Anita feels women must believe in themselves and they can achieve all the goals they set for themselves. She tells her story as is - from being a management trainee to a CEO and the watershed in her life...

On My Own

Within seven months of starting Cerebrus, I realised that there was much work to do and that I needed help.

By 18 months, I knew I needed more than five people. I did everything back then - from secretarial and administration work to writing my own letters and posting them.

And this after being used to having someone do it for me!

I never have self-doubts; if I decide to do something, I'll do it. If you have too many self-doubts, you'll never leap - it is a leap of faith!

Women Empowerment

I was the first woman AFF hired and even then they pondered over it a lot. I too wanted to empower women and create an all-women professional organisation. But I did not want to make a show of it; not then, not now. We always underplayed the fact.

Today, we are not all women. We needed to have a balance because we are strict about certain competence levels.

Brand Matters

Timing is everything and I had a fortunate start. Moreover, I already had a standing in the profession, which made a big difference. I never really had to go out or make a phone call to find work.

I never compromise on quality. I do a large amount of quality check, work on major assignments with clients and work with my team as well.

When we were growing with 30-35 employees and still all women, everyone had one question: will you survive? Today, people walk in saying they want to work with us because they have heard about us through word-of-mouth.

Wonder Years

My father was in the army, so we travelled a lot. From the time I was seven, I stayed with relatives or in boarding school. It helped me connect with people and develop personal self-confidence as well.

Despite securing an admission in IIM Calcutta, my parents refused me permission to join as they were not comfortable with the idea of me going away. I come from a conservative South Indian home where it was thought that women should not work.

I did get admission to the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, but the event was a watershed in my life. I believe that studying in the right college or institution makes a huge difference. It is not just about what is being taught, it is also about interaction with your peer group, about setting your personal ambitions and aspirations.