Strength isn’t about how much you can handle before your break. It’s about how much you can endure after you’re been broken.

Shalini Kapoor

To all those who know Shalini Kapoor she needs no introduction. But for those who don’t, we suggest the readers take a pause from reading this article and visit the website of Yatan.

Question 1 – How did you choose the various campaigns conducted by Yatan?

Answer – To begin with it was just a single venture and we began which I felt was the need to the hour, education. After that is was much of of one thing leading to another.

Keeping the guiding principle of Education being a right, we began with five children of migrant workers. Today we have crossed more than 10000 children. This venture is our Back to school drive, Vidhya Vinayam. While talking classes the next issue dawned upon us, menstrual hygiene. We began with classes focusing on informing young women on how to select the right product and what are the issues faced. For this we requested volunteers like gynaecologists and health experts.

While these ventures were progressing, COVID struck and the entire world came to stand still due to the lockdown. With migrant workers and labourers getting jobless, food became the most important essential taking priority over education. That is the time we began with our next venture, Annapurna (Food Bank). We started providing wholesome meals to underprivileged children. We also started distributing rations and all essentials for cooking once we started getting donations from some really beautiful souls. During COVID we also began our next venture which is Sampurna. We realised that not everyone can afford digital devices, so we started asking people to donate their old and used digital devices so they can be further provided to the needy.

While the lockdown eased, we realised that in order to help with income, the female members of the family now require the necessary skills. That was our next venture, Protsahan. This time we also got volunteers who spared their valuable time in teaching skills to women who started with environmentally friendly products. Temple flowers were used to create organic colours and cow dung was used to make diyas. Women also learned stitching and other such skills.

Volunteers form a part of our core and have helped us to grow to this level. We conduct classes on legal awareness, career options and even counselling sessions. One such session was also conducted by Manisha Yadav, Founder and Owner of Narisakti.

On World Environmental Day we planted 500 trees. As part of our Blanket donation drive we provided 50000 blankets to homeless people who sleep by the roadside.

Question 2 – Patience and compassion are key ingredients of social work? Are these essential or critical?

Answer – Dalai Lama once said “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” Without compassion you cannot help others. Social service requires time and hard work. Everything however begins with patience. So compassion and patience are the criticals while a lot of hard work is required.

The other important aspect of patience is that this is the only virtue which will see you through. When things are not going your way, it is patience which provides the answers.

Question 3 – Talking about generation gap, does the Generation – Z show any interest in social work?

While the millennials are touching their forties, they are still struggling with technology and gadgets. For example people from that generation prefer to call rather than chat. But in case of generation Z who have been brought up being connected, they have taken full advantage of access to online resources.

These are all young men and women who are socially conscious and digitally aware. Young women especially are much aware about work and financials. So my opinion is that generation Z is better prepared and ready for social work.

We are so fortunate to have these young minds working as volunteers. Also social work is now included in university curriculum. That is a big step since field work is now compulsory. So these students put in lots of hard work to get good grades as volunteers. We have got volunteers from prestigious institutes like DPS Vasant Kunj, DPS RK Puram, DPS Gurugram, DPS Sushantlok, Shri Ram School, Pathways school, Suncity, Amity International School, La Martinière School Lucknow, DPS Bokaro Steelcity, Amity University Noida, IBM College Gurugram, NCU University Gurugram, Manipal University Jaipur, Christ University Bangalore, Narsee Monjee Mumbai, Narsee Monjee Bangalore, Flame University Pune, IGNOU and Lucknow University.

Follow us at

https://www.instagram.com/yatananeffort/

https://www.instagram.com/shalinii_kapoor/

https://www.facebook.com/shalini.kapoor.9231

https://in.linkedin.com/in/shaliniikapoor

Manisha Yadav

I am Manisha Yadav, Founder and Ideologue of Narisakti. MBA Student and Digital Marketing expert, I take your brand online and help you reach more customers.

www.sukaone.com

Tell us more about your plans for social media. We seen that you have similar design approach.

