It’s true that finding a job after a long gap can be tough. Indeed, it is. Whether it’s a REGULAR JOB or a WORK FROM HOME, you need to apply your full force or you need to exert a lot of efforts or hard work. It is said that “Being a housewife and a mother is a full time job”. But after a long gap, if you decide that now it’s time to rethink about your career, you come across many problems or you can say that so many hurdles in searching for a career or a job.

I tried to search a job firstly a regular one that is a work from office job. I tried hard and gave many interviews. I was called for an interview in MNC company which was very far from my house wherein I was made to sit and wait for hours and then I was informed that I am not eligible for the profile in terms of age criteria.  I kept on waiting for hours keeping my household work on pause and leaving my kids to attend their tests and online classes all alone.

Some interviews went well, but I didn’t get a positive response may be because of long gap after my marriage. Then, keeping in mind the responsibilities of managing my home and kids I thought of searching for a work from home job. I gave many interviews that too on phone calls or Zoom meetings. But, most of the calls were from fraud companies. In some cases, the employers would not even share the name of the company with me saying that it is against their company policy to share the name of the company. It sounded suspicious and strange.

It is truly said “ Great things never come from comfort zones”. It is very difficult to get a job after a gap and even if you want to get, you need to pay first (i.e. money) for a fresh start of your career.

After few months, with help of my cousin sister, finally I got work on hourly basis in an online news portal showbizsaga.in  . Editor – there guided me and helped me a lot as this was totally a new work experience for me. Yes, now I am completely enjoying working as a FREELANCE JOURNALIST and trying to learn and explore many new things from this kind of job.

Keep looking for opportunities and never stop learning!

The post PROBLEMS FACED IN SEARCHING FOR A JOB AFTER A GAP appeared first on The Pink Journey.

1. What made you step into the beauty space and start Foxtale?

I quit my much-loved VC job to start my own entrepreneurial journey. COVID-19 was an unusual time for all. There were two emotions that kept the world going – empathy and compassion. I have understood the meaning of these two words through the years from women in my life. Self-care should be a right and I will do my part by offering products that are affordable, accessible, and the absolute best. Empathy will be the driving force of each of my endeavors through a community of empowered women who will help perpetuate this message further.

2. Tell us more about Foxtale products. (Products and benefits)

The Daily Duet Cleanser is a dual-acting face wash that can be used twice – first to remove makeup and sunscreen and then to cleanse thoroughly. Ceramide Super Cream is loaded with ceramides and Sodium Hyaluronate cross polymer that form a strong and resilient barrier over the skin. C For Yourself Serum contains 15% L-Ascorbic Acid. This formula is exceptionally stable, extremely efficacious and reduces the appearance of spots, fine lines, and photodamage drastically with continued use. Cover up SPF 50+ is a strong and hydrating shield that protects from the sun as well as screen damage. Includes the benefits of actives like niacinamide, vitamin b5, and vitamin E for brighter skin and diminishes signs of aging and photodamage.

3. What makes Foxtale products unique and fit from the rest?

Foxtale products were created to provide simple yet efficacious solutions to several skin concerns faced specifically by Indian women and largely also women of color. While we have been influenced by Western standards of beauty for centuries, it is hard to find products that fit us and help us in a realistic way. To create these products we had to find the perfect balance of ingredients to suit the 200+ skin types within our country. Foxtale is held up by three pillars: simplicity, efficacy, and affordability. Our products are formulated to deliver just that.

4. What unique branding strategy are you planning to build Foxtale as a strong community first skincare brand? (Lab trial)

As a community first brand, Foxtale includes experts from the beauty and skincare community in our product development, content and in creating awareness. Our investment in educating aspiring beauty enthusiasts and the improvement we have brought to their content and reach has helped us create a loyalist base.

5. Acne and aging due to stress are one of the growing problems among women. How can regular skincare effectively prevent that?

A solid skincare routine can not only combat this but sometimes change your mood as well. Daily use products such as sunscreen and cleansers contribute more to reducing signs of aging and breakouts than one would think. Routines don’t have to be complicated but it is important to have basics in place.

