In spite of working hard since childhood to study, attend college, gain coveted degrees with a dream to create a joyous fulfilling life, women today are finding themselves buried deep under the pressure of ever-increasing demands from work, coupled with demanding family responsibilities. Our women are on the verge of burning out and are considering quitting their jobs as they question themselves why they are doing this.

Catering to this need, Mind Tales Consulting, a lifestyle coaching and consulting firm, led by Kavita Popli, Founder and MD offers life coaching programs to help women leaders break their burnout cycle and achieve a work life balance so they can actually enjoy the life they have worked so hard to create.

In this interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine, Kavita, an experienced business Leader with 13 years of corporate experience and a life & Performance coach speaks about challenges faced by women leaders today that lead to burnout and solutions for the same.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table. 

I played diverse leadership roles in MNCs like Diageo, Deloitte and accomplished all that I set out for. But the daily grind of handling work and family responsibilities left me stressed and burnt out, leaving me with empty feelings and questioning everything that I had achieved. There was a growing sense of overwhelm and a sense of lack of control over my life. I was keen to create a work/life balance that will allow me to enjoy the life that I have worked so hard to create. But I couldn't seem to figure out the `HOW'.

This is when I found out about life coaching and hired a life coach and it changed everything as I discovered the solution for burnout that actually worked. I learnt tools to understand the burnout was actually coming internally from my own thoughts. These tools changed everything for me as I moved past burnout and actually started enjoying my work and life again. And this is now what I help other women achieve.

While I was lucky to have an exceptional family support, I needed help navigating the stress. Many women professionals in India aren't as lucky to have this kind of support which makes it way harder for them to manage this stress and often ends up in them staying stuck at lower roles or even quitting their jobs.

The vision behind starting Mind Tales Consulting is to support women leaders blossom into their full potential while enjoying the lives they have worked so hard to create.

Throw some light on your various programs that you have designed for leaders.

My signature program `Break the burnout cycle' is a 12 week one on one coaching program designed for ambitious woman leaders who feel burnt out with a perpetual lack of time and often experience that sinking feeling the moment they think about their never ending to-do list.

Whether you are just starting to feel the burnout or frustrated and on the verge of quitting your job, this program transforms your experience at work from stressful to joyful while opening up the opportunities beyond what you ever imagined for yourself.

“The ultimate driving force behind my success is the constant desire to learn and grow coupled with my willingness to invest in this growth”

How has your journey as a business leader been so far?

The freedom of being your own boss and making money doing what you love doing and care most about is an extreme privilege. And I have enjoyed creating that privilege for myself. I had my challenges as I made this transition from an employee to an entrepreneur, however but the experience has been incredibly fulfilling. It has allowed me to create a life I love and business that has replaced the income from my high paying corporate job in less than two years.

And the icing on the top when I get to see the incredible impact of my work on lives of women I coach. 'Where were you all my life? I wish I had found you 10 years earlier' is what my clients often say to me.

In your opinion what has been the driving force behind your successful stint as a leadership and life coach?

The ultimate driving force behind my success is my constant desire to learn and grow coupled with my willingness to invest in this growth. While many women have ambition for growth, they commit a mistake of not investing in themselves and hiring high quality help to achieve their goals. This is a key differentiator that enabled me in taking a leap from a secure high paying job (as a vice president in Diageo) towards the unfamiliar unpredictable world of entrepreneurship and create this level of success.

As successful business leaders, what would your advice be to young women aspiring to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

Our patriarchal societal conditioning makes it harder for women to thrive in their careers or have their own businesses while balancing other aspects of her life. But this isn't a reason to stop dreaming higher. In fact its an opportunity for us to set an example for our daughters (and sons) to feel true freedom in choosing their own path and living a wholesome life. My advice to all the budding women entrepreneurs and ambitious women leaders is to not settle for less and make it your utmost priority to consistently invest in upgrading your mindset and leadership skills required for success.

About the Founder

Kavita is an entrepreneur with a thriving coaching practice which helps women leaders get past burnout and become best in class. Before entrepreneurship, she spent 13 years playing diverse roles in MNCs like Diageo and Deloitte. She lives in Bengaluru with her husband and eight year old son. Her vision is to see more women in boardrooms & owning their businesses while celebrating their lives & freedom.

Kavita Popli, Founder & MD, Mind Tales Consulting

A lifestyle coaching and consultant firm that offers life coaching programs to help women break their burn out cycle, achieve a work-life balance so they can enjoy the lives they have worked so hard to create.