Brave Bold Brilliant: October Voices – Celebrating Women Leaders in UK Black History Month

19:45Diane Edwards MBE:Wow. Okay, where do I start? I kind of fell into the advertising industry about 20 plus years ago. It's one of those classic, you know, you go to university and then you think, now I've really got to get a proper job that actually pays. What on earth am I going to do? And it had nothing to do with my degree, which was in literature, English lit. Yeah. And then I stumbled into advertising and I loved it. Absolutely loved it. started off my career down in London and then after a number of years moved back to the north where I live now and worked along the way in both billboard advertising so worked some big American companies British companies and then wandered into digital and I landed at Microsoft and that turned my life upside down inside out it was like a whole new language that I had to learn to like that digital sphere but it got me hooked and then as time went on I went back into kind of like outdoor advertising and the last sort of like role that I had before setting up my business was down in London so I lived up north I'm going to set out the formula I lived up north I worked down in London and I had a very young family so that equaled probably something that's not going to work out for a very, very long time.

21:04Diane Edwards MBE:Yeah, so it got to the point where I just thought, I'm earning really good money. This is brilliant. But I have neither the time to spend it, or on myself or my family. So what am I doing? And I think at the back of my mind, I always had the fact that my, my mum unfortunately passed away when she was 50. And so I've always had this weird thing in the back of my mind, almost like a ticking, it's ticking clock, and thinking, goodness well if that if that happens to me could what how do I best live my life now and obviously anybody could go at any time but I think it was the fact that I've had such that close firsthand experience made me want to do stuff live life and demonstrate to to my daughter that look no matter what age you are you can still live your dreams go for it have a go what's the what I say what's the worst that could happen COVID hit last year but um yeah it's sort of you know go for it so yeah I did that and that was about three years ago I set up the business and I haven't looked back since and it's been a wonderful wonderful journey don't get me wrong that have been some times when I've gone why did I do this but they've been very very few and far tween so I feel very thankful and very blessed that I am able to steer the company in the direction that I want to.

22:30Jeannette Linfoot:Yeah gosh you're so much in here what a great intro you know and you're so passionate about it I mean you can just hear where in your voice how much you obviously love what you do which is I do yeah it's wonderful that and there's a couple of things that you said which really stuck out for me in that in that intro one was about you know the fact that you absolutely got hooked on digital so we're going to get into that in a lot more detail um but also having gone through that very emotional situation losing your mum which you know at such a young age is tragic you know and I think that relationship between a daughter and a mum is so special um that you know certainly I know I really value the relationship I have with my mum you know and uh yeah so that was obviously a really big catalyst for you on um I suppose reassessing things a little bit and thinking what is important to me uh you know as I go forward really so you know how how important has that been of being really clear on kind of your purpose what you want in life in order to make that jump out of corporate into entrepreneurial it was a huge driving force I got to the point where I just thought I've got to make a decision I I can't I couldn't continue doing what I was

23:45Diane Edwards MBE:doing um with and hope that I'd continue to have that same level of passion whichever role I was in I always gave you know 110 20 percent I loved it believed in it but I just there was eventually it got to the point where I just thought this is this doesn't feel right and I always promise myself if at any point this stops being something you truly enjoy you've got to question that you've got to go deep you've got to find out why what else is there so I did that and I didn't have a clue as to I didn't realize at the time that I was going to open the business it wasn't that it wasn't that linear but I knew that I had to stop what I was doing at that point take stock and eventually out of walking amongst the hills where I live and just trying to have some time some me time after what 20 years of non-stop work it was like right what do what what is it that I want how do I want to live the rest of my life and what is it that I want to be able to give back and and do um yeah and so out of that along with the passion I had for digital emerged the business but it was it was critical that I did that I didn't want to be somebody who eventually woke up when they were 65 70 if I reached that age you know having got that ticking clock in my mind I thought what what is it that I did what impact did I make and think and responding with the I don't think I did how heartbreaking would that be and I couldn't as a mum there's no way that I could begin to kind of look my daughter in the eye and be able to um encourage her to be able to live her dreams if I wasn't living my own what a hypocrite yeah yeah honestly that's so that's so

25:40Jeannette Linfoot:inspiring you know this whole concept of brave bold brilliant is absolutely about everyone has greatness within them everyone can achieve their potential absolutely you know and and the fact that I think you know one of the things um that might be interesting for people that are listening if if they're also in a situation where almost you know a bit of a crossroads and sort of thinking I'm not quite sure what next but I do know I need to stop this to create some space and then the idea will come to me you know and almost having that that confidence to be able to sort of take that leap into the unknown not knowing what is next um I think it's very inspiring for people listening because so often we're just so busy just living our life and getting on with stuff that we don't give ourselves the time to do that kind of thing do we you know it is that time and that headspace