Every post on Ehsaas is carefully planned by me. Instagram provides us with a square space for posting. Then there are only certain font sizes which are most appropriate for mobile screen reading. So you see there is a limit of number of words in each poster which I make. It is both a challenge and excitement for me.

While forming a quote, I spend lots of time playing around and rearranging the words as per the idea in my mind. I have a sharp eye and love to observe people. So my quotes are everyday stories of ordinary people that I come across. Which is why they are relatable. My Instagram account is a way to inspire people.

With the maximum number of words fixed, each post of mine has to convey the exact meaning as well as it has to be within the word limit.

So you reached a point where you realise that writing is a passion

Writing is therapeutic. It is an experience and motivation in itself for me. At the end of a long hard corporate day, writing gives me an outlet to express & assert. Since early days I aspired to work in a corporate environment. Working in that direction, I started training for company secretary during the pandemic period. At that time I made forays into writing too.

Explain the importance of corporate career for you

Not just for me but I believe that career is a must for every woman. There was an era when a woman was wither tied to her husband or caged with her family. Women today are breaking stereotypes. Education has helped a long way to change this. But the greatest contribution to this change is earning. Working in corporate make me feel strong and confident. It gives me strength to endure. My skills and capabilities make me independent.

So while the corporate career is always going to be my calling, writing is a part of me. Many people have suggested to me to take up writing as a full time job, but I know I am still in a learner mode. It will take years and years of working to reach some level which I aspire. Till then word play and inspiration is what I seek to give.

Follow Social Media accounts of Raksha Laddha

https://www.instagram.com/_e_h_s_a_a_s/

https://www.instagram.com/raks_241/

Manisha Yadav

I am Manisha Yadav, Founder and Ideologue of Narisakti. MBA Student and Digital Marketing expert, I take your brand online and help you reach more customers.

www.sukaone.com

Is it the age where I am allowed
to make mistakes no more
Or the age where
senses become more sharper

Diminishing with age
But I never felt more aware

At 39 on 29th
I have another year to come to
THAT age
where I am 50 not yet
But the countdown begins

Age is just a number
they say
You need to be young at heart
Perception is the game
I say

I have 364 days
but counting no more
Till I become 40 on 29th
When it would Rhyme no more

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

A deep bond with mountains brought the idea to Shweta

A jewellery designer settled in UAE, Shweta, was managing her business with her brother, Saurabh Sukhani. Life was regular until it changed.

At 23, she was persuaded by her friend for her first trek. Since then, being in the mountains became her meditation. After marriage, she told Gaurav Golechha, her husband, that trekking was her soul and she wouldn’t part with it.

Within a year, she was expecting Advit. It was unimaginable for her to stay away from the mountains. She found that the difficulty level of the trek to EBC was the same as the Roopkund trek. As she had been to Roopkund, she found EBC reachable.

Shweta discovered that some people train their children to trek from a young age. It inspired her. She became determined to make her child the youngest to climb to EBC. The only thing she knew was that she would try her best.

Shweta was not afraid as she knew her capability, her son’s capacity and the beloved mountains

She began her research from Advit’s birth. She met people who had trained their children for trekking. Then, she began training Advit.

Walking and climbing were the essences of his training.

Even at the age of 11 months, she took him to the mountains. At 1.5 yrs., she made Advit play in the snow at Manali daily for 15 days. Advit needed to be accustomed to low temperature and air pressure. Every day Advit walked three to four km. His mother had tricks to allure him – climbing to his UAE house on the 14 th floor, shopping, and stories of superheroes.

The only thing his mother was fighting a war against was AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). If Advit had suffered from AMS, he wouldn’t have trekked to EBC at four years and one month. Adults can pop pills to prevent AMS, but a child has no such advantage.

“Saurabh and Gaurav were my pillars.” – Shweta Golechha

Advit’s mother was excited to make him the youngest to climb EBC. But what about his father? He could be scared or protective.

He was neither.