The post In Conversation With Romita Mazumdar, Founder Of Skin Care Brand-Foxtale appeared first on The Pink Journey.

It is not easy to pen down your thoughts and deliver the message to an open audience to engage, like, and share. Doing this with a kid is a next-level thing. Pandemic not only shook the world for professionals but it also impacted women big time especially the younger women who now have to handle more and more things. But hats off to those women who managed it well and pursued their passion. Today we are going to talk about a similar person who is not only mom, but a blogger, influencer, and a working professional too. Introducing Mrs. Karishma Nayar to share her journey

Please introduce yourself to our readers?

Karishma Nayar, 30, a working professional, a mom blogger, and before all of that, Mama to Gurbani.

What inspired you to choose this industry?

When I became a mom, people had a lot to tell me about motherhood, and they told me how motherhood is the end of your career and all other things to do with you, how the only thing I could now focus on was my baby. Then I decided to bring back my passion into work and took to Instagram to prove it to the world that it’s not the end. Motherhood is the beginning of a new you, and there isn’t a thing that moms cannot do. Whether it’s work, house, kids, or family, women can manage everything. We are the new-age mommies. We know our kitchen and economy equally.

Do you think that it is tough to pursue your dreams and passion after being a mom?

Pursuing your dreams is, either way, tough, but with a good schedule, diligence, planning, and focus, we can still be great moms to our kids while honoring our dreams and ourselves.

Tell us how you handle a baby and work from home?

I have an excellent emotional support system in my husband. Many times I feel like giving up because Gurbani (my daughter) is acting up in academics and or maybe my numbers aren’t moving up on Instagram, making me feel discouraged, and he makes sure he motivates me back into my best pumped up self and other times helps me a lot with the legal side of this career. Finding a mentor or people who will encourage you and help you keep going is a great help. Look for these people in your life because you will need them when the challenges of motherhood and life converge and nothing seems to be going your way.

How do you handle failures?

Unlike every coin, success also has one more side, failure.

Moms always have mood swings. Sometimes you feel like an independent adult who can do it all on her own back to feel almost childlike and dependent on others. I remember creating this one piece of content at 12 in the night three times straight because it got rejected for some reason or the other while having guests in my house and my staff on leave. It’s easy to feel put-upon and angry. Juggling so many roles can be frustrating but seldom. The love for what I do keeps me consistent and happy to be doing this every day. Let me tell you that it is the fastest-growing industry. One needs to be consistent; if you have the zeal or passion for being an influencer, don’t wait for the right time to post, be ready and adaptive to the industry rules.

Your take on Influencer Industry in the next five years?

If you look closely, the industry is not new. We all need an influencer in our life, and this journey starts from our childhood. The platform can be different, but influencers will always be there to keep you entertained and influence you to follow your passion. Isn’t it amazing! A mom, whom everyone has told to forget herself and keep her family ahead of her, managing everything together with so much passion and perfection.

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on Startup Reporter.

Source: Women Entrepreneur

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on The Pink Journey.

1. Please Introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Devangana Mishra, the Founder, and CEO of Brain Bristle. I come from a highly gifted & creative family. With the freedom and genes to do anything, I chose autism, giftedness, and mental health as a career path to see where I could take along kids diagnosed autistically.

2. What inspired you to choose this industry?

I was terribly shy in my childhood, but a writer to express my world. Then I met very active kids with autism, they were the complete opposites of me- we made a good blend. I met my first grown-up with autism when I was 19 and the complete disregard for his giftedness led me to Columbia University, NY to study autism in detail and depth. This is how my journey with the autism spectrum began.

3. What kind of problems did you face at the initial time with this venture?

We live in a male-dominated society, where the need to compete is more important than respecting human beings along their path. The only way we can let our kids with autism turn into disruptors and creators is if we let our kids take their time, teach them to figure their way in the world rather than rush them, slow them down or crush them. This simple message of listening, following, facilitating has been my biggest loss.

