As we enter a new year, it’s important to recognize the women leaders making a significant impact in their respective fields. From politics to business, these women are breaking barriers, shattering glass ceilings, and paving the way for future generations of women. They lead with courage, innovation, and compassion, and their influence is felt worldwide. These women leaders will continue to inspire us with their achievements, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll accomplish next.
Zarine Manchanda, the Founder of the Zarine Manchanda Foundation, is one of The Most Influential Women Leaders To Watch In 2023. Despite facing numerous challenges, Zarine’s determination and resilience helped her overcome setbacks in her business and philanthropic endeavors. Through her foundation, she has significantly impacted society, and her success story is a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. Zarine’s unwavering commitment to creating a luxurious and socially responsible world has earned her a well-deserved spot on this list of influential women leaders.
Adding Versatility to the Origin
Zarine Manchanda was born in Himachal Pradesh into a prominent family, where her father was a successful businessman and minister in the state. As a young girl, she dreamed of becoming a Bollywood actress and moved to Mumbai to pursue her dream. However, despite attending many auditions and acting classes, success in the industry remained elusive. Undeterred, Zarine pursued a political career and was advised to open a charity foundation, which led to the birth of the Zarine Manchanda Foundation in 2019.
Since then, the foundation has administered almost 300 donation programs to the poorest residents of Mumbai, earning her the moniker “Princess of the Poor” and significant media coverage in India’s most renowned magazines and newspapers.
Inspired by the success of her foundation, Zarine opened the Zarine Manchanda café during the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented numerous challenges but quickly became a talk of the town venue for Bollywood’s A-list crowd. With franchise inquiries and proposals for her café pouring in from India and the world, Zarine’s entrepreneurial spirit took flight.
She subsequently opened a cloud kitchen food delivery service, Zarine Manchanda’s Heavenly Flavors, and a seven-star premium security company, which complemented each other in film sets and private gatherings. And most recently, she opened Zarine Manchanda’s Flavors of the Himalayas at her cloud kitchen location, serving the first Himachali cuisine in Mumbai.
Turning Challenges into Success
Zarine Manchanda is a well-known figure in the world of Indian politics and business. Her journey to success has been difficult, as she overcame several challenges to reach where she is today. In the beginning, Zarine’s goal was to build her political base. However, it was not an easy task to achieve. She struggled for a long time to crack into Bollywood, which was a difficult and depressing period in her life. Despite these setbacks, Zarine remained determined and focused on her goals.
Zarine Manchanda decided to open her foundation, which was a turning point in her life. The foundation gave her a new sense of purpose and direction and helped her to overcome the challenges she faced in her career. Through the foundation, Zarine positively impacted society, enabling her to gain the confidence and support she needed to succeed.
Despite the success of her foundation, Zarine Manchanda faced new challenges when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The pandemic affected her foundation and café, and she had to find new ways to continue her charitable work and keep her business running. However, Zarine’s determination and resilience helped her overcome these challenges, and she could resume regular business hours in her café and increase the number of charity programs in her foundation.
Luxury with a Spiritual Touch
Zarine Manchanda envisioned providing her customers with a luxurious experience while incorporating spiritual elements into her ventures when she started her business. She founded various companies, from a charity foundation to a café and cloud kitchen, and premium security services, each with unique charm and essence. Zarine’s USP for all her companies is luxury and spiritual charm, which means that her customers can expect a premium experience with a touch of spirituality. Whether it is a 7-star café or premium security service, each of Zarine’s businesses is designed to provide a sense of calm and peace amidst the chaos and busyness of everyday life in Mumbai.
Zarine’s foundation also reflects her vision of luxury with a spiritual touch. While there is a long queue of companies participating in their CSR activities, she knows that expanding to provide more facilities and services for the poor will be done with an element of luxury, as she believes that the poor deserve to experience the same level of luxury as the more fortunate and rich. Through her vision of luxury with a spiritual touch, Zarine Manchanda has created a unique niche for her businesses, which has helped her stand out in a highly competitive market. Her focus on providing a premium experience incorporating spirituality has resonated with her customers, and her businesses continue to thrive.
Entrepreneurship Era Post-pandemic
Zarine Manchanda reflects on how the pandemic has changed entrepreneurship in India. While she cannot speak for other CEOs, Zarine has noticed some business changes. To her knowledge, the pandemic has forced many companies to rethink their approach to work. Remote work has become more common, which has had an isolationist effect on people in India and worldwide. However, the pandemic has also unleashed a powerful force—the desire for people to feel and experience a deep individual connection when they are out and about.
Zarine Manchanda believes this desire for connection has created an opportunity for her businesses. She strives to create a sense of welcoming and belonging with a camaraderie that goes beyond typical business customer relations. She calls this “spiritual charm,” which has helped her businesses thrive even in the post-pandemic era.
No Looking Back
Zarine Manchanda has a unique perspective when it comes to looking back and giving advice to her younger self. She believes in living in the present moment and focusing on what is to come in the future. Having lost both her parents recently, she understands the importance of cherishing every moment and living life to the fullest.
Zarine Manchanda is content with her life’s path and trusts that everything happens for a reason. She believes in doing God’s will, serving the poor through her philanthropic work, and running her businesses with integrity. As an empowered woman and inspirational role model, Zarine encourages others to focus on their goals and maximize every opportunity. Her advice to her younger self is to stay true to her values and beliefs and to trust in the journey that life has in store.
