A conversation about the work and family juggle as a CEO in India
In this episode of Work Family Me, I speak with Shiivani Aggarwal from India who is the CEO of Formula Group - a mobility company with over 800 employees. She is also a woman in her early 40s and a mother of a 4-year-old boy.
She has long days at the office, manages to spend some time with friends and family and even eats healthy food!
How does she stay healthy and sane?
We discuss:
What balance means in her calendar (and what she prioritizes in advance to create quality time)
The behind-the-scenes support structure that enables her role
Leadership and connection in changing times
The different seasons of parenting and how it can impact your time, focus, and energy
Prefer to listen? Click here: A conversation about the work and family juggle as a CEO in India
One of the things that I love about this conversation with Shiivani is that she shares some of the practices and support and mindset that allows her to hold both a big role where she is the CEO of a large company with hundreds of employees and a parent to a small child and a daughter and a wife and a friend, all of those things.
So we talk about tangible, practical, external things that she does or things that she has in the 3d world, but also her experience and her self view and her mindset around work herself, the future experiences, which I think are really helpful to look at from both sides. So I'm hoping you're going to get a lot of value from this conversation.
Let's dive in.
Hi lovelies. This is Maude, Women's Burnout and Leadership Coach. You're listening to the Work, Family, Me podcast, a series of conversations with women from different cultures and industries around the world about the behind the scenes of earning money, parenting, being in relationship and adulting all at the same time.
Here, we will discuss the challenges and solutions. ideas and support structures that show up in co earning dual parenting situations and talk through some helpful strategies and mindsets. Why? So that you as a busy working woman can learn from others, implement what could make your life a little bit easier, and share these with your family, friends, and colleagues.
We are at the forefront of working, parenting, and relating in a totally different way to previous generations. And there can be so much value in validating this and learning with each other. I'm so happy that you're here. Let's dive into the conversation for today.
Shiivani, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule, holding a lot of different things all at the same time to be with me in conversation today. I really appreciate it. Um, I'd love if you could introduce yourself, where you are in the world, what your work is and maybe your family situation.
Hi Maude. Uh, it's nice to have this conversation. Thank you for bringing me in. I am Shiivani Aggarwal, uh, based out of India. Thanks for having me. And I am the CEO at Formula, uh, we are a mobility management company. Uh, so yeah, I joined this organization 20 years ago and it's been a long journey, more than 20 years.
Uh, I, we have a small family. Uh, my husband. So, I think life is busy with work [00:03:00] and a little kid around, so it's amazing. Every day is a new day. Every day is a new day. Every day is different.
There's pros and cons.
Yeah.
When you think about your kind of regular week, if there is such a thing in your life, how do you balance the needs of parenting, working? Exercise, making dinner, all of the things that fit into that.
Yeah, I think, uh, as I said, every day is a new day, but if we kind of understand what you need to do in a day and you organize yourself. So, you know, uh, it becomes a more easier new day, I would say. Uh, so, um, you know, like I said, my son is four years old. He started going to school last year and it was a rollercoaster ride for me. I am not an early morning person and waking up in the morning sending it to school. School and, you know, running to ensure that we reach the school on time was the biggest hurdle for me. I think I've never been late for meetings, but I was [00:04:00] getting late for school.
So, yeah, I think, uh, then I learned it, you know, how to organize and how to keep everything set. A night before or a few nights before for the entire week, you know, uh, and having things, uh, ticked off you. I can't live without my calendar and it's like both personal and, um, you know, business calendar, it always has to be there because you tend to forget important things around.
So being organized is the key, I guess, you know, and that just keeps you going, um, because we're in a full work mode. Uh, there are a few team members work hybrid, but I love coming to office for me, you know, being working at home is not a thing. I just love being around people, you know, seeing them every day gives me a lot of energy and positivity. So yeah, that's how the week goes by.
So it sounds like organization and pre planning, pre thinking about what does this week hold or what does this month hold? Have I got it in my [00:05:00] calendar? Has everything got a space? Is it really key for you? Is that something you do together with your partner? Is that something that you hold? Like, who owns that?
