“Do what you love and success will follow. Passion is the fuel behind a successful career.”
Meg Whitman
There are many traits that can make a woman an
inspiring leader. Inspiring women leaders are often able to see the big picture and envision a better future. They are able to articulate their vision in a way that inspires others to join them in pursuing it. These charismas are often willing to take risks and stand up for what they believe in, even in the face of opposition or criticism.
Leaders are often able to bounce back from setbacks and failures, learning from their experiences and using them to grow stronger and more determined. Women leaders often have a deep understanding of the needs and perspectives of others and are able to connect with people on a personal level. They work well with others, building strong teams and partnerships to achieve their goals.
Inspiring women leaders are often true to themselves and their values and are able to communicate their message in a way that is honest and sincere. These leaders are often creative thinkers who are able to come up with new and innovative solutions to complex problems.
Women leaders are often able to adapt to changing circumstances and environments and are able to pivot their strategies when necessary. Women leaders often have a strong sense of self-assurance, which allows them to make difficult decisions and lead with conviction. They often recognize the contributions of others and are quick to share credit for successes rather than taking all the glory for themselves.
Shedding the spotlight on these inspiring leaders who are driving betterment in the dynamic business arena, CIOLook India brings its latest edition, The Powerful Women Business Leaders to Watch-2023 . By recognizing the contributions of women leaders, we can inspire and encourage others to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in their own communities and beyond.
Flip through the pages and have a delightful read!
A b hi s he k Jo s hi
Abhishek Joshi Deputy Editorabhishek.joshi@insightssuccess.com
As a responsible and accountable Founder and CEO of Ascent Insights, Deepal has spearheaded the services in enhancing the business potential of various client organizations.
Senior Vice President and Global Head of HR, IT, Travel and Admin, CIGNEX
Ankita’s progressive experience in managing and leading various aspects of HR spanning across high-paced business domains of ITES exemplifies into functions such as Administration, Travel, and Resource Management.
Deepika
exploring and bringing out new courses to meet the latest industry requirements.
Parul is very fond of connecting to people with different domains and forte.
Saritha is a multifaceted entrepreneur who carries many responsibilities with grace.
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Deepal Mistry Founder and CEO, Ascent Insights
Deepika Gupta Assistant Professor in Strategy, Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam
Dr Ankita Singh
Parul Chaturvedi Director Fixdax Technology Pvt Ltd
An Ever-Glowing Blaze Enlightening the Wisdom Horizon
Know your Leader Comprehending the Leadership Perspectives in Digitally Advanced Industry
Admirable Aspects Understanding the Traits that Signify Impeccable Leadership Approaches
An Ever-Glowing Blaze Enlightening the Wisdom Horizon
As the current Vice Chair and Secretary on the Executive Board of the Academy of International Business (AIB) South Asia Chapter, was able to Deepika Chair two conferences in the Institute on International Business theme.
Deepika Gupta , Assistant Professor in Strategy, IIMV
For an ever-learning mind, even the ocean of knowledge is limitless. With an inquisitively curious brain, the mind will go on gaining novel insights into everything and expanding upon its wisdom.
That is how when Deepika Gupta , after about 12 years with BSE Ltd., joined IIM Bangalore for the Doctoral Programme in the Strategy Area, her mind– hungry for learning –got a chance to relearn and upskill itself, though she in her gracious attitude really thanks her alma mater for grooming her. She adds, “ Here too, I had the opportunity to work with really great faculty .”
When Deepika joined the Indian Institute of Management, Vishakhapatnam (IIMV) as Assistant Professor in Strategy Area in June 2018 , Director, Prof M Chandrasekhar, showed confidence and trust in her and made her the Coordinator Administration for the Institute in August 2018 (within 2 months of joining the Institute) . This role helped to bring out leadership qualities in her and always supported her in setting up certain rules, regulations, policies and procedures for the Institute. “ It was a team effort with all the credits going to the Director for his acumen and foresightedness ,” says Deepika.
In addition to being Coordinator Administration, she handled various roles during the past four years in the Institute like Chairing the Students Affairs Council, Placements, Internal Complaints Committee, and was RTI First Appellate Authority and had been on various Committees of the Institute since 2018. Since 2021, she is the Chair for Career Development Services and Alumni Relations of the Institute. One of the major objectives of the Institute is to facilitate employment opportunities to each and every student in the flagship MBA Programme of the Institute. The Institute is credited with exemplary achievement of having 100% placement records each year.
Presently, she teaches courses like Competition and Strategy, Business Government and Society, Innovation and New Product Development, Corporate Governance, Legal Aspects of Business, and Strategic Tax Management for various programs like PGP, PGPEx, PGPDGM and others at the Institute. “ I also direct, conduct and take sessions in various MDPs/EEPs organized by the Institute ” she says.
She likes exploring and bringing out new courses to meet the latest industry requirements. She takes this initiative as a a challenge and opportunity that helps her break her own barriers of limiting herself to the existing knowledge and
also helps in pushing the learning curve that should be an inherent part of business management domain.
