“I would never like to play the woman-as-a-victim card. As long as you have the right mindset, attitude, and the clarity about what you want to achieve, it’s not difficult to achieve your goals. I don’t hold an IIT/IIM degree, I am a small-town girl with average intelligence. So, if I have managed to come this far, anyone can,” said Meghna Agarwal, Co-founder, IndiQube on the importance of the right attitude and clarity of thought when starting a business.
Agarwal was speaking at SheSparks 2023 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. She started her journey in the small town of Alwar, Rajasthan. Today, she is a leader in the commercial real estate space, heading IndiQube, one of the biggest coworking companies in India.
In a fireside chat with YourStory’s Shradha Sharma, Agarwal said her company, now profitable, made $100 million in revenue over the last six to seven-year timeframe.
“People used to tell me either you can be profitable or you can grow. So, the idea is to defy the rules; if your fundamentals and financials are right, I think you can do it. We’ve been able to do it so far.”
Agarwal also stressed on the importance of women finding time for themselves, without feeling guilty or selfish at not having done enough for the family. In her words, a happy woman is a happy mother.
“You should always dedicate 5% of your time to yourself. This may be non-conventional and does not conform with the rules of the world. But if you reserve 5% [time] for yourself, trust me, you will always return happy,” she said.
Making a case for India, Agarwal said, “India is a growing market and a $3 trillion industry. Given the kind of demographic we have, the number of billionaires that India will see over the next 30 years will be huge. Even when the US is slowing down, the Indian economy just refuses to slow down. So, there is a huge opportunity in India and this is the place to invest in.”