He was supportive of Shweta. As part of his efforts, he tried to acclimate Advit to low temperatures. Every vacation was spent on a mountain top, preferably the Himalayas.

Not only her husband but her in-laws and parents completely supported Shweta’s endeavour. Her mother has always encouraged her to pursue what her heart desires. Despite the ill-health of her father-in-law just six days before the climb, her family enthused Shweta to achieve her dream.

Saurabh had difficulties accompanying Shweta to EBC, but he made it. He kept Advit entertained during the trek.

Hardships were many, but Shweta did not doubt the success of her
adventure

Shweta planned to take Advit to EBC at the age of three. The COVID pandemic devastated her plan for 2020. 2021 was her last chance to make Advit the youngest to have climbed EBC. So, she chose to complete the trek in November instead of May (the ideal month).

All went as planned during the trek. On the last leg, about 30 minutes from EBC, the porter said that Advit might have AMS. At no cost, he should sleep. Shweta and Saurabh didn’t lose hope and kept Advit awake by narrating stories and showing videos. At last, they were successful.

This mompreneur manages her child, her business, and trekking with ease

Shweta has a brilliant set of Karigars who create silver jewellery with different traditional paintings in Bikaner. Here again, Saurabh is the support behind marketing and sales. After marriage, she moved to UAE. Today, she designs the jewellery and manages the Karigars through video conferencing without any difficulty.

As far as trekking is concerned, Advit has accepted it as a part of his life. Shweta trained him to love mountains as much as she does throughout his growing years.

“It’s all in the mind,” says Shweta Goleccha

We will achieve despite the difficulties if we make up our minds. As soon as the mind is ready, the body follows. The mantra behind this mompreneur’s fearlessness is that the journey matters, not the destination.

Instagram link – https://www.instagram.com/shvet_silver/

Aarti Bhola

A technical writer in the field of life sciences, Aarti Bhola, pursued graduation and post-graduation in Biotechnology and Microbiology respectively. She is passionate about researching and writing informative content about any topic. A feather in her cap was her entrepreneurial venture, Melange Handicrafts, that sold lifestyle and home decor goods online. She continues to explore her artistic side via doodling and hand lettering.

They say that siblings bond stays for life and we three sisters are a living proof of it every day. Kanika being the middle child has always been lucky! Childhood and growing up was all about fun and merry times.

She is the one who laughed a lot and always wanted to do things her way. She is also the least shy one. In fact she is very direct. You can be assured that whatever is in her mind, she will speak out. That landed her in trouble many times, but she was ready for that too. She is the confident one.

We are just three sisters in a family of jwellers. It was her dream to carry forward the family business. Everyone asked us how a woman will take care of a jewellery business, but that never stopped her. We are all together with her. As children we used to regularly visit our store at Chandni Chowk. Kanika was more regular and she was always looking for in depth information of everything related to jewellery.

Technically the most sound knowledge of jewellery

Kanika is a master of jewellery design. Her portfolio on Dazzle Up is a testimonial to that. Her designs are well chosen and they are not easily available anywhere. She is also the best jewellery consultant for you. Depending upon the occasion, your attire, body type and preferences she can get the right design for you. We have seen so many women approach her just so that she can make the right choice for them.

She has an eye for quality and she will never compromise on that. You will get your money worth and will not feel cheated. Her products are long lasting and the quality and finish is not superficial.

Why imitation jewellery

There are several reasons for Kanika Gupta to enter this field like supporting the small creators who make this kind of jewellery and the fact that imitation jewellery is much more reasonable and practical. But we know the real reason, the spirit of entrepreneurship which is natural to her. Women have to get married and raise a family. She is doing that and also following her passion. We are inspired by her perseverance. She is active on social media and has a loyal following of happy customers. So in her present situation she is making the most of it.

One secret of her success is that she is good at everything she does. While in school she was good at studies and got the best marks. While at the store she picked up the intricacies of jewellery business. She is an expert in connecting with people and her connections are for life. Her brands are manifest of that, the best. We always believe that her best is yet to come.