4. How did you overcome those?

I now quietly follow my own path, my lived experience of working with these kids, I try to listen to other perspectives in the space and keep formulating into my own humanistic style. I follow my own understanding and intuitive style then let an autistic brain mold itself rather than me molding it, in and out.

5. Thoughts on Focus and flow in a distracted world, what our kids with autism can teach us about the science of mindfulness.

Our world is loud, distracting, and everything is in flux, this overstimulates a child with autism, disturbing their flow. To be a silent observer of this, teaching a child worldly way then letting him/ her take his time is how we can listen to autism. Their behaviors are a sign we are either moving too fast or too slow, leading to depression, frustration, or outbursts. The concept of mindfulness arose because the world got so busy, people needed to make it a priority. Our kids with autism are born to be lost in their world- pulling them out is when they’re present and alert. To keep this balance of presence and absence is how we can learn focus and flow.

The post How And Why, Devangana Mishra, Founder & CEO, Brain Bristle Chose To Help Autism Kids. appeared first on The Pink Journey.

If you want to know the girl behind the Mom, read the blog till the end. I am sure you will get the answers to your questions as well.

Please introduce yourself to our readers?

Karishma Nayar, 30, a working professional, a mom blogger, and before all of that, Mama to Gurbani.

What inspired you to choose this industry?

When I became a mom, people had a lot to tell me about motherhood, and they told me how motherhood is the end of your career and all other things to do with you, how the only thing I could now focus on was my baby. Then I decided to bring back my passion into work and took to Instagram to prove it to the world that it’s not the end. Motherhood is the beginning of a new you, and there isn’t a thing that moms cannot do. Whether it’s work, house, kids, or family, women can manage everything. We are the new-age mommies. We know our kitchen and economy equally.

Do you think that it is tough to pursue your dreams and passion after being a mom?

Pursuing your dreams is, either way, tough, but with a good schedule, diligence, planning, and focus, we can still be great moms to our kids while honoring our dreams and ourselves.

Tell us how you handle a baby and work from home?

I have an excellent emotional support system in my husband. Many times I feel like giving up because Gurbani (my daughter) is acting up in academics and or maybe my numbers aren’t moving up on Instagram, making me feel discouraged, and he makes sure he motivates me back into my best pumped up self and other times helps me a lot with the legal side of this career. Finding a mentor or people who will encourage you and help you keep going is a great help. Look for these people in your life because you will need them when the challenges of motherhood and life converge and nothing seems to be going your way.

How do you handle failures?

Unlike every coin, success also has one more side, failure.

Moms always have mood swings. Sometimes you feel like an independent adult who can do it all on her own back to feel almost childlike and dependent on others. I remember creating this one piece of content at 12 in the night three times straight because it got rejected for some reason or the other while having guests in my house and my staff on leave. It’s easy to feel put-upon and angry. Juggling so many roles can be frustrating but seldom. The love for what I do keeps me consistent and happy to be doing this every day. Let me tell you that it is the fastest-growing industry. One needs to be consistent; if you have the zeal or passion for being an influencer, don’t wait for the right time to post, be ready and adaptive to the industry rules.

Your take on Influencer Industry in the next five years?

If you look closely, the industry is not new. We all need an influencer in our life, and this journey starts from our childhood. The platform can be different, but influencers will always be there to keep you entertained and influence you to follow your passion. Isn’t it amazing! A mom, whom everyone has told to forget herself and keep her family ahead of her, managing everything together with so much passion and perfection.

The post In Conversation with Karishma Nayar- Instagram Influencer, Fashion enthusiast and Mom Blogger appeared first on The Pink Journey.

How and why we started CITTA:

I was studying in the US when I heard the news about the ongoing case of a certain baby care company. It really disturbed me, babies are the most innocent beings and it’s our job to protect them so anything we apply on them needs to be 100% safe. Growing up in a large family of 10, I had the opportunity to receive the love and knowledge of my Dadi as well as Nani and all their nuskhas. I wanted to share it with every precious little child. When I came back from the US, with the help of my mother, who studied cosmetic technology, decided to create CITTA, a natural and safe option for parents where tradition is backed by modern science.

