Public transport, especially buses and autos, still remains the primary mode of transport for most of the population in India. So, it did not take 26- year-old Isha Singla very long to find a business opportunity on three wheels. Isha is the Chief Process Officer and Co-founder of the auto aggregate Jugnoo, which has a presence in 40 cities. She spearheads the entire team management of the company besides devising the strategic road map for the business, engaging with investors and overseeing everyday operations. Isha, born in Chandigarh, completed her B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi and pursued a corporate career before deciding to embark on a journey of entrepreneurship herself. She explains, “I realised that a corporate job was not what I wanted to do. I wanted a grassroots experience, so I joined a start-up which was a challenge and a culture shock. Later, I made a foray into entrepreneurship and, thus became a part of Jugnoo which keeps me on my toes.”
Being an entrepreneur means hard work and long hours at the office. Isha adds, “Those long hours at the office turned me into a hardcore foodie. It is only in recent times that I have been able to spend time with my family. It is nice that they feel connected to what I am doing. My family now knows about fund-raising, venture capitalism and valuation and can converse like pros to anyone on these subjects.”
Ever since Isha’s graduation from IIT, she has been working hard and never found the time to engage in her passions. Dancing, she admits, has always been a bed-fellow and travelling is her way of unwinding. Isha loves to travel solo, mostly because her well-chalked out plans with friends often get sacrificed at the altar of work. Isha has fond memories of two solo trips — one to Rishikesh and another to Pushkar. She elaborates, “Pushkar was my first solo trip which gave me time away from work pressure. It was calm, colourful and serene — just the break I wanted. In Rishikesh, I went bungee jumping because I love adventure sports.”
Isha has some destinations in her bucket list — Niagara Falls, Leh- Ladakh and The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Asked about what she cannot do without, she immediately quips, “My earphones! I have to be connected to my mobile, so even if I am travelling, I need my earphones to either work or listen to music.”
The new-age woman has left an impact in a male dominated bastion and shown the willingness to walk the extra mile after shattering several myths associated with roadblocks in the climb to the top. The fire in their belly and the thirst to excel is equal to a man’s, but the challenges on this path are many. Isha opines, “There are not too many women entrepreneurs and people do not normally associate the word ‘aggressive’ with a woman. It is still a widely held myth that women are not capable of running companies, but lately, we are seeing a lot of women CEOs and things are changing for the good. “Women bring balance and add value to the team.”
