“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” ~ Virginia Woolf. On this International Women’s Day, GlobalSpa recognizes and celebrates the women in the industry as we delve into their success mantra they follow, mistakes that have helped them grow, and of course, their WELLNESS philosophy.

Dr. Arpi Mehta is the CEO & Co-founder of makeO, India’s largest clinical beauty technology platform that houses dental care solutions, under its brand toothsi, and skin care solutions, under skinnsi.

What is your wellness philosophy?

My wellness philosophy is based on three simple things: staying optimistic, having faith in God and having complete confidence in myself. These three factors enable me to tackle any situation, no matter how tough. It’s actually quite simple, do more of what makes you happy and makes you smile. I have always engaged in yoga and exercise to help me keep my inner peace & calm, as well as stay positive and confident.

Your success mantra?

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” ~ Neal Donald Walsch.

For me, personally, this has been very true in every phase of life. I think success has begun the moment I have gone the extra mile or pushed beyond my boundaries. The biggest example of this was my journey transition from being a pure-play clinical orthodontist to an entrepreneur in a consumer tech startup. It is a consistent reminder that if I hadn’t overcome perceived limitations and had the confidence to push beyond a world that I was comfortable with, I would have never gotten here.

A lesson you learned from making a mistake?

One of the mistakes that most entrepreneurs tend to make, myself included, is trying to change the consumer habits, mindset, or the way they transact. Through experience, I have learnt that the focus should be on changing your business model or pivoting the business to accommodate existing consumer norms; that lends credibility and a genuine understanding of your target audience.

Also, never make the same mistake twice. Making mistakes is about a journey, it is the best way to learn and move forward.

Any piece of advice for all the women out there?

In my experience, as part of this entrepreneurial journey, I think that women are super smart, super sincere and truly determined to get what they want. Additionally, their high emotional quotient enables them to be great people managers. This is one of the reasons why we organically have more than 50% female representation at makeO, including the leadership team.

One thing that women do less often, and what I’d urge for them to do more than anything, is to be more open and communicative of your accomplishments. Never sell yourself short. Just be confident and voice your opinions.

What has been your biggest pride as a doyenne?

My greatest pride is that I’m able to be the change that I wanted to see in the field of orthodontics, as well as clinical beauty in general. I think every Indian deserves to have a great smile and be able to look and feel better about themselves. I’m extremely happy about what our team has been able to accomplish by leveraging technology to provide affordable access to such treatments for every Indian.