Know our members… what inspires them, motivates them..
#1 Anamica Cannivady, Owner, Kiya Fashion & Accessories.
Anamica has worked with leading brands in the hospitality in her corporate avatar. She started her entrepreneurial journey by launching Jewelry and Retail Brand – Kiya Fashion & Accessories which is available with leading eCommerce sites in India.
What has been the greatest inspiration in your life?
Without a doubt my mom – Dalia Sengupta. She is the epitome of being a woman and a mother. Her selfless dedication in our upbringing makes me want to do things in life that justifies her sacrificing her dreams and aspirations to ensure we had a wonderful life with all the opportunities we wanted.
Please tell us a little about your journey from being a stay at home mom /corporate professional to an entrepreneur.
I took a conscious decision to quit my corporate life to have a family. I wanted to be there for the first tooth, first smile to every first in my son’s life. Over that time I had been dabbing with various ideas as to what is next when my son is older and only after he was a year into his play school did I finally started working on the opportunity of being an entrepreneur.
How do you manage your time to run a successful business, family and Me Time?
Simple – Schedules, Planning ahead, million Excel sheets and a smart phone. I plan my work schedule for two weeks in advance with
- what I need to do everyday – E.g. : check email / process orders
- Meetings for the week / seminars or sessions I want to attend
- kids schedule ( classes / pick up time / parties etc)
Basis what my calendar looks like I space out my other work and also have space to add on as and when things keep cropping up. – Does it work always – No, but it does 80% of the time and that is what I go with. I don’t work on weekends as its family time.
Who have been the mentors in your life? How have they influenced you?
Don’t have a mentor yet. But over the years I have learnt a lot from my contemporaries as well as seniors at various corporate jobs I have worked.
How do you manage challenges or low points in life?
Low points at work – I usually take a break, do something fun and then get back to the issue at hand. I find it difficult to be objective if I am feeling low.
What keeps you going?
When I am told that I can’t do it! Or that my business is at best a hobby.
What is one tip you would like to give to your fellow members in Biz Divas?
Don’t let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No one else can set your boundaries. Only you know what you can and cannot do. Be clear as to why do you want it? And is your work satisfying that need of yours?
How has being a member at Biz Divas helped you in your journey?
Starting something new is always scary and as a mother it also carried a sense of guilt as I would be taking time out from what was for my child. After many sessions of Biz Diva I learnt a lot in terms of how to do business, very good forum for knowledge accruement from your peers as well as industry experts. Met a whole lot of wonderful women entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey and just share a laugh and a pat on the back for some success or other.
