January 2021
Earlier this week, our team got together to do a round table talk with our CEO, Nittasha A. Naidu to understand her journey in becoming her own boss. She is a fierce go getter who set a goal to leave her corporate job and start her own business which has blossomed into a successful venture in just a few short years. We asked her some of the questions that we had on our list and just as she does everything else, our CEO eloquently answered all of our questions. We are sharing our top 3 questions and her answers with you. Keep reading, and get ready to be inspired. We sure are!
Q. What challenges have you experienced in your entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome them?
A. I started this business from scratch from having a goal and plan on paper to actual fruition so you would think that my challenges came from having enough finances, finding the right office and staff, or just having a solid business plan. I had all of those ducks in a row. Being a female entrepreneur has been one giant learning curve to say the least. As a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated industry, earning respect has been a struggle. I faced presumptions such as I must be doing this for fun. I was more than willing to put in the work to create my own reputation for being a hardworking, honorable businessperson in my own right. To overcome this, I have had to learn to build my confidence and used the negative presumptions to fuel my fire.
I spoke with other female entrepreneurs, joined local and national chambers where I gained insight and support from other successful female entrepreneurs. I found mentors and peers who continue to inspire me, help me be successful by engaging me to think outside of the box, applaud my successes and encourage me to see opportunity even in the worst of situations. Once my clients understand that I am a master in my craft and have a team who is as committed and skilled just as I am in being a collaborative partner in their success, I am able to win over their Confidence.
Q. Why do you only staff for the healthcare industry and not others? Would you consider expanding into other industries?
A. I chose healthcare because that is truly my niche. Not only do I have my Masters degree in Healthcare Human Resources, I also have almost 15 years of experience in this realm. I am passionate about healthcare, and understand the industry thoroughly from industry standards (accreditation, certification, performance improvement, etc.) to state and federal laws such as labor and employment laws. Considering my experience, education and knowledge in the field, is why I chose healthcare staffing and consulting as my niche. People are the crux of the business. You can't run a successful healthcare organization without the right people in place. As for expanding to other industries, my vision for Elsun Healthcare is to be known as a collaborative partner who is a master in our niche. We will work towards growth and expansion as we see fit.
Q. What would be your advice to someone who wants to pursue a passion but has no idea where to start?
A. That's a loaded question. I will tell you that when I started my journey, I started with a lot of introspection. I asked myself tons of questions as to what I like to do, what I don't like to do, what brings me purpose, what my barriers may be, etc. I started with a simple notebook where I would jot down my ideas (and still do have a notebook as most of you witness on a daily basis), thoughts, and plans. Once I had a good baseline idea, I started to write down my goals. I make sure that my goals are S.M.A.R.T
S=Specific
M=Measurable
A=Achievable
R=Realistic
T=Timely
My goals help me stay on track and laser focused on my objectives. There will be times where you will fall off track or even decide to go back and revise your goals and that's okay it's a part of the process. Just remember to push through and to set goals because a plan without a goal is just a wish.
We hope that you enjoyed learning about our CEO as much as we enjoy working with her. A huge heartfelt Thanks to Nittasha for taking the time out for this round table with us. We can't wait for the next one!