Experimenting with new subjects provides the required length and breadth learnings to the students. For example, courses like Corporate Governance try to inculcate the essentials of the legal and ethical corporate frameworks in the students who are going to be the future business managers or leaders. Through such courses, they should appreciate that business and facets of management are to be strategized within the legal boundaries of an ecosystem. “ This helps to broaden not only the students’ thoughts and perspectives but also my learnings and experience. It is a win-win situation for both stakeholders. I believe that anyone who imparts more knowledge, the more it grows and spreads ,” she says.
Further, she got nominated as a faculty nominee on the Board of IIMV and continues to hold the position till date, “ Which is a matter of pride for me ,” she says. She is also nominated by the Institute Board as Chief Audit Executive of the Institute and continues to do so. The main responsibility of Chief Audit Executive is to ensure transparency and accountability of the financials and also strengthen the internal control systems of the Institute. This is essential for ensuring sustainability of the Institute way ahead, especially when he Central Government grants shall cease to exist and the Institute need to be self-sustaining.
She’s currently Vice Chair and Secretary on the Executive Board of the Academy of International Business (AIB) South Asia Chapter. She was Chair of the AIB South Asia Chapter Conference in January 2022 and was Co-Chair for AIB India Chapter Conference in December 2020. Each of these conferences were conducted through electronic mode in the Institute and had the credit of receiving more than 100 submissions and were conducted with resounding success.
She’s the Chief Vigilance Officer (part-time) of the Institute as nominated by Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC), Government of India. “From Feb 2021, I hold the position and ensure that the processes and policies of the Institute are transparent, corruption free and adhere to the laid down CVC manuals, circulars and guidelines to prevent any type of malpractices or corruption in recruitment, procurement and other administrative matters of the Institute.” This highlights the high level of ethical perceptions by various stakeholders and adds to build the goodwill and brand image of the Institute.
I also am of Sec 8 Director Finance Company of the Institute IIMV Foundation for Incubation Entrepreneurial Learning and Development (IIMV FIELD).
She informs, “ I also am Director Finance of Sec 8 Company of the Institute IIMV Foundation for Incubation Entrepreneurial Learning and Development (IIMV FIELD) .” IIMV FIELD is the incubation and startup hub of IIMV and, “We are one of the fastest growing incubators in the country.” The objectives of IIMV FIELD are
•To promote, develop and nurture the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation by way of facilitating, enabling, creating, fostering, supporting, funding/investing, mentoring, and managing entrepreneurial efforts, initiatives, endeavours, and ventures.
•To promote and develop platforms which can provide networking opportunities for prospective and potential entrepreneurs, students, teachers/faculty, researchers, alumni groups, angel investor groups and other like and to enhance possibilities of mutual learning, sharing of knowledge and experiences; cross-fertilization of ideas; exchange of constructive thoughts and dissemination of best practices among such groups.
•To promote education, research and other programs and activities in creativity, upskilling, re-skilling, retooling, incubation, acceleration, innovation, entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurship development and allied areas of knowledge as well as interdisciplinary studies and domains.
She furthers that they also have a Startup Policy that is inclusive in nature and encourages faculty and students to be part of entrepreneurial activities. This helps the students to understand the challenges, problems, and issues for startups either fundraising, marketing, logistics and others. “We, therefore, do several Capacity Building Programs to build the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Nation and specifically Visakhapatnam city, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Regions.” IIMV FIELD has also received government funds through various startup programs like TIDE, DST and others.
Overall, in any role that is exercised, every student should benefit in the form of learnings, experiences, and enhancement of knowledge that may or may not be related to the specific area in management domain alone but in wholesome. It is about building an ecosystem so that the benefits reach each and every person.
She expresses, “Overall, since I joined it has been an enriching and exciting journey till date.”
The Journey Continues… Deepika is currently the recipient of Visiting Research Fellowship (2022-23) from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), University of Pretoria, Johannesburg, South Africa (a triple crown accredited Institute).
In April 2022, she was awarded the C K Prahalad Prashasti for Corporate and Social Strategy 2022 for research focus on Cultural Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property. This award was conferred by ReTHINK INDIA which honoured eminent figures in Corporate and Social Strategy to celebrate their strategic contributions toward Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
In addition, she is really thrilled and excited to be chosen to feature as Cover Story for ‘The Powerful Women Business Leader to Watch 2023’ in this esteemed CIOLOOK INDIA magazine Special Issue . “ I think this marks the beginning of the bright journey ahead….”
She graduated in Commerce from Mulund College of Commerce, Mumbai University and then completed a Master's in Financial Services and Management from Alkesh Dinesh Mody Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai University with First Rank.
She cleared the Chartered Accountancy exams on the first attempt in May 1997 and secured All India 9th Rank in Chartered Secretary December 1998 exams. She received Saraswati Dhanuka Memorial Award for 1st rank amongst female candidates and Ghanshyam Das Saraf Memorial Gold Medal for the highest marks in the ‘Corporate Tax Management – Indirect Tax’ paper in Chartered Secretary Finals.
