BabyChakra’s Naiyya Saggi Talks About The Future Of Moms @ Mia SHEROES Summit, Mumbai

Entrepreneur Naiyya Saggi has made life a tad easier for mothers through her community-based venture BabyChakra, one of the most trusted childcare networks in the country. She comes from a non-tech background and is yet making it big in the field of technology- all because of her persistence and a sense of belief in what she has been doing. We are super excited to has Naiya as part of the #BestAtWork panel at the Mia SHEROES Summit in Mumbai on July 15. Before the big day, we caught up with Naiyya to chat about her entrepreneurial journey and the whole experience of building something of such great value for all the moms, out there! HereIn an interview with us, she talks about herself,  and how this network will help to kickstart an important conversation around mothers.

SHEROES: With BabyChakra, you’ve built a vibrant community of parents. Tell us a little about the kind of moms on your platforms. What are some of the key issues they engage around?
Naiyya Saggi (NS): Parenting is and will always be a topic people, especially moms, are highly invested in, so naturally, there are a host of issues that come up on BabyChakra - from what skincare products to use on your newborn to what it’s like to go back to work after having a baby! One thing that stands out about our community of mothers is that they’re super passionate about every aspect of parenthood and simply just want the best for their kids.

SHEROES: Being from a non-tech background, what were the challenges you faced and what are your aspirations, going forward?
NS: One of the major challenges I faced was educating myself about technology since I do not come from a tech background. However, in hindsight, this has been a strength of mine since I look at my company from a business perspective - many tech startups in India fail because there is a greater focus on the tech, and many founders forget about the business aspect. Coming to aspirations, I just want to Inspire other people, especially women, to not be afraid to start tech ventures despite coming from a non-tech background. If you have a vision, a business case which works, and most importantly, are open to learning from others and educating yourself on the technology, there is nothing that can stop you.

SHEROES: What made you gravitate towards entrepreneurship?
NS: When I worked in the maternity and child nutrition space at McKinsey, and also because of my experience at NGOs and in public health sector, I realised that I wanted to affect a generation of people through the work that I do. However, it was only at Harvard that I realised I wanted do this through my own venture. When I realised how much new mothers in India, like my sister, were struggling, I seized upon the idea of launching BabyChakra.

SHEROES: It would be great if you can share any interesting anecdotes from your journey, for instance, stories of moms you engage with, that have stayed with you?
NS: It is so insightful when we meet BabyChakra moms at our offline events. One amazing example of how engaged our community is on BabyChakra, that one of our MomStars even joined our team and has been with us for almost 2 years heading content.

SHEROES: Based on your personal experiences, what is your advice to women wanting to start up? Many SHEROES on our platform are keen to seek funding for their ventures? Any words of advice for them?
NS: Investors don’t just invest in an idea - they invest in people. Be prepared and ready to answer any question that is thrown at you. Confidence is the key when it comes to seeking funding - show you are passionate and have complete conviction in your business.

SHEROES: Last but not the least, having so many rich insights into the world of moms, is BabyChakra looking to kickstart any important conversations around issues typically, brushed under the carpet perhaps, or glossed over? We would love to know...
NS: It is so important for platforms like ours to get involved in important discussions that affect our community and help these passionate moms by facilitating ways to get their opinions out there. This is one of the reasons we asked 1000 mothers what they wanted out of the Union Budget 2017 back in February, where the findings were covered nationally by Business Insider. BabyChakra is also hosting its annual #BreastIsBest event to remove the information asymmetry related to breastfeeding and child nutrition, where we will invite experts to speak on how to provide the best start to your child’s life.

To register for the Mia SHEROES Summit in Mumbai, download the SHEROES App.