'Education is important, but I learnt more by observing life' : Gayathri Vasudevan of LabourNet

HerStory joined hands with Iron Lady for a series called Iron Lady Speaks, which offers lessons on leadership and life for working Indian women. Gayathri Vasudevan, CEO, LabourNet was joined by Rajesh Bhat, CEO and Founder, Iron Lady. LabourNet is a platform that facilitates financial inclusion and social security measures to workers. They spoke to RJ Kavya on the third episode of Iron Lady Speaks.

FM Rainbow 101.03, AIR Bengaluru, had first broadcast the show on its radio channel and this is now shared as an off-broadcast recording of the live chat show.

Below is the edited transcript of the discussion:

RJ Kavya: I hear that you had to go to South Africa on a work trip for a month just after your son was born. Why did you have to take that journey?

Gayathri Vasudevan: That’s a question my son asks all the time. There are multiple reasons actually. It was a very interesting project. I felt that it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to another continent and work on something interesting. I also felt that my absence wouldn’t be a big loss to my one-month-old child. Taking him there was not a possibility. He was too small. but I took my three year old daughter with me.

RJ: In a market that is so tough, and where a majority of the companies are struggling, you have made a mark by establishing your company as one of the top companies in India today. What really gave you the belief and strength to do this?

GV: I think for me more than setting up a company and making it successful, it was about reaching a mission so that I ensure that I am able to contribute to the nation’s GDP. The way I looked at it was, I needed to ensure that people earned at least Rs 13,000 to 22,000 a month. That was what led me to start the company and persist through the years.

RJ: Was it always like this? Have you always been strong and believed in yourself?

GV: Yes, I think I’ve always been stubborn enough to do that (laughs).

RJ: Out of your close friends who grew up with you and worked with you, how many of them continue to work with you today? Or are there some who wanted to work with you but couldn’t, and what has been holding them back?

GV: This is a question I’ve been asking myself. A lot of women just stop because of childcare, marriage, and life happens. And they see it as their primary responsibility. If I were to say among the 40 or 50 that graduated with me in my class, only about 10 are professionals, while the remaining would be working part-time, and some would have taken breaks and come back. I think women fall by the wayside far more than men. They don’t value their role in the economy; they don’t perceive themselves as earners. And that’s a battle we’re still fighting. I’d say you need to change your self-perception. Of course, family and children are important but how do you prioritise? Women face this problem, and they shouldn’t feel guilty for prioritising one over the other. I think guilt is what pulls them down.

RJ: What’s most striking about what you said is that your perception is the most important. To think of yourself as a source and as someone who can give a lot is what is missing.

GV: Exactly. I think women feel guilty, and the society also makes them feel guilty. This whole weight that they carry of family and of getting it right is tremendous. I don’t see men carrying much of that weight.

RJ: Who do you think should help women take away this weight? Is it the woman itself, or her family, or the society as a whole start making it light.

GV: I think it’s all three but I think first it’s yourself. Everyone else can only play a supportive role for what you believe for yourself. There’ll be 10 people telling you things, but what you hear is important. There’ll be noise around you. If you want to hear that one voice that is supporting you that is good enough. If you hear voices that are bringing you down then you have done a disservice to yourself.

RJ: Well said. I remember that famous anecdote where the frog that is in the well was trying to get out but those who are already outside were telling him to give up the and that he could not make it. But the frog was deaf and so when he finally made it out everyone was surprised. And the frog said that he thought that everyone was encouraging him. So it really matters who you listen to.

GV: That is a beautiful analogy. This is exactly why it is sometimes better to be deaf in order for you to succeed. It may not be success in the world's eye, but it is success in your own eyes as you are not trying to compete with anyone else. You have to compete with yourself. And if you compete with yourself then you are at a good place to be.

RJ: Gayathri, you haven’t been to a top business school. People think they need that kind of education to do anything worthwhile. What is your advice to learn something quick?

GV: For me, it has been all about observation. I like to really watch people and understand them. Listening to them is the best experience and the best teacher. Education is definitely important but I learnt little through education and more through life.

RJ: Rajesh, in your leadership programme you must’ve seen people from a business background who are used to the environment. But what about people who step into it completely new? Do they build themselves well?

RB: I think leadership is a lot about learning everyday. I’ve heard of stories of people like even Bill Gates going on a reading break for two-three weeks. If they keep learning, a business school becomes irrelevant.

I’ve seen people who have gone to the best schools, return thinking they know it all, but plateau in two years. Your ability to keep learning and improving yourself is what matters more over time. Developing those habits, trying continuously, and not stopping at a few failures is what makes the difference.

RJ: They’re like phases aren’t they, one phase of grasping it, then churning it and finally experimenting with what you’ve learnt.

RB: Yes. Most of us are scared of failing, and so you continue to deny learning. It’s said that 10,000 hours of practice in anything will make you an expert in that field. That translate to about 7-8 years, but we don’t do the right kind of practice. Learning what works and how to do it will help us grow as a leader.

RJ: Gayathri, what are your key strengths, what are the things you improved to be successful. And how does one discover what they’re good at. How did you do it?

GV: I’d say my strength is connecting with people. I’ve learnt business along the way. It’s about consistency and a mission. I wanted to be able to provide employment to people, and pay them a certain amount. I keep experimenting. Some things go right and some go wrong but I stay the course.

RJ: So you’re saying that this ability to connect with people is something innate in you, while business is what you’ve learnt over the years?

GV: I also don’t give up. I have had good days and bad days, and bad months even. But I don’t give up.

RJ: But how do people understand what they’re good at?

GV: People should trust themselves and be able to make mistakes. If the intent is right, people will believe you, and your mission becomes a reality.

RJ: So conviction is very important.

GV: Yes, you need to firmly believe in yourself before others.