Yeah, uh, it, a lot of it is with me because my work calendar is completely with me for sure. Uh, but even with my kid, a lot of things for him, uh, I manage so that goes with my calendar. But apart from that, I do calendar holidays. And then mark it mark my husband to that, you know, so then he knows that we are going on a holiday on these days uh, I think keeping a work life balance is so essential because uh in a day to day, you know from a 7. 30 when we leave when I leave every morning I get back home only at 8. 30 or something at night So, you know, there's hardly any time to spend with each other So having a you know holiday every two months is a thing for me to be motivated That's The important place in the calendar, right? So this of course happens along with the [00:06:00] work from spouse of my husband and we are very, uh, gung ho about it because even if we go on a four day trip, spending that value and quality time together just makes everything worth it. So yeah, he plays a key role in supporting me with these thoughts of mine. And he always pushed me and never kind of said, Oh, leave your work and just hand me the child. Uh, so that's never been the case.
I want to take a little pause here to notice and call out how Shiivani is creating, uh, maybe quote unquote balance in her working, parenting, relationshipping life by carving out regular time to go on holiday with her small family where they disconnect, they just spend time with each other.
And I want to notice this because I think sometimes we create, um, rules around what balance should look like, right? And they're not necessarily true for our lives or how our schedules work. So. [00:07:00] Full permission here to think about what feels good in terms of protecting time for work and family and exercise in a way that really works out for you.
We've had women in these conversations, uh, talk about, you know, taking, um, every second weekend and really protecting that time. We've talked about women, you know, walking their dog every single day, and that's their version of balance. We've talked to people who are having dates with their children, so having real quality time once a month.
We've talked to women who are saying, I really protect my weekends. I try and see my friends, do my work in the week. And yes, I work long days, but I know Weekends all about family and here Shiivani is saying, I look at the year to come, I plan time off and I go away for a break for four to five days to reconnect with my small family.
So whether it is daily, weekly, um, quarterly, whatever it is, an invitation [00:08:00] to reconnect. Look at balance as something that needs to work for you. And that isn't necessarily the same for everybody else, right? Isn't necessarily what you see on Pinterest or here on Tik TOK or watching your Instagram reels, your balance gets to be your balance.
The other thing here is that it can be really helpful to be intentional about your time off, right? So to actually think about when is that time going to be where I am disconnecting, shutting off, turning to my family, all my friends, all my health. and looking at that in advance. So if there is a takeaway here for you of maybe taking your calendar and a pretty highlighter and looking at public holidays or long weekends or school holidays and booking in some time where you're not going to be in work mode so that's that you know you have it you don't have to keep questioning in your brain when am I going to take time off or when do I need to drag myself up until where do I need to make it until you know, [00:09:00] okay, in X amount of time, I'm going to have another break, or I'm going to have a long weekend, or we're going to get to go away, or I can have those conversations. There'll be a little bit more space for that. So get your highlighters, get your calendars, think about what balance looks like for you in your unique time schedule and make sure that there are times that you're turning into the things that are important to you.
It sounds like, um, you have a really busy full day. You're saying, I leave the house at 7 30 in the morning and I get back at 8 30 in the evening and I go to the office every day because that's where I feel like I can keep my focus. I'm getting energy from other humans. I'm ready in full work mode. How do you get support to handle the house staff, child care, all of those things, while you are bringing your focus into work with a big job, right? You're the CEO of a team, an expanding team, you're holding a lot at work. What happens at the home that allows you to really dedicate that time?
I think I would thank the Indian [00:10:00] culture for that, uh, because I think in our culture, we're very used to staying with our parents. So, uh, I live with my husband's parents. We all live together. And then my own parents house is very close to workplace. So instead of having a, you know, a nanny or a daycare for my son, they go to their grandparents. He will go to his grandparents. So I'm, I'm rest assured that he's taken care of, you know, while I'm at work. So after school, he's dropped off at the, you know, parents house.
He's happy, he's, you know, they get their time because this is the age where they need. Get out this uh, grandkids time. So they're very happy with that And in the evening when I catch up with them, I think he's Full of life.
Mm. I love that so much, that nod to grandparents and the special place that they can hold and that connection that they're building in the time that they have together. And, and it sounds like [00:11:00] that feels like quote unquote normal, right? That happens in the community around you. That's what children and parents are used to. And that feels like such a lovely way to support the generation that's going out there and earning money.