Later, she completed Post Graduate Diploma in Banking and Securities Law with an overall 2nd Rank from Indian Law Institute (now deemed University), Delhi. She had been a regular recipient of various prizes, awards, and certificates for debates, elocution competitions and others during my school and college days.
She recalls, “I feel blessed to have strict, focused and disciplined learning with great teachers at my school, Sau Laxmibai English Medium School in Mulund East, Mumbai. My father was a Mechanical Engineer from Banaras Hindu University (now IIT-BHU) and my mother with MA and MEd degrees served as high school-teacher.
I credit my parents for inculcating in each of the five daughters high levels of discipline, courage, ethics, integrity and deeply rooted beliefs along with full freedom, agility, resilience and flexibility in what we do while growing up. One of my sisters is Doctorate in Pharmacy and other works in Child Education and are settled in USA. The other sisters are Chartered Accountants and one of them works as Chief Manager in esteemed nationalized bank in India.”
She began her professional career with M/s Shah and Dhokia, a Chartered Accountant firm in Mumbai and worked for about three years before joining The Bombay Stock Exchange (now BSE Ltd.) as Management Trainee. All the organizations where she worked provided equal opportunity and enough space for growth and learning. She says, “ I was designated as Regional Head – North for BSE (when the family shifted to Delhi) .”
According to Deepika, IIMV is one of the new generation IIMs, set up by the Government of India in September 2015 in line with the Andhra Pradesh Re-Organization Act, 2014. Under the IIM Act 2017, effective from 31/01/2018, the Institute has become a body corporate and declared as an…
The Institute has started its academic operations in the ongoing construction of its world-class campus of approx. 241 acres of land about 25 kilometres from the present (temporary) state-of-the-art campus in the salubrious Andhra University campus in the ‘City of Destiny’, Visakhapatnam. Even though a new entrant in the Indian Education Sector, set up through statute, IIMV has marked
its significance in a span of just seven years. The Board of the Institute has also been instrumental in being supportive and cooperative in timely decision making on various fronts like academics, finances, infrastructure and other support mechanisms.
Continuing its journey towards steady progress and growth since its inception just seven years ago, IIMV has already carved out for itself a niche place in the comity of IIMs, crossing several milestones and maintaining a distinct lead in:
•Ongoing construction of its world-class infrastructure of IIMV Permanent Campus at Gambheeram, Anandpuram Mandal.
https://iimv.ac.in/permanent_campus
•Having rich knowledge resources; and modern infrastructure, even in its temporary campus, conducive to learning outcomes of high impact;
•Having a vibrant student cohort with national character - representing most of the states in India - they excel in academics, co- and extra-curricular activities and regularly win competitions pan-India.
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•Ranked 33 in NIRF Rankings 2022 (highest among new generation IIMs)
•Recording top placements among ten IIMs.
•Enjoying excellent linkage with apex industry bodies like CII;
•Having all faculty with PhDs from top-notch institutions of India and abroad such as IIMs, IITs and reputed foreign universities.
•Hosting the largest cohort of women entrepreneurs, after IIM Bangalore, under a special initiative called the Women Start-up Program;
•Launching the PhD program from the Academic Year 2019-20;
•Conducting a customized MBA Program on weekends for experienced professionals;
•Offering (first-ever in the country) a specialized MBA Program in Digital Governance & Management in blended learning mode, under the aegis of and sponsored by the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), Govt. of India;
•Starting a TIDE (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurship) Center under the aegis of and supported by MeitY, GOI (only the fifth IIM to enjoy this recognition and privilege);
•Building the capacities of teaching staff from the engineering colleges across the country, under the Technical Education Quality Improvement Program, sponsored by the National Project Implementation Unit, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India;
•Conducting Management Development Programs for top-notch Central Public Sector Enterprises and corporates.
•Designing, developing and delivering the first-ever Certificate Program in R&D Management for the scientists of Naval Science & Technological Lab; DRDO, GOI;
•Receiving, on the strength of our credibility assiduously built on strong credentials, an endowment of ₹22.0 Million from an eminent scientist and philanthropist (Dr B R L Row), towards the
construction of an Incubation Facility as well as the institution of a Gold Medal to be awarded, year after year, to the best-performing girl student in the MBA program;
•Reaching the threshold of constructing an iconic permanent campus with the largest area and the highest capital allocation among the new IIMs.
Deepika states, “ As our Director says, IIMV is…
A Trend-Setter and Path-Breaker”
Sharing her initial challenges after venturing into the education industry viz-a-viz present challenges, Deepika says that getting an admission as a student or getting selected for teaching or otherwise with an IIM has always been a dream for many. “ I am not sure if I faced challenges entering IIM but surely there have been initial challenges after venturing into the education industry .” The education industry is like any other industry. Merit and performances are definitely recognized and awarded. There is tough competition to outperform each other at every level.