RJ: Leaders have a set of habits or routine that they follow everyday. What are some of the simple habits that you’ve developed over the years?

GV: Getting up early in the morning. I’m almost paranoid about punctuality. I’m obsessed with it. These two habits characterise my life.

RJ: There’s this formula where you can develop a habit in 21 day by way of repetition. Is that true? People often struggle to make something part of their life.

GV: It’s all about consistency. Whatever you want to bring into your life. For example, my husband works late in the night, unlike me. And that kind of stretches my day even if I want to communicate with him (laughs). So I’ve learnt to sleep when I can. So sometimes I have to sleep late. But I still need to wake up early. I think it’s important to adapt to your circumstances to maintain a consistency.

RJ: What have been some of the toughest situations of your life?

GV: I can remember two times. One in 2002 when we had no funds, and the model wasn’t working, and salaries had to be paid, and we had retain belief. The second time happened in 2013. Both times it was about LabourNet and how to go about with it. My philosophy was simple: that we had to believe in the mission to find a way.

RJ: Do the simple habits that you develop come into play when you’re hit by an adversity?

GV: Yes, again it’s about consistency.

RJ: For many people, when suddenly things change, their key habits fall apart.

GV: You also have to believe that you’re going to get where you need to. It’s like travelling on road: there will be potholes that’;; slow you down, but once you cross them you’ll be back on track. Believing that you’ll reach the destination is important.

RJ: People get stuck, don’t they? It’s all about the point of reference, and they don’t look beyond. And belief is actually important.

GV: I think that is for both work life and your private life. There was a time when people said my son couldn’t make it in a regular school because he was dyslexic. People said that I should take a course and teach him at home. But that wasn’t my area of skill set. It was a choice I had to make. I couldn’t give up my work. I had to make a decision to let someone else support him. I ensured that he got the best support but not from me. Being the mother alone did not make the best person to support him. There are others who are better. Identifying what needs to be done is important, and I’m proud of where he’s got to now.

RJ: How do you manage home and work?

GV: Well, I don’t view it as binary. My family has accused me of that and also supported me for that at different times. I never created a distinction between my home and office. This artificial boundary between work and home doesn’t hold for me. Especially with young kids or elderly family. Sometimes I take my kids or my mother-in-law to work and they enjoy spending time there. I’m thankful that my work is such that I can involve them. And involving them gives them purpose and it helps me manage.

RJ: I really like how you’ve explained this. If a person younger by ten years is about to tread on a similar path and asks you how to do it, what would you say?

GV: I’d repeat what I said earlier and tell them to believe in themselves and have optimism. There’s always a tomorrow. Sleep on a problem, get up, and find a solution.

RJ: Let me ask you  an important question. You’ve built LabourNet, which creates social impact. What was your purpose behind building it?

GV: I think the purpose behind it was to change the way in which employment can be given to people. I believe that people should earn a decent wage, ten years ago I thought it was Rs 13000 and by 2023 I think people should at least earn Rs 20,000. I feel that these models don’t exist, we see it in the newspapers, we hear it all the time that India is jobless. I feel that we should solve that problem, it’s not about staying away. LabourNet was about execution. By impacting ten million people could I ensure 0.07 percent of India’s GDP, If I can, many others will do it too and we’ll do it sustainably.

RJ: In the times when you were tested, did you ever contemplate closing the business down?

GV: There were people who were pushing for that but I always said no. I personally feel that I should take more risk.

RJ: What would be your advice to leaders who are trying to sustain their ventures?

GV: I think sustenance depends once again on belief. If your purpose and intent are good, you need to show execution for others to believe in you.

RJ: Is it tougher to find purpose?

GV: I think not. We spend a lot of time on it. I think the purpose needs to be simple, and doable. Change the rules to suit your play. Find larger goals and work towards your mission.

RJ: Rajesh, how early should one find a purpose, would it be too late for them to take it up after a break?

RB: When I started as an entrepreneur 11 years ago, people thought I was mad. I was a techie, and I quit my job. I am so excited to hear Gayathri talk about her mission. To me this is truly living with purpose. The question is not how to?, it is why not?

You can be 10 or 20 if you find your purpose. It might be something that you’re really passionate about or you can create it. And then start living by it. I don’t mean you need to be a yogi. You just need to have a balance. I’ve seen many leaders run after success but they’re never satisfied since they never had any joy in it. You need to find both, and that’ll be an accomplishment. I’ve been fortunate to have found a purpose very early in my life, and I’ve continued to live according to it.

RJ: Gayathri, how did you convince your family when you wanted to go ahead on this difficult journey, and were you ever home for your birthdays?

GV: (Laughs) To answer your second question, no. We ensured that we celebrated birthdays on Sundays since it was convenient for everyone. Luckily, I’ve a very supportive family. I’ve had tough times, but the whole journey wasn’t tough. When it comes to family you can’t share every tough situation with them and worry them.

RJ: So discretion is very important as to what to share and what not to. Also, do you think women can excel both at home and work? You’re a living example, but is it possible for all?

GV: It is definitely possible. First, you need to excel in your mind. What society determines as your success is different, but in your mind if you can feel that you’ve been fair to both family and work. Time management is very important. You can’t have a rigid time framework either, limiting your time for each thing. I don’t thing that works, you need to do it simultaneously.

RJ: Rajesh, balance is what we strive for, how does your leadership programme help people with that?

RB: We don't believe in balance. We believe in maximising the time one has. Whatever you want to do in your time, how do you maximise the value of your time? When you’re with your family how do you have the most joyous time? And when you’re at work how do you be the best so as to accomplish a lot? One thing I’ve noticed among leaders is that they want the best of everything. They don’t want to compromise with anything less. Indra Nooyi has done it, and so can you.