We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Priyanka Kothari a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Priyanka, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?
I learned a crucial lesson from my mother: time is precious and does not wait for anyone. Growing up in a conservative joint family of 16 in India was challenging, but it instilled in me a sense of perseverance and determination. My mother supported me as I navigated the traditional expectations placed on women in society. Although it was disheartening at times to negotiate life decisions with relatives who weren’t part of my immediate family, facing a tough environment instilled in me a tenacity to fight against the odds, even when it became exhausting. But my only option was to move forward. By pursuing a career in fashion and embracing independence, I paved the way for future generations in my family. My parents’ unwavering support emboldened me to take risks and keep going despite occasional failure.
When I was growing up, learning to cook was expected of me—not just as a valuable life skill, but as a necessity for securing suitable arranged marriage prospects. This expectation left me feeling ridiculed and led to a distaste for the kitchen. However, my passion for baking blossomed when I faced the challenge of finding a cake that met my family’s dietary needs for my daughter’s birthday, which proved to be quite difficult. So I baked my very first cake for a gathering. It was a blotchy cake shaped like the number ‘1’ and I was very embarrassed to serve it, but we did and it was delicious. Nobody could tell it was gluten free and egg free. I enjoyed the process thoroughly and wanted to try again. With limited resources, I started experimenting every day after my family went to bed. When I realized my daughters were watching, I wanted to show them that they could achieve anything they set their minds to. I understood the importance of acquiring a skill that allowed me to create my own schedule where I can raise a family and have a creative outlet. My parents and my sister encouraged me to rise again and bake again after every time I failed. They helped me keep at it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a child, I witnessed my father tirelessly work to expand our family business, which instilled in me the fear that owning a business means sacrificing time with family. But after leaving my position as a product developer with American Giant, I found myself yearning for a creative outlet.
A friend who had eaten my gluten and egg free cakes on several occasions asked me to bake for their birthday, and that cake was the tipping point. My friend pushed me to start my own venture. I dedicated every waking moment, when I wasn’t with my children, to mastering the perfect gluten-free vegan cake, also free of common allergens like nuts, soy, and coconut, and exploring flavors that weren’t common in the market.
Among my proudest achievements are the vegan macarons I’ve developed – full shells with the perfect crunch and chewy bite, unique flavors reminiscent of those found in the bakeries of Paris. My daughters now they recognize what a perfect macaron should look like. And although it took us some time to align our schedules, my husband has taken on the washing of countless dishes.
As followers of Jainism, a religion based on non-violence, we reflect these values in our approach to food. I am not aiming to change people’s eating habits but rather to provide options that allow them to make kinder choices without sacrificing texture, flavor, or aesthetics in baked goods. I aspire to encourage every parent to choose a cake that is more inclusive of children with dietary restrictions, so that every child can enjoy a cake that truly resembles a cake, rather than settling for a grocery store cupcake that robs them of the joy of participating in celebrations and savoring a delightful treat!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Resilience, grit, and humility. Life hasn’t always presented many choices and has often left me without a Plan B. This frequent lack of options has fueled my commitment and determination. Here’s my advice: if you have a goal you wish to achieve, you need to define two key elements – identify the skills you need to develop and the resources available to help you succeed; surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I have been incredibly fortunate to have a strong support system, even though they are thousands of miles away. Their unwavering encouragement has helped me navigate debilitating postpartum depression. So when it came to starting a home bakery, my father provided immense courage and the initial investment; my mother’s patience and wisdom guided me through daily obstacles; my sister assisted me in problem-solving; and my cousins offered mental health support, providing advice and an attentive, empathetic ear to help preserve my sanity amid the chaos of my personal and professional life.
It was a challenge for my husband to manage our small space filled with my baking equipment, he stepped up to support me. It’s a long road ahead but I am less scared and more excited. The doubts are turning into, ‘let me try before I fail’. And the failures are slowly turning into ‘it’s a part of success, keep going.’
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Image Credits
Image Credit for personal photo – https://www.pamelapalma.com/
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