Ep.09 Bhawana Chitkara / Lifestyle Boutique Founder
/ On Leaving Corporate, Growing Slowly, & Navigating Empathy As A Woman-Led Business Owner
Our life journeys can sometimes lead us down paths we never expected, especially when it comes to our careers. After spending 20 years in the corporate banking industry, Bhawana never imagined that her next venture would be entrepreneurship. But (as they say) — if something is meant for you, it won’t pass you by. Eight years later, Bhawana’s beautiful lifestyle boutique in Massachusetts lives (and thrives!) on. Bhawana joins Ewelina on the show to share her inspiring career journey, what led her to starting a brick-and-mortar boutique on Cape Cod, what it means to lead a business with empathy and emotion, the unexpected joys of building a loyal community and so much more.
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Bhawana Chitkara is the founder and owner of Fabvilla, a lifestyle boutique in Mashpee Commons. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Delhi in India and has more than 20 years of professional management experience. Prior to owning her own business, Bhawana was a Vice President Branch Manager at Eastern Bank, managing large deposits and holding other responsibilities. She has been involved with numerous nonprofits on Cape Cod including Falmouth Housing Trust, Cape Cod Children’s Museum, and Kiwanis of Mashpee. She currently serves on the Board of Directors at Community Health Center of Cod. She lives in Mashpee with her family.
breakdown of topics covered:
0:00 Introduction
13:42 Who is Bhawana and FabVilla
15:42 The influence that Bhawana’s Indian culture and heritage plays in her life and her business
17:49 How Bhawana integrates the notion of home into her business and store
21:53 How Bhawana got the idea to start her business, walk away from the corporate world of banking, and open up her own retail store on the Cape
31:08 How Bhawana embraced the momentum in starting her store and leveraged it for growth
33:52 What surprised Bhawana in running her retail business
38:37 Leading a woman-led business — how to navigate empathy and take emotions out of business
44:36 How Bhawana navigated the fear of growth in her business when relocating her store to a bigger location
47:36 How Bhawana’s brick and mortar store not only survived, but thrived during the pandemic and how she received support from her customers
55:21 What helps Bhawana makes difficult decisions for her business, especially in those moments when she knows she’s going to be faced with personal challenges
57:48 Why organic growth over instant growth is important and how to apply your energy in the right places in business
1:00:10 Why passion and drive are critical components to being an entrepreneur
1:03:10 What purpose means to Bhawana
1:05:25 The words of wisdom Bhawana would share with anyone navigating fears around starting a personal venture
1:08:01 What home means to Bhawana
1:09:23 How to connect with Bhawana
Connect with Bhawana:
Website: fabvilla.net
Instagram: @fabvillamashpee
