“Are you really still not done with studying? Are you sure you want to go back for more? Do something with all of that knowledge...the time is now.”

These were the words from my then friend/mentor, now husband, over a glass of wine at a Mumbai restaurant. He caught up with me on the very last day of one of my trips to India after I had just completed my second round of graduate school to check in on what was next in my career. When I told him that I wanted to continue studying, he broke from his typically composed demeanor and laughed in disbelief. This normally wouldn’t have phased me, but I knew in my gut that I wasn’t too sure of my next move myself.

I was born and raised in the US, where all of my education and previous work experience took place across a number of cities. I had a passion for healthcare since I was old enough to volunteer as a child. Between having female physicians in my family, shadowing brilliant doctors at local hospitals as an adolescent, or volunteering to play music and sing at old age homes, healthcare facilities were safe places for me. It was a community I knew I wanted to be a part of from a young age, and given my exposure and role models, I knew I wanted a career in service.

But on this particular night in Mumbai and at this stage in my career, after a double Masters in Public Health and Medical Science, countless clinical research jobs, healthcare management positions, consulting jobs, and healthcare investment experience, I was utterly confused. So, we talked. He asked me if I had ever thought about pursuing healthcare opportunities in India. I had. He asked me what type of healthcare ventures I had thought about. I divulged: I had a passion for women’s health, and I also wanted to get away from the conventional multi-specialty hospital. Hospital acquired infections were and are still a massive public health concern, and given the payment systems in India, I knew that not enough people knew that. The length of stays could be reduced and people could go back to their daily activities much faster than they were doing so. Additionally, the number of women in the workforce was growing, which was an important opportunity for female empowerment as well as the economy. This meant it was imperative to keep women healthy and out of the hospital as much as possible. In my mind, it was clear that preventative healthcare for women, true healthcare and not “sick care”, and more specialised models of care were paramount to the health of this nation. 

During this life-changing glass of wine, I expressed that I didn’t think that I had anything of value to contribute to India at this stage in my career. Although it is the country of my roots, and a place with which I had developed a deep connection over my annual visits, I thought I needed more experience. I didn’t know the first thing about setting up a business, let alone in a new country. I was used to studying every subject exhaustively before the final exam. It felt like he was encouraging me to take the final without ever going to class. This is when he said those magic words…the time is now…and for some reason beyond my comprehension, I believed him and took a leap of faith, in more ways than one.

I began extensive research in the healthcare industry in India from that day onward. With the support of this mentor and my parents, I was urged not to get stuck on a hamster wheel of research and “paralysis by analysis” as my father repeatedly scolded me on. I pushed myself to make some big decisions I never thought I would — some were successful, and some weren’t. But the biggest lessons I learned through it all was to trust my instincts, have a little faith, and keep service at the forefront.

During my journey of research, I listened a lot to the stories of other women. I wanted to get to the bottom of what they felt was missing in their healthcare, and what they wanted from their journeys. I discovered that they had an immense awareness of fitness, but many didn’t feel like they had options for themselves. I also realised the lack of emphasis on bone and muscle health in Indian culture and medicine. This was a disconcerting discovery, given that Indians have a lower bone density than most other populations worldwide. I noticed that anti-aging trends in India focus on skincare regimens, cosmetic procedures, diet and internal cleansing but don’t always highlight the importance of healthy bone and muscle. I knew then that my favourite workout method, Physique 57, backed by science and some of the world’s best physicians would have a place in India.

This revolutionary, barre-based workout blends the most effective elements of cardio, strength training and stretching to redefine the body from the very first class. Personally, Physique 57 carried me through a twin pregnancy, C-section recovery, a 35kg postnatal weight loss and other life-changing circumstances. I grew up playing sports which had resulted in numerous injuries; as a result, finding exercise that I enjoyed which didn’t hurt had been a challenge, until I was introduced to Physique 57 in New York City. Finally, the pain was no longer in my bones and joints, but in my muscles, which were building and sculpting from this innovative and unique method.

In 2018, I launched Physique 57 in India, six weeks after the birth of my twin girls. Talk about girl power! Our flagship Mumbai location is hopefully the first of many throughout India, and the first barre workout in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic led us to pivot all of our healthcare venture plans and shift to the virtual universe, so we now offer live Physique 57 classes to clients all over India and will launch our video-on-demand app here later this year. My specialty healthcare venture will also continue to focus on women, but we will enter the market with our virtual platform first, and hopefully disrupt the way women handle — and are handled — in healthcare. My purpose is to put science-backed, best-in-class health and wellness into the hands of the female consumer, guided by the most credible experts.

I would be remiss not to mention another mentor, a brilliant physician, who told me many years ago not to worry so much that I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. “Don’t force yourself to figure out what it is you want to do…your career doesn’t even exist yet.” This stayed with me, and in turn, opened up endless possibilities.