My guest today is Pratima Aravabhoomi, Founder of Craft Street Design. Pratima’s story begins at a very low point – unhappy in her arranged marriage, depressed and suicidal.
Pratima has overcome a number of significant hurdles to build a 6-figure business that brings her joy every day – which is not what anyone in her life expected of her. She was in an unhappy arranged marriage, living under the burden of cultural and family beliefs that didn’t fit her as a person, unfulfilled in her career, and squeezed into a role and lifestyle that did nothing to fuel her sense of purpose or satisfaction. That’s when she chose to live a courageous life – and everything changed.
Pratima is the founder and owner of Craft Street Design, an online one-stop-shop for beautifully designed inspirational gifts and keepsakes that are cherished forever. Join me for this conversation and hear how an inspirational quote on her kitchen wall was the catalyst that sparked courage in Pratima’s soul and led her on a journey that is changing her life for the better.
An inspirational quote that changed the course of her life
“The darkest hour is before the dawn.” These were the words that broke Pratima out of what she describes as a “trance” of discouragement that was driving her toward ending her own life. It caused her to pause long enough to change the negative conversation in her head to one of hope and courage. It helped her focus on what was possible in the future instead of what she thought she’d lost up until that point. Listen to today’s podcast to hear Pratima tell how she went from being suicidal to finding the strength to become free and independent, and how she used what she learned about the power of the written word to develop her successful online business.
What can you do today to get closer to what you want to achieve?
Pratima’s decision to take control of her life did not result in overnight change. In this episode, she talks to me about what it was like to walk through the process of getting out of her arranged marriage, doing so without her family’s support, and entering the workforce as a young single mom. Pratima’s story will encourage you to believe in yourself in spite of your obstacles and to move into that courageous life that you want to live.
How to get clear about what you really want
Pratima gained independence after leaving her arranged marriage by working hard, at times working multiple jobs at once. But after her hard work paid off by landing her dream job at Apple, she found it didn’t meet her expectations and she wanted something more. In this episode, Pratima shares how she reassessed her direction at that point to discover what she really wanted in her life, and how the answers led her to launch Craft Street Design, a business that allows her to share the power of written words with others. Listening to Pratima’s story will inspire you to consider the exciting possibilities in your own life!
From zero to six figures in six months – Pratima’s unconventional approach
When Pratima decided to launch a business of her own instead of remaining in her “dream job” at Apple she knew that she would need an influx of cash right away. She used her experience from the corporate world to reach out to potential business clients instead of the normal route of targeting consumers. The reason? She figured that business clients would be able to make bulk purchases and provide the immediate cash flow necessary to get her fledgling business off the ground. That hunch turned out to be 100% correct. Listen in and be inspired to use your experience to build your business, even if it’s not the way everyone else is doing it.
Episode Highlights
- 2:41 – Pratima’s life in an arranged marriage
- 9:21 – Why arranged marriage did not work for Pratima
- 11:40 – What it was like for to divorce her husband without any support.
- 15:04 – How written words prevented Pratima’s suicide
- 20:01 – What can you do today to get closer to what you want to achieve?
- 21:58 – The process of entering the workforce as a single mom
- 26:03 – Pratima’s biggest lesson: Just keep doing it.
- 27:10 – How to get clear about what you really want
- 31:15 – How she paid off $93,000 in debt before launching her business
- 31:58 – How Craft Street Designs grew to six figures in six months
- 34:36 – Pratima on dating and getting remarried
- 38:29 – The future vision for Craft Street Designs
Resources Mentioned
- Craft Street Designs
- E-mail [email protected]
- Gary Chapman – The 5 love languages
1. Favorite book for women?
- Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
2. Favorite self-care hack?
- Take time off and get a massage every week
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
- “Failing in what you are doing is actually a good thing. You just need to keep doing what you are doing and continue forward. – Bea Bachelet
4. Female CEO or thought leader you’re into right now?
- Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In
5. One piece of advice you’d give your 5 years younger self?
- “Just develop discipline in whatever it is you want to do. Learn to deal with the boredom of things that need to be done on a daily basis.”
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