ST Bureau
Mumbai
This
interview is a part of Startup Terminal interview series to mark the occasion
of ‘International Women’s Day’
interview is a part of Startup Terminal interview series to mark the occasion
of ‘International Women’s Day’
ST: Please tell us more about
yourself.
yourself.
Richa Singh: I am an alumnus of some of India’s leading
universities and have worked as an Sr. Business Analyst with Capital One for
over 2 years soon after finishing top of my class at IIT Kharagpur where I did
my engineering in Aerospace. Post working with Capital One, I went on to pursue
my Masters in Business Administration from IIM Ahmedabad.
universities and have worked as an Sr. Business Analyst with Capital One for
over 2 years soon after finishing top of my class at IIT Kharagpur where I did
my engineering in Aerospace. Post working with Capital One, I went on to pursue
my Masters in Business Administration from IIM Ahmedabad.
 |
| Richa Singh, CEO, BigStylist.com |
I have studied in two different parts of India, but there was a
consistent pain point of finding a good and affordable parlour. Post that,
while working for a big corporate, it was always a run against time to get a
hold of the parlour wali. I never really got to go to the parlour at my time of
convenience. After realising the magnitude of the pain point, I along with my
partners, did some research at ground level, and then conceptualized
BigStylist.com in 2015.
consistent pain point of finding a good and affordable parlour. Post that,
while working for a big corporate, it was always a run against time to get a
hold of the parlour wali. I never really got to go to the parlour at my time of
convenience. After realising the magnitude of the pain point, I along with my
partners, did some research at ground level, and then conceptualized
BigStylist.com in 2015.
In my free time, I enjoy swimming, dancing and reading about technology.
ST: Who is your biggest influence
in life?
in life?
Richa Singh: The person who influences me the most is Sanjeev
Bikhchandani, because he is someone I closely relate to, as he comes from a
similar background. He is also an alumni of IIM Ahmedabad, and has a similar
family background. He too quit his job and built a company, and he’s proven
himself by being successful. I too want to do the same, I want to build a
company that creates 100,000 jobs, creates cash for itself, a company that is
profitable and has a positive impact on the society. He has been successfully able to accomplish
what I am starting at and hence he teaches me a lot. However, the challenge for
me is that whatever he has achieved in 15 years, I’ve given myself 5 years for
the same goal.
Bikhchandani, because he is someone I closely relate to, as he comes from a
similar background. He is also an alumni of IIM Ahmedabad, and has a similar
family background. He too quit his job and built a company, and he’s proven
himself by being successful. I too want to do the same, I want to build a
company that creates 100,000 jobs, creates cash for itself, a company that is
profitable and has a positive impact on the society. He has been successfully able to accomplish
what I am starting at and hence he teaches me a lot. However, the challenge for
me is that whatever he has achieved in 15 years, I’ve given myself 5 years for
the same goal.
ST: What challenges do you face
in your day to day professional life, if any?
in your day to day professional life, if any?
Richa Singh: Hiring a good-quality team, rolling-out operations,
getting customers to repose faith in us and raising funds are all challenges
that any entrepreneur should expect to face. However, the larger society in
India is still not as geared to see and accept a young woman lead a company as
I would ideally want. Hence, it becomes challenging at times to make people
(vendors, prospective employees, ex-employees) believe that yes, the decision I
take is in fact the final decision. Some have even gone to the extent of
actually declaring, “No, no, you cannot be the owner.”
getting customers to repose faith in us and raising funds are all challenges
that any entrepreneur should expect to face. However, the larger society in
India is still not as geared to see and accept a young woman lead a company as
I would ideally want. Hence, it becomes challenging at times to make people
(vendors, prospective employees, ex-employees) believe that yes, the decision I
take is in fact the final decision. Some have even gone to the extent of
actually declaring, “No, no, you cannot be the owner.”
ST: Where do you want to see
yourself in next 5 years down the line?
yourself in next 5 years down the line?
Richa Singh: I would want to take Bigstylist.com to a level where
it is a creator of 50,000 jobs, since I am of the thought that talented people
have a responsibility to create an impact on the society, we are supposed to
uplift all the people along with us. That’s exactly where I am to see myself
after five years.
it is a creator of 50,000 jobs, since I am of the thought that talented people
have a responsibility to create an impact on the society, we are supposed to
uplift all the people along with us. That’s exactly where I am to see myself
after five years.
ST: What is your message to the
readers on ‘International Women’s Day’?
readers on ‘International Women’s Day’?
Richa Singh: To all the women, I would like to tell you that you
are way superior than you think yourself to be. It’s time you start estimating
yourself right, if you haven’t rated yourself yet, start with 1.8x of what you
think you are in everything you do viz.
managing house, work, the pay you deserve, the number of correct answers
you have, etc. Unless you start understanding it, you won’t start behaving like
that, and if you don’t start behaving like one, no one will value you like
that.
are way superior than you think yourself to be. It’s time you start estimating
yourself right, if you haven’t rated yourself yet, start with 1.8x of what you
think you are in everything you do viz.
managing house, work, the pay you deserve, the number of correct answers
you have, etc. Unless you start understanding it, you won’t start behaving like
that, and if you don’t start behaving like one, no one will value you like
that.
To all the men, the society could get so much more from women, if you
start valuing them well. About 50 per cent of the society is getting grossly
undervalued, and this is taking the human race backwards. Let’s stop
undervaluing them.
start valuing them well. About 50 per cent of the society is getting grossly
undervalued, and this is taking the human race backwards. Let’s stop
undervaluing them.
You could send your feedback at
startupterminal@gmail.com
startupterminal@gmail.com