“ Initially when I took over as Coordinator Administration, there were certain non-supportive moments that I experienced within the Institute. ” However, one cannot please everyone.
The efforts and actions speak and performance bars should be set so high that it should become difficult for the others to reach it, cross it or break it. Positive feedback received from various stakeholders highlight the quality of work accomplished. It is a self-satisficing feeling to be a part of the founding family member of the Institute.
“It is worth mentioning here that mentoring, trust and guidance of Prof M Chandrasekhar eased out some of the challenges for me.”
The challenges are the same even now. “Now, that I handle other portfolios, I still experience the same challenges that I faced earlier. Sometimes, this is irritating and disgusting but as a leader, we need to adapt forget and forgive strategies. I too had my own lows where certain colleagues behaved differently and suddenly their personality traits changed . Sometimes, it gives a feeling that I am in ‘Big Boss’ House!!” Yeah, true I am an ardent Salman Khan fan!!
Being an experienced leader, Deepika opines that ‘Technology’ has always been a major force that is transforming any sector. “However, as an Institute, I believe, we understood its maximum potential only during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Though they already had stateof-the-art facilities on their temporary campus, they never thought that they need to transform some of their learning techniques online for the benefit of various stakeholders, students in particular. They spent almost about ‘Rupees One Crore’ to bring the best of the available online technological resources so that they continue to impart quality education seamlessly and without any friction. They also got robust and foolproof examination platforms on board and trained all the stakeholders about how to use them. “ We thereby managed all our programmes for almost more than two years without any reported glitch ,” she informs.
Though COVID-19 is a story of the past now, they continue to use some of these advancements even today. Some of their certificate programmes and executive education shortterm programmes continue on online mode. The Institute is also planning to start the EMBA programme through hybrid mode and, “I think many management schools have realized the potential of technology.”
Various problems faced during the pandemic have helped them gain experiences and these have been really useful as inputs to get the world-class infrastructure set up in their permanent campus. “ Technology is the key instrument of imparting education and this is to stay for the future as well ,” she feels.
In her advice, Deepika claims that Teaching is a noble profession. “Therefore, I think, that as an academician it is time to give back to society. My advice to the aspirants who are looking to venture into the Management sector as an academician is that…
Be True to Yourself and Listen to your Inner Self …and the rest follows. Be honest, ethical and transparent. Accept mistakes if committed and do not try to find an escape route to avoid accountability and responsibility.”
The tree that is fully laden with fruits always is rooted to the ground. Be rooted to the ground, be empathetic and sympathetic, and respect your parents and colleagues and success will surely follow . Philosophically, be God-fearing.
Have the courage to speak the truth and follow what the heart says. Do not be part of the herd mentality for the sake of it. “As the former President of India Shri APJ Abdul Kalam had said ‘ Love your job to be happy’ I think we should do that .”
As a leader, one should accept risks, do accept them and be courageous to face failures as well. There is no reward without risks.
“My future goals are to continue working in the education sector wherein there are no closures and every day is a new learning.” There is no end to the limits of knowledge and the Institute provides exactly new avenues to continue these steps forward. “I look forward to being more active in research and aim for some top-class publications. With the research fellowship from GIBS, I aim to look into more such opportunities.”
For the Institute, they continue to explore further with their new permanent campus to be operative fully in a few months they aim to look for more programmes, industry connects and other activities to increase their revenues and bottom lines to become self-sustainable.
For enhancing the teaching methods of the Institute, all the faculty are encouraged to participate in various programmes of reputed management schools in India or abroad to enhance their skills so that there is innovation in teaching methods. The course curriculum is revised at regular intervals to maintain quality and rigour for all the programmes. “The students are our brand ambassadors when they graduate. These are the alumni that provide us feedback about what the industry is looking for and how the dynamic environment requires the Institute to revamp our offerings in terms of courses, electives, structures, outlines and delivery. The students should be able to appreciate the learnings and imbibe in themselves these facets that shall help them in their professional careers,” she concludes .
My are to futuregoals continue in the working education sector wherein there are no closures and every day is a continuous new learning.
Entrepreneurial enterprises sustaining and succeeding in the changing economy have grasped the market's pulse. The key differentiators have been to understand the client's requirements, ascertain their needs, and offer customized solutions that suit their needs.
Building the foundations of growth through frequent communication and brand promotion strategies, Deepal Mistry has emerged as a master entrepreneur, propelling the progress of several business organizations. As a responsible and accountable Founder and CEO of Ascent Insights , Deepal has spearheaded the services in enhancing the business potential of various client organizations.
Deepal hailed from a business family. Thus, she inherited the entrepreneurial legacy right from an early age. Having witnessed the highs and lows of a business, she did her first stint of doing business independently in 12th Grade.
