By Reena Kripashankar Yadav
If you are willing to put your best put forward, no obstacle in this world is big enough to put you down.
I’m a 27-year-old from Bhilai, Chattisgarh and run my own business of tyres and tubes for small to big vehicles, with hi-tech machine facility and services. How I landed up doing this so-called ‘male-dominated business’ is a story I want to share.
I was born in a well-to-do family and we’re three sisters. My father (I fondly called him Papa) was a transporter and we owned three trucks. Life was good and almost like a fairytale. Whatever we wished, papa gave us. Our wishes were so easily turned into realities. In 2001, papa passed away, leaving us and his business alone.
I was then in Class 5 and witnessed huge changes happening around me. With papa no more, we didn’t know what to do with the transport business. It was an unfriendly and unknown thing.
Amidst all this, my grandparents tried to impose upon us their whims and fancies – forcing us to live in the village. Whatever we owned – land, properties and trucks were taken from us and we were left with only one truck.
My Mother – pillar of support and strength
When my grandparents began acting insensitively, my mother decided to take charge. She fought for us and she made up her mind to bring up her three daughters in a healthy environment where they could have a good education. We somehow managed a livelihood, in spite of facing many obstacles.
There were days when we went without food. I saw our mother struggle to make ends meet. I was in school, too young to understand and help my mother. Gradually, as I grew up, I began helping and supporting my mother. With each day, we became strong and tackling difficulties seemed less of a challenge. I also completed B.E. (Computer Science Engineering) and did B.Ed, too.
My tyre shop journey
After engineering, I searched for job vacancies in my city. I chose not to move to a different city to pursue a career as I had to look after my mom and my sisters. One day I got a call from a tyre company, and began my first job, learning about tyre business and tricks of the trade. The pay was only ₹4,500 but to support the family, I took it up. The management was pleased with my work and skills, and my salary was increased to ₹7000 in three months. But it was too less to support my family, so I quit my job and joined a class to learn how to set up a coaching school.
With my younger sister, I began ‘Smartway Coaching Classes’ with 90 students and was able to earn ₹40,o00 from the coaching class.
After two years of this, something inspired me to do my own business and this is how I started my own tyre shop.
Transport business is unlike other business. It’s a male-dominated territory, with plenty of competitive people around. Initially, we were subjected to taunts. Also, the first three months were nothing similar to what I had imagined. The biggest issue was the location of my shop and I started contemplating if I had taken a wrong decision. Everything was at stake, including all my savings. In this turmoil, I never gave up.
Instead, I shifted my shop to a new and better location. It was my life’s turning point and from the very first month I received fame, name, and money and people nearby my shop began calling me ‘Tyre wali madam’ and I liked it!
Go! Grab your dreams
I always question myself – what’s life without challenges? Women need to take up challenges fiercely and also motivate themselves to soar high.
Being a SHEROES Community member, whenever I come across girls and women depressed in life, I share my strength and motivation and boost their courage.
I too received accolades from other women for my guts and perseverance when I shared my tyre shop’s journey in SHEROES #AllAboutYou challenge. I think it’s a great way how we boost happy sharing platform.
Today, I tell everyone, “I’m a proud daughter of my brave parents.”
I took difficulties and obstacles in my stride because I believed in myself. Starting my own tyre shop wasn’t easy, but it made me realise a few things – Don’t just dream, forge ahead and achieve them! Be at it, till your last breath.
About Reena Kripashankar Yadav:
I’m a SHEROES community member, and business is my passion. I also love cricket, and my family (mom and sisters) is my rock. Hurdles in life don’t shake me. I love cars and find my interest in the SHEROES Automobile community where I recently shared #MyDreamAutomobile 🙂