Our principle is very simple – babies deserve the best, so every ingredient applied on their body must be safe and should benefit them. CITTA is derived from the Sanskrit word  चित्त which means consciousness; we are conscious of what and how we create. We made a vow early on to ensure that every parent is aware and conscious of what they are  applying on their little one hence every single ingredient we use, even those below 1% are listed for every parent to see and understand, as honesty for us is the very best policy.

Struggles we faced:

We launched CITTA in 2021 during hardcore Covid times. Initially during launch there was a struggle as everything was going haywire due to Covid. There was less manpower and we faced multiple delays and pushed timelines. Manufacturing and production also took a hit because sourcing at that time was difficult. However, we were clear from the start we will use only the highest quality ingredients and that comprising the quality wasn’t an option. So the start was difficult but slowly things started getting better and we were successfully able to source the ingredients, production began and we were able to create a product we are very confident in.

Future Plan: 

We hope to make CITTA a household brand in India because we believe that every child deserves the best and it’s our duty to provide it as our products are safe and natural, inspired from Dadi Nani ke Nuskhe and backed by science. Once we are successful in making CITTA a household name in India, then we plan to export in future too as we want to reach out to most of the children across the world with our products. We feel that our products are of international quality and would be appreciated by the people there too.

Balance Personal & work: 

I started working at a younger age, so I’m still learning how to balance my work and personal life, but something I’m coming to understand is that listening to my intuition helps me stay happier and peaceful. And a peaceful mind leads to a happier and more successful day!

The post Story Of CITTA The Leading Baby Care Brand-By Its Founder Akanksha Sharma appeared first on The Pink Journey.

A rash on her son’s skin seeded the thought of SuperBottoms in Pallavi’s mind. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention! In her quest for a better alternative for her son, she talked to other mothers and found that diaper issues were a common problem for them as well. Thus began the search for better alternatives, like traditional cloth nappies, but it presented the challenge of all day usage. She got a few Advanced Cloth Diapers from the US, which are popular there; but they did not fit very well on Indian babies.

The fact that 3 crore babies are born each year; each using 5000 diapers in their lifetime, the number of diapers landing in landfills was disturbingly huge! This was a huge motivation for her to find a solution. She saw a definite need for a product that would give the convenience of diapers while not harming the environment and baby’s skin.

She quit her corporate job and followed her dream to make cloth diapers which were suitable for Indian babies and have Indian prints which were quirky and cute! This is how SuperBottoms was started – a unique brand with an all mothers team who have been ardent customers of the brand and now turned brand ambassadors.

Like any other entrepreneurial journey, this one too has had its own ups and downs. One of them being copycats coming up with their own cloth diapers, but with continuous innovation, patent protected products, SuperBottoms has been able to overcome this problem. The lockdown had a big impact on the supply chain and posed multiple problems, which were dealt with by diversifying the product line, getting own warehouse in Bengaluru, and multiple suppliers.

People are becoming conscious about the environment, they are opting for sustainable choices. The increasing number of sustainable brands is a testament to that shift in the consumer’s mindset. Our cloth diapers not only make for a great skin-friendly, pocket-friendly choice but also a sustainable one. It’s a win-win for the consumer!

The post Founder & Mom-in-Chief, Ms. Pallavi Utagi Shares Why Superbottoms Was Formed appeared first on The Pink Journey.

The initial thought was that work from home setting would be comparatively relaxing and convenient. However, the increasingly blurring line between home and work from home has not just taken a toll on our physical well-being but also mental wellness. 

Having said that, it’s no secret that along with exertion and stress, your surroundings can have a direct impact on your overall well-being. Redecorating your home or a particular room can sure help liven up your mood. 