Creating Own Legacy
Zarine Manchanda has big plans for the future. With years of experience running successful businesses, she is determined to continue her father’s legacy in her way. While she started with a foundation to help those in need in Mumbai, she has since expanded to open a luxurious seven-star cafe, a cloud kitchen food delivery service, and a premium security company – all bearing her name.
Zarine Manchanda plans to expand her businesses globally, with inquiries for franchises pouring in from India and beyond. However, even with her ambitious plans, Zarine always remembers her life’s mission and purpose – to do good karma, show good intentions, and be compassionate to the poor.
She firmly believes that all her businesses should have a component of charity, good deeds, luxury, and spiritual charm. With her drive and passion, Zarine Manchanda is a force to be reckoned with in the business world, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She remains committed to positively impacting the world, one venture at a time.
Instincts, Hard Work, and Willingness to Take Risks
Zarine Manchanda believes that while education is important, success in entrepreneurship is defined more by an individual’s instincts, hard work, and willingness to take risks. She credits her success to the DNA of her parents and her own bravery and fearless nature, which have honed her instincts and made her an empowered woman and inspirational role model.
Zarine’s perspective suggests that while education provides valuable knowledge and skills, an individual’s innate qualities and personal drive ultimately determine their success as an entrepreneur. This highlights the importance of courage, determination, and resilience in achieving one’s goals and how they can shape one’s life trajectory.
Leading with Compassion
Zarine Manchanda credits her mother for instilling the values of honesty, purity, and ethics. Her mother always reminded her that God’s eyes are watching, profoundly impacting her leadership style. To Zarine, true leadership is not about wielding power in a threatening way or using a loud voice. Instead, it is about empowering the people who work for her companies and ensuring they are proud to be affiliated with her brand and business enterprises.
This advice has helped Zarine to lead with compassion and service, always focusing on the greater good. She believes that the strongest leaders embody these qualities, and she strives to live up to this standard every day. By putting people first and leading with integrity, Zarine has built a successful and respected brand that positively impacts the world.
Phenomenal Growth Trajectory
Zarine has experienced phenomenal growth in her businesses over the years. Her unique concept of luxury with a spiritual touch has gained her a loyal following, and she has become a household name in Mumbai and beyond. Her growth trajectory has been so impressive that multiple media outlets approach her virtually every day. The media coverage has been positive, bringing the business and philanthropic communities to her door to explore business development and expansion in all sectors and corners of the globe.
Zarine Manchanda believes that her USP of luxury and spiritual charm has significantly influenced her long-standing success. These traits come naturally to her, given her parents’ DNA, and they have resonated with her customers, clients, and even the poor that she serves. Indians want to enjoy luxuries in life, but they also want to feel good about who they are doing business with. Zarine’s focus on luxury with a spiritual touch has created a positive reaction in the business community, and everyone seems inspired by the company’s pillars. Her vision for her enterprises is clear, and she believes that her focus on luxury and spiritual charm is on the right track.
Plans for Expansion
Zarine is considering various opportunities to further her services and expand her businesses globally. She has already made a name for herself in Mumbai with her diverse range of companies, including a charity foundation, a café and cloud kitchen, and premium security services, all offering a luxurious experience with a spiritual touch. Zarine’s first step towards expansion is through franchising opportunities for her café and premium security companies. She plans to take her unique concept of luxury with a spiritual touch to the global market, where she hopes to establish her brand and create a loyal customer base.
However, Zarine’s vision goes beyond just expanding her businesses. She is also committed to significantly impacting society through her foundation. Her CSR processes are already in play, and she plans to take her foundation to the next level by providing free food canteens for the poor, numerous ambulances, and mobile medical clinics to provide necessary medical care in the slum cells, and schools, orphanages, and old age care facilities bearing her name.
Can You Just Imagine
Zarine has led a remarkable life journey filled with numerous successes and accolades. She believes, If her life were to be chronicled in a book, it would aptly be titled “Can You Just Imagine.” This expression resonates with her because she uses the phrase extensively and for all the incredible feats she has accomplished in her global branding and business ventures despite facing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including two National awards, a Governor’s award, and the Nelson Mandela peace award, which bestowed a doctorate upon her. Her media presence has been constant, and her impact has extended beyond just the business world, encompassing philanthropy, fashion, and politics. Zarine’s success can be attributed to her bold vision and the ability to use her imagination to create innovative and strategic plans for her companies. As an entrepreneur, she encourages budding business leaders to think outside the box and find their unique selling points.
Guiding Words
Zarine has a powerful message for aspiring entrepreneurs. Through her experiences and successes, she emphasizes the importance of being bold and taking risks. Manchanda believes budding entrepreneurs should refrain from following the crowd but instead find their unique selling proposition (USP) and act boldly on it.
Her message is clear: to achieve success, one must be willing to step outside of their comfort zone and think outside the box. This approach, Manchanda believes, will ultimately lead to a stronger and more secure path toward achieving one’s goals.
Today, Zarine is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist who has significantly impacted society. Her journey to success has been filled with challenges and setbacks, but she has shown that anything is possible with determination and hard work. Zarine’s story inspires many and is a testament to the power of resilience and perseverance in adversity.
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“Through a vision of luxury with a spiritual touch, Zarine Manchanda has created a unique and compassionate niche for her businesses, which has helped her stand out in a highly competitive market.”