Along with her two other friends, Deepal began a small business from scratch. She reminisces about her experience, “ To top it all, we (my two friends and me) even made a profit of 3200/- rupees each .” A good start in 2005 for a 16year-old. “ But more than the profit, it was the process that gave me many insights ,” says Deepal.
The trio had put up a sale of handicraft items, sarees, and toddler accessories. Each of them had to arrange for one of the segments. From these, Deepal took up the responsibility for the toddler accessories and handicraft items. She approached an aunt living in her area who made these items at home. The aunt (who is no more) had a lovely hand at it, and the finishing could give today’s branded items a run for their money.
Deepal recollects, “ So I approached her and explained my plans. She was so elated that she opened her inventory room for me and said , ‘Beta take whatever you wish to and can return whatever is not sold. Only ensure to pack it differently since the presentation is very important.”
Discovering the Hidden Entrepreneur Within Deepal’s first learning was about presentability, the vital factor that wins hearts. She firmly believes that ‘ Presentation is Important .’ Hence, with this idea, she put little Handwritten Grandma stories as a card on top of each toddler item and gave it an interestingly different look. Even the handicraft items had their engaging genesis displayed on the label. Deepal reveals, “ This was my learning into creativity and packaging innovation. It taught me to see beyond the price tag. One of the most important factors in the buying decision- The buyer’s emotion .”
This precious lesson learned at the age of 16 came in handy when Deepal was into the B-school and fully realized its power when she got into the corporate world, building brands from scratch to 500 Crores. ( You can download the journey of the brand Telma: Building and Defending the Market Leader on the Harvard Business Review site: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/IMB521-PDF-ENG)
Throughout her over two decades of experience that involved several levels of hierarchy, including a Strategic Business Unit Head in Pan India, Deepal always pondered on one aspect, “ Are we done yet with the customer journey ? Today’s Gen Z are already thinking very differently; tomorrow’s Gen T – Deepal’s acronym for Generation Technology – would be way ahead, so how can the brands and businesses remain relevant? What is ‘that Unique Strategy’ which would align with their needs and create value for a brand .”
Deepal shares , “Pondering upon this, sitting in the corner cabin of one of India’s top 15 Pharmaceutical companies, I was thinking of a way where Technology, Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence can work alongside each other rather than replacing the other to ensure a brand’s success.” How can Human intelligence and Artificial Intelligence play together? This idea led to the birth of ‘ Ascent Insights .’
Ascent Insights offers the best advertising communication, brand promotions, business management, organization, administration, and office functions. Deepal coins it, “ We Help Businesses Grow Faster .”
Deepal Mistry has illustrious titles wrapped around her name, including the winner of the Nationwide Women Excellence Award Strategic Industry Leader 2022 , Global 50 Glory Award 2021 and Under 50 Business Leader Award . She is a member of Leaders Excellence and a certified leader at Harvard Her Square
She has also published her case studies in her review of her business at Harvard, and is studied by marketing students in various management curriculums including IIMs across the country. She has expanded her career from Field Sales Representative to Head of Sales and Marketing at a Pan India level as Head of Strategic Business Unit in one of the top 15 Indian pharmaceutical companies. She has built mega brands of 50 billion upwards from scratch which enjoy top positions in their respective segments today.
With 23 years of strong marketing, sales and P&L experience in companies like Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, she founded Ascent Insights in 2019 to help companies find strategic and competitive ways for their brands. The mission of Ascent Insights is to deliver bulls eye strategies with actionable insights that help achieve competitive advantage and sustainable growth. Deepal and the team at Ascent Insights enables strategic development and growth for some of the top Indian and MNC brands in the healthcare sector.
Rightly reflecting on the quote, ‘ A smooth sea never makes a good sailor ,’ every growing business must venture into new markets and take calculated risks. There are probably 150 million startups worldwide today, with 50 million new startups launched yearly. Deepal says, “ So yes, there is a myriad of challenges that I faced when I started .”
"My crazy expectations were mostly from myself. I expected to be Super Mom, wife of the year, and build a successful business all in the same year. Even though I was (and am) doing great in all the key areas of life, I often felt inadequate, which was exhausting. That is when I realized I needed to translate the real expectations. Whether from self or in business. Sustainability is the name of the game. And sustainability requires consistent efforts .”
High yet logical expectations with tracking available resources, the extent of growth potential, scalability and other market factors are essential to succeed in this highly competitive world.
Money begets money. When income increases, expenditures also increase. Balancing income and expenditure carefully without affecting the growth momentum is the key secret of a successful business. Another biggest challenge was financial management which I could navigate with the proper resource management, thanks to my learnings at Glenmark of P&L management
The customer is the king. Winning a customer’s trust is one of the most important challenges. Deepal expresses , “We at Ascent Insights work aggressively to implement a customercentric working philosophy. It enables their brands to attain the sustainable growth and progress they desire to achieve in this tech-savvy, challenging and competitive business world with speed led by strategic insights.” Customer satisfaction encourages the internal teams and fuels our growth with happy customers referring services to other business organizations.