However, there is so much to consider when it comes to designing and decorating a home. How do I make sure my furniture complements the space? What kind of décor accessories work best in this room? But have you ever thought about the impact your home can have on your health? From the best home decor products to buy and even how to arrange your furniture, it’s the little things that can significantly impact your mental and physical health. 

Pritika Singh, founder of Mohh, precisely strives to incorporate wellness into her projects, while also being true to their philosophy of producing viable & attractive products by upcycling materials and repurposing them.

Sharing her tips for creating a soothing environment at home that can have positive effects on your mental and physical health, here are a few things you can add to each room to boost your mood. 

Living area: 

Bringing in natural elements, including wood, stone, metal, water, wind, and fire are ways to bring calm to any space. While some of these elements may seem intimidating, you can find small decorative items that will also do the trick.  For instance, you can get wooden or metal planters like the Kinzoku planter for your living room. The touch of greenery will also add an element of freshness and calm to the room. 

Pritika also says that adding in a simple and sustainable coffee table using upcycled wood and metal not only gives you that little space to enjoy your coffee breaks but also helps you do your bit for the environment. Apart from that, you can also add other décor materials like lampstands, wooden coasters and more.

Dining Room and Study room:

Anyone who has spent time dining on an oak table or working from an Oak desk like the Calo collection from Mohh will be familiar with the natural warmth and comfort these timbers exude. She also suggests adding a mirror, so it seems like you’ve doubled the number of guests you can entertain in your dining room, while designs like the Nautical mirror also give it an illusion of wider space. Also if you have a comfortable place to work at home, it helps you be more effective and efficient in your professional life.

Bedroom: 

Your bedroom is your haven, a place where one can truly relax. Adding home décor elements and other wood-related products are said to aid rest. For instance, sleeping each night in a solid wood bed not only helps reduce anxiety and blood pressure levels but also improves one’s emotional state and increases levels of relaxation. 

You can also have a designated corner of your room furnished with a wooden table and chair that can be “your corner” or a spot where you can be most productive if you don’t have a separate work/study room. This helps you mentally distinguish between your work and personal space allowing you to cut off and step back as and when needed. 

Apart from how you can redecorate every room, another aspect that can be extremely calming and cathartic is re-organizing and decluttering. Not only is decluttering the first step to creating spacious rooms and homes but is a major component of a peaceful, soothing home. Getting yourself organizers and shelves to arrange and organize your essentials can prove to be very appeasing from time to time. 

These tiny yet crucial changes in your surroundings can help contribute to not just satisfying your inner peace but also towards your holistic well-being.

The post How The Selection Of The Right Home Décor Products Can Contribute To Prolonged Well-being. appeared first on The Pink Journey.

Q1: Please tell us about your Venture? 

A: The Gourmet Jar was started by me  from my  home kitchen in 2012, using real ingredients to make real food, real good. We aim to be the magic in your kitchen with our range of delectable condiments (preserves, honey, mustard, sauces, and savory spreads) in unique flavor combinations, made with 100% pure & natural ingredients, and 0% preservatives & chemicals. We follow a made-from-scratch, small-batch philosophy, that ensures every jar is packed with flavor. All our products are made with a lot of love, care & attention put in by our team of smiling & hard-working women who ensure you get the perfect balance of flavors in every jar! We source most of our ingredients from farmers across the country to ensure we use only the best quality of produce. After all, beautiful & honest ingredients make delicious food! Bring out the MasterChef in you with our range of condiments and delight your family & friends. Cooking gourmet food has never been this easy!

Q2: What inspired you to choose this industry?

A:  My venture actually came about quite accidentally, so I would say the industry chose me rather than the other way around. A craving for a Banana Jam that I tasted on holiday in France led to experiments in the kitchen and eventually a demand for what i was making from friends & family made me recognize the gap in the Indian market when it came to artisanal, innovative and chemical-free preserves & condiments. I was always passionate about cooking and was looking to do something in the food space, and when this clicked, I thought i would try selling them and see the response. So I started with a Facebook page and luckily the response was amazing!

Q3: Do you really think that it is really tough to pursue your dreams and passions? 

