In Conversation with Jayashree.M. Braganza

“Successful entrepreneurs are made, not born. Some are born with an intuitive knack and understanding of the business end of entrepreneurship. However successful entrepreneurship is so much more. As a coach and a mentor, I believe that entrepreneurs need a space to learn and grow effectively,” says Jayashree Marakini Braganza, Founder of Chrysalyst (Management Consulting), Coach (ICF-PCC), Mentor, Psychotherapist, Facilitator, Board of Directors – ICF Bengaluru Charter Chapter.

The professional journey of the multi-faceted entrepreneur

After her Post-graduation in Human Resources, Jayashree started working with Titan Company, managing L&D for its retail chains. That was 20 years ago. Braganza sensed the need for more focus on consumer experience to stay ahead in the sector. She evolved from handling L&D to leading initiatives to drive the end-to-end consumer experience at the stores – from workshops focused on sensitizing the franchisees, in-store elements, consumer feedback to retail audits.

She transitioned to sales gradually and became the area sales manager for Goa and Karnataka.

Her ability to transform and reinvent herself enabled her to head operations for Kaya Skin Care in the South and marketing for Dairy Farms- a Hong Kong-headquartered firm.

Post these varied experiences, Jayashree has largely been on her own as a consultant.

Braganza has also been in long-term retainership with startups, L&D, and consulting firms, empanelled with organizations as a coach, volunteered in the social sector and was a coach and counsellor to individual clients ranging from students to startups founders and leaders.

“My expertise across multiple domains from established companies to startups to being an entrepreneur, and also the fact that I wear the hat of a mentor and coach enables me to have a holistic perspective of an organization,” she says.

A therapist, coach, mentor, and Facilitator

Jayashree did some volunteer work with students early in her career after training in Transactional Analysis- a modality of Psychotherapy. Work, life, and motherhood took over, and this took a back- seat.

Four years back, she recontinued her training as a therapist to reinvent her passion. She realized that many people do not need long-term therapy but require a coach for finding solutions to their problems. A coaching mindset came naturally to her and she had been adopting it at work. She decided to pursue formal coach training 2.5 years ago.

Today, she is a PCC from ICF- recognized worldwide as a gold standard in coaching.

Jayashree envisions her ambition as focused on empowering individuals and believes that she does her bit one step at a time through her roles as a coach, therapist, mentor, facilitator, or even in her role as director of Learning and Programs at ICF Bengaluru Charter Chapter.

“My journey as a therapist and my inner growth in the process impacts the way I view the world, the work that I do, my parenting, and my life in general,” she adds.

Increasing Mental Illness in recent years

Jayashree attributes the increasing mental health issues reported to several reasons:

● Mental health was a taboo subject and not talked about in polite society. The rising awareness about it has enabled a lot more people to talk about it

● Lack of support systems like extended family networks, old friends, etc.

● The nature of work and the definition of happiness have changed a lot. The standards of what constitutes a great lifestyle, parenting, success, or body is constantly evolving.

Gen Z and need for coaching

Each generation has its challenges. Braganza feels that despite the stresses and pressures of social media faced by Gen Z, the beauty in this generation is the openness to use platforms like coaching and counselling and the willingness to talk about their issues.

Jayshree explains that a neutral space can help teens and youth examine their choices.

“I think Gen Z has a fantastic opportunity of having the support of coaching and counselling to make the right choices that our generation lacked,” she adds.

Coaching in the Social Sector

Jayashree’s opinion is that while the fundamentals remain the same in the social sector, the support that coaching can provide in this sector is high. People enter this segment to make a difference. As they work towards their cause, they might take up a lot of the psychological burden of the beneficiaries as the frontline view of human suffering can get overwhelming. It can be difficult to stay detached.

“Coaching and counselling can help the people working in this sector regroup their energies and prioritize their well-being too,” she explains.

Coaching for entrepreneurs

Braganza elucidates that a founder’s journey can be a lonely one- professionally and personally as they have to juggle various roles and may not have a support system to understand their challenges, unlike the corporate sector.

Coaching can be beneficial for leaders and entrepreneurs:

● They can confidently share the ups and downs of navigating their business.

