Self-Belief Can Change Your Life | Chandni Kapadia | TEDxManSagarLake
Summary
TLDRDr. Chandni Kapadia shares her inspiring journey from a shy, introverted girl to a successful professional. Hailing from a conservative background, she defied family expectations to study in the US, work at JCPenney, and eventually head Calvin Klein. Her story highlights the power of self-belief and determination, overcoming struggles in both personal and professional life, and the importance of empathy and support from loved ones.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Dr. Chandni Kapadia's journey from a shy, introverted girl to a successful woman was fueled by self-belief and determination.
- 🏠 She faced cultural and familial pressures as the 'black sheep' in a traditional Gujarati family that expected her to follow a conventional path.
- 🛫 Dr. Kapadia's ambition was to study in the US, which was an unconventional choice for women in her family, but she pursued it despite the resistance.
- 🎓 At the age of 16, she moved to New York to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), taking on a part-time job in a fashion house to learn the industry.
- 💼 She worked hard to make her presence felt, which led to a significant opportunity to assist in a major event and subsequently a full-time position at JCPenney at 17.
- 💰 Financial struggles in New York taught her to live frugally, walking long distances and surviving on minimal food, which she views as a valuable experience.
- 🎯 Her dream to work for Calvin Klein came true after 11 years and nine months, demonstrating the power of manifestation and self-belief.
- 📚 After proving herself in the US and UK, Dr. Kapadia was given the opportunity to head Debenhams' expansion into India, despite initial skepticism.
- 🤝 She emphasizes the importance of empathy and treating people well, as social connections are crucial for personal and professional growth.
- 🏆 Despite setbacks and failures, Dr. Kapadia has learned from them and used them as stepping stones to come back stronger.
- 📈 Her success story has changed the perceptions of those around her, but she remains grounded and committed to those who supported her through thick and thin.
Q & A
Who is Dr. Chandni Kapadia and what is her main topic of discussion in the transcript?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia is the speaker in the transcript, and her main topic is how self-belief can change one's life, as illustrated by her personal success story.
What was Dr. Chandni Kapadia's family background and how did it influence her early life?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia comes from a traditional, conservative Gujarati background where girls were typically educated only up to graduation and then expected to marry and start a family. This influenced her early life by creating a contrast to her aspirations for a career.
What was the initial job Dr. Chandni Kapadia took up in the fashion house while studying at FIT?
-Initially, Dr. Chandni Kapadia worked part-time at a fashion house where she mainly ran errands and made tea or coffee for her seniors.
How did Dr. Chandni Kapadia's first opportunity at the fashion house come about?
-Her first opportunity came after she made an effort to learn and make her presence felt in front of her boss, which eventually led to her being given the chance to assist in a significant event for the company.
At what age did Dr. Chandni Kapadia receive a full-time position at JCPenney?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia was offered a full-time position at JCPenney at the age of 17.
What challenges did Dr. Chandni Kapadia face while living in New York City?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia faced financial struggles, living frugally, walking long distances to save money, and eating only what she could afford, like a slice of pizza and Coke.
What was Dr. Chandni Kapadia's dream job before going to the U.S. and did she eventually achieve it?
-Her dream job was to work for Calvin Klein, and she achieved it by heading the company after 11 years and nine months.
What was the significant role of Dr. Chandni Kapadia's father in her life?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia's father played a significant role as a constant support throughout her struggles, embodying the saying that behind every successful woman is a supportive man.
How did Dr. Chandni Kapadia's career evolve after her initial success in the U.S.?
-After her success in the U.S., Dr. Chandni Kapadia pursued her master's degree in England, worked at Debenhams, and eventually was asked to head the opening of stores in India.
What challenges did Dr. Chandni Kapadia face when she moved to India to head Debenhams' stores?
-In India, she faced skepticism from her team and associates who doubted her experience and knowledge of the Indian market, considering her as a foreigner despite her Indian origin.
What personal achievements did Dr. Chandni Kapadia mention in her journey?
-Dr. Chandni Kapadia mentioned earning 11 gold medals in her state while pursuing a law degree and becoming a practicing lawyer, in addition to her roles as a brand consultant, management consultant, and educationalist.
