Brief Introduction about yourself and tell us something about Enso Wellness? I hail from a very small village of Kashmir-Kullar, near Pahalgam. Because of the ongoing turmoil, we never stayed there and I guess that gave us the opportunity of exposure too. I studied from Bangalore and got settled in Gurgaon back in 2009. Enso wellness is an initiative taken in 2014 for all those who are very much keen in taking private classes (one to one basis) because of their time constraint or health issues and are not able to go to any regular fitness center because of the lack of medical knowledge in a fitness instructor and since I was working with an organization called KRV Healthcare and Physiotherapy Pvt Ltd which deals with lots of medical conditions on an everyday basis and that background and experience helped me a lot in my techniques of fitness.
What inspired you to take the entrepreneurial turn and give fitness a unique platform? My inspiration has been my sister, Dr. Ridwana Sanam. Working with her gave me an immense knowledge of entrepreneurship and that’s when I decided I wanted to do something different in this field and I gave it a shot. And regarding giving a unique platform to the fitness, I myself have suffered some medical conditions where I needed special fitness regime but was not able to find it. So I thought why not to give something different to people where it helps them get back their health along with general fitness.
Do you have any expansion plans for Enso Wellness. When I had started Enso, I just had two clients but I believed that the wellness sector in Gurgaon needed an overhaul. It has just been about fourteen months since we started, but now we cater to about 25 private clients and conduct several group classes from our studio in Gurgaon. Since several of our clients come all the way from Delhi and Faridabad, we are looking to start wellness studios in both South Delhi and Faridabad before the end of the year.
Did you face any financial challenges while starting Enso Wellness? Who does not face it. I come from a very well settled family but since I wanted to do it from my own earnings, there definitely were financial challenges but I managed to give it a well start. And now by the grace of Almighty, it has been doing very well.
What's your opinion about whether women can have it all? The idea of couples perfectly balancing family duties to prioritize their careers equally doesn’t work in practice. Neither men nor women can fully dedicate themselves to both family and career at the same time. Thus, it is very important to have a partner that understands your aspirations and participates in it.
What have been your biggest challenges so far with running your business? My biggest challenge has been finding right kind of manpower because the demand is more and I am not able to provide classes to everyone and I would require right kind of candidates, who know anatomy, have medical knowledge and at the same time are ready to modify their training techniques. What happens is, If a person has been practicing any particular set of fitness regime, is not ready to modify it as he/she thinks they are the best. But I am sure, there must be people out there like me, wanting to give something better to the society.
What piece of advice would you like to give to the aspiring youth who wish to pursue their dream of becoming an entrepreneur? Don't be afraid of failures - get up, learn quickly and fight back. It is very important to believe in yourself and have a positive attitude towards your dream.
According to you, what are the top three essential skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur? Clear vision, good communication and the ability to learn from your mistakes.
How have you managed the work-life balance and has the family been supportive? My family has been very supportive throughout my journey. In fact, if it wasn't for them, I would have been just another person who did not have the courage to follow their dream. I seek advice from them whenever I get stuck and their experience helps me make better choices about my business.
What can best empower the women of India– education, politics or business? Without education, we cannot go far. It gives you a power to make your own decisions, stand up for your rights and say no to regressive practices. It also helps you access suitable academic and economic opportunities which brings economic independence to women.
Words for IWIL You guys are doing an amazing thing by publishing struggling stories of women. This will help more empowerment of women and those who hesitate to give it a try would give it a try and I am sure will be thankful to you tomorrow.