26:32Diane Edwards MBE:it is absolutely that even I'm not encouraging everybody to just give up their jobs wandering walking around for a few months but little things like and I still do it now but in for a different reason so things like um journaling and journaling can seem like a quite a frightful topic but it's just literally putting down your thoughts on paper so whether that's in a fancy notebook that says journaling on the front or whether it's a scrap bit of paper you've got lying around the house either way that it doesn't matter it's the purpose behind it and being able to do that and sit and listen to what is going on in your mind and have that outpouring I think it's important because if you're able to chronicle that then you can start to hopefully uncover patterns and all I would also recommend probably talking to somebody that you trust um I mean I'll say look I'm kind of thinking this and these are the thoughts I've been having and could that lead somewhere valid should I explore that and what advice do you have could I talk to somebody but again you know sometimes it's one thing isn't it when you when you're thinking something and then it sort of like changes another degree doesn't it when you write it down and then it changes another degree when you actually vocalize it and you can actually hear yourself say those words and sometimes you think well that was nuts and other times others can hear you and say no no i think you're onto something stop let's hold that let's explore it so yeah it's important

28:08Jeannette Linfoot:yeah yeah no absolutely brilliant and um you know i think the point you make about speaking to other people and bouncing ideas around or if you if you get to a bit of a blockage um sometimes actually talking to people that have maybe followed a similar path you know whether it's a mentor or a coach or just someone meaningful in your life you know it's uh it's massively helpful to just kind of help clear get clarity get clarity really i think isn't it absolutely and and for you ruby You know, when you when you made that transition, well, let's say you had a transition with a gap in the middle to find out what the next thing was going to be, which is brilliant.

28:48Jeannette Linfoot:If you've got the if you're able to. I was lucky.

28:50Diane Edwards MBE:Yeah.

28:51Jeannette Linfoot:Yeah. But even if you're not, you're right. Just create some kind of space in your in your life, in your day, even if it's the 10 minutes for yourself to give yourself that space. um so obviously you spent time a big part of your you know professional life in corporate world you know and you talked about some of the big brands Microsoft you know Facebook so when you then sort of went into the entrepreneurial space and setting your own business up how big a difference was that for you you know what were the things that you that actually you found easier and what were the things that you you found a lot more challenging I've done a similar path you see so I'm fascinated

29:29Diane Edwards MBE:oh goodness right things that were easier I mean the thing that springs to mind really is decision making and the direction that you take things in I don't know whether you experienced this you put your heart and soul I always put my heart and soul into the roles that I had and I'd be brainstorming ideas overnight and I'd be taking you know creating presentations taking them in pitching them to directors some of them would fly some of them you know like most of the time it's like yeah well we're kind of going in this direction I'm like wow but I think there's something worthwhile here etc and I think after a little while you begin to realize even though you put so much passion into that role ultimately they have a different strategy haven't they they've set one out and you can't necessarily change the course of that.

30:17Jeannette Linfoot:Now if you're feeling inspired by these powerful stories of female leadership now is the perfect time to subscribe to Brave Bold brilliant and it is by joining our community that you're going to gain access to the strategies insights and real conversations that empower you to lead with purpose and absolutely challenge convention and make your mark in the world so hit subscribe today and continue your journey to being brave bold and brilliant in terms of brave bold brilliant this is the name of the

30:50Diane Edwards MBE:podcast um what does it mean to you ruby goodness that is such a good i have loads i suppose it's being it's being kind to yourself it's giving yourself probably giving yourself permission to be who you are and um roll with those and live those dreams that you have that you have

31:12Jeannette Linfoot:inside your heart well i've so enjoyed our conversation ruby really it's been you've given so much inspiration and help to people listening and I really appreciate you taking the time thank you so much no thank you for asking me Jeanette it's been wonderful thank you fabulous thanks so much let's hear from Resh Sonchatla so welcome to Brave Old Brilliant Podcast I am here today with Resh Sonchatla I have managed to pronounce the name correctly I hope so Resh it is lovely to see you. Thank you for joining us.

31:47Rubbi Bhogal Wood:Thank you for having me, Janelle.

31:49Jeannette Linfoot:Oh, you're very welcome. Now, Resh, you have had a very interesting career and we're going to understand a lot more about you. But essentially, you've got a background in accountancy, project management, but you are the founder of Chipati Club. So we are going to learn all about your illustrious career, both in the corporate world, but also as an entrepreneur and kind of what you're doing today so it's fantastic to have you on and we actually met oh gosh a few months ago didn't we at the plan b conference so yeah so we're all into diversity and inclusion as well so we'll be talking about that too i think as well so fabulous but resh do you want to just give us a plotted history on kind of you where you started live where you are today and then

32:32Rubbi Bhogal Wood:we're just going to have a nice old chat yeah so I started well I went to um went to uni um and I had been growing up in an Indian family you know I had I had a choice of being a lawyer an accountant of a doctor so I was like but um I desperately wanted to be like a hairdresser or a fashion designer but I just I was told I couldn't so I took the accountancy route um and if I'm honest with you I probably hated it from the minute I started it but like once you're stuck in you're stuck in and so I studied business and accountancy finished uni and then managed to get my job myself a job with BMW at their head office stayed in the business for about nine years um and I was the fact that I was able to work with something tangible which I think I love so much and um the bonus was we got to change our car company car every three months so that that was a definite reason for me to stay longer than I probably needed to um and then from there I went to Centrica, which is the owners of British Gas.

