Hello…

I am Chintu. A Brand Strategist and Consultant

Up until recently, I also co-owned a small lifestyle store in Sale, Manchester — a space that was dedicated to supporting independent brands, many of which focused on ethical and sustainable products.

One of my favorite parts of running the store was meeting incredible women — kind, intelligent, and full of dreams. Many shared their aspirations of starting their own businesses, their faces lighting up with excitement as they spoke.

Unfortunately, those moments of pure joy never lasted long. The conversation often ended with a list of reasons why their dream felt impossible to achieve.

At that point, I had to resist the urge to go into full Michelle Obama mode with an empowerment speech titled Yes, You Can! Instead, I reminded myself that I was once in their shoes.

I had been the woman who earned a degree and landed a "good job" at a great company, yet felt like I was drowning every day because I craved the chance to do something creative. I felt stuck.

When I finally worked up the courage to leave and pursue a Master’s in International Journalism, I realized that although I loved the work, I did not want to return to the corporate world.

Yes, I earned a distinction—while eight months pregnant—and in theory, I could have easily secured another "good job" at a great company. My lecturer even pitched me for a role at a well-established media house. Yet deep down, I knew that running my own small business was what I truly wanted. But I was incredibly afraid of failing.

Thankfully, my daughter arrived around the same time. In hindsight, I could see that her arrival saved me from the merry-go-round of life. It forced me to look at my life from a different perspective. I had become so accustomed to viewing my choices through the lens of fear and societal expectations that it had become my norm.

Then, here was this little girl—challenging me to do something different. Through her eyes, I finally saw the opportunity to break free from the treadmill of trying to do what was “right” by society’s standards. I wanted to become an active role model for her—a woman who took small steps toward her own dream of running a small business.

That was why MW. became so important to me. It represented the newborn who challenged me to do better. It reflected the fears I had faced on my journey, which helped me relate to women in similar situations. But more importantly, it gave me the privilege of sharing what I had learned and supporting the incredible women I met every day—women who were intelligent, passionate, and full of great ideas to share with the world.