Right, right. That is true. I think there's a lot of motivation that comes from the family right from a very young age, I think, uh, my parents never thought like in our community or, you know, probably talking. 25 years ago, I would not think of a job or my parents would have never thought I would be in a job. I'm from a family of entrepreneurs. They've always been doing their business. So sending a girl out doing a job was a big thing in the entire space, but then slowly when I started getting And, you know, they realize how great it is and how independent it me, uh, to stand on my own feet and everything. So I think family is a big support system in our country. Um, I know YouTube, you [00:12:00] know, relocations and the growing mobility environment around us, uh, there are people who are living away from their families, uh, because, you know, because of work, because of. You know, several reasons that they come across and how much they miss it.
You know, um, I have, you know, immediate family members who live not in India now, but they live in the U. S. And every holiday, they don't want to think anything else but come back to India. So I think, uh, I would, you know, Love to have my son have that connection with family, have that, uh, thing for the family. I have loads of friends, uh, but I think some, sometimes for anything that happens to your life, I think the first person who will stand by you is your family.
When I hear Shivani talk about the family structure and support that is prevalent in her context and her culture. It feels so deeply relaxing when I think about, you know, [00:13:00] grandparents being available and interested and able to be spending time with children in the afternoon or collecting them from school or to be on standby when children are sick or to be making them their favorite snacks and loving them and playing with them and reading stories and doing all that lovely stuff that we want for our children. And we can really see what that does for her ability to be showing up in the workplace, right? She's spending long hours, um, away from home in the office. Um, she was talking about, you know, leaving at 7 30 in the morning, coming home late in the evening, sometimes also traveling, going to work functions.
And that feels so possible because there is that kind of support in the domestic sphere, in the childcare, in that parenting, that's not something that she has to worry about day to day. And when we think about that transition in cultures where we are more disconnected or disjointed, we don't have that family available, we have typically and traditionally had one person out of the home [00:14:00] working and the other person making sure everything there is running smoothly, which allows that person that's out of the home to be focusing on work and career and all of those things, money owning activities.
And typically that's been men and a patriarchal structure and the history that we've had. So how are we shifting and changing when we don't have that support? You know, there are places where it's possible to pay for that support. There are some institutions, there are, um, different cultures around having support and connection and lots of women that I'm talking to are in these conversations are talking about friends, are talking about social structure, talking about paying for, um, you know, crushes, play groups, aftermural activity, but also talking about how difficult that is and how it requires a whole other level of thought and management. And so. Just really wanting to notice here what it does when we are needing to hold that part of life in our heads as really present, what am I going to do when [00:15:00] school ends early today, or there's an unexpected X, Y, Z, or, you know, there's an outbreak of nits and my child can't go into school. How am I going to handle that and also show up for work?
And so really, you know, discussing with our partners how we're sharing that load and also thinking about contingency plans, thinking about support we can call in if that's available to us and giving it to ourselves and seeing what a difference it can make when we have family structure.
Just, it feels like a warm bath when I think about having family around you. That is, um, uh, leaning into and helping you as a, as a nuclear family, um, be in the workplace. And it's something we've moved further and further away from with our obsession with everyone being alone in their single family house. Why? I don't know. Take me back.
No, it's very, very important, uh, thing, you know, which is, uh, cultivated in us. And I would love to have my son believe in that. And, [00:16:00] you know, they too was a true family.
When you think about how you grew up, you were saying, look, it was unusual. I came from a family of entrepreneurs. Did you have a role modeling of your mother also earning money, or are you first generation in that? Like, tell me that story.
Yeah, I am first generation in that. But, uh, my mother was not role modeling by earning money, but she was the backbone for me. She was that support for me who always wanted me to go out and do my own thing, you know. Be independent. Uh, I have two younger brothers. But somehow my dad brought me up more like a guy in our, well, you know, in our system than a girl.
So he made me independent, you know, he used to tell me to go ride a bus right from a very young age to go to school and not wanting to, you know, give me a drop off to school or something. He taught me things at a very young age. Uh, you know, so this helped me get into an [00:17:00] independent mindset and then my mother pushing me, go on your buck, no matter what your husband earns or your family has, make your own place.
You know, that's very, very, I think that really, really is helpful. So even when I got married, there was no thought about taking a break from work and settling down or something like that. It was just an ongoing thing.
Is that, when you look around your family, your community, your colleagues, is that quote unquote normal now for women also to be independent and be financially earning as well as men?