Connect with Kanika Gupta

https://www.instagram.com/dazzle._up/

https://www.instagram.com/ashraydecor/

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

How do you define organic products today?

As per the textbook definition of organic you have to grow food in perfectly fertiliser and pesticide free environment. This is not possible now. There is so much of fertiliser present in soil already. Chemicals are there in water, they are coated on the seeds. Processing plants have assembly lines which are already contaminated. So no seller or producer can claim to grow pure organic produce.

So in the modern period organic stands for the final product is not treated with chemicals. There are no coatings of any kind on the seeds and pulses. Like for example many fresh fruits and vegetables are contaminated with toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium because of the environment where they are grown and the packing material. Other example is the presence of Aluminium Phosphide in dry fruits. While storing dry fruits they are eaten by bugs and rodent. To prevent this Aluminium Phosphide is placed in the storage next to the fruits. After mixing with water this chemical releases and extremely powerful gas called phosphine. This chemical is stored along withe dry fruits in the form of pallets. Aluminium Phosphide is highly toxic and harmful to the environment and many countries have banned it including India.

Organic products from reputable sources are free from such contamination during storage, handling, packing and transportation. Also they are not polished using chemicals to make them shine.

Can you tell us about seeds and edible oil

Yes, this is an important point. You should consume oil from seeds which are grown in a radius of 100 kms from where you stay. So for peoples staying in the south, it is coconut oil which is the best option for cooking. So for me staying in Delhi, I suggest my clients to stick to mustard oil and til or sesame oil for winters. Since olives are not grown in India, olive oil is just not good for us.

The next important part is the extraction process. In the good old days we have mini oil mills right inside the shops which extracted oil by the cold press method. These machines used to crush seeds and release oil right in front of you. Last 30 years or so we discarded these machines and adopted refined oil which is the most harmful. But now cold pressed oil is coming right back in. For westerners it has become fashionable to talk about cold press. If it is available, go for cold pressed oil and extract it right in front of you. Cold pressed oils are filtered using a simple gauge.

Is refined oil so dangerous and what about ghee?

When Europe and later America got industrialised, they started mass producing all kinds of items. To sell their products they unleashed a vicious marketing campaign on the markets of the world. India is an important market for all countries. It is today and was the same hundreds of years ago too. Indians fell prey to misinformation campaign about refined oil. It goes though all kinds of chemical processes till finally you do not get much oil left and lots of chemicals.

Our parents and grand parents never knew about health issues like what we are seeing today. In classrooms today half the children are wearing spectacles. That is because of all that adulteration and chemicals in our food. Take another example of Dalda Vanaspati. It is not ghee at all. It just looks like ghee. It is actually vegetable oil hydrogenated to look like ghee. Similarly desi ghee is supposed to be made from grass fed cow ghee only. But desi ghee is virtually impossible to get in Delhi. So doctors and nutritionists do not recommend consumption of ghee of any kind at all.

Your plans for future.

Life has given so much to me, especially my customers who have a major role to play in the commercial success of my brand, Kitchen Savoury. So it is time for me to give back to society. I have started procuring herbal medicines for plies and diabetes and provide them free of cost. It is my humble way of saying thank you.

https://www.facebook.com/kitchenSavourybyMeenakshi

https://www.instagram.com/ksmnutrition/

https://showroom.dotpe.in/kitchensavourybymeenakshibansal

https://businessmatesdelhi.com/kitchen-savoury-by-meenakshi-bansal/

https://businessmatesdelhi.com/some-facts-about-desi-ghee/

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

Q  Direct marketing requires making a connection with people. How do you describe yourself as a child?

A  I was a confident student in school. That is what my teachers used to say about me. 

At least I had a way out of all situations. As a student I always wanted to be a teacher. After college I completed my MA as well as B.Ed too. That was my precondition for marriage too. I should be allowed to study. So the initial base for me was ready. It is due to my outgoing nature that it was easy for me to get into network marketing. 

Q  How do you describe your specialisation?

