I think the most important part of my journey as an entrepreneur has been learning my abilities, what I’m capable of and knowing where my tether point is. When you think about an entrepreneurial journey, it is really a journey into yourself as well.
Meet Uppma Virdi an entrepreneur from Australia. Uppma is the founder of Chai Walli, which literally translates to the brewer/maker of chai and is known for her high grade Ayurvedic blend of Indian teas. Ayurveda is one of the most ancient forms of holistic well-being which is still widely practiced in India and all over the world.
Chai Walli is Uppma’s ode to her culture and Indian heritage in the most passionate of ways. Her chai blends are influenced by her grandfather, an Ayurvedic doctor and from him she learnt a deep understanding of Indian spices and their Ayurvedic properties.
Uppma is actually a lawyer by education and profession who moonlighted for many years blending chai over the weekends while practicing law during the week. As her chais became more and more popular, she started educating people about the Indian culture around chai. For her the business of chai became a canvas to create whatever she wanted to create and that brought joy and happiness far beyond what law gave her. We both agreed that for most Indians, including myself, chai is not just a drink. It is a lifestyle.
Uppma and I chatted a lot about Indian culture and the Indian mindset around entrepreneurship. When I asked Uppma about how she dealt with challenges in life and business, she responded “I’ve never ever looked at anything as a challenge or something that has brought me down. I’m very much an optimist that always goes forward. And I think that’s a really good trait that I’ve got in running a business and being an entrepreneur. I always look for a solution and I never let things bog me down”.
This positive mindset and enthusiasm has gotten Uppma many accolades for Chai Walli. Recently, she won 3rd place for her chai blends in the World Tea Brewers championship, was invited by the Australian government to go to India for International Womens Day and met the Governor General of Australia and the High commissioner of Australia and India. She even made tea for him and his family. She has been named Forbes Top 30 under 30 and received the Indian business women of the year award by the Australian Indian Business community.
When I asked Uppma if she was fully living her dream, she chuckled and said that there was still so much she wanted to do and felt that this was just the start of her journey. Her dream is to keep creating and growing, and build a legacy for herself, her family and the people around her. Her goal is to bring the culture of Indian chai mainstream all around the world.
Well!, chai lover or not, I know you are going to throughly enjoy listening to Uppma on this episode of CulturallyOurs.
{Photos of Uppma Virdi via Inside Melbourne}
0 Comments