Storyboard18 | To Her, With Love: Simeran Bhasin gives a shout-out to the inspirational women in her life

Simeran Bhasin (second from left), with her family. Bhasin is business head - alternative protein, Licious.

If she can do it, so can I!

My mother, Kamini Bhasin, has played a key role in shaping me as a professional. One of the few mothers who had their own business in the '70s, her concept of quality time with her kids was carting us along on her sourcing trips.

She ran a few apparel businesses over 25 years before she joined my father to expand his furniture business, adding interior design to the portfolio. She is completely self-taught, so I grew up believing that education or prior experience wasn’t a qualification one required to build a business in any field.

I developed a sense of aesthetic and attention to detail, watching her design garments and then homes. I learnt the pride in financial independence early, as she would get me to earn by embroidering kurtas for her boutique. Her work has always been her core identity and therefore it was only natural for me to grow up believing the same.

She’s always been a natural leader, who was always quick to take charge in any situation that demanded it. I watched her create businesses from scratch – taking help where needed and relying on her gut for other decisions. She is now reinventing herself at 74 by taking on coaching – a profession she knew nothing of till a few years ago. Like her, I’ve learnt by doing, by making mistakes and I do believe that the hurdle to try something new is what holds us back and every time I go into self-doubt mode, I remind myself that if mom can do it, so can I!

Manju Singh, my other mother, who has been a force to learn from in my personal life. The strength, determination and calm with which she has dealt with life’s ups and downs. She has always been in complete control of her emotions – something that I have been trying to inculcate with small wins every now and then. Her mind-over-matter approach amazes me – sheer positivity thrown at everything life has thrown at her.

Vandana Kohli - author, film maker, composer, director, performer and more recently entrepreneur. A dear family friend who was the reason I went to Lady Shriram College in New Delhi. I’ve watched her pack in more in a day than I could dream of. Her words of advice over the years have stayed with me always.

‘To her, with love’ is a Storyboard18 special series where women in leadership tell us about the women who inspired them and led the way. A shout-out to her.