Today we’d like to introduce you to Smita Agrawal.
Hi Smita, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello! Sure…I was born and raised in a middle-class family in India. Quiet and shy, but talented and determined girl that I was; I knew early on what I wanted and was willing to work hard for it. My goal has always been…to learn, to grow to my fullest potential, to experience the best of what life has to offer and share the lessons with others to empower them.
After completing my bachelor’s degree in computer science & engineering, I worked in India for a few years and then moved to the US, over two decades ago. By that time, I was married and later was blessed with two beautiful sons. I took a break from IT world and was cherishing my days raising our children. Quite unexpectedly, an opportunity to participate in the Mrs. India America pageant presented itself, which lead me to various national and international Mrs. Beauty pageants. I won Mrs. India Globe 2004 title and thereafter, went on to winning the Mrs. Asia Pacific 2004 crown. Modeling and theater work followed, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Even though numerous work assignments were lining up, I decided to quit the entertainment world after 4 memorable years there. I dedicated myself 100% to being a mother, a wife and also joined the IT world again. My drive to continuously better myself has helped me tremendously in attaining opportunities to serve in senior leadership positions at some of the world’s leading organizations.
At the moment, I have taken a sabbatical from IT profession and have ventured into the Authoring world, re-inventing myself once again. I am presently focused on completing and publishing my first book.
While I have worn various hats in my lifetime and have had multitude of experiences, both personally as well as professionally; being a mother to my two precious sons, now 21 and 16, has by far been the most enriching experience of my life!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road, no, no, not at all…it’s actually been quite a roller coaster! But that’s what makes us learn and be our best versions, isn’t it?
Being a woman in today’s day and age gives us females a mixed bag of blessings and curses. Need I elaborate on this one? Most of the female readers can hopefully understand the unique experiences that our gender gets to face in some way, shape or form. And men who have closely watched a woman’s journey, be it in the form of your daughter, sister, mother, wife or friend, you all can appreciate some of the struggles we have. I am not an exception to that either…
A single mother…my marriage ended up in a divorce over four years ago. Being a single mother (parent) is no easy feat! Add to that the stresses of performing well in a super competitive work environment; raising kids in today’s world with more negative influences than positive ones, that too with minimal to no support; ensuring you and your children are healthy, not just physically fit but are mentally/emotionally well and are being raised in a balanced home environment conducive to all rounded growth.
These have been some of my struggles to name a few. Over the years, I have faced numerous setbacks. When I was told I am not capable of doing something because of my gender or my status…that I will never be able to do it…that women are better off taking backseats; that they should focus on staying married, cooking, cleaning and raising children only. That they shouldn’t focus on careers…that I will suffer for the rest of my life if I choose to follow my dreams and passions, I took all that energy, every bit of it…and used towards building myself. More and more and…
I refuse to give up. None of the challenges have deterred me. I have taken a pause, maybe even taken a detour…but never stopped, never will If anything, my empowerment journey has gained even more traction. I am more motivated than ever to work towards empowering women (and men), basically anyone wanting to uplift themselves.
I am very thankful for all the challenges I have experienced and to the people who became mediums of bringing those obstacles in my path. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. Thank You!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My never-ending thirst to learn, grow and share…my drive to re-invent myself…that’s what sets me apart! And that’s what I am proud of
My present focus is completing and publishing my work. My book(s) are where story-telling meets self-improvement. It’s like getting soaked in an entertaining, fictitious experience and coming out wiser on the other side. It’s where we learn to take tangible steps to get ourselves out of a mental and emotional mess. It’s a culmination of over two decades worth of research & learnings after traversing the depths of human and social psychology, and exploring the breadth of corporate and entertainment worlds and delving into inter-personal relationships. I am bringing forward not just my personal lessons but also tried and tested techniques to experience a more holistic and fulfilling life. I am expecting the book to be available for purchase by January end, 2023. Follow me at purpose_smita on Instagram for the latest.
One of my favorite quotes is…YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON’T TAKE! Read that again
I believe in having “no regrets” later, so here I am… trying something new as a first-time (soon-to-be-published) author. Constantly moving forward and evolving until it’s time to bid adieu to this beautiful world.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Mentors are crucial to success of any endeavor. These are people who have already navigated the path you are trying to explore. Their guidance can make a huge difference in one’s journey. It’s like feeding your destination into the GPS and getting various path options to drive to your location of choice. I strongly recommend looking for mentors,
I suggest joining networking events in person (preferred) or remotely. Connecting with others who are on a similar path has also proved quite useful for me. Educating oneself: reading books, listening to podcasts/audiobooks, joining courses, attending workshops, going to meet & greet sessions on specific topics…all of these have been very effective too. In such interactions, I have made friends, formed mutually beneficial work partnerships, as well as, found my mentors.
It would become a long list of books and people, if I were to name all my mentors here. Nonetheless, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you in the corporate world, the entertainment world…and in life for showing me the path, and for being my trusted advisors. I am immensely thankful for all your knowledge, experience and guidance.
And to all the readers, I appreciate you stopping by and giving me your valuable time…and until our paths cross again, keep living your best lives folks!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @purpose_smita