Deepal quotes Michael Jordan, formal American basketball player and businessman, “ Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships .” Creating a team that can own and translate your passion as theirs is the biggest asset one can have. She is fortunate to have a team like that, thinks Deepal . Grounded in attitude but reaching the universe with their ideas, her team is a group of passionate individuals.
Last but not least challenge was Achieving a work-life balance. “As a mom of two and owner of two businesses, my greatest challenge as a female entrepreneur was finding balance. It can feel like your heart and time are being tugged in a million different directions simultaneously.”
The solution: " However, one thing that has helped me achieve that balance is creating schedules and systems ."
Deepal’s professional values and qualities valued most in her and Ascent Insights by clients are Insights, Innovation, Consistency and Commitment. Regarding Ascent Insights’ uniqueness, Deepal thinks that behind every growth success story is a thoughtful strategy . She adds, “ We firmly believe that true differentiation takes courage, especially in an industry bound by many promotional restrictions. That is why we use fact-based reasoning to overcome objections, build buy-in and establish critical brand momentum .”
Replying as advice to the budding professionals willing to enter the business world, Deepal says that one must stop listening to all of these generalized "experts". Know your strengths and weaknesses – not what everyone says they should be as a woman Use your strengths, address your weaknesses and pursue your goals
A man, tough in business dealings, is respected for being savvy and getting things done. A woman is dismissed as being shrewd and bossy. Taking a woman boss or entrepreneur is not every man’s cup of tea.
Pro tip: ‘ Know your stuff, real deep .’ Cliched, but you should know your product or business like a mother knows her child. Nobody better than her can know. And on a lighter note, to top it, if you can discuss cricket, you are definitely into the playing 11 (read team).
Never get scared to ask what you want to learn—and never get stopped by emotional or surrounding forces to stop you from learning
Regarding her envisioning Ascent Insights’ operations with the emerging technologies and automated tools that are revolutionizing the business world by enabling innovations, Deepal says that in the past ten years, we have seen technology moving at supersonic speed, probably touching human lives in a fashion that has practically modified the laws of Maslow’s theory. Involvement and implementation of technology have made themselves an integral part of the grid.
“We at Ascent Insights are working towards this vision where Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence work together, thereby helping Brands grow,” Deepal concludes
In the modern digitally advanced industry, leadership perspectives have undergone a significant shift. With the rapid pace of technological change, leaders need to be more adaptable, innovative, and forward-thinking than ever before. Here are some of the key leadership perspectives that are essential for success in the digitally advanced industry:
Visionary Leadership : In the digitally advanced industry, leaders need to have a clear vision of where their organization is headed. This requires a deep understanding of emerging technologies, market trends, and customer needs. Visionary leaders are able to identify new opportunities and create a roadmap for success.
They can give their organization a competitive advantage. By providing a clear direction and inspiring innovation, they can help the organization stay ahead of the curve and differentiate itself from competitors.
Visionary leadership is a style of leadership that involves setting a clear vision for an organization and inspiring others to work towards that vision. Visionary leaders can give their organization a competitive advantage. By providing a clear direction and inspiring innovation, they can help the organization stay ahead of the curve and differentiate itself from competitors.
Visionary leadership offers many benefits to organizations. By providing a clear vision, inspiring and motivating employees, encouraging innovation, improving decisionmaking, fostering adaptability, building a strong culture, and creating a competitive advantage, visionary leaders can help organizations achieve success in today's dynamic and competitive business environment.
Collaborative Leadership : Collaboration is essential in the digitally advanced industry. With so many stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of new technologies, leaders need to be skilled at building strong relationships and working effectively with others. Collaborative leaders are able to build high-performing teams and create a positive work culture.
Agile Leadership : The digitally advanced industry is characterized by rapid change and uncertainty. Leaders need to be agile and adaptable, able to pivot quickly in response to new information or market conditions. Agile leaders are able to make quick decisions, take calculated risks, and learn from failure.
Data-Driven Leadership : In the digitally advanced industry, data is king. Leaders need to be able to analyze and interpret large amounts of data in order to make informed decisions. Data-driven leaders are able to identify trends, track performance, and make data-backed decisions that drive growth.
Ethical Leadership: As technology continues to transform the industry, leaders need to be aware of the ethical implications of their decisions. Ethical leaders are able to balance the needs of their organization with the needs of their customers, employees, and society as a whole.
Ethical leadership is a style of leadership that emphasizes moral values and principles. It involves making decisions and taking actions that are based on ethical principles, and that prioritize the well-being of others.
Increased Trust : Ethical leaders are more likely to be trusted by their employees, customers, and stakeholders. By demonstrating a commitment to ethical principles, leaders can build trust and establish strong relationships with those around them.
Improved Reputation : Ethical leadership can enhance an organization's reputation. When leaders prioritize ethical behavior, they are more likely to be seen as trustworthy, credible, and reliable. This can help to attract customers and investors and can also help to retain employees.
