Nareen Sidhu Reflects on her Inspiring Journey: Entrepreneurship, Harvard Business School, and Advice to Young Women Professionals
“The most important business and life lesson that I have learnt is courage – courage to test an idea instead of perfecting it.” Today’s woman dreamer Nareen Sidhu is an entrepreneur with a mission to empower female founders. Originally from Malaysia, Nareen graduated from Harvard Business School this year and hopes to use her learnings to democratize access to knowledge and networks. In this inspiring interview with Women Who Win, Nareen shares her vision for her new venture, Inspirele, her top advice for MBA applicants, and the life lessons she has learned along the way. Enjoy!
Tell us your story. You have a background in consulting and are passionate about community building for women/ Tell us more about your journey, and the lessons learned along the way?
I grew up in a small town in Malaysia, where my dad ran a small business that all of us helped with. This made me interested in learning more about the economics and mechanics of business management. I explored this interest by studying Economics at University College London, and joining Bain & Company in Southeast Asia post graduation. Consulting is a job that requires you to constantly adapt and get-smart quickly about different businesses and build relationships. So, this journey taught me how to develop my own systems around setting and tracking learning goals whenever I was on a new project. During this time, I also led the Women@Bain initiative for the Kuala Lumpur office, which taught me the value of building relationships and community, especially amongst women who derive a lot of value from being inspired and supported by others who relate to their journey in the business world.
2. You are currently an MBA candidate at Harvard Business School. What are your top tips for women who are considering applying for an MBA program?
My top tips for women who want to apply for an MBA program is to start with self-reflection. Reflect on important moments in your life (from childhood till now) that have shaped your approach to life, leadership, and your career. Then, identify patterns and themes that make you uniquely YOU. This is often the hardest step of crafting a successful MBA application because telling your story from an authentic place can feel uncomfortable. But it is important to realize that doing that will help you not only stand out amongst other applicants, but also realize how an MBA can help you in this journey of self-discovery and growth. I have worked with quite a few women to craft their MBA applications for HBS, GSB, LBS, and Yale SOM, and building their story is often the most impactful part. Happy to help anyone who needs guidance doing this – feel free to reach out through my website here
3. You are doing a new project for female founders. Tell us about that. What was the need you saw?
I am currently working on Inspirele, an online coaching program for female founders. Growing up, I have noticed that women around me having amazing ideas that can create value for themselves, their families, and the community. But unless they are well connected and resourced, women are left out of male-dominated entrepreneurial ecosystems that share knowledge, funding, and networks with each other. Most women don’t even have the space or platform to figure out their own entrepreneurial and leadership identities. Inspirele’s mission is to change this, by building a success ecosystem that helps women bring their business ideas to life through 3 pillars:
Purpose: Find conviction in their business idea by clarifying their founding purpose and goals
Community: Meet regularly with other female founders to be their support and accountability network
Access to Advice: Get the right advice at the right time from Inspirele coaches (experienced founders and angel/VC investors), as you navigate different questions e.g. go-to-market strategy, finding a co-founder, getting your first 10 customers,…
Overall, it is a personalized, guided program that helps female founders set goals, track, and reflect on their progress towards getting their business off the ground. We’ve just started in the US and have gotten great response from female founders. Our 1st pilot goes live on June 24th with 20 female founders and 20 coaches, and you can follow our journey through our LinkedIn page. I’m excited to see where this goes!
4. What is one of the most important business/life lessons you have learned, both in your MBA and career pursuits?
The most important business and life lesson that I have learnt is courage – courage to test an idea instead of perfecting it. The biggest learnings in life does not come from achievements or perfection. Instead, it comes from trying something out, and learning from things that go well but also things that don’t pan out as expected. This helps you adapt your ways and learn faster than others, which is a valuable skill at work and as a founder.
5. Where will you be living after business school? And do you have a favorite spot to relax and unwind?
I am actually moving to London in June 2023, and will be based there for the years to come. My favorite spot in London is Primrose Hill – it has a great view of the London city! Whenever I need some time-out from work and business, it is a beautiful place to go and unwind with friends and family.
Thank you Nareen for sharing your inspiring story with us. We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: Nareen grew up in Malaysia, a developing country full of diversity, and has since lived & worked in four continents. Her journey as a consultant and entrepreneur has helped her gather many stories and lessons, about how people approach challenges and create impact in their own ways. As a recent graduate from Harvard Business School, she hopes to use her learnings to democratize access to knowledge and networks. Nareen enjoys working on initiatives that build community and support women to achieve their dreams, inspired by the opportunities that others have given her. She is a career coach for women in the early and mid-stages of their careers, and has recently started Inspirele - a coaching program for female founders.