Namita Nayyar:
Being an entrepreneur what has played a pivotal role in your journey? Shortcomings you faced in the initial stage of businesses
Aanam Chashmawala
I think raising capital from my savings has to be the toughest thing, which took me about 5 years to do from when I first started brainstorming on the brand in 2017. second to that would have to be trying to get taken seriously. it was either the perception of an influencer making calls to manufacturers trying to set up meetings on her own (I didn’t have anyone on the brand team at that time) or the fact that I was a 25-year-old woman trying to be taken seriously. the first year or so of this process was quite daunting and I feel proud of how far we’ve come now, certain vendors who wouldn’t take us seriously in 2021 now have their teams reaching out to mine with pitches.
Namita Nayyar:
Women Fitness India talks about celebrity diets and fitness regimes, do you follow any special diets? What is your favorite comfort food?
Aanam Chashmawala
Honestly, I’m a huge foodie and what I eat is dominated by a lot of intuition and what feels good for that day. I’ve tried living the keto and IF ways, but for my lifestyle at the moment, they’re just not sustainable and I feel like I take my meals one day at a time. I have 28 sweet teeth, so I do give into that more often than I should, and my love for salads is only a new one. so finding the balance is a huge mantra for me in 2024, and that applies to my food intake as well
Namita Nayyar
What comprises your fitness regime, and how do you manage it along with mental fitness and well-being?
Aanam Chashmawala
I’ve stayed away from aggressive workouts for a while now. I’ve been through those phases too, but again, I don’t find those sustainable and I’m just not organically a ‘gym girlie’. what excites me is the idea of going for walks and taking my time with podcasts or music. I try to go for walks about 3 times a week, but I’m hoping to amp that up to 5 times a week in the year to come (did someone say resolutions?!)
For my mental health, I don’t start a single day without my morning meditations, and if it’s a jammed day and I start with a shoot, I reallot that time just before going to bed. the crazy lifestyle we all lead needs a little slowing down, and a little processing, so I find it very useful to give myself that 15-minute window to just unwind or prep up, with my affirmations or just simply zone out of the world to ‘close all my tabs’ as I like to say.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you plan your content for the platforms? Also, do you go through content blocks and how do you overcome it
Aanam Chashmawala
I plan my content as much as possible but I also leave some gaps for what’s trending and current when I can. again, balance is a big one for me across all aspects of my life.
when I go through my content blocks – which are normal, especially for someone who’s been doing what I do for 12 years now – I used to get quite frustrated and try to speed past that phase. now, however, I allow myself to just be and give my brain that little break. I increase my consumption of content around that time and work on different hobbies that might inspire me to content organically.
Namita Nayyar:
Lastly, being on the cover you are an inspirational woman entrepreneur, your message is for the readers
Aanam Chashmawala
Believe in yourself. it might sound so simple and cliche, but it’s the most valuable life lesson I’ve had. I trust the process and believe that everything I’m envisioning will come to life. and it does if you believe it in your core and work towards definitive, specific goals.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President of Women Fitness