A  I am a direct marketer and Oriflamer. I began with building my own network first with friends and then more and more people joined. There is a good margin for reselling which is the main motive for direct marketing professionals.

I had no idea what problems I might encounter. What happened to me happens to every direct marketeer. All of a sudden my network collapsed and sales dropped to zero. 

Q How did you rebuild?

Like all beginners I just made a group and started sharing product pics with price. After attending the training sessions of Oriflame these are the changes I made.

Your behaviour matters – How do you approach customers? Do you reply to their messages in time? Do you speak to them patiently answering queries? Women keep telling everyone they are busy. No one is more busy than every other person. Each person gets exactly 24 hours in the day. It is what you do in that time defines who you are. If you are an entrepreneur, stop telling people you are busy. Dress up well, look after your appearance, improve your communication skills and go out there.

Knowledge of product – If you are selling, you should know your product intimately to be able to answer any query by customers. It takes time and effort to understand a product and how it will suit your skin and hair. This is the second mistake of entrepreneurs, they sell without study and research. Then they find excuses to avoid customers, like I am busy and so on.

Do you use it – The most common question posed by customers. Self experience is important for oriflamers and direct marketing people. Same is emphasised in their training programs.

Business Mates members helped me during my down period. I want to specially mention Reena Dhall who is an English teacher. She helped my child with counselling and she counselled me too. She gave me a lot of support and encouragement. 

Understanding people became an important part of my strategy. I even learnt Handwriting analysis from Nidhi ma’am to improve my skills set. 

Q What is your main driving force? Is money the main motivator?

A  Money is not the main motivator for me. I belong to a rich and well to do family. But it is good to be busy and useful. I could not pursue my dream of being a teacher. But here I am, training others in direct marketing too. Building trust with people takes time. But once the connection is made, it is for life. 

Another important life lesson is never to give up. Selling like any other profession is a test of the staying power of a person. 

https://www.facebook.com/arvinderkaur15

https://www.instagram.com/bagsndmorebyarvinder/

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

Patriarchal society still sees a woman being a caregiver, teacher, cook, maid, engineer, electrician, plumber and so much more. In every Indian household, it is the woman who would know what is kept where. Is it fair that she needs to dress up and put a smile on her face every time the husband needs her?

Why can’t we add a bit more to the mix? She is already adorning multiple roles; she can surely wear one more hat. That of being an entrepreneur. Small or big, she would be the one in charge.

Financially Independent

The financial decision, be it buying a new service or looking for ways to upgrade, the ultimate decision would be hers. She should not be taking into account what the family thinks and speaks. They can only consult when asked to, but otherwise, it should be her decision and thus her control.

Sense of Accomplishment

Being confident, knowing what was created, you made it happen. The sense of accomplishment is the right push towards getting better. There would be hardships, no doubt. There would be moments when all of it would feel unnecessary. All the wrong buttons will be pushed, but nothing can deter an entrepreneur’s path.

Being Tenacious

Having the vision to perceive those things that are not apparent and going after them is what makes women entrepreneurs different. They manage the home very well and thus, managing a business venture where they follow their dream no matter how long It takes is not that difficult.

Truly resilient

No matter what the obstacles may be, women have always had the grace to overcome them and that too with a smile. Why can’t the same be followed in her entrepreneur venture? Fighting every day to move ahead. A fight with themselves and time and the entire family to prove that she is worthy.

She is, after all, Gold, full of magic and resilience. She knows when to accept and ask for help, but the validation she seeks is not from her friends and family or her peers but from herself. She is enough and she is pretty good at whatever she wants to be. A trophy wife and (not or) an entrepreneur! 