A: Nothing is really easy in this world, any path is full of ups and downs. It is definitely tough to pursue your dreams and create something successful, but if you love what you’re doing, then that makes it easier to get through the tough times. Even when you make your passion into your work, there are always parts of running a business that can be mundane and something that doesn’t interest you, but if you keep your eye on the bigger picture, it makes it easier to follow through on these mundane tasks as well. As long as you have the drive in you, you can make your dreams true.

Q4: What kind of problems did you face at the initial time with this venture? 

A: I faced a lot of challenges in the initial stages, right from convincing a customer why they should pay so much for a natural product, to finding suppliers for the right jars and lids, to getting licenses and approvals. After the setting up stage, figuring out how to scale up while maintaining the consistency and quality was very challenging.

Q5:  Tell us how to handle personal and professional front both?

A:When you run your own business, it’s very hard to balance personal and professional life…..the line is always blurry. But it is very important to take out some time for yourself otherwise you risk burning out. I try to balance both my switching off on Sundays and keep that day only for personal life. Also, I take several short holidays through the year to recharge and disconnect from work. Though you can never really turn your phone off as an entrepreneur, I would recommend that to those who can make that an option. 

Q6: What are your future plans for The Gourmet Jar?

A: Future plans for TGJ are to launch new products within the condiments space and add to our portfolio. And also increase our offline penetration by opening new markets.

The post How Apeksha Jain From The Gourmet Jar Turned her Passion Into Profession appeared first on The Pink Journey.

Dr Geetanjali: I am an academician, researcher, columnist, and philanthropist with over a decade of experience in research and academics. While I had the opportunity to work with a multitude of prestigious institutes like the Centre for Policy Research, I decided to give up on a well-established career and start afresh by establishing my NGO, Wishes and Blessings in 2014. I did so in order to fulfil a childhood dream of that of serving the underprivileged.

Interviewer: Why you started the foundation?

Dr Geetanjali: Although, my story of charity and social work officially started when I established my NGO, the roots of selfless care were imbibed in me and my family throughout my childhood. I would often visit a school for the visually impaired with my grandfather to celebrate my birthdays and other special occasions with them. On one such occasion, a little girl tugged her arm and asked, “When is my birthday?”. These soft, subtle, yet intriguing words seeped down into my soul and made a permanent impression on my curious mind. That abrupt question soon turned into the mission of my life and I decided to serve the underprivileged and people in need.

Interviewer: What are the challenges that you faced?

Dr Geetanjali: Naturally, leaving a well-established career in academics and research that sprang over a decade and transitioning into a whole new dimension was not a very smooth process, for me. I had to face raised eyebrows from loved ones as they were worried that I was about to embark on a journey I had 0% experience in. I learnt everything on my own, with time and my patience being the primary mentors. Facing all my fears and owning up to my decision, I went forward and never looked back.

Interviewer: What is the future prospect?

Dr Geetanjali: As of 2022, I am executing various centres of my NGOs across the country I single-handedly took my Delhi-based organization Wishes and Blessings to 8 states across India. Currently, I oversee the entire functioning of Wishes and Blessings and strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of all beneficiaries, donors as well as other individuals associated with the organization. I hope that I would continue to do what I am doing but at a much larger scale – spreading happiness, and working towards the vision and the mission of eradicating the word “underprivileged” from society.

Interviewer: What do you think in future for this NGO? Also mention about running projects.

Dr Geetanjali: I aspire to take my NGO, Wishes and Blessings to much bigger levels in order to provide essential aid to the people in need across the country. I came across a myriad of challenges in the past, but my determination and laser-sharp focus has led to an exponential growth of my organization in 8 states across India. My organization cuts across the spectrum of gender and age to help those who need it. In the same vein, we work for 6 causes among which are education, nutrition, care for elders, relief, customizable charity and the overall cause of happiness.

The post In Conversation with Dr Geetanjali Chopra FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, WISHES AND BLESSINGS appeared first on The Pink Journey.