and implementation. There is always so much that needs to get done!
What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses in the country?
I think we need to facilitate platforms for entrepreneurs to come together , brainstorm, present and learn from more experienced people across industries. Creating platforms, providing mentorship and connecting investors to great talent is vital. But before that, we need to bring a fundamental change that starts in schools so children are not only used to following instructions but also are taught to think creatively. It’s imperative to endorse and encourage “out of the box” thought processes. Mindsets need to shift away from being doctors or engineers to that of risk takers and creators. This requires a fundamental shift and hopefully will create new innovators.
Would you like to share a few thoughts for all the aspiring founders out there? If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Believe in yourself and know that there is no substitute for hard work.
How do you maintain work/life balance?
I try to break my day into chunks of time and I put in my undivided attention when I am working. Then when I move to my time with my kids/family I try to be fully present there. Being in the moment is key, but I have to admit it sounds much easier than it is!
Your idea of fun is…
I love spending time with myself. I enjoy “me” time whether that is sitting in a quaint cafe for hours and watching the world go by, travelling by myself or discovering new things. But equally, spending time with family and friends, playing board games, going for long drives, dining out, being amidst nature – all make me immensely happy.