What happens when the business you built to make money becomes the thing that costs you time with your child?

In this episode of Founder in the Chair, host Veena Nayyar sits down with Shivani Thakur, founder of Elite Laser and Beauty, who started her business at 21 and has spent the last decade building it while raising her son as a single mum.

Shivani went back to work two weeks after a caesarean and rebuilt her entire clientele from her parents' outhouse, with her parents stepping in to help raise her son. She talks openly about what that season cost her, the healing she has done since her divorce, and why she now thinks about an exit every day.

In this episode, you'll hear about:
- Why Shivani doesn't recommend starting a business as a new mum
- Rebuilding from scratch with a newborn, and the village that made it possible
- The breakthrough after her divorce: "I should have left for me"
- How her circle changed once she started setting boundaries
- Going from a team of 11 to a team of 3, and why smaller has been better
- Late cancellations and clients who don't see your business as a business
- Planning an exit, and what comes next: content, community and life coaching

Whether you're a parent building something of your own, a founder in the beauty industry, or someone rebuilding after a hard chapter, this conversation is an honest look at what it takes and what it costs.

🔗 Connect with Shivani Thakur & Elite Laser and Beauty
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeofshivanii
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifeofshivanii
📸 Elite Laser and Beauty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elite.laserbeauty
🎵 Elite Laser and Beauty on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elite.laserbeauty
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ShivaniElite

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GPumu-M7c3A

Hosted by Veena Nayyar | Founder in the Chair.

If you have a story to share and would like to be a Founder in the Chair, apply here:
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If you have a story to share, to inspire, or to encourage someone to take a step into the world of entrepreneurship, then please get in touch, the world needs to hear more stories, it's not always an easy ride, by sharing we may just help someone to take the first step or to grow in their business journey.

Instagram @founderinthechair

YouTube - Founder in the Chair

https://youtu.be/37Mhkf_A3gU

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At just 15 years old, Parm Elkington ran away from home. By 17, she had entered an arranged marriage - beginning a journey shaped by cultural expectations, conformity and the pressure to follow a path chosen for her.

After almost 10 years of marriage, Parm made the difficult decision to walk away and rebuild her life on her own terms.

In this episode of Founder in the Chair, Parm speaks openly about divorce within the South Asian community, reconnecting with her identity and finding the confidence to make her own choices.

She also shares how the unexpected end of her corporate career led her towards entrepreneurship, building a travel-based network marketing business and creating a community that encourages women to pursue greater independence.

Parm isn’t telling her story from the top of the mountain. She is still building, learning and growing - openly sharing what life in the middle of the climb really looks like.

In this episode:

• Running away from home at 15
• Entering an arranged marriage at 17
• Walking away after almost 10 years
• Navigating divorce and South Asian cultural expectations
• Rebuilding her relationship with her parents
• Starting again after losing her corporate career
• The truth about network marketing
• Why every woman should have a Plan B
• Helping South Asian women create greater independence
• Building something her children can inherit

Watch the full episode on YouTube now: https://youtu.be/Q3BZ5GMjC6U

Connect with Parm Elkington ↓

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamparmelkington/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQT1gCX9c/

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parmelkington

▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@iamparmelkington

Would you like to share your story on Founder in the Chair?

Apply to become a guest ↓
https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/iqPeXVNcnhRFtNFeyTej

If you have a story to share, to inspire, or to encourage someone to take a step into the world of entrepreneurship, then please get in touch, the world needs to hear more stories, it's not always an easy ride, by sharing we may just help someone to take the first step or to grow in their business journey.

Instagram @founderinthechair

YouTube - Founder in the Chair

https://youtu.be/37Mhkf_A3gU

Email me if you would like to be a Founder in the Chair at founderinthechair@gmail.com

In this episode of Founder in the Chair, Veena speaks with award-winning independent filmmaker Ajit Mann about turning pain into powerful South Asian stories.

Ajit shares how he overcame financial struggles, career setbacks, the pandemic and the heartbreaking loss of his father before finally stopping waiting for permission and creating his own films.

His latest short film, Dukh, confronts generational trauma, casteism, toxic masculinity and domestic abuse within Punjabi families. Ajit discusses the risks involved in telling such a sensitive story, screening the film at New Scotland Yard and the emotional moment survivors told him: “I felt seen and heard.”

They also explore the realities of independent filmmaking, breaking generational cycles and why aspiring filmmakers don’t need expensive equipment or a university degree to get started.

Watch the full episode on YouTube:

▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/PcQ9A0uiWFw

Watch Dukh for free:

🎬 Indie Crib: https://indiecrib.com/watch/66f76cc4-2dcc-424a-be34-72cb3a09f4c1

Support Ajit’s London Marathon fundraiser for Myeloma UK:

🏃 Fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ajit-mann

Connect with Ajit Mann:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajitmannfilmmaker/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajitveer-mann-835794136/

▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mandkfilms

Would you like to share your own story on Founder in the Chair?

Apply to become a guest:

🎙️ Guest application: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/iqPeXVNcnhRFtNFeyTej

If you have a story to share, to inspire, or to encourage someone to take a step into the world of entrepreneurship, then please get in touch, the world needs to hear more stories, it's not always an easy ride, by sharing we may just help someone to take the first step or to grow in their business journey.

Instagram @founderinthechair

YouTube - Founder in the Chair

https://youtu.be/37Mhkf_A3gU

Email me if you would like to be a Founder in the Chair at founderinthechair@gmail.com