“Every woman has a talent that is very unique to her.”
Dr Shilpa Narang is a resident of Surat. She is married and has a 12-year-old daughter. She started working as a Physiotherapist immediately after finishing B. P. T (Bachelor in Physiotherapy).
In 2014, she started with her physiotherapy clinic ‘Care N Cure’ and to support that, she started learning and teaching fitness Pilates. She has taken various pieces of training from Yasmine’s Body Image, Radhika’s Balanced Body and Be Fit Pilates, London.
Shilpa Narang is currently running a successful Pilates studio Fitmotivation in Surat.
Why Pilates?
SN: Initially, the plan was to run a Physiotherapy clinic, as a Physiotherapist, it’s important to be updated with the latest techniques. In 2013, Therapeutic Pilates was a new thing that got my attention. Every exercise in it was designed keeping in mind the anatomy of the human body and the physiology of the movement that was being done. The results I got with my patients were splendid. Hence I moved to fitness Pilates, took my training and the results were even better. Then there was no looking back for me; I took every possible workshop available for fitness Pilates. It was no longer work for me; going to the studio and training clients became equivalent to fun.
What obstacles did you face in setting up the studio?
SN: I had all the support from my parents and my in-laws. I was always encouraged to start something of my own. Even with all the support I had, I would work in other clinics. My biggest obstacle was my self-confidence, self-doubt. I was never sure if I was capable enough.
Even after I started, I would be nervous about the satisfaction of my clients and taking care of the staff. With time, I learnt to handle everything but I still felt the guilt of ignoring my family and not giving enough time to my daughter. Eventually, I understood that you just have to keep going; everything falls into place and balances out.
How do you deal with competition?
SN: This part is not easy. It can sometimes get on to you. But the key here is to remember that this is your passion and you are doing this for yourself. You get better, keep learning the latest techniques and give your best every day.
What are your futures plans?
SN: I am planning a bigger and better setup. It’s going to happen very soon. I also hope to open more branches. I want the maximum number of people to experience the magic of Pilates. Also, looking at the current situation, I want to launch online Pilates.
Healthy lifestyle advice for working women?
SN:First and foremost, breakfast like a king. We all know this but always ignore it. Find time to exercise regularly. Always keep a bag of nuts in your bag. Almost all nuts are packed with protein and good fat they will provide you instant energy and help you avoid eating junk. Find one day in a week for yourself, to relax, read, do whatever you like to keep stress away.
Advice for upcoming women entrepreneurs?
SN: Identify the talent you have. Every woman has a talent that is very unique to her. Identify your passion and then work crazy hard towards it. Success will follow sooner or later, so be patient and believe in yourself. Only if you believe in yourself the world is going to believe in you.
manaseeagarwal@gmail.com
Author Bio
Manasee Agarwal is a mommy influencer on Instagram. She has a 3 year old son. She is also a writer. Her forte is writing for children. She pens stories for a children’s audio app and would be publishing her story books soon. She is also a part of the content writing team for Prayas foundation in Surat.