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

My name is Mrs. Pradnya H. Mungekar. I am a typical Maharashtrian girl, I mean woman now. I come from a typical Maharashtrian family background, and my native is Vidarbha. I come from a family where everyone was educated in the science stream. The architects and the engineers, and there was me, more inclined towards the creative side, and not that good with academics. I used to create so many paintings and sketches which I still have, although my qualification is related to the science stream. That is I have done my Bachelors in Information Technology and my Masters In Computer Applications. But yet the creative side of me was always there. After my masters I did a Job in a private company for a government project and was deployed in Mantralaya. I worked there for 3 years during which I got married. I was happy with the job but the urge of creativity was not fulfilled by that job so I wanted something to do over the weekend.

On the job I was the one who would create things from craft for small office celebrations etc. I used to gift handmade things to my friends. Sometimes for their loved ones.  Actually that’s where after a year or so of marriage I came to know about quilling. In 2016 I got pregnant, and the commute to Mantralaya from my home was really hectic so me and my husband decided not to continue with the job. By staying home I can give more time to our kiddo and to this quilling hobby and try to turn it into a profitable business. On all our social media handles one thing you will find is that we like to help people who want to learn quilling. I share my experience, I share mistakes, I share Ideas, it’s just how I am.

How did you get attached to quilling?

In 2015, one of my office colleagues was wearing quilling earrings which were matching her kurti. That earring grabbed my attention and I was keen to know about it. So while having lunch I asked her about her earring. That’s when she told me that she makes such stuff as a hobby. And that’s how I got introduced to quilling. I was very eager to know about this art. So I started searching on the internet about this. Read many blogs and saw so many designs. All the day time was consumed by working hours and household chores so no time to try this art practically.

Once on Friday night, me and hubby went in stationary to ask about Quilling strips and needles. It cost around Rs. 50/-. The next Saturday afternoon, I started making them. I did 5 sets of earrings. We were happy about the outcome. 

One of my family friends was eager to see my collection. After that she said give me some sets. I will show them in my office and tell my friends. As they were lightweight & unique I got orders. In my office many of my friends gave me orders and asked for customized designs.

The appreciation from friends and family got me to do more of it and doing it on a regular basis got me going completely nuts with quilling.

Now I think of quilling all the time like a crazy lady.

Please tell us more about your journey. And what you lost or gained while coming to your present stature.

After all the appreciation and my craze for quilling. My husband who is really supportive was really happy about this creativity and asked that, should we start our youtube channel to share the art? Still I was not experienced, I said let me explore more then only I can make videos on youtube.

In 2016, We got good news and by that time I had taken so many orders with just word of mouth, and help from my office colleagues and family friends. I got so much appreciation for my artworks. I didn’t post any pics online on any social media. So I got almost 1 yr experience of dealing with earrings and keychains. So as it was the 3rd month of pregnancy we decided to quit the job and concentrate on this, as it became my passion and not just a hobby. 

We created a fb page in May 2016, I used to upload 1 pic daily. I joined so many fb groups and made friends, those are still supporting me. Shubhalakshmi from Quillbery, Preeti Bhandari Quilled Designs by Pret, Mrinaal Desai from Infinity creations, Janaki from Ani’s Quilling  and many more.

Then by that time I made an Instagram profile and started posting there. 

We thought of trying YouTube in July 2016. So I started posting tutorials of quilling. I was very regular on my Facebook Page from where I got orders. People loved and appreciated my work & it went on. 

 After my delivery I was not regular on YouTube but still used to post on Facebook. We personally experienced and faced so many simple problems that people can have too. Such as Pricing product, Mistakes we can avoid while quilling, how to use tools. These are my evergreen videos which still are loved and helped people a lot and they get value from it. My husband is a graphic designer and he has good knowledge of video editing and shooting. So my videos and all the graphics you can see is done by my husband. So we plan, research, shoot videos, edit, by ourselves. 

Since 2019 we have learned a lot. Now we know how to make content. We have to be consistent everywhere. And being regular on social media how people will know us, trust us, and believe in my content. Here Content is the king, but without consistency it will not work. We gained confidence. Also we understand what people want and how to deliver it. Still as my baby is small I am not regular but I try my 100%. 

Now we are ready to work on any social media platform. Recently I created beautiful content on Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, Podcasts and also trying Rizzle. 