Outlines
🌟 Journey of Self-Belief and Success
Dr. Chandni Kapadia shares her inspiring story of transformation from a shy, introverted girl to a successful woman, emphasizing the power of self-belief. She recounts her struggles as the 'black sheep' of her conservative Gujarati family, who disapproved of her desire for a career. Despite their traditional views, she pursued her dreams to study in the US and work in the fashion industry. Her determination led her to work part-time at a fashion house while studying, eventually earning a full-time position at JCPenney at the age of 17. Dr. Kapadia's narrative highlights her frugal lifestyle in New York, her passion for making it on her own, and her ultimate achievement of heading Calvin Klein after 11 years and nine months, illustrating the importance of seizing opportunities and believing in one's dreams.
🌱 Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Growth
In the second paragraph, Dr. Kapadia discusses the challenges she faced when she moved to India to head stores for Debenhams. She talks about the skepticism from her team and the struggle to earn respect in a new cultural context. Despite the difficulties, she fought for her place and learned from her failures, becoming a better person in the process. Her father's support was a constant in her life, and she stresses the importance of empathy and kindness in both personal and professional relationships. Dr. Kapadia reflects on her journey from a young fashion designer to various roles, including a brand consultant, management consultant, practicing lawyer, and now an educator. She shares a poem that encapsulates her experiences and expresses her gratitude for the support she received along the way, promising to continue striving for more milestones.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Self-belief
💡Black sheep
💡Traditional background
💡Manifestation
💡Opportunities
💡Struggles
💡Respect
💡Failures
💡Empathy
💡Success
💡Mentor
Highlights
Dr Chandni Kapadia shares her journey from a shy introverted girl to a successful woman, emphasizing the power of self-belief to change one's life.
Raised in a traditional Gujarati conservative family, Chandni faced opposition from relatives who doubted her career aspirations.
Despite societal expectations, Chandni was determined to make a name for herself and break barriers for women in her family.
At 16, she moved to New York to study at FIT, taking on a part-time job at a fashion house and working her way up.
Chandni's hard work paid off when she was offered a full-time position at JCPenney at just 17 years old.
She lived frugally in New York, walking long distances and eating cheap food to support herself without relying on her parents.
Chandni's dream of working for Calvin Klein came true 11 years later when she became the head of the brand.
After proving herself in the US and UK, Chandni faced new challenges when she was tasked with heading Debenhams' expansion into India.
In India, she struggled to gain respect from her team and faced skepticism about her experience and age.
Chandni fought for her place and ultimately won the respect of her colleagues, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
She believes in the importance of empathy and treating people well, as we are all social beings who need support in life.
Despite setbacks and failures, Chandni has learned valuable lessons and emerged as a better person.
Her father has been a constant source of support throughout her struggles, embodying the saying that behind every successful woman is a supportive man.
Chandni's success has changed the perceptions of people around her, but she remains grounded and true to herself.
She has faced naysayers and doubters, but her achievements have ultimately won them over and changed their attitudes.
Chandni's journey has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, from being a fashion designer to a brand consultant, management consultant, practicing lawyer, and now an educationalist.
She has no regrets and takes pride in living life on her own terms, with the support of her mentor and those who stood by her through thick and thin.
Chandni concludes her talk with a short poem, reflecting on her journey and expressing gratitude for the support she has received.
Transcripts
hello everyone
this is Dr Chandni kapadia very happy to
be here
today I'm going to talk about how
self-belief can change your life
my success story
from this chubby shy introverted little
girl that the woman to the woman that
you see today
has not been an easy one
and I would not have reached here had it
not been for my passion well how many of
you have been the black sheep of your
family
I was the black sheep of my family
my relatives told my parents you know
she's going to bring shame to your name
why because I wanted to have a career
at a time when my family wouldn't even
think about it they wouldn't even dream
about it I came from this traditional
Gujarati conservative background
for them girls were educated only up to
graduation and then they were married
and then they had to have a child or
whatever they wanted to do
but they had to leave their parents uh
house
and here I was
since the very beginning
I knew that I had to make a name for
myself
I had to go where no one no girl child
from my family had gone
I wanted to go to the US and I wanted to
study
so after a lot of convincing and
arguments with my parents they finally
relented as they always do all parents
do
I was on my way at the age of 16 to the
Big Apple to study at fit
in the first couple of months I picked
up this job a part-time job with this
huge fashion house because I was
studying full-time
and initially in my company all I was
doing was running errands and making tea
or coffee for my seniors
I tried my best
to learn something to learn
merchandising that was my subject and I
really tried hard to make my presence
felt in front of my boss
and oh boy I finally succeeded because
he gave me this opportunity to assist
him in this humongous event that was a
huge Prestige thing for the company
I was given this opportunity so I backed
it with both my arms opportunities don't
come very often and when they come you
should just grab them and that's exactly
what I did I aced at what I was set to
do
and so much so that my boss called me in
and he offered me a full-time position
at JCPenney at the age of 17.