Yeah, now I see that's quite normal, and it's quite acceptable. Of course, there is still a huge set of people who would Not really take it up, you know, as a, uh, acceptance, very easy to accept, but yes, there is a majority of population who now believes in having, you know, equal support for women to [00:18:00] work. And women I see around are more successful, by the way.
Side note, when you think about your challenges with that, what would you say your biggest challenges are with your day to day and all the things that you hold?
I think one of the biggest challenges is this brain, you know, women have a multitasking brain. While we are doing something, we are already thinking of 10 other things. So sometimes it's like you want your brain to stop thinking so much. Take a break and do one by one. But we always have something or the other going on in our minds at every time. And, uh, that's, I think a more feminine thing because I've seen that most of the females around me, but, uh, that also helps us, you know, stay alert, do our things right.
Because we've got lots to do on our plate. Um, as much as, you know, there is a big progress on women working in India. Um, [00:19:00] Uh, outside the house, right? Uh, but the responsibility at home still like a lot with women. So, uh, you know, though we are fortunate we have so many house help, we have cooks, we have cleaners, we have everything, so we don't need to do a lot of things, uh, physically, but mentally you are managing a lot of things, right? So that sometimes, uh, is one challenge.
Yeah. So it sounds like the challenge you're saying is like, I'm still holding so much in my brain. I'm thinking about who's doing what way, what's running empty, what do I do next? And that creates almost like a mental exhaustion, right? I'm using up energy because I'm thinking all the time. So sometimes there's the support for the doing, right? I can hire in support to cook or I can hire in support to clean. That feels affordable in, in India. Just like South Africa, but there's an element of like planning, and then who, and then what, and timetable, and all of those things.
You know, you're [00:20:00] saying there are changes in women showing up in the workplace, but not so many changes in maybe men taking over domestic responsibilities or the, the thinking and the doing and the organization. Do you see that shifting at all or what's your take on that? Yeah, I think that is shifting and I would give credit to COVID pandemic, you know, because that's when, you know, the help house help was gone. You had to do everything at home. So the spouses had to pitch in, the husbands had to pitch in, you know, people were working from home and there was lots to do. So it was quite visible that people realize that you know, uh, I would never say a homemaker is not working I think a housewife or a maker is working so much because she never gets a sunday off Or a saturday off at least at work.
We do get that Uh, so, uh, I believe that [00:21:00] changed the perspective a lot, the pandemic, the time that people were at home and uh, you know, both the spouses started supporting each other a lot in the household work and we can see that in continuance right now. You can see that ripple effect.
When you think about how you handle domestic work. Do you outsource that? Is that something you don't need to think about because you're hiring people or is that still something that you're doing and thinking about as well as work, as well as parenting?
Fortunately, I have support, you know, the people who come and help us out different things in the house, uh, but even if there, there is a support system, you still have to manage it.
You have to still time it and organize it. Uh, you have to manage their holidays. You have to, you know, Ensure backups are in place. So I think it's like, you know, there is one organization you're running while you're at work. And there is one organization running [00:22:00] it. Yeah, and that can be exhausting, but at the same time, I think that's fun also.
You know, because, um, you can use your skill set at both places, you know, it's, it's like, you know, you're just not hassled about it so much because you're able to manage it. Yeah.
When you think about money. This is such a hot topic with so many couples when both partners are earning money. And I'm curious how you do that. Does it go into one big pot? Do you have separate finances? Who's paying for what? Can you talk us through a little bit around that?
Yeah. So one thing we don't question each other on what we are spending, that is, you know, uh, we're both conscious about what our earnings are, et cetera, but we don't question why are you buying this? It's so expensive or whatever, because we believe and we respect we are sensible humans to do that, but at the same time we are also, uh, [00:23:00] you know Careful and cautious about the fact of future, right? Planning, you know, saving funds for the kid. So we try to have one person save and one person spend. And that's how we kind of manage.
And has that been a discussion of who's the saver and who's the spender?
Oh, I think this probably happened almost 11 years ago when we got married, let's do this. You know, and then we both agreed with it and it's just going on. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah.
When you think about finances, it sounds like you're quite aligned maybe in your approach with your partner. So it feels easy, you know, we made a decision, this works for us. One of us is looking at daily expenses and costs. The other one is looking at investments and savings. We are supporting each other and we're not questioning each other. So if I want to buy a pair of shoes or, you know, a book, um, that's, it's okay. I feel entitled to take that [00:24:00] money out. Does that sound true?