33:31Rubbi Bhogal Wood:And that's where I think most of my, more of my project managing sort of skills started to become in bed. I worked on loads of different projects with them, really loved it, really good, good jump, bunch of people. I decided to take a bit of a career break. And this is probably one of the first times, so I've been working like 20 years of my life by now, after uni. And I thought, right, time to take a bit of a break, you know, take a breather that will go on to was really niggling at me you know it's like I couldn't shake it off um and around that time so about uh 12 years ago 13 years ago I met my partner at the time Hina I was in a process of like I want to take a bit of a break here and see what else is out there um so I knew there were sort of big changes coming um because I'd met somebody that I knew I probably want to spend the rest of my life with as well so I was like okay when I do these things I'm going to do them now so I went to India um my brother was um having his wedding

34:33Resh Sonchhatla:out there at the time can we edit that bit out actually um spent about two three months in India you know trying loads of different regional food and how food was even though growing I grew up in

34:44Rubbi Bhogal Wood:an Indian family my mum's very vegetarian that is all I kind of knew was my mum's way of cooking You know, I've been to loads of restaurants and stuff, but variations of how Indian food is made. And why is it that, you know, I could drive a mile down the road and it would taste so different, you know?

35:00Jeannette Linfoot:So huge amount in terms of your cultural background, you know, being a gay couple with a son, you know, the whole IVF side of it. The jump from corporate to entrepreneur. I mean, listen, we might have to do two podcast episodes to cover all of this. But let's make a start at trying to sort of dig into some of these areas if it's OK. So let's focus on sort of the business side of things now. And just to start off with, so, you know, you were in that corporate world and you remember when you started talking, you were saying that you went down the accountancy route because it was almost, I suppose, what was expected of you, you know, family and that kind of thing.

35:41Jeannette Linfoot:And you never really, you spent a lot of time doing that. You never really enjoyed it. It wasn't your thing. Did you know that at the time or was it only on reflection that you sort of thought, you know what, what have I been doing? You know, obviously it was a pivotal life event for you with, you know, with your niece as well that kind of happened. But thinking about that sort of early start in your career of choosing an accountant and say nothing against anyone who's an accountant that's listening, by the way. It's a great profession for many people, but it wasn't right for you. So did you know at the time, Resh, that you were doing something that wasn't actually, you know, rocking your bow or was it only on reflection?

36:17Rubbi Bhogal Wood:I think only the whole time, actually. I think the whole time. It's funny, like, I sort of compare that a lot with my sexuality as well. So I only came out to my friends and family, like, when I met Hina, which was about 13 years ago. I knew she was the one, right? And it's the same with this career thing. it's like I've always known it was not not me and it wasn't right for me um I think you know I talk to my friends who are accounts now and they love what they do you know and I cannot I cannot relate you know I cannot um I I love the analytics side and I love what data can tell you um but sitting there doing month end for somebody else or year end what was I doing you know so but at the time Jeanette you know it was more about um climbing that corporate ladder you know and I thought okay once I get to that level I won't have to do a month end anymore in reflection and the conversations I probably had with my my superiors at the time it was probably the whole D &I card that was stopping me get to where I wanted to get to and probably if it wasn't you know for my sexuality or you know the whole D &I thing maybe I'd be it's just those um engagements you have with people, there's interactions you have with people that sometimes it's like sliding doors, you know, the right place, right time, wrong place, wrong time.

37:38Rubbi Bhogal Wood:It's a bit like that. Yeah, absolutely.

37:42Jeannette Linfoot:I mean, there's so much in here, you know, and I think there's, you know, for anyone listening, there is not that, you know, I think the point is find something that you love, because if you can find something that you love, then one, life's going to be a lot more enjoyable. It's not going to be a chore. But also you're probably going to operate at your best or at a better level because it's, you know, it's more close to your own purpose and what you really, really want to achieve and do. And, you know, when you were then sort of you made the decision to, you went off to India, and I love India, by the way, Resha.

38:16Jeannette Linfoot:I spent a lot of time in India myself. When I was at TUI, I had a business TUI India, so that was under my responsibility. I spent a lot of time there. In fact, my other half, Chris, he lived in Goa when Goa was first setting up as a tourist destination in the 80s. when it was not like it is now. So we've got this massive kind of love of India and Indian food, so I'm still in touch with a lot of the guys over there. But you're right, you went on this sort of almost self-exploration, I suppose, in a way, to find yourself, but also to understand the whole kind of ethos and history behind the different foods across India.

38:54Jeannette Linfoot:So when you were there in India going through that process, Did you have a clear plan at that point, or was it just that you wanted to get away, create some space? You kind of had this natural interest anyway for food and obviously the cultural background that you've got. Or did you actually go, no, I'm going, I know exactly what I want to do. This is just a step towards that. Was it very much sort of an exploration?