this was a huge milestone in my career I
was ecstatic so now I was working
full-time and I was studying part-time
little did I know that my struggles had
just begun
because all of us know what an expensive
city New York is
my parents were more than happy to
support me but I didn't want to do it I
didn't want to take their support
because I wanted to make it on my own
oh boy and that decision of mine
I lived extremely frugally
I would walk every day from work to
school came rain snow shine and it was
over 35 to 40 minutes walk
I would only eat a slice of pizza and
Coke because that was the only thing
that I could afford and it was the
cheapest 99 Cents 30 years ago
but I struggled
and I'm glad I did
you know when I went for my interview to
before I went to the US when I went to
the interview at the U.S consulate I was
asked this question
so why do you want to go to the U.S
and I was like because I wanted to work
for Calvin Klein
and voila 10 years down the line
11 years precisely 11 years and nine
months I went on to head Calvin Klein so
since then I've believed in the
manifestation of my dreams and my topic
what I'm saying self-belief
at the very early ages in life I knew
that I had to be the best version of
myself
so I went ahead I went back to England
I started pursuing my masters and
started working at Debenhams of course
I'd done a couple of jobs before I
started working at Debenhams but
Debenhams was my big break
after two years in Debenhams Debenhams
came to me
they said they were opening stores
in India and they wanted me to head it
for them
why because I knew the brand I wasn't a
fairly senior position so which benefit
than me right
and I thought well exactly I've proved
my medal in the U.S I've proved my medal
in the UK and now India should be a
piece of cake right
wrong boy was I in for a rude shock when
I came to India I had to struggle I had
to struggle not only to make my respect
to from the teams that I was given
also my fellow Associates thought I was
this Desi firang who knew nothing who
was here telling them what to do when
she did not have the experience in the
Indian scenario and when she was years
younger to them
I really really struggled and I fought
for my place
and I managed to win
I had to win because I had no other
choice
and I had to prove it to myself
along with my successes have come some
failures too
and these failures have to have taught
me how to come back as a better person
don't get me wrong I've cried days in
and days out
and with my struggles
there has only been one constant in my
life
and that is my father
they say behind every successful man
there is a woman I say behind every
successful woman there is a man in my
case my father
my struggles
carried on so much so that at a point I
had to actually enroll myself for a law
degree and I did and there I aced it to
I passed with flying colors with 11 gold
medals in my state but of course all was
not a bed of roses
I had a few setbacks in my personal life
too
but
whether it's your personal or
professional life I think one thing that
I've learned is always have empathy be
good to people on your way up be nice to
them because we are social beings we
need people in our life
I've made some mistakes that like I said
but I don't have any regrets I've lived
life on my own terms I've had naysayers
people who have completely written me
off and said ah what is she going to do
but trust me after my successes these
same people have come back to me they
want to be friends with me they want to
know me they want to host me
My Success has changed the people around
me
I'm still the same person and of course
I've become more grounded I had to be
right I had to be for the people who
stood by me through thick and thin I had
to be for the people who have been with
me all throughout I had to be for the
teens who have toiled with me with my
for my mentor SRI sudhir nanavatisa I
had to be there for all of these people
my journey from being a young fashion
designer to a brand consultant to a
Management Consultant and to a
practicing lawyer and now to an
educationalist
has been a journey full of ups and downs
highs and lows
it's been certainly been an exhilarating
ride
all right
that I would like to carry on as I have
many more Milestones to cover God
willing and many more miles to go
I've sung this journey of mine in a
short poem and here it goes
um
foreign
thank you very much see you on the other
side
[Applause]
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