Breaking the cycle of staying in a comfort zone with Neha Kirpalani
How can women of colour break out of their comfort zones, embrace entrepreneurial journeys, and redefine success on their terms?
Join us for this inspiring episode with Neha Kirpalani, an entrepreneur, marketing strategist, Harvard Business Review writer, author, and DEI champion.
Neha shares her leadership journey, from investment banking to founding her marketing agency, driven by curiosity, passion, and the Japanese concept of Ikigai. She reflects on how aligning her work with joy and fulfillment helped her transition from a stable corporate career to entrepreneurship.
Neha emphasizes the importance of breaking out of comfort zones, embracing risk, and following one’s dreams despite fear and uncertainty. Drawing inspiration from Gully Boy and Shirley Chisholm’s iconic quote, "If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair," Neha discusses how self-trust, resilience and continuous learning have fueled her growth.
Together, we reflect on how critical it is to create your own space, advocate for yourself, negotiate pay and opportunities, and avoid self-rejection. Neha’s journey serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of breaking generational cycles, healing ancestral wounds, and redefining personal and professional success.
Embrace growth in your leadership journey by stepping into your power, trusting your instincts, and creating space for bold opportunities.
Listen to the episode here or watch the episode on Youtube.
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Learn more about Neha on LinkedIn, Instagram and her Newsletter.
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07:03 – Neha shares her journey from investment banking to founding her marketing agency, driven by a deep curiosity and a commitment to following her passions. She reflects on how embracing the Japanese concept of Ikigai helped her align her work with joy, fulfillment, and success throughout her career transitions.
12:25 – She reflects on her courageous decision to leave a stable corporate career to pursue entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of breaking out of comfort zones and following one’s dreams despite fear and uncertainty. Inspired by a quote from the movie Gully Boy, she shares how her journey has been about changing her reality to match her dreams, fueled by a hunger for continuous learning and growth.
18:20 – To break this cycle of staying in a comfort zone, Neha highlights the importance of self-trust and resilience in the leadership journeys of women of colour. She emphasizes how breaking generational cycles, healing ancestral wounds and redefining success are crucial to embracing both personal and professional growth. Neha shares how her entrepreneurial journey has required her to step outside her comfort zone, learn new skills, and tap into the strength of her ancestors, all while discovering new dimensions of herself along the way.
33:25 – We end the episode with Neha’s profound advice – create your own space at the table, advocate for yourself by negotiating pay and opportunities, and resist the urge to self-reject. Drawing inspiration from Shirley Chisholm’s quote, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair,” Neha highlights how taking bold steps, asking for more, and celebrating one’s wins—regardless of external outcomes—are crucial for success in environments not designed for everyone.
African Proverb: “When the world told the caterpillar its life was over, the butterfly objected, “My life has just begun.”
What do you need to bring your ‘why’ into reality?