39:25Rubbi Bhogal Wood:Yeah, I think I just wanted some space away from, you know, being in the corporate world for like 20, 25 years. And I thought, you know, it's constant. What am I doing? Why am I doing this? You know, but I think inbuilt in me was that expectation of what others had of me. You know, I'm the eldest of three siblings. You know, I always, in a weird way, I'm not saying financially at all. but you know you know something inside me has always told me I'm going to be successful and for me in my head I thought that meant climbing the corporate ladder you know um but what it was doing to my mental health was quite the opposite you know I thought and it was that constant why am I doing this you know why am I doing this and then you'd be like okay now I've met Hina and I know that we want to have children one day so I've got to be in a secure job I've got to have that big paycheck coming in you know it's just that expectation of you from society or family members or parents and you know growing up you know one of the things that always has resonated with me was that you know my parents my mum always wanted to be a nurse um and she met my dad um and my dad when you talk to him he's like he always wanted to be a lawyer and he would have been an amazing lawyer sort of have mirrored that in that okay I've trained you know I've done some accuracy exams here now that's what I need to do and I really wish in hindsight I took that theoretical advice that my parents didn't get to do what they wanted to do because they had to earn the money um yes I needed to earn the money but probably not yeah well I mean listen it's

41:09Jeannette Linfoot:interesting isn't it because I think so much of our backgrounds and family setups you know it does have a massive influence on kind of our mindset, the approach, the expectations, the pressure. And very often, you know, that comes with the best intentions. You know, your parents would have wanted the best for you, you know, I'm sure, because, you know, that's sort of the norm. But I suppose there is another way and it can take a while for that to kind of manifest and show itself to you. And, you know, isn't it brilliant that you got there in the end kind of thing, you know, because some people never actually do make that break.

41:45Jeannette Linfoot:They just have a life of regret of, oh, I wish I'd done that. I could have done that. You know, and then they get to a certain age of their life or maybe when they're gasping their last breath, they're going with all these regrets. And, you know, and you're not doing that, which I think is absolutely inspiring and amazing. And for anyone that's listening or watching this, that's thinking, oh, my God, I'm in that position. I think if you've got a dream, just bloody go for it because if it doesn't work out, at least you've tried, you'll have learned something, and it'll probably lead you onto something else that's actually going to be great.

42:19Jeannette Linfoot:But to never know and to always wonder, I think, is a crime really for yourself. So I think you've done fantastic in making that break. And, you know, you talked about earlier your sort of sexuality and coming out, Resh. I mean, so you were, I suppose, quite an older person coming out in you know in the whole context of things did did it hold you back in the corporate life in your corporate world do you think that's sort of been in the back of your mind did you feel like you were almost living two lives and and kind of having to put forward a certain image if you like of of what what people thought you were this is what the reality was or or did that not kind of

42:59Rubbi Bhogal Wood:play out that way for you yeah no it did and I think I think you've sort of hit the nail on the head and now it's probably made me think okay that was the reason so when I was in in my corporate career I wasn't I didn't come out at all you know and you know if you're holding a part of yourself back you're never gonna fully progress right and that's probably been the one of the biggest reasons I probably didn't you know flourish in the way I could have done because I was not being true to myself and people didn't really know me for who I really was you know or you know you'd did it at the weekend and i just had to make something up you know and it's so hard must

43:38Jeannette Linfoot:have been so hard you know i mean and because that's that's constant that constantly there that would never go away i mean you know i can't i can't imagine how tough that must have been for

43:48Rubbi Bhogal Wood:you at the time actually yeah and it was it was it was a work but also amongst my friends and my family so it was just me living this other life that no one knew about you know and um it's only when I met Hina you know that's when I thought okay this for this person I'm now going to be true to everyone because I'm not doing this for another 30 years of my life you know um so it came to a point where it was enough you know I had stopped yeah well I guess I guess your

44:23Jeannette Linfoot:your need became a must at that point you know I mean I I love old Tony Robbins I don't know if you ever listened to Tony but he talks a lot about that you know that it's not until your need becomes a must that that's really when when things can change and that's obviously what happened with you and and when when you actually did come out then uh Resh how was that received you know were people supportive were they shocked did they actually sort of a lot of people know anyway but just hadn't had the conversation you know how how did it how did it actually play out for you was it was it as as bad a situation as you'd maybe made in your mind or or was it was it better than it

44:58Rubbi Bhogal Wood:could have than you know I think yeah I think people were just waiting for me to to say it or come out with it to be honest and then you know it's such I you know I can still feel it now but it's that you know your shoulders just going you know um and just being able to be really honest and everyone was just didn't care you know like yeah we knew we're just waiting for you to tell us you know um and it's so funny it's like god i've just wasted 35 years of my life not telling anyone

45:31Jeannette Linfoot:well there's such a massive lesson in this there really is you know because because i think you know so often we do you know we worry so much about what other people will think what other people will say and it is it's dangerous isn't it and nine times out of ten they don't give a shit they're so busy they're so busy dealing with their own stuff going on it's not that they don't care but they go all right okay yeah fine crack on yeah well oh bless you well at least listen I mean it's great that you and Hina you know you've kind of got your lovely family unit and and you have made that made that move and you'll be your true self aren't you now and and you know that that's that's fantastic so can I just talk about the kind of the entrepreneurial side of things so you you started um chapati club you opened a restaurant in 2017 and talk us through that sort of experience for you and kind of how the business has gone where you are now because obviously there's been some changes on that front as well for you hasn't there over you know quite recently so yeah give us