Yes, that's exactly how it is. Yeah. Yeah. Because I think the moment you start questioning is when the conflicts start coming in. Uh, because we're both on, right? So you, uh, independently, you have right to what you're learning. So we respect the fact, you know, I want to splurge one day, please go all out.
Oh, there's only one question from my husband, which comes, how much do we actually spend on holidays? Because that's one budget that I paid off. Yeah. Um, but yeah, staying live, I'm glad that he never questions, you know, uh, why we are traveling so often and why are we spending so much on these trips and whatever, uh, so, yeah, I think it's, it's more of a mutual understanding there.
And it sounds like almost matching priorities, right? Having that discussion about values as a family and what's important to both of you.
Yes. Yes. So you've talked about these trips as almost, uh, maybe an anchor, [00:25:00] uh, a way to connect back into family, to be removed from the day to day obligations and chores and things to think about. And it sounds like that's something that's really valuable to have in your calendar at regular times so that you know. I've just got to I'll get it through another six weeks and I'll have a break. What else do you do to keep yourself healthy and well and able to perform at the level that you're performing?
So, um, I'm bad at doing exercise or yoga, because I said, you know, I'm not an early riser. Uh, but I think my exercising happens with getting my son ready in the morning and taking him to work, school, and you know, I'm at eight in the office, uh, and I leave office by almost seven o'clock or something in the evening. So, there's hardly any time to focus on that perspective work. But what I do. Is to ensure that my diet is taken care of and I'm eating healthy and I, [00:26:00] uh, diet because if I am not healthy, then how will I manage whatever I'm doing today, right? Uh, um, but over the weekends, I think we spend, well, good time. I like every Saturday is a day day for me and my son and we go all our week.
He does some theater classes. So after theater, he goes. Mama and me are out on a lunch date and then we go shopping together. I think we broke a record by spending six hours in a shopping mall together without crying, without tantrums and we had a great time. Back home. So I think this is something that, you know, goes on week on week.
Mm hmm. Yeah. Mm hmm. So it sounds like two priorities, like in the day to day, I'm prioritizing healthy food, eating regularly, eating good food so that I can nourish my body to get through all the things I need to get through. And then also having these little pockets of quality time of [00:27:00] there's a date with my son. I know that we're connecting. We're having fun once a week and I look forward to that and I treasure that. And then I'm also, when I'm not there, I'm not feeling torn. Does that sound right?
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Because I think we need our own space also, you know, mental space, the happy space. Uh, well, I won't say that I'm not happy every day, but I am, but I mean, you know, that, um, that peaceful time where you just focused on one thing as I said, you know this multitasking brain sometimes to take us So these are those moments and I think all of us if we identify we all have that time To look out for these things and we will get the slots in our calendar for sure. It's just about prioritizing yourself Uh, you know because postpartum is very tough for women Just when you come out of eternity, your body is reacting differently, your mind is going crazy, you want to go back to work, but the doctors would say, okay, they, you know, get some time off and [00:28:00] that or whatever, but you don't work, right?
So, and then everything revolves around child, uh, and that time you feel forced. Why is everything revolving, you know, where am I? Right. But then slowly as you mature in your motherhood, I think you realize that you can find your, you know, slots where, which is your me time, which is your happy time. What is it that gives you that, uh, feeling of, uh, complete happiness, you know, feeling of happiness within your soul.
So, yeah. Such an important noticing of how this time of stepping into motherhood is such a big transition, not just in our bodies, but in our time, in our focus, in our energy, in our capacity, in our outlook, in our identity, right? Of who we are and what we are in this world. Um, what do you see, uh, as a boss, [00:29:00] like, how do you handle that with maternity leave? What do you see colleagues deciding to do? What is your peer group deciding to do? Are people still having children because we're seeing trends of, you know, maybe women also making different choices now that those are possibilities for them?
Yeah, I think, uh, talking about, you know, changing perspective about having kids. Yes, we, I, we started noticing that trend around with people, you know, uh, some people not wanting to have kids at all. Uh as a couple decision, but there are uh, you know, the number of kids one would have is really dropped down like india An average was two or three. It was the normal to have but now I think one is becoming so normal having one child because you know with such a busy life You want to give your complete focus to the child that you have rather than getting another one and not having one Pending time or not focusing on both of them. So that's one thing. The [00:30:00] other thing is also, you know, uh, Like I got married at 30. And we decided to spend five years off, you know, just both of us partying, traveling, having fun, working, everything, and then have a baby after that.
