For a woman, her home is no longer her world. It was perhaps. Just that, the patriarchal conventions made it look so, until a few decades back. Now while the world is going crazy over women achievers and the like, there is another section of women who have had ordinary beginnings, ordinary journeys and yet have extraordinarily succeeded in their present. We ought to know about such SHEROES.
One of them is Kavita Deshpande, founder of Little Travel Bug. As the name suggests, the venture is related to travel but is a little more about just travel. Kavita is an inspiration in the sense of being someone you can relate to. Her struggles might not be epic but they are victories in their own right--for ordinary women--who have extraordinary dreams.
The philosophy behind Little Travel Bug is to enrich the traveling experience of children. It is meant to encourage children to discover and be better observers. The books are a treasure box filled with beautiful illustrations, fun facts, and activities that children can engage in. Little Travel Bug books are well researched and aim at giving a holistic view of the destination to the child. They make for excellent souvenirs.
(Check out - How This Woman Is Ensuring A Gala Time For Travel Enthusiast Women)
Little Travel Bug offers books to aspiring globetrotters on Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand. It is set to launch in Dubai and London in the coming months. Along with these travel guides, they also have a travel diary to note down everyday travel experiences and a travel scrapbook to preserve memories of different Indian and International vacations. The book is also available for all aspiring globetrotters. The concept is the USP of Kavita’s venture. It is not just unique--it is also exciting--and instantly makes you want to check these books out.
An MBA, Kavita’s passion for travel, product development experience, and parenting skills together- thus was born Little Travel Bug. Interestingly, besides the innovative venture that her concept is, there is much more to her. Kavita, given her career break post-maternity and restarting her career, is an inspiration to the thousands of women out there who believe that being a mom makes you give up everything else.
The fact that Kavita has made a career comeback could make others wonder if the experience was overwhelming. To this she says, ”I was thrilled and really looking forward to being a first-time mother. Motherhood is an exciting yet challenging chapter in a woman’s life. It is a life experience like no other. With the joys of raising your little ones, being a mother presents its own set of responsibilities.”
Before she became a mom, she was part of the corporate sector and much in love with her job. There are thousands of women out there who juggle these dualities on a daily basis. The fact that Kavita has gone on and made her dreams come true post-partum, gives wings to many mothers.
Kavita believes that for some, entrepreneurship is a matter of choice and for others, it just happens. However, in her case, it was purely out of choice and a desire to start something of her own. She quips,
“For a couple of years, in the two hours that I would get when my little one went to pre-school, I would sit down at a cafe and jot down ideas, concepts and then create prototypes. But nothing really progressed and I would get back to the drawing board.”
Did she make any compromises on the personal front, you may wonder.
Yes, she did but she calls it a balance.
Kavita thinks that balancing work and family life is extremely challenging but at the same time rewarding. It surely does come with its share of sacrifices but is equally fulfilling. She frames it really well, “It is important for me to prioritize my work and plan my days in advance so that neither my children nor my work is hampered. Luckily for me, as I am into writing books for children, I have started observing my children differently and also involve them in my work some way or the other. I am sure that through this venture of mine, my children will learning certain life skills that will stay with them for long.”
(Also Read - 11 Indian Women Entrepreneurs & Their Success Stories)
Even she has seen life evolving and also learned from her own journey
Kavita realized that the most important thing for her is to be true to herself and follow her passion. Only when you love what you do, is when you will give your hundred percent. She believes that being passionate about something gives you those wings to fly.
And while flying, celebrating small wins also goes a long way in keeping you motivated.
This mantra keeps women charged up despite challenges--and the latter choose to exists a tad bit more in case of the fairer sex. Kavita’s story makes women understand that there isn't a time too late to set a target--and get going.
For instance, she says, “For me, the best moments have been when parents and children see my books and look forward to their next vacation. There are a few parents who have even approached me saying, ‘Please tell us the next travel guidebook you are launching, so that we can plan our upcoming vacation.’
“I have to say that the SHEROES community and every member is very inspiring. They are a reflection of our rich society that is full of talented and hard working women. To them, I would say that “Believe in yourself and your gut feeling. Even after a few setbacks, don’t lose that spark of self-belief. Continue to pursue your dreams by keeping your end objective in mind.”
Women today are not those that define success by any specific parameter. The needs of modern women have changed as has the parameters of success. Balance is the key to happiness-- and the way someone balances life defines success. Kavita inspires and there could be so many more of such women--out to do something great on their own.