46:30Rubbi Bhogal Wood:give us a clue so we so we opened the restaurant um it was very much based on indian food north indian food with the kenyan um sort of twist to x our parents kenyan and what we did is we brought in sort of homemade recipes so it was like you know the way we would eat at home and that was the reason for the name actually so chapatis you know we eat them day in day out you know our mothers would cook piles of chapatis they'd be on the table there'd be one or two curries and everyone just you know fights over the curries right and that's the concept we wanted to bring to the table for others to share and you know we really did achieve that we really achieved that homemade style cuisine that you know doesn't feel like I'm gonna put a curry and I feel a bit rough or you know there's that whole concept of a beer and a curry pint and curry and that wasn't what we were about we were about really nice wine you know um really well locally sourced food uh vegetables and bringing you know it was like we had probably 10 12 dishes on the menu but they were done really well um and it was like i wouldn't say we were cheap eats but we were on you know we weren't fine dining the the music we played was all it was we were bringing our childhoods basically onto the table so we're like old school r &b old school hip-hop the walls in the restaurants were graffitied we had you know reclaimed school chairs church chairs um tables that were like from an old coffee shop or something so it was a real just bringing the old school back into the food and food hall right the way we would eat at school and um we would serve like our beers were like kenyan beer so it's bringing that authenticity back into the into the restaurant space as well so we're trying to be really true to ourselves and then there was this one point i think in 2017 yeah so we went to we opened in april and then that June we went to Pride in London and Hina picked up a gay flag and she was like on our way home she was like you should put this in the in in the window at the restaurant and I was like no way you know because we were in Acton quite a diverse community yes our customers knew that we were a gay couple but I wasn't ready to like put a gay flag in the window you know this is that someone might put a brick through the window or something you know you don't know right yeah yeah and you know me and Hina had a bit of a conversation about it she's like why not I was like I just don't feel comfortable with advertising that we're a gay owned Indian restaurant you know and then I thought hold on a minute there isn't I don't know of any other gay owned Indian restaurants so maybe we should like you should use this a bit and play on it a bit as a and we did you know And then after that, you know, we, after a while, we took on some PR work with a guy that we know.

49:39Rubbi Bhogal Wood:And we really played on that, you know, Agile sort of strap buying that, you know, with this gay Indian couple. And we own a restaurant, Indian food, because there wasn't, even now, I don't know of any Indian spaces that you can go to, you know, as a gay person. and growing up if I knew there was somewhere safe I could go and just hang out have a drink or a cup of tea 100 % I would have been there because I know my straight friends or my straight family wouldn't have been in there and I think for us it was then really important to create the restaurant and to be a real safe space for other Indian Pakistani Muslim people to just come in and just be you know and we really if there's one thing i take away from what we created it was that you know we really did open our arms to people that didn't feel safe going to a pub that's going to straight people um or you know go to restaurants and we had couples come in

50:40Diane Edwards MBE:gay couples come in and just be themselves you know and it was lovely it was a beautiful space And unfortunately, last year, summer, we did have to close.

50:52Rubbi Bhogal Wood:And that was, we got through the pandemic and it was really good for us. We created meals for the NHS and it was after the pandemic that things started to sort of go wrong for us. So this time last year, like January 2022, the number of people fought for, it just diminished sort of very quickly. And I think that's to do with the fact that people's habits, eating habits changed. You know, they didn't want to go to restaurants on Friday, Saturday, and they wanted to get that takeaway or they wanted to sit down on the TV because that's what the pandemic made us do. And now you're trying to undo another habit, you know.

51:38Rubbi Bhogal Wood:And we kept the business going until June last year. And then it got to a point where I spoke to somebody independently when we looked at the bank account or like, you haven't got long left. So we decided to very quickly, unfortunately, had to shut the restaurant down and liquidate company. So the space is gone. The brand is still very much alive. We've done a few pop ups and stuff since. but it's that space that we wanted to create and you know hopefully we you know the plan was we were going to multiply and open open all sites um but for now that's what I'm on hold oh well

52:20Jeannette Linfoot:well listen I mean it's it's not easy running a business it's not easy starting a business it's not easy anything that you you kind of have gone through as a as a and as you you said earlier you know before we press record you know as a sole opener it's tough you know you're trying to do everything you know you're obviously very very astute on the commercials and the and the finance and the numbers side of it but you know you're learning a whole new set of skills operationally on your service delivery all these things you know concepts and etc as well as having you know a lease on a on a property where you've got the commitments going out every month and you need to turn over to be a certain level so there's a lot in here but you know I mean from what you've described Resh it sounds like the concept is it was incredible I think you're absolutely right you You know, the value sitting behind the proposition is really strong.

53:10Jeannette Linfoot:And there's a gap in the market. You know, there is a definite need. You're solving a problem for a customer, aren't you, that hasn't got that safe environment and providing amazing Indian food to boot, you know, that kind of brings all those elements together. So, you know, I really, really hope and I'm sure, you know, anyone listening to this, if they're listening to it thinking, hey, what a bloody brilliant idea, get in touch with Resh. You know, if you've got money, you want to invest, you want to support, you know, Resh and Hina, then absolutely do it. It sounds like an incredible, incredible concept that you created.