Inclusive Leadership : Inclusion is becoming increasingly important in the digitally advanced industry. Leaders need to be able to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters innovation and creativity. Inclusive leaders are able to attract and retain top talent from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Ethical leadership can help to build stronger relationships with stakeholders. By prioritizing the needs of others and demonstrating a commitment to ethical principles, leaders can establish trust and build strong relationships with employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
Customer-Centric Leadership : In the digitally advanced industry, customer needs are constantly changing. Leaders need to be able to anticipate these changes and adapt their strategies accordingly. Customer-centric leaders are able to create products and services that meet the evolving needs of their customers, building loyalty and driving growth.
In conclusion, the digitally advanced industry requires a new kind of leadership. Leaders need to be visionary, collaborative, agile, data-driven, ethical, inclusive, and customer-centric. By embracing these leadership perspectives, organizations can stay ahead of the curve, drive innovation, and succeed in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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Successful business organizations have been led by
prominent influential leaders who have inspired and guided the teams towards focused working and delivering the best services. Researchers have identified the crucial change of the mindset towards broader and holistic thinking, to have accelerated the productivity of the organization powered by stoic leadership.
There are several organizations that have been steered by influential leaders on the path of gradual progress, coming out to be effective, prominent, and significant in the aspects of innovation, product development, services, and client satisfaction. The list goes long with new names getting added in the business era heralded by a series of dynamic
leaders like Gautam Adani from Adani Group, Roshni Nadar of HCL Infosystems, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Group, Falguni Nayar of Naykaa, Ratan Tata, Chairman Tata Group, Anand Mahindra MD Mahindra Group, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Ltd and more. It is interesting to understand the various traits of successful businesswomen that have been noticed in their unique leadership approaches.
Successful leaders are practical thinkers having a strong self-belief in making things happen. Knowing the various aspects of the organization from the depth of operations, the leaders are very focused and specific about executing the plans. Track and monitor the systems to prepare the required strategies. Leaders reflect amazing confidence in their communication and behaviour. Their preparedness in every meeting and the day-to-day business functions reflects their finesse and control over the discussion. This belief portrays their ability to maneuver various challenges and succeed in the business.
Business leaders are always nicely groomed and wellpresented saying a lot about themselves. It shows that they have got everything in control and take pride in their appearance. Good dressing reflects their self-respect.
Business leaders are never short of anything but pristine and stylish – in fact, everyone is likely to catch these leaders on the ‘best dressed’ celebrities of some great event. The dressing, shoes, accessories, methods of using the gadgets, posture, and movements all reflect a class of their level. The complete personality portrays an inspiring aura that motivates and impresses the people around.
Business today is about a lot more than being good at the job; it’s about building a personal own brand as well as that of the organization as well.
Business leaders are fierce performers themselves in finishing the tasks from their ‘To-Do’ list. This quality makes them unmatched professionals who remain far ahead in their deliveries and execution. They are very adept and agile in handling several types of challenges. It so happens that as they complete one from the list, another three appear at the bottom with their own timelines. They don’t see any problem with this either, but rather enjoy re-prioritizing the task list thereby pushing themselves to see what they can achieve.
Understanding that not everything on the to-do list will be accomplished but will be completed sooner is also a sign of their strength.
Progressive business leaders with successful careers have a healthy work-life balance. They are not the first ones to wind off the day early and head for some enjoyment, but they are the experts in maintaining a healthy balance in their work and personal lives. Keeping both things separate and clearly defined, they lead lives with proper planning and distribution of priorities. They are also flexible in juggling between priorities when they team up for the latenight presentation of the board meeting or work hard to meet the commitments of the employees, vendors, clients, and even investors. This comes down to the fact that they prioritize what’s important and make time for a life out of work. That time out allows for perspective and gives women with high-powered, stressful careers the opportunity to unwind and refocus when necessary.
Successful leaders promptly support their team members; they encourage other people to learn and take up higher responsibilities in business and more often in helping others climb the corporate ladder. Modern leaders who have achieved success recognize and appreciate the hurdles their peers will have to overcome and guide them accordingly. Business leaders allow the employees to identify the work from a different perspective and apply creative thoughts from their active involvement in the work.
Looking at the business from a commercial enterprise to a solution powerhouse, today’s business leaders have displayed amazing talent in their high degree of involvement in organizational operations. Developing a clear understanding, they identify an outcome that would offer the best possible solution to the intended purpose to the clients, and everyone involved in the chain. Openly brainstorm with the teams, and help in generating new possibilities of better and more efficient working, the leaders ensure cracking the best possible ‘improved’ solution adding substance to the working objectives.
- Kedar Borgaonkar
I always wanted to be an employment generator, which is the only reason I started the business.
Saritha Devpunje, Director and Founder Magneton Technologies Pvt Ltd.
In today’s world, there are numerous courageous tales of passionate fights, and facing devastating obstacles, yet getting up after each fall, stepping further out of one's comfort zone and contributing to social well-being, despite one's own tragedies. These stories inspire us to dream and pursue our dream in whatever circumstances may come and challenge us.
