Meet: Akruti Babaria
Founder of: Kulture Khazana, LLC
Tell us about your business:
Founded by an immigrant mom, Kulture Khazana connects families with cultural stories. Kulture Khazana provides Indian books, workshops, puzzles and holiday boxes to forge community and confidence in children.
What was the best piece of business advice you were given when you were starting out?
This advice wasn't when I was starting out, but it was when I was pivoting and reinventing Kulture Khazana. POC and Payal hosted Mother's Day Pop Up Shop which I was included in. During a fireside chat between Archana and Payal, Payal mentioned to the audience that we should be connecting and learning together to uplift the entire community of South Asian businesses. That advice had such great impact that I now have a strong community of "colleagues" where we are each other's cheerleaders, problem solvers and ideation partners.
Name the biggest overall lesson you've learned in running a business?
When in doubt, always go back to your “why”
There are projects that we agree to for so many reasons. If these don’t resonate with your “why”, they won’t bring you joy during the process or at the completion. As an entrepreneur, your time and energy are so limited, they are your greatest currency, that it always pays to focus on things that bring you joy and keep fueling your purpose. I’ve agreed to a few projects which provided quick cash but took me away from the long-term goal. To be honest, they did not bring me joy and I dreaded them.
Does your culture influence your choices and decisions? If yes, how?
As an immigrant, my culture has given me the roots to ground myself and wings to reach for the sky. The culture that I brought with me and the one that I've created here are a part of my ethos. It's this bond that led to creating Kulture Khazana where I can provide resources for families and help them connect with stories, values and with each other.
It is hard to say what choices and decisions my culture influences because it is an integral part of my "why".
In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build your resolve?
Even though this sounds straight out of a Karan Johar movie, one of the big things I go back to is thinking about my parents. They immigrated in their mid 40's and rebuilt their whole life with limited knowhow of the US customs and culture. This was so their daughters can have a shot at a better future. Thinking of the sacrifices they've made, the choices they made, their determination and selflessness; fuels me with the "never give up" attitude.
Another thing that I go back to are messages from parents describing the impact of Kulture Khazana's work on their children. It takes me back to the purpose of Kulture Khazana and motivates me to get through the tough times.
How do you balance your workload? What does self-care look like for you?
I can totally be a workaholic as my work gives me immense joy. However, it is not healthy and has adverse impact on mental health. Dance, family, friends and tennis are my outlets. My son is the reason I started Kulture Khazana and he keeps me honest when I'm not 100% present with him. They force me to physically and mentally check out from work, recharge, feel fulfilled and return with refreshed ideas.
When I can't seem to find answers to problems, I completely check out of work and spend time with family, dancing or playing tennis. This almost always helps change the mindset to think creatively and without stress.
Discover more:
kulturekhazana.com
@kulture_khazana
