Aarti Udit Kapoor is a Mumbai-based Entrepreneur. She is currently working on her new website that will cater to Mothers and children and focus on their needs. I spoke to Aarti on her upcoming projects, her non-profit she started during the pandemic, Motherhood and all things in between. Excerpts from the interview:
1. Tell us something about yourself :
I started working immediately after my MBA as a Private Banker for 7 years before quitting that to turn into a serial entrepreneur. I have co founded two websites and over the past few years have worked as a strategist to help start ups run by women or those in the sustainable fashion space. I recently founded a non-profit that is helping women who lost their jobs to the pandemic, by educating and empowering them instead of accepting charity from people. I am also launching a new venture in a few weeks that is extremely close to my heart and I am very excited about it.
2. Tell us about your new website:
My new venture is something I have been toying with for a few years now and the current pandemic acted like a catalyst. I am curating and putting together products and brands that I love, Shloka, my daughter, loves and those run by women entrepreneurs that we want to support and see on the other side of all this. It is just a few brands that resonate with my values of ethical and sustainable business and women supporting women. We plan to launch it by the end of August for everybody to enjoy. You can expect toys, sustainable clothing and accessories, some international lifestyle brands and of course hair accessories for girls and women from my non profit ‘Chai + Sing + Rainbows’. The website will be called ‘A Charmed Life’ and will contain things that help you lead one.
3. How has motherhood inspired you to do things differently both at the home and work front?
Motherhood is something so magical and wonderful that even a workaholic like me has been enveloped by the love and at times overwhelmed by the craziness it brings along. I remember working through labour, getting back to client emails the day after my c-section and what not. But having said that, now there are times I tell people I am busy with Shloka and will get back the next day so yes it really changes one’s style of working for both parents. The lockdown and work from home are a boon in that respect where I can give more time to her and off course she inspires me to be a better person each day. In fact the website, A Charmed Life is totally inspired by her, so that we can ensure she knows that motherhood doesn’t mean dropping everything but adapting and tweaking life a bit.
4. How does sustainable parenting come into play when you are raising a child?
Sustainable living is really easy if you follow it by making small changes to your routine life. We try to do things that are practical and yet eco friendly. I can’t say I haven’t used disposable diapers, I use cloth diapers through the day and at night use disposable ones. We use glass bottles, the blankets used for Shloka were actually mine, preserved by mom for my children.The toys we buy are usually made of wood and the plastic ones if at all are bought pre loved. We love books and splurge on preloved ones. We upcycle her clothes, we have bought better quality clothes and toys but fewer in quantity to ensure no wastage, and I feel when your child sees you practice what you preach they know this is how life is to be lived – no wastage of food, water, energy and any resource, something that can be taught very very early on.
5. What can new parents do to ensure they raise their children in a sustainable manner?
Small changes and tweaks to your existing style can really help. Be a conscious shopper, buy less but buy the best, show the child you value their time and they will value yours, show them that charity, recycling, upcycling, low wastage or zero waste is the only way and they will learn that. You can mould them the way you want them to for the better. Teach them to be tolerant of those around them, respectful of all people and that is what I feel is true sustainable parenting. If you’re looking for inputs on how you can do more you may email me at [email protected] or follow me on @acharmedlifein and of course we hope that you find your way to our website once it launches to get your baby’s diapering, dining, playing and your sustainable fashion and lifestyle needs met .
