Launching a Successful Business Without a Business Degree: A Dream, A Passion for Math & A Vision.
Today’s woman dreamer, Meera Siddharth shares her powerful personal and professional journey, from a childhood passion for math to a fulfilling career at State Street and Real Estate, working her way through many different roles and finding opportunities. Her story creates conversation around the popular question: Do you need a business degree to succeed in the business world? A woman of many interests and talents, Meera shares the role her family plays in her life, her thoughts on education for women, her aptitude for math and arts, and her advice for all women. Enjoy her empowering story below.
1) Tell us your personal and professional story. What were some challenges or interesting experiences you faced along the way?
Independent India created a lot of inner turmoil especially girls would wonder what roles were in store for them, or were they limited to being a housewife? Indian parents should focus more on educating their girls; not on their weddings and dowries. My parents gave us a good education along with a deep sense of ethics and compassion.
I was weak in many school subjects. I remember my father helping me with the multiplication tables of eight. Putting my pencil to draw the number eight, circling from the bottom going up, I felt a burning sensation as my father's heavy slap covered my cheek. Mom intervened as I felt traumatized. I did learn to draw number 8 from the top right circling down but I avoided Maths like a plague.
My father, an avid reader, read books about the World War and American writers' James Hadley Chase, Louis L’Amour, etc. Our exposure to the Indian and English cinema was ample. Times of India, Screen, Filmfare, Women's Home magazines, etc were well received at our home. While post-Independence India brought heavy loans from Russia, America, and Germany, I used to worry as to how India would be able to pay its foreign debt.
My passion for Fine Arts evolved. Reading about Marx, Milky Ways, Galaxies, Black holes, Carl Sagan, JFK & Apollo’s Moon landing was synonymous with AMERICA. Listening to the radio, I fell asleep, missing the great Moon landing. This was my exposure to “America” where freedom of thought, speech, opportunity existed.
As an idealist, I wanted my suitor to refrain from the dowry system and my wish was granted. As a new bride, I left India arriving in Toronto, Canada o quickly after marriage. Both my beautiful children were born there. We eventually moved to Boston. After settling down I started my career, but what and where was a question?
My temp job as a filing clerk at State Street turned into a permanent position in its Wire department. With no experience in the financial field, my work forced me to come out of my shell by finding courage, seeking help from anyone walking along the halls at State Street. Soon, every wire was properly identified by both sender and receiver.
My next move was to troubleshoot the Claim’s Department. I learned many aspects of interest-based 30/360 or prime rate etc. I would pull out trashed calculated tapes of my manager and recalculating them for practice. A few months later with advanced systems, claims were automated. Next, I targeted - Mutual Funds. As I became more confident, my fear of math dissipated.
Years that followed, I target our Corporate Actions Department conducting mergers, spin-offs, bankruptcies, and many other activities of stocks and bonds. Corporate Actions is the most demanding and high-risk area of the Mutual Funds and as it flourished, As an administrator, I successfully trained others for the next 10 years. I was a client liaison for the International offices, NYC brokers, Legal, Auditors, etc. In 2002 the Financial market was going through its downward volatility and State Street consolidated. At the age of 52, the severance package offered was that of a 65-year-old, and in 2003 I retired. Though I loved my work, unfortunately, I never missed it as simultaneously I was working with my husband’s business. My managers respected me in awe of how I could juggle by driving home to find files and back to work or drive to Cape Cod to sign documents and speed back to work.
My commitment to our real-estate projects are still ongoing and we work as a team. Since I am usually the only female attending these work meetings, I notice that the men do not make eye contact let alone listen to me. That challenge forced me to find my voice and show my knowledge in the field of construction, and real estate development.
I may not get accolades for my accomplishments or obstacles I face being a woman, juggling a career, business, and family life, but I am grateful to this country where women can work fearlessly and be who they want to be.
2) You do not have a formal business degree and you and your husband have such a very successful real estate business. What are some advantages & disadvantages of not getting a formal business degree and education?
Education is the key to success and enlightenment. What type of education and our access to it differs for many reasons. These days we have much freedom and we are not pigeon-holed to becoming the cliche of a doctor, lawyer, and engineer. Because of my arranged marriage, having children young, and immigrating to the US, I plunged into working formally and informally without a degree in finance and business consulting. But the experience, common sense, and logic took over. Women have so many opportunities these days and it is sad to see they still face challenges. Many times women still having to choose between family and career. My sound advice to all young women is to take courage and face your fears by overcoming them.
Education is a must and further learning never curtails enhancement into knowledge and knowledge gives one certain positive power to advance in real-life situations.
There is no such thing as a disadvantage for not having a formal degree if you work diligently and the output is sincere. Experiences equate to a degree that surpasses any merits. Also, success triumphs into not just monetary gains alone but certain accomplishments and contentment.
3) What are some of the other fun things you do in your spare time?
Fun? This word is over-used just as I love this or that. I have a love of my travels, and I am so fortunate to have a daughter that makes it happen. I have passed onto to both the children my love for history, religion, culture, travel, and food. I do like to watch old movies on TCM, theatre on PBS, the opera, and read as much as I can. Even when my kid were young, theatre on Broadway NY and Boston was our interest. I introduced the children to music like Blondie, the Police, the Beatles and listen to Barbra, Jagjit & Nusrat, and of course Johnny Carson & Letterman. My continuous passion for inquisitiveness takes me into flipping research pages on the internet.
4) You certainly have a head for math and you are also known to be artistic in the field of singing, writing, etc., Do you believe there is a connection between the two?
How we use our mind creatively is all inter-connected on how we come up with solutions. Math usually works if you are a righteous person, then the results are easily achieved. But a person who wants to come up with certain calculations to make it work may spend a whole lot of frivolous time.
Singing? It is a wonderful past-time for the community to connect. I am just a bathroom singer or one can say an uncut, raw kind of a singer that can hide flaws. I am not a trained singer. I did draw and paint until my college years and won the first prize for my paintings in BHU but after coming to America, I have only painted and plastered walls.
I write as well but for myself. There is a connection between the intellect and what one creates. The best is if a person can find a happy medium by being an intellectual and at the same time your actions can showcase your productivity and progress in life! I do not like a passive intellectual as it is a cheat & a burden for the society as you are only offering 50% of your capabilities.
Bio: Meera Siddharth: born in Lucknow UP. Went to St Mary’ and later to BHU, Varanasi for her undergrad she studied English Literature, History, Psychology, and Fine Arts. For her Masters, she joined the Faculty of Indology at BHU to study History of Art & Architecture. Meera left India in 1973 for Canada and in 1979 she moved to Boston with her husband and her two children. She worked 24 years at State Street. She is proud of her daughter Rhitu who works for the United Nations in Libya and her son Rahul who in the advertising business. Meera believes in the goodness of heart to happily follow the path of what unfolds in front. Making each day a special day to celebrate life.