● Have access to mental well-being support systems and a space where they can own up to their challenges and work through them

● A neutral space to explore their thoughts

Entrepreneurs also need to tap into a pool of mentors and resources that will help them balance the various nuances of running their business. Being part of programs and incubators that are tailored for entrepreneurs at different stages is also very helpful. The ecosystem in these programs is tailored to support a budding entrepreneur, apart from providing a network of other like-minded entrepreneurs to share the journey with.

Jayashree believes that counselling is not just remedial- it is like a health checkup for organizations and can be used to enhance employee wellness and team collaboration. It can help leaders grow their leadership styles, and review their growth and passions.

“A coach can provide nudges to help them look at things from various perspectives by helping them work through their thoughts and emotions,” she adds.

Covid and Coaching

One out of seven people dealt with some mental challenge during covid. Jayashree’s advice to the people dealing with stress, anxiety, or not feeling in the pink of mental health, is to first and foremost, seek support. Know that you are not alone in your struggles and go easy on yourself.

Humankind is going through the worst pandemic in this lifetime and we may not be thriving as well as before.

Further:

• Stick to the routine as much as possible, even in a work-from-home context.
• The basics of adequate sleep, exercise, relaxation, hydration, and nutrition is even more important in a period of uncertainty and stress.
• Stay connected, even if online, with family, friends, and communities
• Manage uncertainty by staying in the present. Differentiate between what can be  controlled and influenced and what we need to let go of.
• Set priorities based on what is feasible. Manage your expectations of yourself and  others.
• Adopt practices that provide grounding and spiritual nourishment– maybe meditation, mindfulness, yoga, gratitude practise, prayer, social service – or any other activity that promotes peace and wellbeing.

Jayashree shared her experience of working with trans-genders during covid. These people made their livelihood by begging and performing on the streets. Covid led to the loss of livelihood, closure of community centres, and hospitals shunning them. They needed a listening post which Braganza provided. It was a humbling experience for her as she experienced their pain, suffering, and abandonment.

“What I saw was a great deal of resilience and acceptance of how the world treats them, and that was both sad and empowering,” she says.

Covid and role of organizations in the mental well-being of employees

Jayashree believes that leaders have had to play a crucial role in the last two years to ensure the mental well-being of their employees through the following measures:

● Create a sense of psychological safety in the organization, teams, and employees by equipping themselves with the skill of empathetic listening.

● Make mental wellness tools accessible to employees.

● Be more proactive in making connections with employees

● Practice transparency and consistency in communication.

● Be approachable to employees and keep getting perspectives about their leadership style through feedback surveys and assessment tools.

“It has not been easy for leaders and organizations to be comforting and supportive, and yet deliver business as usual,” she adds.

Message to women entrepreneurs

Jayashree feels that women put a lot of shackles on themselves due to the conditioning that they have grown up with. She believes that the challenges in her career were more internal than environmental. She devotes time to volunteering for women and feels that transforming a woman’s life has a cascading effect on families, teams, and societies. Her advice to women is to be confident and clear about their goals.

“Be audacious about your goals. Scream it from the rooftops. Find allies and mentors. Prioritize what you want to aim for based on what is important to you and not on the weight of other people’s expectations”, she adds.

Jayshree’s experiences with STEP

Braganza has been a mentor with STEP for almost two years. Her first interaction with STEP was with Renu Shah, the founder of Shakti-The Empathy Project, and was fascinated with the latter’s passion for supporting women, her thought process, and beliefs. As Jayashree is passionate about working with women, being a part of STEP gives her immense happiness.

“STEP has the ability to distil and identify such a beautiful cohort of deeply passionate women who come with a varied basket of skills irrespective of where they stand in their entrepreneurial journey. It is an absolute joy to work with them and see them blossom,” she says, proudly.

Jayashree, the person

Married to a Goan, Jayashree’s hometown is Bangalore. She loves beaches, trekking, and food. Climbing one of the seven highest peaks is on her bucket list. She believes that a movie based on her life would be thought-provoking.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion is what I am passionate about, and I am trying to do my part to support individuals who wish to empower themselves, whether it is my clients, kids, team, or friends,” she adds.