53:42Jeannette Linfoot:And maybe it was just the timing. Sometimes it's just timing. So if you had if you had the opportunity, Resh, then would you like to sort of, you know, open more open a restaurant again? Maybe, you know, revisit where you were and but in, you know, in a way that's going to allow you to sort of, you know, move forward profitably and successfully. Would that be, you know, on the radar for you guys?

54:04Rubbi Bhogal Wood:Yeah, I think that's what it was. It was, you know, it was to do with scaling. And if you don't scale, you know, you are in trouble. And, you know, for us, it was like we were, funny enough, in 2019, you know, we were going to look at other sites. And during the pandemic, actually, we opened a dark kitchen in Bermondsey that was just helping as well. and um everything you know we planned to do in 2019 just got you know like a lot of businesses not just us you know it put us back and um I think because we didn't then didn't recover um it made it hard for me mentally to think okay let's open another site regardless because I think I was quite nervous about what was going to happen next you know is this pandemic over is it gonna happen again um and then and then we had another baby as well in the pandemic so it was well I think my my sort of commercial brain turned more into okay I need to sort of think about the family now and what's right for us you know and Ruthie our little girl was born bang in May 2020 um where I was allowed to just sort of go to the hospital with he know for the delivery and then got sent home and there was there was all of that to navigate around you know um and I think you know that there's a lot of conversation like you know I probably not say this say this but if I was a guy if I was if I was a bloke I think it would have been easy for me to just carry on trying to grow the business irrespective of what was happening at home and I think because I'm a woman and I I get it um I thought no I need to stay at home I need to be here for my family and it was very um easy for me to sort of make that decision you know and so I the pandemic was funny because if that's when a lot of businesses flourished or grew or you know opened and you know but for us I think that having a baby sort of you know it made us sort of re-evaluate okay this is what we need to do with our lives right now um and it takes strength and

56:15Jeannette Linfoot:courage to do that you know it really does and and you're right sometimes again you know you can get swept along with business business business and that you know and that's great you know you love what you do you want it to be successful etc but at what cost you know and and I think it's it does take real courage to say well hang on a minute you know right now right now my priorities need to be my family you know we've got a new baby and and and you know that maybe the environment the conditions out there are not conducive and actually we can always pick this up again but yeah it must have been very difficult to make that final that final decision to close the doors can you fit can you if you think about that day when you kind of you know the last day you close you close the doors is it is it really emotional for your resh or are you quite kind of you know black and white about things once you've made a decision that's it you're done and you move on

57:03Rubbi Bhogal Wood:it was funny like when um when we close yeah like say close the doors but um And I was okay, I was okay, I was okay. And then we had to call in a long star to have a chat. And I think they saw the real emotional side of Reg that they didn't think was them, you know, because they just see me as this like business owner that was there to be part of them and we were part of each other. And I think they just all saw a side of me that, yeah, it was killer. it was it was really hard and I think I probably spent two or three days in bed like really really like really down you know um and I think unless you've been there it's very hard for other people

57:48Jeannette Linfoot:to appreciate what that might have felt like yeah yeah how did you bounce back from that thing because obviously you know you you are feeling in a pretty low point at that at that stage what What were the things that you managed to kind of bounce back and pull yourself out of that place?

58:05Rubbi Bhogal Wood:There was like an influx, and even to this day, an influx of messages from our customers. You know, constant, like that constant support is like, yes, they couldn't believe we'd closed, but the lovely messages that we were getting out of it was, you know, how we changed people's lives. and, you know, we've seen families grow, you know, people coming in, ladies coming in pregnant to then having five-year-old kids and we were part of this institution, you know, and to this day, you know, we still get lovely messages from people. And for me, it was like, okay, I need to really focus on my family now and, you know, we've got a two-year-old and a five-year-old that need our constant love and support.

58:48Rubbi Bhogal Wood:So I'm here for them, really.

58:51Jeannette Linfoot:Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, what did you learn about yourself through that time?

58:58Rubbi Bhogal Wood:That I can do it again, you know. I can bounce back, hopefully not take me as long as it did. But, yeah, having that ability and that network and hospitality is, you know, it became a world where I've made so many friends and people that will just reach out, check in on you. And it's such a good network, you know, whereas in finance,

59:22Jeannette Linfoot:you would you know you wouldn't have had that yeah you're right actually because you know we we've our paths crossed at the plan b conference which has now been rebranded as balance the board so big shout out to holly addison emma causer who else am i missing hang on an elliott um so so they you know they've done an incredible job already in kind of you know helping the industry come together from a diversity and inclusion point of view but nonetheless you know whether or male, female, black, white, whatever, you know, whatever your sexual orientation is, actually as a sector, hospitality and the travel industry as well, I know it's sort of adjacent to that really, a lot of similarities.

1:00:03Jeannette Linfoot:You know, you're right, you make lifelong friends. And when the times are tough, you pretty quickly see who's there and is there to hold out a hand and to help. And you pretty quickly see who's maybe not quite, you know, what you thought they were going to be. And I think that happens a lot. And sometimes that can be quite difficult because the people you think were going to be there sometimes are. And the ones that maybe hadn't even considered just really step up and are absolute heroes in supporting you. And you're right, that network is really key. So with what you're doing now, Resh, you're doing some consultancy work, aren't you?