So I had a first baby at 36. Now I'm 40. So if I think about having a second child now, I think it's gonna be too late by the time, you know, I'm, I'm gonna have him in my arms four years, I'll be like, you know, limping or whatever. So I don't know.
She's planning on limping at 44. Maybe, maybe not.
Yeah, well, I just mean it's just kind of taking a toll, you know, um, so somewhere or the other it just depends So what we've also seen like at least when I got married, there was a trend of girls getting married around 29, 30, whatever Lately we've seen it's going back to an early age of marriage going, you know, people are [00:31:00] getting married at 24 by, uh, having kids early.
So probably that's a great idea. And that's where people are able to have two kids and, you know, bring them up nice, uh, you know, uh, nicely. And, uh, while they are also fit to handle. Because there's a lot of energy burn, which no one founds in exercise.
The ultimate exercise routine. Yes. Toddler wrangling.
Yeah. So true.
Um, so it sounds like you're seeing different trends of what people feel like they have capacity for. When you see, um, women now juggling work, I don't want to say juggling because it's Feels like you can let go of something. Holding, at the same time, holding work and parenting. Do you see them also make time for exercise or friendships or socializing or reading books? Or does it feel like those two things are all consuming and there's nothing [00:32:00] left over for my interests or my passions?
No, I don't think so. Um, I, if you would have asked this question two years ago, I would have said yes, that that's how it is. But now I interact a lot with so many friends and I interact on and meet my friends even more than I would earlier, honestly. So, um, it's not the case and there are so many women around me with similar age of kids, uh, you know, mothers, uh, my kids friends at school. So, I can see they're all having a great time somewhere or the other, finding time for themselves, catching up for a coffee just before they have to go for a pick up of kids or, you know, finding those different areas where we can get together, you know, take a break from everything else and just be with yourself.
Uh, it could be anything, uh, watching a movie or, you know, just going out, uh, with friends. So any small thing [00:33:00] can just be a stress buster.
I'm going to interrupt the conversation again here just to notice this mention of different seasons. So Shivani talks about, you know, two years ago, I couldn't have imagined taking time or going to see a friend, um, because I was in a different season of parenting, right?
Two years ago, she had a toddler. She was really busy in that season of her life and I wanted to call that out because I think often when we're in a period whether that be with the newborn years or with the toddler times or with children going to school or with the you know emotional intensity of teenage hood. We often feel like oh my gosh. This is my life. This is forever. You know, I remember When I had a newborn that feeling of I'm never going to sleep again. This is my life. Um, and I know it's really difficult to take in or, uh, believe that things will change and time will be different and your energy [00:34:00] will be different and your focus will be different.
And even though I know it's hard to believe in the time, I do want to pull it out here and just say it is true. Here's some more evidence, right, of, um, the intensity, the amount of time spent, the amount of energy required, the amount of movement required, the amount of decisions required does shift and change throughout a parenting existence.
And it's such a pity, I find, that there's so much pressure and so much focus on the 30s and 40s as this time of really building career and all these career milestones. And at the same time, we're often really in the weeds of it with parenting and relationship and decisions and trying to set ourselves up financially.
And sometimes I find having the long game of You know, well, maybe I'm still gonna work for another 20 years or 30 years or 40 years, you know, I love the work that I do. I intend on being a coach for the rest of my existence. So [00:35:00] whether, you know, I launch this group program now, whether I launch it next year, or whether I do this one task now, whether I post this thing on LinkedIn, does it matter whether it's now or then?
You know, I know that we can often get into the mindset of it all has to be really urgent and it all has to be now and I can't get to it because I'm also doing all of this intense parenting. But just a reminder here that seasons shift and change, times are different, um, windows open up and yes, other windows close, there's always a trade off as I'm talking about to my clients, but just that fluidity and flexibility when we think about long term. And seeing our careers as long, seeing our parenting as long, seeing our relationship as long, can give a different kind of energy to that space, a different kind of quality to that. So, I'm just taking a deep breath as I think about that, it always helps me feel calmer and more expanded to sometimes also remember the long game as well as the short game.[00:36:00]
The immediate things that are on the to do list right now and right here. And where do you fit that into your week? Is that something you would do after work? Is that something you make time for in the weekend?