In honour of International Women's Day, on the eve of 8th May 2022, Saritha Devpunje was honoured with the Women of the Substance Award-2022 in the Entrepreneurs Category by SheInspire Magazine. Several accomplishments have led to her receiving this recognition.
Saritha is a multi-faceted entrepreneur who carries many responsibilities with grace. She works as the Director of Magneton Technologies Pvt Ltd, as well as the CTO of AIontheFly Technologies Pvt Ltd and Dr Alka Skincare and Healthcare.
Saritha is a free spirit at heart as well. She worked at CISCO for a while but was never satisfied with being a company employee. Her goal was always to create job opportunities for others. So, in 2014, she quit her job and founded a small training agency with the help of her mother's investment. This was followed by the establishment of a web design firm in collaboration with her brother Shiv Sagar Devpunje, sister Sarika Devpunje, and her husband, Mukesh.
The Stream of Powerful Currents Mukesh, Saritha’s husband, died in a tragic accident in 2018, leaving her with a baby girl to raise on her own. While the incident devastated her, it also strengthened her.
She now runs Magneton Tech, which has over 60 employees and many satisfied clients. IT Training (for colleges and corporations), interview as a service, recruitment, web development, mobile app development, digital marketing, cyber security, hosting, branding, digital business transformation, AI and ML VR, and MatterPort Photography are among Magneton's services.
Magneton Tech has completed over 750 projects and has over 150 regular customers in its ten-year history. Magneton Tech brings together a group of passionate minds to make clients' visions a reality, providing an amazing digital experience for clients' users. From website design and development to scalable mobile apps and SaaS platforms, the solutions it engineers help clients increase efficiency and growth.
"We are committed to achieving and pushing the level of performance at all times," Saritha says. “We deliver end-toend solutions for multi-million dollar funded start-ups to small and medium enterprises by leveraging the power of technology. Art and culture inspire us as well, and our presence in Bangalore, Kolhapur, and Pune reflects this.”
Saritha’s Dream Magneton Magneton technologies started in 2014 as a training institute and have spread its stream of services into,
• web design and development : Magneton offers professional web design services at affordable rates to help your business attract more visitors and keep them on your site. It builds digital shopping experiences to meet ambitious sales goals for your e-commerce.
•Mobile app development : Magneton’s professional app developers build custom mobile apps to assist in the growth of your business.
• 360 Degree photography : Unique corporate style that fits your customer's needs and vision. Contextual advertising on Google and Facebook can lead to instant customers.
•Training in IT space in both colleges and corporates
•Interview as a service
•AI and ML consultancy
• Building franchise for UK-based dermatology brand : Dr Alka Skincare and Healthcare: Recently, Saritha has also branched out into the wellness space with a start-up - SreeAvnee, distributing skincare products for a premium dermatologically-approved brand across South India - again to generate employment opportunities to some, and bring affordable skincare solutions to others.
According to her, Magneton Tech's professional values and qualities that clients admire the most are customer satisfaction, customer-first approach, 24/7 availability, honesty, and promising less and delivering more.
"Our reviews are on Google, and I would say they truly reflect our accomplishments more than anything else," Saritha says.
Similarly, Magneton Tech's USPs that highlight its uniqueness, according to Saritha, are that it is a growing company with a focus on customer satisfaction and needs. "We always understand customers' needs and suggest solutions based on that," Saritha adds.
An Ever-Flowing River of Inspirations
Saritha enjoys hand embroidery and has created many saris. "I always wanted to be an employment generator, and that is why I started the business," she says.
She believes that it is possible to pursue both scientific and artistic interests and that they are not mutually exclusive. Another interest is travelling. "Over time, the milestones changed, and now I would say that I love business, and the desire to grow drives me to hustle," says Saritha.
Her professional advice to women and everyone is to get out of their comfort zone. Only then can one attain success.
Her philosophy is that everyone faces obstacles in life and that no one is fortunate enough to have a clear path ahead of them. The initial challenges she had to surmount to ensure
Magneton’s success were many: talent, attrition, capital, operating expenses, and Societal pressure. She decided to cross those hurdles instead of giving up, which has kept her going.
As an experienced professional, Saritha advises budding aspirants willing to enter the business world to gauge the strengths in their bones under the raging storms. She says do not procrastinate; if you have an idea, start working on it. It is never too late to start a business.
It is of utmost importance to get out of your comfort zone and start working . There will be a lot of challenges and occasions that break you. It is important to understand that only when we break do we understand what we are made up of! Gather those pieces and start again
When asked how she envisions Magneton Tech’s operations with the emerging technologies and automated tools that are revolutionising the business world by enabling innovations, Saritha says that the automation and application of emerging technologies are a must to sustain. “It not only saves a lot of costs but brings in much discipline in the processes we follow in the company,” concludes Saritha
