Founder of Samruddhi, Chaitali Chauhan Says, “Give Time To Yourself!”

Excerpts from an interview with Chaitali Chauhan, founder of Samruddhi. Chaitali is an Insurance Consultant and Financial Literacy Coach.

When did you start Samruddhi and what was the intention?

I am an Insurance Consultant and Financial Literacy Coach since 2017. I believe that the knowledge of handling our finances, which we all call financial literacy, is very important. Not having proper knowledge about this important aspect of living can bear a mark on our quality and standard of life.

Insurance is an industry that is projected to be growing in the coming decade in India.

Insurance is an important part of the financial portfolio of an individual which not only safeguards the finances against risks but also provides a means for goal-based long term savings and is a very important tool for planning non-negotiable financial goals. And I intend to help people plan their finances in a balanced way to cater to short and long term financial needs.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in starting the company?

I faced 2 challenges –

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1. I started my career as a software engineer, took a break to take care of my kids, founded two companies that I had to close down and then took up an insurance franchise business. It is easy for people to get confused or think that I am confused about what I am doing. So, it was not easy to establish myself as an insurance advisor and coach.

2. I was new to the world of sales and earning by commissions and it took me time to figure out how to manage my clients. I am a shy, introverted person and initiating a friendly conversation is as it is not easy, and here I was taking up a profession that required me to initiate conversations, do cold calls, talk to strangers, etc.

These were my challenges.

What is the biggest mistake you made while starting your company in the initial few years?

I don’t feel that I made mistakes – not because I am divine but because I consider it a learning. If I did not do what I did, I would not have learned what I learned. I did what I felt was right at the time and in line with my priorities. 

I enjoyed every No that I got from my sales call. I learned how to talk to strangers and maintain relationships over a period of time. I love it when perfect strangers come to me and tell me that they trust me and my way of working. When it comes to money matters, this is very valuable feedback. 

Most of all, I have cherished every moment when, due to my persistence, a family is covered and people have felt peaceful that their finances are secured. 

If there was one thing you could advise to a budding woman entrepreneur, what would it be?

Believe in yourself and give yourself time and compassion. We women entrepreneurs don multiple hats and shoulder various responsibilities. Most of us are entrepreneurs because we want to be there for our families and at the same time satisfy our passion for careers.

It’s ok somedays when the couch has a pile of clothes or the family eats Maggi for dinner. In the end, all that matters is that we are there for our loved ones and we are also loving ourselves enough to do something about our passions. 

(Women’s Web, in collaboration with HEN India, will present a series of interviews with women entrepreneurs on Mondays. ‘HEN- Her Entrepreneurial Network’ is a community of Indian Women Entrepreneurs, connected by a vision to inspire, inform and support each other.)