Sarita Ram Menon is the owner/director of Amogh Financial Services Pty Ltd and she has received various recognitions for contributions to society due to her art-based activism. She has been featured in mainstream newspapers such as Daily Telegraph, Western Weekender, Deccan Chronicle, Indian Express, and The Hindu and they have published articles about her journey and success in the plus-size pageant world.
A trained classical dancer, and a plus-size model cum actor – Saritha has been highly praised for her runway walks, as well as for being a body-positive influencer who offers a blend of culture and fashion. She’s a woman of substance for the world to see.
She’s a body-positive influencer and a plus-size model who’s proud to be Australian and quite happy about the multiculturalism in Australia.
InLife Australia recently caught up with Saritha to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur and here’s what went down:
Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started your business?
Amogh Financial Services Pty Ltd was incorporated in December 2015, with a mission to offer professional financial services advice; we are known more in the market for insurance advice – it’s been a ride! It all started from an idea and what our mission statement in life was about. It was how we saw that through; what our strategies were then, and whom we were partnering with. In my case, I teamed up with my husband and it’s just a humbling experience to have your own business.
When did your entrepreneurial flair first reveal itself?
Believe it or not, your personality type can determine which type of business you are best suited for! Both of us have a knack for reaching out to the community and showcasing the services we provide. Fortunately, the response has been very positive.
How did your life look like before being an entrepreneur?
I was a little nuts to actually enter the pageantry world and to love it! I was putting myself in a line of fire to be scrutinised, criticised, and judged. In the modelling world, I sometimes feel you are just built up to be shut down; however, building a business is such a different ballgame.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
Me and my husband Ram are both extremely target conscious – we both broke all the sales records in our previous companies. He was working as a senior responsible for the management sales roles in Africa and I was working for Africa’s number one paint company – Sadolin, and we smashed it! Before Africa we both were in very demanding sales roles in India, that is where the seeds were initially sowed. I guess I’m inspired by sales the same way I’m inspired by fashion or modelling. I love interacting and socialising. I was oddly motivated by great thinkers that look outside the box and become pioneers and that gave us the gumption of getting into business.
In one word, describe your life as an entrepreneur and explain why?
Word is “Boundless” – I’m an energy bag of creativity and together, me and my hubby will continue to impressively straddle the worlds of financial services and plus-size modelling. Driven by an infectious passion for pageants, I will find time to pursue my artistic dreams while also running my own agency AMOGH Financial Services.
What were your top three motivations for starting your business?
For me, there were several reasons: becoming your own boss in one’s own business, having more time with family, earning more income, gaining satisfaction through achievements based on hobbies, and avoiding frequent employment discrimination in general.
What do you put your success down to?
People say you either use the left brain or the right brain, one is the creative side while the other is the logic and technical side. Learning to use both in harmony is the key. Also, my pageantry skills have definitely been helpful when it comes to securing some business deals!
What would you say are the key elements for starting and running a successful business?
Get clear on your vision, get out of your own comfort zone, and create a personalised plan of action to take your business and life to the next level.
What are the three biggest challenges you have faced growing the business and how did you overcome them?
In my opinion, it’s still a man’s world out there. Maybe it always will be. Maybe that is the way it’s supposed to be. As hard as we try to make the playing field even it just never ends up in our favour. I believe women get some advantages if you want to call it that when working for a business, but in the entrepreneurial arena it’s rough. I think we are viewed as not being as smart, tough, or savvy as our male counterparts. Nonetheless, I would do it all over again, and probably will by being a co-partner with my husband.
Does the loneliness of the entrepreneur really exist?
We can feel very isolated and excluded sometimes so it was very hard for me to cultivate aspirations and believe I could achieve anything I wanted to. Being different is the new “normal”. I feel very strongly that if life gives you a chance to be successful then the only obstacles one should face are the usual discrepancies life throws at us.
Being of a certain ethnicity, a certain weight, or having a disability should not be a problem. There are enough challenges as there are already, so being yourself or a loner should not be another.
As you grew the business, what have been some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?
Even when you fail, as we all do from time to time, pick yourself up and keep moving forward. It seems that typically a breakthrough occurs when it’s least expected. So just keep moving forward, and eventually, you’ll get to where you most desire in your career path. Also, keep in mind that the “customer is king.”
What do you hope to see happen in the near future for small businesses all over the world?
The lockdown has given rise to some very interesting trends in the small business sector. Virtual services have gained momentum, and many companies have also learned that they do not require a physical storefront to run their business. The realisation has also reduced the costs of running business operations, leading to some good news on the profitability front. I hope this trend will grow, and digitisation will be common. Even when the pandemic is officially over, customers may not shed their online habits immediately. Hence, small business owners may get better opportunities to kick-start their virtual endeavours without breaking their banks. And yes, insurance will help them stay safe and protected.