1:00:42Jeannette Linfoot:Because obviously you've got all that project management experience. You're clearly like, you know, you know what it's like to run a business. yourself and the full P &L accountability. And, of course, you've got that great, you know, background in accountancy. So you bring a lot to the table, you know, with all of your years of experience. What are some of the things you're working on at the moment?

1:01:01Rubbi Bhogal Wood:So late last year, we did a few pop-ups at a wine bar just to see if that would keep the food alive a bit and keep that going. And then recently I've just started working with Data Hawks and they are still hospitality, thankfully, and it's um you know pulling all the crm data from all the different modules that restaurants and hospitality use and then churning it out giving it back to the client and just proving to them like what they're missing out with this data um what you know the amount of profit they could be you know still turning over with just sending out those emails to customers and reminding them that you're there and in the company that i'm working with you know they are quite unique and what they do and the way they use the data is quite clever as well.

1:01:50Rubbi Bhogal Wood:So, yeah, I've just started with them a couple of weeks ago and really enjoying working with Vic and the team there.

1:01:56Jeannette Linfoot:Oh, fantastic. Well, the thing is, there's so many different options for you, isn't there? You know, you could go down the entrepreneurial route and kind of open up restaurants and, you know, stick with that plan. You could continue down the sort of more plural career route of helping other businesses, you know, with advisory work consultancy. So I think you've got a lot of exciting choices ahead of you, Resh. I really have. And, you know, if you think back to kind of, you know, the jump out of corporate to entrepreneurial, let's talk about that bit first. Any advice that you would give to people that might be listening, thinking about doing, you know, similar might be different business, different sector, but, you know, this concept of sort of leaving a job, if you like, and becoming your own boss.

1:02:36Jeannette Linfoot:What advice would you give to people on reflection of kind of what you've learned through that process?

1:02:42Rubbi Bhogal Wood:with your gut you've got that feeling you've got that business idea um and you know you don't have to you don't have to leave your job you know if you feel that you need that safety net just start it on the side you know start on the side get maybe get a group of friends together or your partner and just just start it and there's nothing to stop you from having that as a side hustle to start with um you know the restaurant was different you know physically my time needed to be there but I'd say just do it anyway and you might surprise yourself

1:03:15Jeannette Linfoot:yeah that's really like you say life's short right none of us know how long we've got we don't know what's around the corner and I think as we said earlier you don't want to have any regrets so I think if you've got that burning desire and you've got that niggle oh I really would quite like fancy this how bad can it be you can always go back and get another job right if it doesn't work out so if that's the worst it's not bad is it that's okay no that's great advice and and in terms of sort of you know the the setting up the business and and the lessons that you learned from from you know running your own business and a restaurant um any kind of big sort of things that stand out for you in terms of lessons that you might you know do slightly differently next time or things where you you know you would would create a little bit less pressure for yourself potentially what what are the things that you'd um you've

1:04:02Rubbi Bhogal Wood:taken forward yeah i think i you know i tried to do it all on my own um you know along with here on the side and neither of us had hospitality experience or worked in a restaurant before and I think I would have probably really invested in probably bringing in some sort of consultancy help or something just to make sure that we're on track you know um in terms especially the food and the way what we're trying to implement right so you know for me okay I knew that I wanted something to be in a certain way but it didn't mean it was going to be right for the customer so um i think getting the best advice possible as early on as possible or you know go go and put a shift in a restaurant you know try and get do some volunteering work where you can just pick up this information because there's no other way to do it i think is that is that hands-on you know it's only when you open the doors to a place and you run it that's when you get that hands-on experience so i think getting some proper experience that um you can put under your belt really helpful yeah i

1:05:03Jeannette Linfoot:No, that's really great advice. Because, I mean, essentially what that does, it arms you with more information and kind of ideas and what have you. But it does de-risk it as well, doesn't it? Because it means that if you're starting, you're not starting totally from scratch and sort of a bit blind by some of these things, but actually able to go into it probably with your eyes open a little bit more and therefore possibly having a bit more of a plan around it as well. But, you know, I mean, at the end of the day, that's how we grow, isn't it? You know, we learn things don't go so well. we go okay well that's all right because I learned a lot next time I'll I'll do it this way you know and I think that that's the strength it's never failing it's it's always learning and growth right but just just a slight reflection on kind of going full circle really in terms of you know if you think about you Resh the little girl growing up you know in your in your family unit with your with your mum dad and your siblings and kind of where you are now what what what would you say to to young Resh growing up that you that maybe you as as a as an adult now with all your kind of

1:06:07Rubbi Bhogal Wood:life experience that you've got what would you say to her you know I I think now that I we've got children as well um I think it's really important that I wish I had the balls to probably say to my mom and dad look I don't want to be an accountant this is what I want to do and there was obviously some sort of creative thing blood running through my vein where I needed to do something creative right and um yeah I think I should have pushed back a bit more and you know I was quite adamant on things I did didn't want to do in my life um but I wish I was more adamant on things I did want to do on my in my life you know I think now having children you know you can experience that first hand and you know going to uni and you know getting a degree I think it's a bit overrated to to be honest.

