Nidhi B. Mehta, a entrepreneur, Bollywood & Zumba dance instructor, founder & blogger of Supermompreneurs. Nidhi’s background includes an MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management & Research and thereafter worked with McKinsey & Co. She continues to train students and lead classes in India and Singapore. She does regular classes and training workshops at major Fitness Centers across the world. In a free-wheeling interview with IWIL, Nidhi discusses the Dance life, her dreams and what it means to be an entrepreneur
Brief introduction about yourself and tell us something bollybeatz? I am Delhi University Graduate and a MBA in Finance from SP Jain Institute of Management & Research in Mumbai. I started my career with McKinsey & Co. and two years after which my entrepreneurial journey began. When I dance, I am in trance. I actually forget my surroundings and I enter into a different world altogether! BollyBeatz was born purely out of my passion for dance and all the instructors I have trained through the last thirteen years have all been passionate dancers. They all have their own full time jobs or are full time moms and teach dance because it’s their passion. I have taught more than 800 students myself and today BollyBeatz runs its classes in California, Chicago, Texas, Singapore and India.
What all challenges did you face and what were your strategies to them? Finding and training the right type of instructors is always a challenge but I have been fortunate to find the best so far! Just keep looking and when you find a good potential trainer trust them and train them well! I also learnt one key lesson – just because someone is a good dancer doesn’t make them a good teacher.
How has your journey been so far, any plans for expansion? My journey so far has been nothing short of a blessing! In future I would like to do more corporate workshops for dance. To create more franchises across the world and empower more women to gain independence by making their passion for dance into a profession.
Did you face any specific challenges while starting the venture? For an academically strong student to choose dance as a career option is usually not very well received by the family. In India dance has never been a mainstream option and that too when you are an MBA and working with one of the top companies in the world – no ways!!!!! That was the biggest challenge that I faced – just convincing not only my family but myself too – that I was on the right path – and this is what I should be doing because it makes me happy and I am great at it!
What piece of advice would you like to give to the aspiring youth who wish to pursue their dream of becoming an entrepreneur? I am a big proponent and believer of women entrepreneurship. I truly believe that this is the best path for women who want to create a work-life balance. Women are such amazing multi-taskers, so talented and so tough that we can manage our chosen path well. I encourage all women to take that leap of faith, dig deep within themselves and look for what they enjoy doing the most and try and find a business orientation with that interest. If someone likes to cook they could start with cooking classes or write cooking blogs.. Whatever… there is so much each one of us can do!
How do you manage the work-life balance? I have a strong quest for learning and I want to do a zillion things in my life. The need to do accomplish more from each day is what keeps me going and helps me to attempt to create a balance. I don’t believe that a perfect balance of work and personal life can be achieved but we keep trying to do justice to both ends and if we can manage to spend quality time at home with family, take care of our personal growth needs, cultivate a hobby and continue to work… I think its job well done! Currently, I go to office full time with NeedyBee.com being a start up venture & I write a blog www.supermompreneurs.com. Besides that, I still continue to teach dance and manage my classes overseas too. Sometimes it can get overwhelming but then you take a step back and just take a deep breath and start again!
What are your views and opinions towards the ambiguous need to promote women entrepreneurship and women empowerment in India? Women empowerment, upliftment and entrepreneurship are always on the agendas of each government and in the recent times it has gained more momentum. The women are more aware, bolder and more risk taking. I have seen a lot of small women-driven and women-owned businesses come up. They maybe small or just working from home but the zeal to do something has started to show more and more. Families are more supportive too and I think everyone realizes that if we empower the women of our society the entire society will be uplifted as a whole. Women’s education, vocational training, entrepreneurship all comes together to make the society a more developed and progressive society.
Words for IWIL. I have great respect for organizations that work towards the cause of women empowerment, upliftment. IWIL is working towards encouraging women to come out of their shells and be motivated and take that plunge to do something with their lives that makes them feel happy and proud and gives them a sense of financial independence. I am honored to be associated with IWIL and its cause!
