Women Unlocked: Husmita Ratanjee-Vanmali shares tips for aspiring female entrepreneurs

Husmita Ratanjee-Vanmali is a woman with many titles. She is a Clinical Research Audiologist, Manager at Hearing Research Clinic Non-Profit Company, PhD candidate, and the Chairperson of the Ethics and Standards Committee of the South African Association of Audiologists.

The successful lady, who is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others, chats to us about what it took to get her to where she is today. She also shares advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs. 

READ: Women Unlocked: Balini Naidoo

What motivates you to work as hard as you do?

Life is about relationships and enhancing relationships is what motivates me. As an audiologist, I am passionate about hearing health care, and beyond its role as an occupation. It is in my daily interactions across many platforms that keep me motivated and yearning to go the extra yard knowing there is a positive tangible difference to an individual, their family and society by increasing their quality of life through better hearing and communication. I am aware of my value system which plays an integral role in my approach to patients and other relationships in life.  It is an extension of the way I live my life and hence complementary to my work ethics. In this way, I limit inner and outer conflicts and I am committed to my guiding principles of truth, honesty and transparency. Everyone can chat a good game, but very few can actually play a good game in life. 

August is Women’s Month. What do you celebrate the most about being a woman?

We are in the era of female empowerment. Intrinsic to us is an infinite energy to love, nurture and protect. Contrary to contemporary thoughts, we are the true custodians of families, communities and the society at large. I am grateful to my mum for allowing me the freedom and opportunity to create my own path which began at the age of 17, leaving for Cape Town to study and then venturing to Denmark at the age of 22, for an exciting role in an international company – foreign land, no friends and isolated from everyone one and everything I knew. This was the perfect environment to mature into a responsible adult, understand the world beyond the confines of our country and know that the world is really your oyster. 

Who is your female role model?

Indra-Nooyi Former CEO of PepsiCo for challenging stereotypes and traditional norms of society which conventionally restricted women. I am also most appreciative and grateful for the role models in my life, my mum, sister and grandmother for teaching me strength in different forms, how to create harmony and how to deliver excellence by paying attention to the little details. 

READ: Women Unlocked: How Amina Msimang started a successful online store

What is your advice to an aspiring female entrepreneur?

You are the average of the five people around you. Meet new people, ensure you seek and learn from those around you. Everyone around you has a story to share and it’s our prerogative to take these opportunities that are essentially free.

Someone once said: “Don't be afraid of losing people along your journey, be more afraid of losing yourself trying to please others”. 

There were times in my life that I felt like I was a circle and people wanted me to conform into a square. I have stayed true to my values, creating and chartering my own path and not being pressured to be what people wanted me to become.  I am also extremely curious of the world around me and seek new experiences, read different materials and also learn from those around me. 

When you look at the work you have done, what are you most proud of?

I am most humbled by all those who have engaged along my path and have supported my journey thus far, and hence it’s a collective rather than a single event that resonates with me. 

My supportive partner and best friend with whom I have created an environment that nurtures our stimulating development. Having lost my dad at an early age has been an experience that moulded me in many ways. 

I am proud of my journey, from my formative years growing up in Isipingo, studying at UCT in Cape Town, working in Johannesburg as well as gaining international experience by living and working in Copenhagen in Denmark and Toronto in Canada. These professional and soul-enriching experiences converged in Durban in 2015 by securing international funding to manage a Non-Profit Company called the Hearing Research Clinic (www.hearingresearchclinic.org) and embark on a PhD. I am about to submit my PhD thesis and I believe that this work related to tele-audiology is being leveraged on the background of COVID-19 and hence will play a role in transforming the industry locally and internationally. Most importantly we will change and improve the quality of life for our patients allowing personalized patient-centred care. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve as the Chairperson of the Ethics and Standards Committee on the South African Association of Audiologists representing the eyes, ears, voice and conscience of the profession of audiology locally. 

I continuously question my actions, introspect on my decisions, and ensure that my actions are selfless, it’s to the benefit of society because ultimately, we all are answerable to a higher power. Being a female is a gift, and it’s imperative for every female to know they are not a commodity to be traded but a life energy to rise over all challenges and carry the forces of love and protection that is inherent to us. 

I am most grateful to my community and society; I am because we are.

What are some of your failures, and what did you learn from them?

I have encountered many failures, however, it’s the failures that allowed me to develop resilience, grit and tenacity, it’s the failures that create the perfect success. 

Failures are important….they simply teach you how not to do something in the next round. In research, we look at failures as experiments which we simply learn from and continue with many more experiments. In the same light, I wish to embrace life with the same approach. Life is a series of experiences. Spend more time listening and most importantly, spend an extended amount of time to ask the right questions. Asking intelligent questions bring us to more thought-provoking ideas and out of the box thinking. 

Women today are still not given the same respect and treatment as men when it comes to business. Why do you think this is and how did you develop a thick skin?

I resonate with the principles of conscious leadership, which focuses on bringing your whole self, with total awareness to your leadership position. Conscious leaders focus on the ‘we’ rather than the “i/me” and focus on building trust, care and expansive influence. Hence creating the landscape of how you treat others and how you wish to be treated. There is no doubt that women at every level of leadership bring diversity to the table. It is imperative that we firstly support our female colleagues, assist and enhance their position and be proud of their successes. We are far too often our own enemies, and in this era of recognition we ask not for sympathy, but acknowledgement, respect and a seat at the table that we for years have never been invited to.   

What have you learned about leadership, entrepreneurship, and mentoring others?

It takes one who is eager to learn but also takes one who is aware enough to want to grow and develop oneself. This is about becoming a better me each day, running my own race and ensuring I compete with a previous version of myself. 

Leadership…takes great insight 

Entrepreneurship…. It’s exciting to try and fail and try and fail and then succeed. The concept of fail fast forward quickly. 

Self-care is also very important; you cannot pour from an empty cup. 

Remember to seek different forms of inspiration and take the time to reflect, be yourself and add value to those around you.

READ: Women Unlocked: Balini Naidoo 

Image courtesy of: Supplied