1:06:54Jeannette Linfoot:Yeah well there's more than one way to skin a cat isn't there that's that's the thing you're absolutely right there's absolutely right and and and with your uh with your parents when you actually you eventually did kind of come out to them and obviously you know you've produced two beautiful grandchildren now how how how how was family life there are your parents still still with us?

1:07:16Rubbi Bhogal Wood:Yeah they're still around they live in Southampton and um oh my word well

1:07:20Jeannette Linfoot:that's it when there's little ones in the room that's where the attention immediately goes isn't

1:07:24Rubbi Bhogal Wood:it yeah yeah no it's great it's really nice it's really nice and we've thankfully got you know both sets of grandparents still with us so it's really nice that our kids get to experience that because i didn't you know i had one set of grandparents around um for a while um but having seen that bond grow and the way they they gel with each other and everything is you know can't put a

1:07:47Jeannette Linfoot:price on it yeah and all credit to them you know for sort of embracing your situation you know because that's possibly not you know maybe they've had to adapt and adjust you know their their thoughts as well through that so I mean that's it isn't it I guess we're all on a journey but that's such a nice um nice thing to hear to be honest Resh it's really lovely thank you um so when we look back then Resh can you think of the best piece of advice that you've been given over

1:08:12Rubbi Bhogal Wood:the years I bet you've had loads I've had loads yeah um best piece of advice um probably just to keep keep moving you know keep moving forward um I think it's easy to get stuck in you know what you're doing and working on that spreadsheet or whatever but I think you know just opening up and looking forward as to like what's my next step going to be and I think companies are really good like strategizing but I think us as individuals you know when it comes to you and your personal life I don't think we strategize enough and I think that's where I think I had a piece of advice once you just you know look forward and where do you want to see your life in five years time and constantly think about that you know even if it's subconsciously just just have that thought

1:08:55Jeannette Linfoot:in your head yeah yeah that's great advice absolutely yeah because if you know where you want to head you've got more of a chance of getting there haven't you absolutely but you're right sometimes we're so busy doing the doing um that we don't give ourselves the headspace to think about um those important important things for ourselves so no that's brilliant advice and could you think of any bad advice that you've had resh you know when we when we had the

1:09:16Rubbi Bhogal Wood:restaurant i think that's when a lot of the bad advice sort of sort of filtering out um and it would be from customers to you know it all sorts of areas of life and you know it's it's just those little things it's those little bits of advice you think okay it might be good advice it might be bad advice but um it's what you do with it i think and you know from from a bad advice perspective um nothing nothing that springs to mind i don't think nothing that springs to mind i mean i think people have their opinions and you know they can share them um and it's how you

1:09:50Jeannette Linfoot:interpret it right yeah yeah absolutely no that's right and sometimes it's that filtering mechanism i think we're talking about this before weren't we rush that sometimes if you've had advice that you you know hasn't quite resonated with you sometimes you're kind of go well thank you for for that feedback. I'm processing it and then I'll decide what to do with it. And actually, I've put it in my not relevant box or I don't agree box. So I'm leaving it over there.

1:10:15Rubbi Bhogal Wood:But nothing that I've thought, okay, I took some advice and, you know, I've acted on it, if that makes sense.

1:10:22Jeannette Linfoot:Yeah, no, that absolutely does make sense. No, that makes absolute sense. So, Resha, you know, the podcast called Brave Bold Brilliant, you know, and as ambitious go-getting women that we are um warts and all what does that mean to you when you think about brave bold brilliant

1:10:40Rubbi Bhogal Wood:what does it mean to you resh i think having the ability to sort of tell yourself as a woman you know that you can achieve anything and you know having that that boldness is that is that sort of you know it doesn't matter what you think or that person thinks this person thinks it's just like I'm going to do this irrespective of what people think. And I remember, you know, when we opened the restaurant, I think, you know, within a day or two, this lady came in and she said to me, this will never work. And she just lived in the neighbourhood, right? And I think she might be right now, but at the time it worked and it worked really well.

1:11:18Rubbi Bhogal Wood:And I think, you know, going through these journeys, going through life, going through interactions you have with people, those are the things that make you more brilliant, more bold and more brave, you know, because you're always constantly going to have these challenges in life where people are going to try and push you back and you've got to keep it brave, keep it bold, keep it brilliant and keep moving forward.

1:11:37Jeannette Linfoot:Love it. You are a woman after my own heart. So thank you so much, Resh. It's been an absolute joy, honestly. Thank you for that. We've covered so much. Brilliant. Thank you. Thank you so much. So as we close this special episode, I want to thank every remarkable woman who shared her story on Brave Bold Brilliant, especially Diane Edwards, Ruby Boglewoods and Resh Zonchatla. You know their courage and leadership and their commitment to impact continue to light the way for future generations and for everyone listening let these stories remind you that leadership has no single face or background.

1:12:14Jeannette Linfoot:It's about vision, integrity and the determination to make a difference. So if today's episode moved you share it with a woman who inspires you and let's continue to amplify the voices that shape our world. So until next time, stay brave, stay bold and always stay brilliant.