Page 10 - MASALA LITE ISSUE 88 | JANUARY 2018

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Dedicated mother and career-oriented eer-oriented eer-oriented
Dedicated mother and car
Dedicated mother and car
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35-year-old ear-old ear-old ear-old ear-old ear-old ear-old
35-year-old Nandini Popli Pavaphiphat,
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reveals her secrets to having it all.
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reveals her secrets to having it all. eveals her secrets to having it all.
BY DEBOSHREE BANERJEE
Nandini Popli Pavaphiphat, more fondly known as Mini, is currently the Alumni
and Learning Events Manager at NIST International School, as well as an
entrepreneur of two successful brands; clothing company Just DENIM and organic
lipstick brand REMIC. She is also a devoted mother of an adorable young girl,
Mischa. With so many roles under her belt, how does she manage to do it all?
Once a naturally shy and ambitious teenager, Mini always knew she wanted to
succeed in her career. As she grew up, she stopped hiding her aspirations and
passion, and slowly became more self-assured. “I tried very hard to become more
confi dent,” she remembers. “As I grew into myself, I knew that I could do things that
were out of the box.”
Equipped with a Bachelors Degree in International Business Management
from Assumption University and a Masters in Education from SUNY Buff alo State “Whether you’re a full-time
University - The Graduate School, she started working at 24. Now she considers
herself a people person who thrives and excels at socialising. Her job as the mom dedicating your entire day
Admission’s Coordinator at NIST International School allowed her to explore her to your children, or a working
hidden potential. “I have the confi dence needed to deal with people from all walks
of life,” she says. “When you meet people from all over the world, you get inspired.” mom who has to do it all, you are
She was soon blessed with Mischa, who is now eight and half years old. However,
while Mini celebrated the joys of motherhood, she didn’t lose her entrepreneurial celebrating motherhood in your
edge. Just last year, this ambitious go-getter launched two brands; Just DENIM was own special way.”
introduced in May, while REMIC, run by Mini and her business partners Radhika
Mirpuri and Ekta Kwatra, was unveiled in September.
When it comes to fi nding the right balance between work and personal life, Mini
says she has mastered the art of multitasking. “I don’t see anything as a burden,”
she says with a smile. “My daughter is and will always be my fi rst priority. I try to With time being a major challenge, she advises others not to succumb to the
work around her, and sometimes I do end up failing, but then I remember that self-reproach that most young mothers feel when they have to leave their children.
quality time is better than quantity. My second priority would be my full-time job at “I struggle with guilt when I work long hours and I can’t spend enough time with my
NIST, while Just DENIM and REMIC were hobbies that turned into business ventures.” daughter, or when I come home so tired and I don’t have enough energy for her,”
So how does she have so much energy to be consistently productive? “I don’t know she says. “Once you know how to manage your time and guilt, the rest comes easy.
where it comes from,” she says, laughing. I still make mistakes and I still feel at fault. But I also believe that you need to make
There’s no doubt that most working mothers face many challenges. For Mini, yourself happy to make others around you happy, so I keep going and I never take up
it wouldn’t have been worth it if she wasn’t passionate about her many jobs. “It all anything I don’t like.”
depends on what you want to do in life,” she shares. “The obstacles won’t be hard to With the number of working mothers
overcome if your heart is in the right place.” on the rise globally, Mini shares her
thoughts on the progressiveness of our
Indian society. “Times have changed and
everyone is balancing a number of things,”
she says. “Whether you’re a full-time mom
dedicating your entire day to your children,
or a working mom who has to do it all, you
are celebrating motherhood in your own
special way. Nowadays, fathers are also very
involved in raising their children. Working
at a school, I see dads who are equally as
involved as the moms. My husband is also
an example of that.”
So what is her advice to mothers who
also want to pursue entrepreneurship?
“Sometimes we think too much,” she says
candidly. “Just take the plunge when your
budget allows. Many people think that
when you start, you have to do something
big. I say start small and go steady. If you Mini wears stylish clothes from her
won’t try then you will never know what you brand, Just DENIM, while her lipstick is
are capable of. REMIC’s Wild Berry hue.

To view Mini’s trendy brands visit them on:
Facebook: @justDENIM | @offi cialremic
Instagram: @justdenimbymini | @remic_organic

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