Deepika Bajaj
We Dare You!
Deepika took bold risks and never looked back. She believes, “When you get off an island, burn the boats”, meaning that when you make a decision, stick to it and never look back. She shares these thoughts on how she succeeded so you can too!
Follow your heart.
“When I told my dad I was quitting my job and using all of my savings for this company he was less than pleased. He wanted to protect me. He said that it was too risky and that I shouldn’t do it. But I knew I was ready for it, so I did it anyway. Later on, I was a guest on a radio talk show, speaking about startups and entrepreneurs. Four days before he died he called me and said, 'I heard your radio show, and I’m very proud of you. I finally get what you’re doing.' That was the proudest moment of my life.”
Love what you do.
“I was able to choose a career that allows me to do things that help other people succeed. I’m extremely passionate about my life’s work. For me, this career revolves around my passion. Once you find what you want to do, the word “motivation” becomes just another word in your vocabulary. Today, I don’t need someone to motivate me to get up in the morning and face the challenges of the day. This work lights my day; it lights my life.”
You can follow Deepika on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/invincibelle
American Dreamer
December 2009
Deepika Bajaj’s first year living in America was a rocky one. After only three months in the United States, her workday was interrupted by a call from her husband; they had been robbed. She thought he was playing a joke until she arrived home to find their computer, her wedding jewelry, and even their important papers and passports were all gone. “For a second, I couldn’t grip the situation”, Deepika recalls. “Suddenly, we had no official proof of our identities. We couldn’t leave the country, and we had to work upside down to get our papers back in place.”
But the setback did not squelch her desire to be here. Deepika made the bold decision to leave India and move to the U.S. thirteen years ago, in search of the opportunities it presented. “I really loved my country, but there was a piece of me that wanted to understand American individualism and have the chance to make my own identity. The idea of being an Indian and an American too was something that was exciting to me,” says Bajaj. Although she left behind a close network of family and friends, her longing to experience the world was too strong to ignore. Deepika credits her confidence and her thirst for knowledge to her grandfather. “I was the first female child in the family, but he treated me equal to the boys. He made sure I stood up for myself, and that I was educated in English. My grandfather once told me, ‘you can be robbed of everything else in life, but no one can steal the investment you make in your health and in your education.” Those words rang especially true after the robbery.
As Deepika rebuilt her life in America by working in the corporate world, she was often dissatisfied with how she was received. Each time she would enter a new corporation, she says they would look at her and think, “Indian. South Asian. Woman. Go join the South Asian Women’s Club.” This pattern deeply frustrated her. What Deepika really longed for in this unfamiliar setting was a network of people, like those she left behind in India, whom she could connect with and count on. She wanted to learn from the best, and it did not matter what race, ethnicity, or religion they came from. She believes that role models come in all shapes and sizes. When she realized she was not the only woman seeking this kind of support group, this go-getter left her six-figure job and invested all of her money into starting the Invincibelle website. Launched in January 2007, her website provides “trusted and relevant content for women who live and work in a multicultural world.” As an interactive community, the site offers blogs and forums, as well as workshops, ethnic consulting, and courses taught by distinguished instructors.
Deepika’s life has taken on a profound meaning with Invincibelle. And as someone who was diagnosed with a benign tumor at a young age, she understands the importance of living life to the fullest and appreciating every day. She has since fully recovered and is focused on growing her still-new company. Last year she partnered with a large media company to organize the first ‘Advancement of Women Conference’ in Bangalore, India. Deepika thrives on the positive feedback from Invincibelle members and uses this as motivation to propel herself forward and to continue helping others like her succeed. Based on her conversations with diverse women professionals she is currently writing two books. The first one (yet to be named) speaks to her experiences of being a global citizen and what is shaping the new voice of diversity. The second book is called "DiversityTweet: 140 Bite-sized ideas celebrating diversity.