Namita Thapar

Stop wearing ‘ I work long hours, I travel a lot, I have no time for family’ as a badge of honour, let’s fix work life balance at all companies so we have a mentally fit & more productive generation next that get quality time & involvement from both parents.

I always love meeting my STI founders! Listen to this statistic … i joined Suhail (seen here) Vikas & Arvind who founded the Yuva Kabaddi Series, as an investor after Season 1 and in less than 18 months the business has impacted the lives of 1400+ Kabaddi players directly, 68 of whom are playing in the current Pro Kabaddi Season 10. Business is at an ARR of Rs.16 Cr, with most of it reinvested in the kabaddi ecosystem. Whenever I meet any of them, I am floored by their passion & goodness to build impact & sustainability in Sports - an extremely tough sector to create new solutions at scale but when passion meets creativity truly impactful businesses are bound to be born :)
Yuva Kabaddi Series

Women don’t prioritise their health & don’t speak up. I’ve used the shark tank platform to speak about my experiences with mental health, IVF, fitness & now perimenopause. Menopause is when your periods completely stop & perimenopause is the phase that is 2-10 years prior to menopause when your periods get erratic. Perimenopause usually starts in your mid 40s. You experience mood swings, insomnia, hot flashes & many other symptoms. Most women are not aware of these symptoms, treatment options & it can be a very rough & disruptive phase in their lives. It’s been a tough phase for me personally. I was happy to use the Matri pitch to share my journey & educate .. let’s take charge of our health !

I write poems when I’m emotional ... those rare moments when I’m speechless 🤪…big day today, thank you Emcure for all the learning & love, I’m excited to watch you enter this new phase & continue shining …

Closed the deal with a fabulous woman entrepreneur Slony from Very Much Indian, a platform to celebrate the traditional Paithani sari.
They also sell Ilkal, Gadwal, block prints from Jaipur & Bengal, bandhni from Gujarat, linens & tussar from Bihar, maheshwaris from MP. They do incredible fusion styles, for example bandhani or kalamkari paithanis ! In 9 m since their pitch on Season 2, they have achieved phenomenal growth, skyrocketing 3X from 12 lacs MRR to a remarkable 40 lacs MRR & a recent fund raise at a much higher valuation. Slony gives a lot of credit for this to the marketing & visibility this incredible show provides ! What’s most amazing is that she has impacted 700+ talented weavers, including specially abled artisans by equipping them with better handlooms and ensuring faster and superior production through modern technology thereby increasing their incomes. Look forward to working with her to preserve & showcase our rich Indian traditions & heritage ! Thank you Slony for a fun & inspiring conversation at my home today :)
Shark Tank India

My experience with Dhoni

I entered the set where the legend, darling of masses & classes was shooting for Emcure’s ad. My mind raced to 2 months back, a boardroom with Emcures top leaders who were engaged in an animated discussion on why Dhoni ? “He embodies Emcures values of hunger, honesty & humility. He’s Captain Cool, resilient under setbacks, exactly like our journey of victory over innumerable obstacles”
It didn’t take too long for everyone to nod in unison that this man embodied our very culture & values.

The ad campaign was also selected to reflect these values - caring for the “cure & beyond” to reflect how Emcure is committed to science & innovation that brings affordable care to positively impact lives. Both Dhoni & Emcure believe in going that extra mile …

As I headed over to meet him, I watched in awe as he smiled & patiently followed the directors instructions, no starry airs just a vibe of simplicity & sweetness. Him & I were to regurgitate a 30 sec script by the director. I asked him to not follow the script & just have an informal chat with me & share his leadership mantras. The otherwise quiet man got energised & beautifully spoke for 10 mins about what “masalas” he looks for. A 10 min chat, no script, just straight from the heart !
This chat will be released soon & will…as always, win many hearts. Not just for the leadership mantras but for the energy that shines through when a pure heart speaks.

As I left the studio, I finally understood what makes this man such a hero… so popular, so revered…. it’s not just his cricket or leadership skills, it’s the kindness & empathy that radiates through his eyes, his smile, his words & his actions ! This is what endears him to all ….Truly a champion of champions …