Spotlight Series: Interview with Aparna Saxena
“I believe in taking calculated risks… They are all part of the process.” — Aparna Saxena
In this interview, Aparna Saxena shares her thoughts with us as the CEO of TORAJAMELO and co-founder of AHANA and Vriksh Impact. With a passion for driving impact, she expounds on how her experiences have inspired her to work with women in indigenous communities.
Introduce yourself and your current role.
I am CEO and co-founder of TORAJAMELO and AHANA, which are both impact businesses based in Indonesia that focus on working with women in indigenous communities and connecting their artisanal crafts to the market.
I am also co-founder of an impact investment and angel advisory in India, Vriksh Impact, and the ASEAN lead of She Loves Data, a global non-profit that aims to bring more female representation in the world of data.
What is your background?
I am from Mumbai, Bharat. My background has largely been in logistics, e-commerce, and impact start-ups.
I did my Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and MBA in Operations in India.
My work and experiences have taken me around the world, and I have lived and worked in 4 countries in Asia so far.
Who are your biggest inspirations?
There are quite a few and they are people from different walks of life.
The biggest inspirations would be my parents and family for their unyielding support so far.
To name a few others, Maneka Gandhi, Sushmita Sen, Ratan Tata, and APJ Abdul Kalam have also inspired me as leaders who have walked the talk, lived their values, and owned their space with humility and honesty.
What are some of the challenges, biases or barriers you have encountered thus far?
Gender and racial bias are something I have encountered very frequently, and often, these are in the form of microaggressions that are perpetrated by the ones without a clear awareness and understanding of how wrong they are. This is the result of severe conditioning that really needs to be addressed and called out.
People judge me for my marital status and nationality.
I deal with this by acknowledging that these existing biases are products of years of conditioning and patriarchal thinking, which need to be called out and addressed in an effective, concerted manner.
My experiences have taught me to be aware of my own biases. I continuously work towards creating safe and fair environments for all, wherever I work.
What is the greatest risk you have undertaken?
Greatest is a relative word. I am still in the process of uncovering life, so I cannot say whether some of the decisions I made were my greatest risks taken yet.
But I believe in taking calculated risks. Whenever I have moved roles, especially in my current role (impact entrepreneurship in a foreign land), I have put a lot on the line to make this work. The successes will be shared with all who have worked with me on my endeavors but I take responsibility for my failures and mistakes.
They are all part of the process. I believe nothing lasts forever.
