“Youths must invest in themselves on a level both personally and professionally to accomplish their goals and design a life of their own choice.” – Advice from Ms. Priya Gupta for the nation’s youth, willing to start doing something independently.
Ms. Priya Gupta is the Founder of Sarvpriye Foundation, an NGO founded with the goal of fostering female entrepreneurship, development, and sustainability. It empowers women to combat domestic violence, provides COVID relief, helps in women’s development, raises awareness of mental health issues, conducts research on women’s and children’s education in India, and supports women’s breadwinners. The foundation is committed to placing its dependents on the route to earning a respectable living through the transforming force of entrepreneurship and cooperation.
In this interview with Business Upside, Ms. Priya Gupta, the speaker and mentor on Women’s Livelihood, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, and Public Policy, describes her entrepreneur journey with Sravpriye Foundation. Moreover, she also talks about other aspects such as the importance of women’s independence, lessons learned, challenges faced, satisfying moments, etc.
Edited Excerpts from the Interview
Business Upside [BU]: Why did you think of founding an NGO?
Priya Gupta [PG]: During my childhood in primary school, I experienced bullying, lacked close relationships with my peers, and, regrettably, had no support from the teachers. I experienced domestic abuse when I was a child. So, after receiving my degree in 2018, I founded the Sarvpriye Foundation, an NGO that offers financial and emotional help to women who have experienced and survived domestic violence.
[BU]: What was your mission at the outset?
[PG]: I was devoted to dismantling all barriers that prevent women from pursuing sustainable entrepreneurship and invention. I discovered many women and girls were going through similar experiences as I was, and I wanted to help improve their lives. Perhaps the mental anguish and suffering I had as a child gave me the strength to care for women and founded an NGO to support their development.
[BU]: Being a social entrepreneur, mentor, and full-time employee, how do you balance your professional and personal life?
[PG]: I know that finding balance is essential to preventing stress and inefficiency. I balance my personal, emotional, and professional lives following three criteria: organization, discipline, and consistency. They encourage me to grow further and get better. A diamond can form only after the coal is under pressure. I, therefore, strive to gain knowledge from the difficulties I encounter, such as controlling my emotions, accepting responsibility, allocating my time, dealing with failure, and working to become the absolute best of myself.
[BU]: What are some of the most important lessons that have influenced your work?
[PG]: As I said earlier, I lacked strong friendships, was bullied throughout primary school, and experienced domestic abuse, I concluded that I had to become my hero and handle the turmoil in my life myself. I began to understand myself and care for my physical and emotional well-being. My sense of respect and self-worth turned into a motivating factor as I pursued success. I started to put up the effort and have faith in myself without considering the outcomes and repercussions. In retrospect, I appreciate my hardships because they helped mould me and make me resilient in challenging circumstances.
[BU]: Who and what inspires you the most to continue your work?
[PG]: My biggest motivation comes from my mother and the women who visit my NGO. I am inspired to transform the world for them and numerous other women by the experiences they share and the difficulties they have encountered.
[BU]: What were the most significant roadblocks or challenges in the way of your entrepreneurial journey, and how did you overcome them?
[PG]: In 2016, a tumor was found in my body, and in 2021 dengue. My recovery’s difficulties taught me to value good health and motivated me to take better care of myself. Success in every area of life requires self-care, self-awareness, and discipline. I’ve learned to value time and emotion control as the most significant life lessons I encountered along the way.
[BU]: What has been the most satisfying moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
[PG]: I think that the trauma and experiences I had as a child enabled me to feel for others and found a non-profit to foster their development. My inspiration and motivation to work toward a better world come from the satisfaction I experience when I assist women in promoting their small enterprises.
[BU]: If you had one piece of advice for our nation’s youth, what would it be?
[PG]: To all the youngsters, including my younger self, my message is to have confidence in yourself. While making decisions regarding your life, you must think things out, make a strategy, and have faith in your capabilities. Youths must invest in themselves on a level both personally and professionally to accomplish their goals and design a life of their own choice.
[BU]: What is your core life philosophy?
[PG]: My core philosophy in life is mental serenity, which I correlate to pleasure. I use every opportunity to cultivate mindfulness to attain it. We face countless obstacles along the path, but we cannot allow them to control how our lives are lived. I start a day with a 30-minute self-care regimen to reenergize my body and prepare for the day ahead. I take ten minutes to reflect on my day before retiring to bed. I find serenity and satisfaction in understanding what went so wrong and how it might be fixed going forward.
[BU]: How would you define success?
[PG]: For me, success in every area of life requires self-care, self-awareness, and discipline. I’ve learned to value time and emotion regulation as the most significant life lessons I encountered along the way.
More information
Company URL: http://sarvpriyefoundation.org.in/event.php
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