How did you come to be an entrepreneur?
My roots belong to the business family. Right from childhood times, I aspired to become a successful entrepreneur. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I started chasing my dreams and took initial steps toward my entrepreneurial journey.
How is it different from other companies?
The urge to go a mile ahead to make clients happy with their big or small requests sets them up differently from others. Our entire team believes in adding emotions to their work which is versatile and amazing. Though we are still new to the industry, our consistent efforts motivate us to make a mark here. I completely owe my success to the phenomenal team members who drive us to achieve the best of everything.
Throw some light on your business and its offerings.
Lafayette Luxury is a premium brand related to the finest things and experiences it offers. We help our clients to relax and make the most of their precious time, as they can rely on us for their lifestyle management. After all, time is the biggest luxury one can own. We value the significance of time and allow our clients to make the most of it. As a lifestyle management and concierge company, our key offerings include Charters, Personal Shopping, Travel, Real Estate, Experiences, VIP Events, Luxury Fine Dining, Investments, Student Concierge, and a lot more.
How challenging is it for a woman to start/ or associate with any company? /Have you faced any unusual situations doing business in India as a female entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, I believe in the fact that the challenges or hardships of starting and managing a business are much above the gender thing. I have observed that men and women face equal challenges and struggles in operating a company. Personally, I have not faced any major issues or any such situations in my journey as an entrepreneur to date.
How do you achieve work-life balance?
That’s a tricky thing! Acquiring a work-life balance is the most crucial task that one needs to deal with. One needs to put a lot of effort into this, and I am also not immune to it. Eventually, all that matters is prioritizing things at work or the personal front. I believe in managing the workflow efficiently, which helps me to focus on my personal life as well and grow on a professional level too.
Did you have a mentor to guide you through your professional journey?
In my work role as the image consultant in UAE, I got to interact with an Illustrious Datar family, the owners of Al Adil Group Dubai. Their work ethics inspired me, and I have incorporated them into my professional lifestyle.
I have always learned a lot from my personal experiences. I believe in creating opportunities for myself instead of waiting for them. No matter how many hardships or hurdles one goes through, one should never give up. Every failure has strengthened me to get up and move ahead with a positive approach and more hard work.
How are entrepreneurship and working women important for India?
Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in the country’s economic development, and having women counterparts and associates will help in flourishing new business avenues and job opportunities. This can result in a better economy, women empowerment, and the creation of role models for the aspiring entrepreneurs of the country.
Define a perfect business leader. What are the qualities you think a great leader possesses?
Key qualities of a good business leader are confidence to shine out, perseverance, confidence, and a go-getter attitude that helps shape more abilities and create a better business environment.
What is the road map of your organization?
‘Lafayette Luxury‘ is a brand I want to create for people who are zealous about lifestyle management. I am confident that this startup will soon grow up into a synonym for luxury. Our Concierge firm takes care of both HNIs and UHNIs. Time is our most precious asset, and taking care of ambitions, dreams, careers, and a lot more in a limited time is tricky.
We envision offering our clients unparalleled lifestyle management services so they can utilize most of their time on other important things. Our firm manages everything for the clients right, from searching for a house help to planning luxury vacations, getting a new property or car, or even making a reservation. We aspire to grow bigger and make valuable changes to the life and routine of our clients!
A brief description of the major awards won by your company.
- Luxury Lifestyle Awards – New York (Winner of the best concierge service provider in India)
- Luxe Life Awards – UK
- (Winner of the best concierge service provider in India)
What advice would you give to other businesswomen who want to thrive in a male-dominated industry?
Always believe in yourself. Never lose your original panache and essence while striving to succeed in a male-dominated industry. Be strong-headed and witness the change.
Are you a decision-maker & risk-taker?
I believe you have to be a blend of both. Creating a brand is impossible unless you are a bold risk-taker and a strong decision-maker. A combination of both these things can result in something fantastic and unimaginable.
Describe the most memorable incident of your professional life.
Every experience that we create for our clients is memorable and unique in its own way. However, some of them are indeed special to me. There was an instance when a client asked us for an anniversary surprise for her husband, and that too in an ocean over a floating platform. She also demanded a personal movie screening in Mauritius post that. With the assistance of the hotel concierge, we created a platform and adorned it beautifully according to the couple’s requirements. We also shortlisted a personalized menu based on their liking so that the couple can enjoy oceanic views along with their preferred dishes.
One word that describes you the best…
Well, it’s Invincible!
If you had one piece of advice for rising entrepreneurs starting out, what would it be?
Never take a step back worrying about the failures. Rather consider it just as a building block to head up toward success.
How would you like people to remember you and your company?
Me – Unstoppable
Lafayette Luxury Concierge – The Luxury Genie
What is your favorite metaphor for describing entrepreneurship?
Unless you unlearn, learning is not possible. Remember that entrepreneurship is a consistent process that throws new challenges to you each day. Adapting to these changes and improving daily can help develop new learnings to tackle new challenges. I believe in the concept that one challenge’s hindsight can be the foresight of another challenge.