So I, the, of course, the first thing is I would prioritize and do it on weekends. You know, I would prefer doing that, uh, After work, so it's Friday nights, actually, the weekends start for me, so, you know, that's, that's when the planning mostly happens.
But yes, even if there are great opportunities where I can catch up with people where I've not been able to, I would do that in the workday also, you know, taking a break. For an hour or two going out seeing some friends getting refreshed and getting back to work. So Yeah, I think it's just about and you know with formula group. I think we are a great flexible organization Not just because i'm working here or i've been here forever. I think the reason of Why the organization also has people working here as, you know, as many years as [00:37:00] myself is because of the culture, you know, not something being the boss is standing on your desk or, you know, um, there's someone always knocking you for what you've done, for what you've not done, et cetera.
There is space given to people, you know, I have not seen a leave rejection. You know, uh, that happens, uh, with us. People are more than welcome to take leaves because if there's someone is applying for a leave, that means they want to take a break, let them take a break, come back. Uh, so, so I think that. If I need a break, so my team does.
I'm sure everyone has some stories and, you know, sometimes we do this one on one time where we're just sharing with each other our things at back home, what's happening, and, you know, there are so many painful stories sometimes, so many tearful stories sometimes, but there's always a lot of learning that happens behind.
So I truly respect and admire that people want to take a break, and it's very, very important. For us to reset and [00:38:00] then go back again.
It sounds like also having a work culture that prioritizes humans, that takes care of humans, that has that element of sharing and one on one time allows you to stay in the business for longer, to keep expanding, to keep working there.
I think often we see those two things as separate of like there's, there's humans and then there's culture and then there's profit and then there's performance and what you're saying is it all works together and when I can be well at work, I can be well at home and then when I'm well at home, then I can bring my best self and really focus at work.
Yes, yes, I totally agree with you on that. Exactly, what you said is how you summed it is so great, uh, because that's how, you know, it was one of our colleagues just celebrated his 33rd anniversary, right? So, you know, these are two examples of how thick we are together, uh, in the, you know, company and especially we are in the mobility industry, it's all about people, it's no machines, you know, [00:39:00] we're working with.
And even if there are organizations like auto maker or something. No matter how many machines you put, how many AIs you put, ultimately, it's the humans behind that driving it. So for every organization, I think it's very, very important to have that human to human connection. Uh, and that's, that should be the foundation for success.
When you think about how you and your partner have kind of created your lives and do work and family together, what are you happiest with, um, and most proud of maybe in yourself for yourself as a couple. I, I'm glad that I have my husband, uh, as my husband. Uh, because We both of us, you know compliment each other a lot. I am a hyperactive person. He's a very calm and patient person Uh, so there are times, you know, when I go back and I just want to keep talking talking So he's hearing me out. So that just kind of creates that balance [00:40:00] There and that keeps us going after, you know, 10 years of marriage people still say that you guys are almost like just got married So nothing can be better than that as a compliment, I would say um Without saying we could understand so much about each other.
So, so that, that's one great thing. And I'm proud that I was able to sail through, you know, in all these times, because, uh, when you get married at 30, I think by then you have said a lot of things for yourself already. You want to do things in a certain manner. So change and to adapt, uh, to a different environment, to an environment where you are going to live with another set of parents and knowing each other, um, you know, was a big challenge and no one in my family at least thought I would be able to do that.
So I'm proud of myself that I was able to do that. And while I did that, I was. It's working hard and, uh, growing formula and that's what it's still growing and it's growing wonderfully. The [00:41:00] amount of team we now have 800 plus people with nine offices in India. And, uh, just called today to wish birthday to one of our, uh, you know, a guy in a garage who manages our cars because I got an email at his birthday.
I think these connections. That I nurture, that I love, is what I'm proud of and that's exactly what I want to have with my son. And every night when before going home or when I meet him, when he hugs and say you are the best and I love you, you're my best friend, I think I've done it.
Hmm. I've got a little warm feeling in my heart just as you say that.
That's always when he hugs me.