I tried this to get more reach and be reachable to different types of audiences. I love creating content though its tough sometimes, but I enjoy.

 Because of this journey now I am not just a creative quilling artist but also a social media content creator. 

Is Quilling your passion. Your hobby or your business?

Quilling is my passion. As I started getting confident about the art form, it never felt boring, never stuck on any one style. I loved exploring it to the depth. 

It is my business. It is an excellent way to keep me busy and creative. I not only make designs but also explore or discover new designs. I first do my paperwork and then start the actual process. Many young kids and teenagers follow us and find tutorials easy one.

Do you think your art form is therapeutic or is it just a business model?

I feel my art form is therapeutic. I feel relaxed and happy when I do quilling. It’s like healing or meditation when I work with it. Also being a mom is really tough to spend time with yourself and to try our creativity, so I find this is the best way to keep engaged and it works as a stress buster sometimes. 

I feel happy and relaxed when I see something beautiful formed with some pleasing colors. Also doing Quilling and exploring new social media platforms,I started making content in a very different way like never before. Because of which I fell in love with my art form much deeper.

The business part I am still figuring out a model where I can make passive profit.

How do you think that women today can empower themselves, the way you have done?

Haha that is really difficult to answer as I don’t think I have done anything different than others. It’s just that I went with my gut feeling and the things fell in place. If I have to tell you something, one thing I will love to mention is situations are different for everyone, but how to make use of every situation for your progress depends on your choices and actions you take on those choices. Choosing a path/option is the easy part. Walking down strong on the path and not regretting and correcting the mistake along the path is the hard thing.

https://www.instagram.com/pannusquilling/

https://www.youtube.com/c/PannusQuillingPoint

https://rizzle.tv/user/5f108e36f0ff4d1bcaf2ec34

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.

Q1.  It is quite evident that you are shy, but your work is anything but! Please tell us about your passion?
A1. I’m a shy person in general but when I talk about my work, I feel confident and become kind of an extrovert.
My passion is learning new art forms and sharing it with people to the best of my capabilities.

Q2. Meraki is a very unusual name, tell me about the birth of the name.
A2.There are few things in life which just happen, you don’t plan for such things. I was working on my Instagram page and suddenly stumbled upon this word in one of the articles I was reading and I felt that it is perfect to go with my page. 
Meraki –  It’s a Greek word which means – ‘ to do something with your soul’. When you love doing something so much that you put something of yourself into it.

Q3. You are not only a great teacher but an avid learner. You learn when you invite fellow artists on your Instagram Live, this is an amazing concept so how do you transition from a teacher to a learner? And what do you enjoy more?
A3. In this field learning is the key, you just can’t stop at one place and think that you have become a master of an art. It’s like an ocean, the deeper you go, you see a whole new world.
I absolutely love learning from all my fellow artists. I enjoy wearing both hats, being a teacher as well as a learner who wants to learn all the nuances with a childlike enthusiasm.

Q4. You have a knack of not only putting up a challenge to others but also to challenge your limits. Be it regular online sessions, Prompts or simply your Passion! How do you manage everything with a beautiful smile?
A4.  I feel that being an artist one should have a heart of a giver, someone who can spread the knowledge and at the same time not shy away in being naive when it comes to learning new art forms from others.
The idea is to make the whole process a learning experience for the viewers too. My objective is to make these difficult art forms simplified for the beginners. 

Q5. Besides your art form, are you passionate about anything else?
A5. I consider myself a dreamer & curious who just don’t want to stop at one place. My eyes see beauty in every aspect of life, everything that we do in life has some or other form of art. It’s just that how we see it makes the whole difference.

Meraki on Instagram

https://instagram.com/meraki.by.raghunitagupta

Preeti Bhandari

A mother of two, Preeti Bhandari is a colloquial writer. She believes in simple living which reflects in her writings. As the Editor of Narisakti, she intends to use her vast experience to propel this platform to a cult status among entrepreneurial networks.

When not writing she is quilling, both with paper and thoughts.