Yeah, absolutely. I've got one question, actually, as you were talking about that. It sounds like you've done quite, um, unusual things, right? You said, my family raised me to be more independent than girls at the time. [00:42:00]
My family didn't think then. They raised me to be so independent that they didn't think that I could adjust to new parents and a husband. My parents, you know, were entrepreneurs and my mother didn't work and then I stepped into business and I've been in this business and been growing it to the size that it is now.
What do you think has allowed you to, uh, break the mold or break the norms that maybe came before you? What is it in you that, what mindset, what thoughts do you have?
I think determination. If you're determined to do something, and I think you can move mountains. You have to believe in yourself. I've always believed in myself. And to anyone who comes around me with a problem or something, I just say, tell them, believe in yourselves. You can do it and you'll be able to do it. It's all about finding solutions on how you can achieve what you want to achieve.
Uh, you know, if you set your path, uh, you know, [00:43:00] work hard toward it, towards it, nothing comes easy. You know, uh, nothing, it's not something that you just get, uh, you know, just walking by and someone would call you, Hey, come. They've become a CEO.
Hey, come, here's all this fun stuff. You can have it.
Yeah, yeah. You know, uh, my, my journey started with a, what, 50 USD per month salary. So that's how it started to, you know, to becoming a CEO here, uh, at Formula. And, uh, there have been various opportunities of, You know, and opportunities I've got along the way to move to other people, to move to other organizations, bigger ones also, you know, uh, global organizations, but something, you know, I was determined that we will grow this, you know, what we built together.
And I think I'm glad that you, you're able to do that and you're very happily managing. I think that's such a [00:44:00] beautiful thing maybe to close with is this element of determination and almost deciding, deciding to do it over and over again. Because I think sometimes we think. Um, there's like other things that are gonna make it happen for us and actually what you're saying is I just decided over and over again that this is what I wanted and this is what I was going to do and yes it wasn't easy, um, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Right, right. That's exactly, yeah, how I think every day.
Oh, thank you so much for joining us. It's been such a pleasure to have this conversation with you.
Thank you so much, Maude. It was a pleasure having a chat with you. And, you know, I think this was more like a, uh, cherishing memories for me while talking to you and thinking about all that journey. Thank you for bringing all that alive for me.
Such a pleasure. You are so welcome. Book the next holiday.
[00:45:00] Just a little note here as we look to close the conversation about Shivani's Um, self belief and self trust and self confidence as the bedrock and foundation for everything that she has created, right? She's talked about putting one foot in front of the other, going against the norm in terms of expectations from, uh, women at the time where she was growing up and educating and entering the workplace, you know, taking her time to, you Get married, taking your time to have a child, having a different experience, maybe not following what everybody else was doing at that time, building this big career, staying in a working environment, all of these things which require some boldness and require some courage to do.
And she talks about self belief and self trust as the foundation of that and what she's really proud of. As she looks at everything that she's holding and everything that she's expanding into. And I just really want to echo that. What I notice [00:46:00] in my work as a one on one burnout prevention coach and a leadership coach is so many, almost all problems are solved when we feel like we have ourselves in friendliness, right?
When we're really worried about making mistakes, when we're really worried about screwing things up, when we're really worried about being visible, when we're really worried about other people liking us, it's difficult to move forward. It's difficult to take decisions. It's difficult to make bold moves. It's really difficult to set boundaries. And so, confidence, a. k. a. me feeling like I'm an okay human being that sometimes does amazing things and sometimes does not such great things, but like that's okay because I'm just a human, that confidence is what often allows us to expand into holding more, doing more, being more.
And so, yes, we can learn all the cognitive methods and the strategy and the tactics and the presentation skills, but underneath, if we're still [00:47:00] beating ourselves up, it makes life really, really difficult, not to mention unpleasant. So. Just a reminder that building and practicing confidence and self friendliness is such a bedrock and foundation for everything that you do.
And I would say it's the cornerstone of the coaching work that I do with women. So, so important and I love that Shiivani really called that out to us as a reminder. Ah, I love having these conversations. So, so much. Thank you for being here for listening to the work family, me podcast. If you want to connect with me in real life, I would love that.
You can find me on LinkedIn and I will put the link for my profile below. So you can just click on that and connect with me. See you out there.
I hope you enjoyed this episode with Shiivani about the tangible and external things she does that help her get in the right mindset to find balance and success as a partner, mother, and CEO.
There is so much power in how we think about ourselves and Shiivani gives us such a good example of how that plays out.
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